Davy's on Haymarket

[Plain Talker]

I remember going in both of the davy's restaurants as a kid, with my mother and her brother.

 

Happy memories...

 

The one on Haymarket was still going in the 1980's, after the one on fargate had long- gone.

 

There was another restaurant, at the top of fargate, approximately where dixons is now, which was called something like "the Golden Egg". (I remember the golden spoon shaped illuminated sign)

 

My ex mother-in-law worked at Davy's main factory on Paternoster Row, years ago, before she had her family.

 

(Minor edit to add... wasn't the Davys on Fargate situated roughly where New Look/ W H Smith is nowadays?)

 

PT

[hazel]

Yes

The Daveys on Fargate was about where Smiths is now.

I'm sure they had their coffee grinder/roaster. in the front window hence the beautiful smell

hazel

[Timbuck]

The wife has just reminded me that our wedding cake was made by Davy's almost 40 years ago next July I hope I don't forget this anniversary..("anniversary" I had to get out the dictionary to spell that)

[extaxman]

Next time you pass WH Smith's on Fargate just look up at the building - there's still carvings of a pigs head, a sheeps head and a cows head.

 

All relics of the old Davy's.

[Wattsy]

Originally posted by PAULR

does any body remenber Davys bakery and restraunt on the Haymarket.I remember the silver service and the 50s atmosphere

.We went as treat from Church.

 

I remeber the Days Cafe when my Grandparents used to take me there as a child for a cup of tea and toasted teacake Ummm delicious. Very posh place in its day with the ladys serving in their black and white uniforms. I recall the green basket chairs they had in there.

[marycrookes]

My mum who died last year at 89, was a silver service waitress at Davy's in fargate, the work was very hard back then, having to serve portions off a silver platter, without dropping it all over the customers,they worked very long hours and her feet used to kill her, but she'd always come home to wash her frilly cap and apron ready for the next day, she always used to say that I was brought up on her "tips", so she had to bite her tongue many a time, as thats what we lived on, she then went on to be the Head waitress at Whirlow park, and was in charge of all the "posh" weddings.The thing I remember though about Davy's, was in the window there was wonderful birthday cakes shaped like baskets of fruit, crinoline ladies, and animals for the children, needless to say I didn't get one, her Tips didn't run to those luxceries.

[FairyNormal]

Whilst doing a family history for my son at school this week, my mum told me about our connection to Davy's. My great, great grandfather, Samuel Llyewellyn Nicholls co-owned the buisness with Arthur Davy. My Grandfather (my mums dad) was sat in the restaurant on Fargate at the age of 16, doodling on a napkin. He drew a logo for the shop and they were so impressed that they used it as the company logo on all their crockery etc. He then went onto be the chief architect for Sheffield City Council!!

 

The chain was bought out by Hagenbachs (sp) and finally by Greggs.

[detectorist]

Originally posted by pauline

i used to work at davys at haymarket and my boyfriend ,who became my hubby ,worked at davys on paternoster row.

Hi--I used to work at Paternoster row in the maintenence dept. about 1968 to 1973/4. Does any names come to mind?

[Applegrim]

My mum was a silver service waitress at Davy's Fargate, it was very hard work and wages were low, waitresses relied on their tips then, in fact I was brought up on her tips, she'd come home each evening and wash her cap and apron for the next day, she worked upstairs, but I do remember the whicker chairs and tables with glass tops downstairs, and the smell of ground coffee was wonderful.

Does anyone remember before coffee became popular, we could buy sachets of Nescafe for 2d from corner shops?

[PopT]

I once told a workmate in the steelworks that I was related to the Davy family.

 

He told me that if it hadn't been for the boss he wouldn't be working in the steeworks.

 

It appears he worked in a basement office in the Wicker for Davy's.

 

It was like working in a dungeon, badly lit by a small 15 watt bulb and the light from a very small window which was at pavement level

 

His eyes started to trouble him, giving him blinding headaches.

 

Finally he was forced to pay to see a doctor.

 

The doctor asked about his working conditions and he told the doctor about the lack of light in the basement office.

 

The following week he rang up for an appointment to see Mr Davy.

 

He put on his best suit and went to see the boss where he

explained to him that the only light was the small window and a 15 watt bulb and these conditions were causing him severe eye problems.

 

He asked if he could have a larger bulb so he could see better to write in his ladgers.

 

The boss replied that he was wasting his time and did he know there were plenty of people to replace him if he couldn't manage.

 

This resulted in him having to give his job up and it was two years before he got another job which was in the steel works.

 

Until I wrote this I have never told anyone else about my family connections as I was so disgusted.

 

A friend of mine recently visited her family in Shanghai in China.

 

One of the family works at a new European/Chinese modern industrial estate just outside Shanghai.

 

She did manage to get a tour of one of the factories that employs a large workfrce which operate the latest Hi Tech machinery produce top quality products.

 

She noticed that not one Chinese person was wearing spectacles which was odd.

 

She asked about this and the reply was that they do not employ flawed people and if by chance anyone becomes flawed during their employment they are released and replaced by another person ass there are hundreds of people waiting to be trained up to replace any flawed workers.

 

A sad case of Deja Vu or what?