The Bookshop Philip Son and Nephew

[Singlesnights]

I have fond memories of browsing in the old Phillip Son & Nephew bookshop, which used to be located on what is now the old Barclays Bank premises opposite Ann Summers in Whitechapel. It wasn't exactly a Waterstones, but by golly, as small as it was, it certainly had some cracking books!

Anybody remember it it?

Dillons in Bold St was another bookshop I used to enjoy frequenting.

[wsteve55]

I have fond memories of browsing in the old Phillip Son & Nephew bookshop, which used to be located on what is now the old Barclays Bank premises opposite Ann Summers in Whitechapel. It wasn't exactly a Waterstones, but by golly, as small as it was, it certainly had some cracking books!

Anybody remember it it?

Dillons in Bold St was another bookshop I used to enjoy frequenting.

I'll have to look and see, if the Philipson & Nephew sign, is still on the back wall of the building!

[PhilipG]

Actually, it was much bigger than it looked from the outside and was spread over three (?) floors.
It was demolished and Wetherspoons built premises on the site.

[lindylou]

I remember the shop very well. I used to go in there quite a lot. It was one of those 'olde worlde' type shops - the like which we won't see again. Once they are gone they are gone. :(

Shame they got rid of it.

Another similar type of shop in the Stationers in Richmond st. I was in there yesterday. It is small and very cramped - stocked to the hilt ! :)

[Ged]

Another rickety old bookshop was Wilsons/Kellys off Renshaw St, possibly Newington. It had an old painted sign on the gable end wall.

[PhilipG]

Charles Wilson's bookshop was in Renshaw Street, on the corner of Newington.
They also had a shop in Castle Street.

Kelly's (Cutlers) was the post-war building next door to Lewis's.

Both Renshaw Street buildings were eventually taken over by Rapid.

This photo was taken in June 1993 following the announcement that Wilson's bookshop was going to close.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/411941853_9a87f6ce5a_o.jpg

[gregs dad]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2660332603_d849ddce76_o.jpg
Turmeaus the tobacconist shop, in Fenwick St
Liverpool`s oldest tobacconist, and Englands second oldest,
With poor old Kawliga,the wooden Indian, that Hank Williams sang about,
standing outside in all weathers.

[julieoapw]

I remember Phillip, Sons and Nephews. It was a lovely old rickety building spread over several floors. They also did some publishing - in the records office there's a small book/pamphlet on Dickens in Liverpool by them. They also had a branch in Formby which of course has also gone but it is at least still an independent bookshop, "Pritchards" which has a good local history section.

[PhilipG]

Is that John Cleese?
Or the Minister of Silly Walks?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2127/2418301011_eb007e7f8c_o.jpg

[Mark R]

I think Bohn Books (Lime Street) are moving into the shop that was the jewellers near where the Legs of Man stood (London Road). I saw them putting up the new signs yesterday.

[PhilipG]

I think Bohn Books (Lime Street) are moving into the shop that was the jewellers near where the Legs of Man stood (London Road). I saw them putting up the new signs yesterday.

Yes, they are.
Before they went to Lime Street, they were in Berry Street.
They'd taken over the business from Mr Waterston (nothing to do with Waterstones).

[chippie]

I have fond memories of Philip Son & Nephews too. I had two poems printed in a book back in 1967/8 and went looking for a copy of the book for a friend overseas. I felt like that geezer on the adverts asking for "Fly Fishing" by troutface Hartley. The attention that the staff gave was very good and you could find friends reading in a niche in the corner somewhere, it was that kind of shop:shock:

[PhilipG]

:)

[ChrisGeorge]

Thanks, all. Nice memories. I still have the receipt from Philip, Son and Nephew for some copies of my 1976 poetry chapbook, Toxteth, that I placed there back then. I also remember Waterston's at the top of Berry Street near St. Luke's Church . . . and a Waterston (I think the bookseller's son) was a classmate of mine when I attended Rose Lane School, Mossley Hill, in the 1960's.

Chris

[Chris48]

Bought an old Liverpool Map at the flea market today and look what was on it.

[lindylou]

very apt :) :)

[squiggs]

Now when I think about it the old P S & N shop would be a great place to film Harry Potter scenes, it was a great place to rummage through.

[lindylou]

Now when I think about it the old P S & N shop would be a great place to film Harry Potter scenes, it was a great place to rummage through.

yes it would :) :)

[PhilipGJ]

My parents lost their income from PS & N when it went out of business in
the seventies, but they fortunately kept some of the books. I often rummage about in my garage, and come up with something incredible. For example, I have
a 1920 George Philip World Atlas, hilariously titled the 'shorter' edtition: it weighs about 5 LBs! It's huge!
I never got to see the shops, being in NZ at the time, but I did visit my great-uncle Jack Philip at Birkenhead in the 1980's. He had been one of the Directors for many years.
loved the photos posted here. Thanks.:034:

[Johnny Robbo]

Actually, it was much bigger than it looked from the outside and was spread over three (?) floors.
It was demolished and Wetherspoons built premises on the site.

I remember this shop well, bought my own first books there. It was certainly a "rabbit warren" of a building, occupying 3 floors, with quite a narrow and congested entrance at No.7 Whitechapel where Barclays Bank was until recently. That front part of the premises still stands. I believe only the rear of the premises, with the shop's old rear exit was demolished to build the pub. Looking back the building was probably a serious fire hazard, given its narrow passageways and wooden staircases, the amount of paper in its products and the crowded throngs that gathered there in its heyday.

In the 1860's the business was at 51 South Castle Street.

