Edwards' Grocery in Granby Street

[jasper]

Does anyone remember Edwards' Grocery in Granby Street and Ted Bramwell butchers across the street?
I was a grocery delivery boy for Edwards' in 1955/6. The boss was Mr Norman who used to tell me about being a machine gunner in the trenches in the 1st World War. He was a very nice man but he sacked me in the end because he said he wanted someone full time.
I got £1/2s per week plus tips of 10s on Saturday. I suppose it would be about £50 in today's money. I had to pay it into the house though which I resented because my father spent most of the family income on drink, cigarettes and horse betting.
Afterwards I did the same job for Ted Bramwell butcher but he never paid me the proper rate and I left when I was 16.

[shytalk]

I remember Ted Bramwell, my mother used to buy our meat there when we lived in Granby St. 1959-64. His delivery guy at that time was Charlie Scott who lived in Bloom St. We had a shop at the other end near Parly. Bramwells stood out from the other butchers shops, he had a refrigerated display that filled the whole window. Below is a picture of our shop.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c81/sc0use/granbyst1961.jpg

[jasper]

I remember Charlie Scott quite well. He later worked as a doorman in several Liverpool night spots. My mother was rather fond of him.

Granby Street was very lively in those days. It was more cosmoplitan at the Upper Parliament Street end and tended towards lower middle class/working class gentility at the Princess Road end. Apparently Princess Road was populted by the Jewish community at one time (perhaps just before the war).

What did your shop sell?

[shytalk]

Groceries mainly but a bit of everything. I don't remember the one you mentioned I do remember Rynns with the tiled wall saying 'Rynns for bacon', also Owens was a successful grocery shop until one of the sons got caught with stolen goods, went downhill after that. Do you remember Mr. Sud with the turban?, he had a clothes store. Or Baij the Indian guy?.
Last I heard of Charlie Scott he had gone to live in Ireland. That was in the 70's.
My shop was the one on the left in the picture. It had originally been a dairy and the front window was made to open, it didn't when I was there. The shop on the right was a small chandlers store. The car was my pride and joy, a 1954 Rover 90.

[Davec]

I remember Mr. Sud, but I knew him as the fella in the ice-cream van - unless it was a different guy.

[shytalk]

I remember Mr. Sud, but I knew him as the fella in the ice-cream van - unless it was a different guy.

The Mr. Sud I was talking about was a huge guy, must have had a 60 inch waist. I don't know what nationality he was but he wore a turban, This fella would never fit in an ice cream van. :) He used to drink whiskey out of a pint glass in Hessians pub.
He sold out before I did in 1964 and went to Canada.

[jasper]

Granby Street was pretty well 100% european in my day. I left in about 1958when the immigrants were just moving in.

There was a chinese laundry though and Jamaican barber shop.

[shytalk]

The chinese laundry was a few shops up from me. I used to go to Macs barber shop, he always had American car magazines.

[Davec]

The Mr. Sud I was talking about was a huge guy, must have had a 60 inch waist. I don't know what nationality he was but he wore a turban, This fella would never fit in an ice cream van. :) He used to drink whiskey out of a pint glass in Hessians pub.
He sold out before I did in 1964 and went to Canada.

My Mr. Sud was also huge, at least sideways, could never make out his height with him being in a van. But he certainly filled the serving window. He looked to me to be in his 50's at the time I'm talking about, which would be the early 60's. He was obviously a Sikh and his turban as I recall was always plain white. I lived in Wynnstay St. - a couple of streets up from Princes Road.

[shytalk]

It could have been the same person. I had been told he was going to Canada when he sold his shop, but that could have changed. I never saw him after that.

[Davec]

Thinking about it Shy I think I have completely got the wrong fella (:o). I'll have to wait to see my sister - who is younger, smarter and has a better memory than me - but I may be getting mixed up with someone else of a similar description. His name was Pal.
Can you remember a small coffee bar in Granby in the early 60's on the same side as the school? and a shop that sold false teeth? or are these more examples of my suspect memory(RIP)?
Speedy Gonzales was top of the pops at the time

[shytalk]

The only cafe I remember was "Sid's" cafe at the Parly end and I have no recollection of the false teeth shop. Sid's cafe was almost opposite my shop.

[Dave H]

Granby Street was pretty well 100% european in my day. I left in about 1958when the immigrants were just moving in.

There was a chinese laundry though and Jamaican barber shop.

I was at Granby Street primary around then. The laundry was Yau's and my best friend lived there. I used to go there to read his collection of DC comics, sometimes use the ironing machine on small items under the beady eye of his gran (hard to believe now that people got handkerchiefs laundered) and admire his sister who wore cheong-sams.

I remember a butcher/fishmonger on the other side of the road nearer Parly. They used to give talks on fish to parties of schoolkids who trooped down to stand outside the window.

[jasper]

Granby Street was almost entirely a street of shops. There were no shops in either Mulgrave Street or Kingsley Road that ran parallel to it.

Does anyone know why that was?

[shytalk]

DaveH, I remember the fishmongers shop, I think it was called 'Warburtons'.
It was on the block south of Selbourne St. I think.

[jasper]

There was a fishmongers between Ponsonby Street and Cawdor Street that was owned by a large lady. There was no refrigeration and the flies used to buzz all around the shop. It was completely open to the front.

She used to sell rabbits too. They were hung outside complete with their head and skin.

She used to run charabanc excursions to places like Blackpool and Southport.

