UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Powered By Google Custom Search Vintage Radio and TV Service Data

Go Back   UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum > General Vintage Technology > General Vintage Technology Discussions

Notices

General Vintage Technology Discussions For general discussions about vintage radio and other vintage electronics etc.

Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 25th Nov 2015, 2:37 pm   #361
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

I remember in the early 80s (maybe even late 70s) going to a very old fashioned Radio and TV shop in the Stoke district (Fenton?) that I think was called Chadwicks. It was like something from the pre-war years. The (very) old bloke - Mr Chadwick I believe - was sitting in front of a roaring open fire and he peered over the counter at me as I enquired if he had any old sets. It was an amazing place and I think it carried on for a few years more at least. Is there anyone from the Stoke area who can confirm the name or add to what I have said?
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2015, 4:31 pm   #362
greg_simons
Octode
 
greg_simons's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Evesham, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 1,415
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Happy days indeed, among others in dudley we had wise radio who's logo was an owl with positive and negative eyes, parkes radio, sherratts and jones brothers, another contributer here mentions fenwicks in wolverhampton I remember them well, and stantons in lower dudley where records could be purchased.
As a young and eager teenager I used most of them for the purchase of components and spares.
greg_simons is offline  
Old 25th Nov 2015, 4:59 pm   #363
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Quote:
Originally Posted by stevehertz View Post
I remember in the early 80s (maybe even late 70s) going to a very old fashioned Radio and TV shop in the Stoke district (Fenton?) that I think was called Chadwicks.
That name certainly rings a bell with me. I lived in Stoke in the late 1970s though I never visited the shop.

Stoke-on-Trent had plenty of secondhand/junk shops back then. I remember driving past one in Hanley and spotting an HRO in the window. Getting back from my errand as quickly as I could I was just in time to see someone loading it into the back of a car. There seemed to be plenty of coil packs to go with the set.
Junk Box Nick is offline  
Old 15th Dec 2015, 9:57 pm   #364
robertreay
Diode
 
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Llanbrynmair, Powys, Wales, UK.
Posts: 1
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Hi all, as an ex Brummie now living in Wales, I can remember a fair few shops. Radio Centre & Norman H Field in Hurst Street, Amateur Radio in Corporation Street, Amateur Electronics on Alum Rock Road. There WAS a Lasky's, which may have been on Suffolk Street, Feltons at Bearwood, Tom Parton G2AGK where I worked all my school holidays. Another " ham " was Charles Robinson G3UHQ. The main TV engineer, a third shop in Hurst Street just escapes me. Anyway that's enough for now it's scotch & soda time.
robertreay is offline  
Old 16th Dec 2015, 9:09 pm   #365
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Welcome!

There was a lengthy discussion on the Birmingham area shops if you wade back through the thread. Feltons was still there a couple of years ago.

Can't remember the name of the other shop in Hurst Street, either.

Going out of the city there were a few little shops on the Alum Rock Road before you got to G3FIK Amateur Electronics.
Junk Box Nick is offline  
Old 16th Dec 2015, 9:19 pm   #366
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Does anyone else remember Miss Taylor in King Street, Huddersfield, and before that with her father in Macaulay Street?

Taylors (available) Ltd

I've always wondered about that (available) bit.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 16th Dec 2015, 9:55 pm   #367
AC/HL
Dekatron
 
AC/HL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,637
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Was that the shop with the Baird Televisor in the window?
AC/HL is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 12:58 am   #368
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

She had it on top of a tall (wardrobe size) glass display case inside the shop. The window was full of Eagle components, connectors doodads and a load of thin Babani publications. The bacon-slicer couldn't be seen from outside.

The place was robbed and the sole interest seemed to have been in the televisor.

I wonder where it is now? It must have been passed on and in the hands of someone who probably doesn't know its history.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 1:58 am   #369
Dave757
Heptode
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Scratby, Norfolk, UK.
Posts: 648
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Hi

Just out of interest, George Felton's In Bearwood is still going.
I've never been there personally, but a friend visits fairly regularly.

Kind regards

Dave
Dave757 is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 2:49 am   #370
G8UWM-MildMartin
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK.
Posts: 827
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

I was a customer of the somewhat elderly, yet still very elegant, helpful and knowledgeable Miss Taylor around 1981-4 and certainly remember the Televisor.
She supplied a 15-W Antex element, apologising for the price, which was actually quite reasonable, and a fair few odd components over the 3 years I was a student in Huddersfield.
According to a local radio amateur (Bernard, G3JWY, I think), she was a model when young.
G8UWM-MildMartin is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 9:40 am   #371
Radio Wrangler
Moderator
 
Radio Wrangler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,803
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

When I used to go in, she'd saved-up technical questions from other customers for me so that she could give them answers when they next came in. Yes, she had been a model before the war and told me a bit about it. It was a very respectable occupation back then.

Later on, her eyesight made small print difficult and she used to get customers to read prices ot of the RS catalogue, add her profit and then VAT for her! Most people were quite happy with the arrangement, knowing that other places often had higher markups, if less visible

A good friend for many years.