[Ron Ham]

As a 14yr old in 1946 I used to brouse in there ,fascinated with the various nibs ,books etc. afew years later as a seaman I often bought books to take away with me ,one being a large English/Spanish dictionary because I was studying Spanish & another was 'The quare fella' byDavid Bone ,a great nautical yarn . Ron

[ChrisGeorge]

As a 14yr old in 1946 I used to brouse in there ,fascinated with the various nibs ,books etc. afew years later as a seaman I often bought books to take away with me ,one being a large English/Spanish dictionary because I was studying Spanish & another was 'The ***** fella' byDavid Bone ,a great nautical yarn . Ron This is ridiculous ! the title of the book has just been deleted , I can assure you there was no sexual conotations in the title , as it was a common expression meaning an odd character amongst Liverpudlians once upon a time !

Hello Ron

Sorry about the deletion. I am sure the word was an innocuous as meant by you but the system will do that if it identifies what it thinks is an objectionable word. The way to do it is to do this: "co*cky fellow" or similar to get around that problem. Good luck.

Chris

[knowhowe]

Do you remember Charles Wilson's bookshop at 20a Church Alley?

I still proudly own a big dinosaur book my parents bought me in there for my tenth birthday- so that would have been 1963. It cost ?1 10 shillings, a huge amount for them but I was so happy to get it!

Wilson's was the first bookshop I ever remember visiting and I thought it was a wonderland- something that's stayed with me ever since!

[delzx7r]

Phillip, Sons and Nephews. I used to love going in there! I remember getting my first horror anthology ( the 3rd Pan Book of Horror Stories edited by Herbert Van Thal ) from there which lead to a lifetime ( so far ) of reading sci-fi, horror and fantasy novels! I'd go there and get a book and then whiz over to Beaver radio and listen to the latest " progressive " rock album and then walk round to Hesseys and drool at the unaffordable Fender Stratocasters in the window!...

[ChrisGeorge]

Phillip, Sons and Nephews. I used to love going in there! I remember getting my first horror anthology ( the 3rd Pan Book of Horror Stories edited by Herbert Van Thal ) from there which lead to a lifetime ( so far ) of reading sci-fi, horror and fantasy novels! I'd go there and get a book and then whiz over to Beaver radio and listen to the latest " progressive " rock album and then walk round to Hesseys and drool at the unaffordable Fender Stratocasters in the window!...

Hello delzx7

Unfortunately old-style bookstores are becoming increasingly rare with the bad economy and sales occurring more on-line than anywhere. We should encourage whatever bookstores still remain. They are a vanishing breed!

Chris

[Ron Ham]

I hope I may be forgiven for digressing a little here, but as a 12yr old I would go into the city & brouse in all the older parts of the city ,exploring back alleys etc. & I always made a point at week ends of visiting an bookshop in Bold St about half way along on the right hand side , this was during the war , it was manned by a very old man in a long black coat & scarf & the place had been collecting dust for years ,with second hand books & magazines back to Victorian times stacked to the ceiling ,a veritable paradise to me & he only charged me pennies for the old periodicals & one item I got was a portfolio of all the worlds ocean& wind currents for everymonth of the year , especially for sailing ship officers , which he let me have for nothing ! does anyone else remember that far back . Ron

[wsteve55]

Phillip, Sons and Nephews. I used to love going in there! I remember getting my first horror anthology ( the 3rd Pan Book of Horror Stories edited by Herbert Van Thal ) from there which lead to a lifetime ( so far ) of reading sci-fi, horror and fantasy novels! I'd go there and get a book and then whiz over to Beaver radio and listen to the latest " progressive " rock album and then walk round to Hesseys and drool at the unaffordable Fender Stratocasters in the window!...

That mention of Pan horror stories,brought back some memories,used to have them all! :nod:

[eva j]

Yes it was a great bookshop they used to have the dealership for ordnance surveys maps which was very useful.

[Partsky]

You could always get Poetry books in Phillip, Son and Nephew. I was a real saddo at School and loved poetry and I remember buying their poetry anthologies. It was a proper bookstore. Someone has already mentioned the wonderful old bookstore in Berry Street. You could smell the old books from outside.

[Samp]

I hope I may be forgiven for digressing a little here, but as a 12yr old I would go into the city & brouse in all the older parts of the city ,exploring back alleys etc. & I always made a point at week ends of visiting an bookshop in Bold St about half way along on the right hand side , this was during the war , it was manned by a very old man in a long black coat & scarf & the place had been collecting dust for years ,with second hand books & magazines back to Victorian times stacked to the ceiling ,a veritable paradise to me & he only charged me pennies for the old periodicals & one item I got was a portfolio of all the worlds ocean& wind currents for everymonth of the year , especially for sailing ship officers , which he let me have for nothing ! does anyone else remember that far back . Ron

Do you remember the bookshop in Upper Dawson Street next to the Playhouse, just before the open air pet market.
When you walked inside the floor was flagged just like the outside pavement.
Also the secondhand bookshop in Newington on the side by Lewis's. It was pulled down when they built the paint shop on the corner.

[kevin]

Thanks, all. Nice memories. I still have the receipt from Philip, Son and Nephew for some copies of my 1976 poetry chapbook, Toxteth, that I placed there back then. I also remember Waterston's at the top of Berry Street near St. Luke's Church . . . and a Waterston (I think the bookseller's son) was a classmate of mine when I attended Rose Lane School, Mossley Hill, in the 1960's.

Chris

Hi Chris,
I drank in the Rose of Mossley from around 1969-1974. Couple of the lads I drank with were called McGinn. There were three in total - Alan, Graham and Mick. There was a couple of years between each of them and I think they all went to Rose Lane School. Ring any bells?