Money chutes and a scary lift … your fab memories of Blacketts
It had a scary lift and a chute system which was used for money – and most of all, it had Echo readers reminiscing in their dozens.
We are talking about the former Blacketts store which was on Union Street and High Street.
And when we shared old photos of it in a story at the weekend, it got a great response.
Thanks to Philip Curtis, of Sunderland Antiquarian Society, who first provided us with details of the shop and told us how it progressed from small beginningstobecomethestore which sold everything. Lots of you had your own memories.
Claire Duffy said: “I can remember the money chute. I was fascinated with it when I waslittleandtheliftswherethe door was pulled across but you could still see out.”
SheilaJamesonsaid:“Loved Blacketts watching the money chutes going round the shop.”
Dawn Welsh said: “Mam worked there – I remember the chutes the money went in up and round the store.”
Kim Webster was one of those who remembered the lifts and reminisced: “I can remember going in the lift it was like a cage where you could see theinsideoftheliftshaft,quite scary for a kid.”
Someofyouwereemployed there including Sandra Herring who said: “Worked there in the office upstairs and loved it.”
Evelyn Patterson worked there for four years: “It was a beautiful store, sadly gone now.”
Jean Oliver said: “Worked there”, and Margaret Horn commented: “My dad worked there.”
Kay Richardson commented: “My Mam worked in the shoe department.”
Plenty of you recalled visits tothestoreincludingMargaret Osmanwhosaid:“Ilovedgoing there with my mother and my sister to see Santa.”
Another festive visitor was DeniseDixonBrysonwhosaid: “IremembergoingtoseeSanta Clausthere..sittingonpretend sleigh… and pictures on wall being rolled by as if on a real journey, beautiful memories.”
Alison Markides Weikel
said:“GottogoseeSantathere.”
Angela Barnfather got her ‘first pair of school shoes for seniors from there’ and Bernie Mavrogiorgis said: “Mam shopped there. I remember getting my Sunday best coats from Blacketts.”
LizBrownsaid:“Boughtmy first baby pram there 57 years ago, how time flies.”
Some music lovers bought records at Blacketts including ColleenHCwhosaid:“Mymam boughtmemyfirstsinglethere in1968whenIwas8(Cinderella Rockerfella).”
Greg Sharon Smith commented: “Yep, bought my first record there, Spirit In The Sky byNormanGreenbaum.Itwas a Saturday and it was raining.”
Clasina Jenkins said: “My mum and dad bought all their furniture and carpets there in the 60s.”
GailHealyhadmemoriesof “thecafeandpeoplemodelling clothes”,whileJoanSmithsaid: “My mam used to shop there. I remember it well.”
Thankstoeveryonewhoresponded to the story. The Sunderland Antiquarian Society, which was founded in 1900, holdsextensivearchiveswhich were amassed and donated by the people of Sunderland.
To find out more, interested people should visit the Antiquarian Society’s Facebook page or its website at http:// www.sunderland-antiquarians.org