[Dave H]

The other thing about Granby Street was that there were no pubs. I think that there was some restriction imposed by the original (Methodist?) owners of the land that kept any development 'dry'.

[Dave H]

DaveH, I remember the fishmongers shop, I think it was called 'Warburtons'.
It was on the block south of Selbourne St. I think.

I think you may be right about the name. It sold various meat items as well as fish. When I remember it, it was run by a stout, jolly couple. They sold exotic items like shark. At one point in the 70s they bought in a huge whole tuna and there was a photo in the Echo or Post of them struggling to get it through the door. All you could see was this enormous fish and some legs below.

[shytalk]

I remember the Tuna incident. :)

[Ruth73]

I live in the Granby and help to produce our local newsletter 'The Jangler' and I would love to uncover any old photos such as this one from Shytalk for an article I would like to run in a future issue of the newsletter. If anybody has any old pictures of the people, shops and houses in the Granby I would be very grateful to see them.


I remember Ted Bramwell, my mother used to buy our meat there when we lived in Granby St. 1959-64. His delivery guy at that time was Charlie Scott who lived in Bloom St. We had a shop at the other end near Parly. Bramwells stood out from the other butchers shops, he had a refrigerated display that filled the whole window. Below is a picture of our shop.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c81/sc0use/granbyst1961.jpg

[juniper563]

DaveH, I remember the fishmongers shop, I think it was called 'Warburtons'.
It was on the block south of Selbourne St. I think.
'
Hi My name is June and my family lived over Warburtons the ' wet' fishshop in fact my brother and sister where both born there in 1951 and 1953. Goodalls on the corner which sold all types of haberdashery , clothes etc The elderly Griffiths sisters lived above there . My uncle was the manager of Irwins on the corner of Harrowby street and my nan lived over mr Gibson the cobblers just down the road from Yaus laundry . For a time my dad worked for Mr Price the chandlers the end shop by Parly got a pic some where I'll have a look for it.

[burkhilly]

I don't remember a lot of the shops in Granby Street, but I do remember the Fishmongers and the Chandlers at the top of Granby. June your post prompted my memory of Goodalls, which I can now remember.

The other two shops I remember were the Lauderette and Tesco.

[Bernie]

'
Hi My name is June and my family lived over Warburtons the ' wet' fishshop in fact my brother and sister where both born there in 1951 and 1953. Goodalls on the corner which sold all types of haberdashery , clothes etc The elderly Griffiths sisters lived above there . My uncle was the manager of Irwins on the corner of Harrowby street and my nan lived over mr Gibson the cobblers just down the road from Yaus laundry . For a time my dad worked for Mr Price the chandlers the end shop by Parly got a pic some where I'll have a look for it.

I'm looking forward to seeing that pic. When I was in Granby the shop was run by a Mr. Abe Learman who I believe was Mr. Price's son in law, it was still known as Price's though.

[juniper563]

Hi Ruth I have a few pictures you may like ,I lived in Granby Street from 1949 to 1966 As in a previous posting of mine I said we lived over Warburtons the wet fish shop 39a Granby then 121 Harrowby st over Irwins where my uncle was manager before moving to garston. Then we moved to 12a Granby over Mr Gibson the cobbler next door to the chinese laundry and then mum and dad bought a newsagents <Mrs Hughes> no 4a I'd worked there after school and saturdays in 1963 which was next door to her husbands second hand shop. All moves done on a handcart which dad got from somewhere . Dad worked for a time in the Prices chandlers the photo shows dad and Abe Learman on the step .One photo shows my mum, sister and a neighbours lad outside our shop. the other a view towards Upper parliament street no idea who the old girl is.

[Bernie]

I remember you June, the boy in the middle picture is Bobby Brislen, he lived over the chandlers next door to you, he was disabled. I think he had Polio as a baby.
I remember your Mum and brother but not your sister, I don't think I ever met your Dad.
:PDT_Aliboronz_11:

[juniper563]

Hi small world yes thats right its Bobby he had 2 sisters Carol and I forget the other sisters name. My brother and sister John and Ellen were born when we lived over Warburtons. I've attached a pic of me with our dog Bengo outside our shop taken with dads box brownie i think in1963/64

[ChrisGeorge]

Thanks for sharing these photographs with us, June. :handclap:

Chris :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

[Bernie]

June, Those snaps are great, take me right back in time.
The older Brislen daughter was Margaret, but known as Peggy. She was about the same age as me, would be about 70 now. She was a nice girl but quite shy.
:PDT_Aliboronz_11:

P.S. Any more pics?

[juniper563]

Sorry no more photos.... have found a peggy brislen on friends reunited and have emailed her will let you know if I get a reply ... fingers crossed:snf (41):

[pete50]

Does anyone recall Peewees barber shop on Granby Street, Am sure it was by the fresh Fish shop.

[lindylou]

yeah, Peewee was well known.

[meanbiker]

Here's an old picture from the Granby Street community cira 1960. Anybody see anyone they know / knew? I believe the pic was of a Christmas Party in one of the pubs on Stanhope Street

[Ruth73]

Hello to everyone following this thread.
For the general interest of everyone, here is a street directory of Granby St from 1968. It may help with people's recollections of the shops and people that used to exist. I am the editor of 'The Jangler' the local newsletter put together by the Granby Residents Association and I would love to hear stories about the shops and the people that used to be here. We are very keen to regenerate Granby Street and would very much like to have a return to something of the vibrancy of shops that used to be here.
Ruth