Can anyone remember the name of the china shop that used to be where MacDonalds is in Northbrook Street ? I believe there was a vine growing through the building ! -  a photo would be nice ?

Also the mens clothing show a bit further along ?

Davis and Silver?


Threep.

There's a sad picture of JJ Davies on this thread. Posted by Brian B

http://www.newbury.net/forum/m-1312745100/

Quoted from brian

There's a sad picture of JJ Davies on this thread. Posted by Brian B

http://www.newbury.net/forum/m-1312745100/

So when was the china shop demolished  ? It certainly wasn't 1965/6 as I wasn't born then  

It was flattened to allow Micky D's to be built. Early to mid 80's if memory serves,


Threep.

Quoted from PaulaM

So when was the china shop demolished  ? It certainly wasn't 1965/6 as I wasn't born then  

When the bull was let loose?  

Found this.

Were you thinking of Harry Fentons? Used to get my Ben Sherman shirts and two tone trousers there  

Quoted from Muddler

When the bull was let loose?  

Bull or Bulldozer in a China Shop??

I'm not sure what the collection is in Silver's right hand window but are we to assume that it is where the best dressed navvies shopped for their bespoke hi-vis workware. Of course it would have been in the days before flourescent colours came into vogue but even so, it's nice to know that we had cutting edge fashion in the town long before Debenhams and Tesco homewear arrived.

Quoted from MontyP

Bull or Bulldozer in a China Shop??

In the days when livestock was driven down Northbrook Street on the way to the market it was not unknown to have a bull in a shop.

I was born and lived in one of the three storey grey houses in Pound Street and remember well, herds of cattle coming down Pound Street with a couple of drovers en route from Enborne to the market and I don't mean one or two cattle, but big herds.
There was one instance when it all went a bit pear shaped and several cows turned up the alley which was gated then but now leads into the care home. Several of them turned right and went up the alley at the back of the houses. This was a blind alley and just wide enough for a cow to go forwards but not to turn. Cows don't understand reverse and they got into a right panic mode. At six years of age, I was petrified and had to go up to the top floor and observe from the top floor small dormer.

As far as Kimbers shop was concerned, it was run by Miss Elsie Kimber who took it over from her father. She was a very stern woman and alays sat on a high stool in front of the counter. I think she had a gammy leg but I'm not sure about that. Miss Kimber was always very nice to me when I went over to get Mum's order. She was Mayor of Newbury in 1932, well before the days of WBC when it was then Newbury District Council, The window to the left of the posh door had an opening in it and the coffee roaster vented out into the street. A wonderful nostalgic aroma, not that we could afford coffee though other than the odd bottle of Camp's coffee. I hated it and it probably put me off coffee for years. Dad liked it though along with tinned Nestles condensed milk. My gran used Camps coffee sometimes to colour the gravy.
Anybody remember those two products, long before Nescafe powder in sachets or granules in a jar.

The  label had to be changed to reflect the new PC attitudes.


Threep.

I have read that the label isn't the only thing they've changed.

Quoted from Threepwood

The  label had to be changed to reflect the new PC attitudes.


Threep.

I'm surprised they didn't change the name as well then. Nice to see one of them cross dressing at the YMCA get together.

Dammit man, that's the only known picture of Captain Jock 'Alice' McGregor, wearing his Gordon Highlander uniform.

Whilst the Highlanders certainly put the 'Gay' in Gordon there is little doubt that Jock was as straight as the next man.*

Now, it's a given that he never married, but he always had a place for penniless sailors, choirboys and scout masters. Indeed, he often walked the dockside looking for them.

To imply that he was a cross dresser or frequented the YMCA is outrageous, Jock was incredibly good with colours, light on his feet and such was his innate sense of fair play that he said he would always join the other team for batting practice if they were a man short, but he never wore a police uniform, red indian uniform or builders hat in his life.

It's true he was removed from Eton for jumping too low in the leap frog, but then haven't we all?

I well remember the first time I met Jock and the words of comfort and advice he gave me. He told me, "there's no need to feel down"  that I should, "pick yourself off the ground"  and that just because I was "new in town there was no need to be unhappy". He told me "young man, there's a place you can go, when you're short on your dough", that I could "stay there" and he was sure I would "find many ways to have a good time"  and even that "You can get yourself cleaned, you can have a good meal, you can do whatever you feel ..."
Why, he even offered to take me there himself, and had it not been for the unmistakeable sound of a police whistle in the street outside, I'm sure he would have. It seems he suddenly remembered a prior engagement which, as the running footsteps got closer, necessitated him  removing his clip-on moustache, grabbing his leather case and leaping out of the window.

Alas Jock, along with the mess funds, were never to be seen again.

The only picture we have to remember him by is the one that he and his long term partner Barbara** posed for on the coffee bottle.

So leave it out with the snide innuendo eh?



Threep.


*Believed to be a reference to Johnny 'Cinnamon Buns' MacLeish.

** Inventor of the first combined false 'tache, beard and turban set.