David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done
Radio Wrangler is online now  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 11:35 am   #372
stevehertz
Dekatron
 
stevehertz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK.
Posts: 8,809
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Quote:
Originally Posted by Radio Wrangler View Post
Yes, she had been a model before the war and told me a bit about it. It was a very respectable occupation back then.
I wasn't aware that being a model is not a respectable occupation now?
__________________
A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..
stevehertz is offline  
Old 17th Dec 2015, 1:26 pm   #373
AC/HL
Dekatron
 
AC/HL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK.
Posts: 9,637
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Memories! It was a long time ago, but I do remember seeing it. It'll be in someone's collection now to be seen by just them.
AC/HL is offline  
Old 17th Jan 2016, 10:14 pm   #374
georgeek
Triode
 
georgeek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: East Sussex, UK.
Posts: 47
Default Home Radio

I am intrigued by this photo that is currently up on eBay.

Do you think it could be "Home Radio" of Mitcham?

Click image for larger version

Name:	temp1.jpg
Views:	397
Size:	99.3 KB
ID:	118573
georgeek is offline  
Old 17th Jan 2016, 11:13 pm   #375
Sideband
Dekatron
 
Sideband's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Croydon, Surrey, UK.
Posts: 7,550
Default Re: Home Radio

It could be. It was very much a shop like that in the 40's/50's. They later expanded, modernised the shop and moved all the components and mail-order stock to a bigger building across the road. The shop then became just the retail outlet for TV, Radio and appliances.

I only knew the shop in the 60/70's after the expansion.
__________________
There are lots of brilliant keyboard players and then there is Rick Wakeman.....
Sideband is offline  
Old 6th Feb 2016, 9:25 pm   #376
HiramHackenback
Retired Dormant Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Flintshire, Wales, UK.
Posts: 1
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

I recall buying by mail from J R Hartley of Bridgnorth in the late 60's & early 70's.
He produced a "catalogue" typed on yellow paper. Wish I had kept a copy!
There was a fairly recent Yellow Pages advert featuring a "J R Hartley", but for me, J R Hartley Electronic Supplies of Bridgnorth was the original "Yellow Pages"
HiramHackenback is offline  
Old 7th Feb 2016, 3:33 pm   #377
Junk Box Nick
Octode
 
Junk Box Nick's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands, UK.
Posts: 1,571
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

I remember going up the steep and narrow stairs to John Hartley's emporium in the early 1970s. I bought from him regularly until my interest faded in the early 1980s.

The catalogues were produced on a Gestetner machine and often had yellow covers and white pages inside which was the most cost-effective way of producing a catalogue for a small business or a newsletter for a small club or church. It's amazing to think that in forty years technology has gone from that to colour laser printers that sit on the table top.

You will find reference to JR Hartley earlier in this thread.

Oh, and welcome to the forum!
Junk Box Nick is offline  
Old 8th Feb 2016, 8:55 am   #378
Phil G4SPZ
Dekatron
 
Phil G4SPZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Bewdley, Worcestershire, UK.
Posts: 4,736
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Quote:
Originally Posted by greg_simons View Post
...among others in Dudley we had... Parkes Radio...
I knew J Arthur Parkes as G2DVI towards the end of his life when he joined our local amateur radio club. He was a modest chap who spoke little about his exploits in working life, which included demonstrating a working TV receiver in an airborne aircraft. I still have a valve tester and numerous valves which originally belonged to him.
__________________
Phil

Optimist [n]: One who is not in possession of the full facts
Phil G4SPZ is offline  
Old 8th Feb 2016, 1:55 pm   #379
toshiba tony
Heptode
 
toshiba tony's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Accrington, Lancashire, UK.
Posts: 977
Default Re: Bygone radio traders

Re Taylors of Hudds. Back in the 60's she was in Macauley street. Near the Plumbers Arms pub. All long gone although I think the pub still exists. A very nice old dear, I used to do the odd repair for her. She lived at Greenhead Park and yes, she had a baird televisor. And a ****** annoying little dog. She used to price everything up and added purchase tax. How long ago did that go out?
She took the business from her father, another celeb.
Remember her well.
And Jim Fish, (G4MH) had a place on Viaduct Street, he ran it with the (then) gorgeous Wendy, memories.
toshiba tony is offline  
Old 29th Dec 2016, 2:45 pm   #380
Edward Huggins
Dekatron
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Southwold, Suffolk, UK.
Posts: 8,302
Default VES - Valve Exchange Service

From 1951 to 1959, our Wholesaler was VES (Valve Exchange Service) in Gunnersbury Lane, Acton, London. I wonder if any other Member will have heard/dealt with them. Every month they sent a (duplicated) catalogue with "This Month's Snip" for special offers on the front cover. I remember I bought a complete portable record player amplifier (ECL80) for 37s 6p. They seemed to have access to all sorts of fully built Radio Chassis and Radio/Radiogram cabinets. I'll never know how they sourced these!
__________________
Edward.
Edward Huggins is offline  
Closed Thread

Thread Tools



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 1:38 pm.


All information and advice on this forum is subject to the WARNING AND DISCLAIMER located at https://www.vintage-radio.net/rules.html.
Failure to heed this warning may result in death or serious injury to yourself and/or others.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright ©2002 - 2023, Paul Stenning.