Market place was always busy
WHAT a wonderful article in the Black Country Bugle 1555 (June 15) about Wednesbury Market Place.
It brought back many happy memories of my time when I worked there from 1962 until 1970 (I also attended Wednesbury Commercial School in Wood Green Road until 1961). At that time our uniforms had to be purchased from Fosbrooks.
I worked in the Market Place at the Midland Bank which is now HSBC. It seems as if the photos were taken from the front door of the bank.
It was a very busy branch and next door was the Express and Star office with a small car park around the back of the buildings. When they started to do building work on the E&S we had a fair share of mice invading our premises!
On market days just outside the bank a couple of brothers had a stall which sold all our girls hair products (Plix, hair spray and other cosmetic goods). They were really pleasant guys and I remember one of them driving a Triumph sports car (wow!). Looking across the Market Place the pub (the Cross) was a place we went for their lovely crusty cobs with pickle if you needed. The landlord was named Alan and a stallholder just outside the pub was a tall man who frequently had a nip or two of whiskey and he sold tights and stockings.
When I got married I always did my grocery shopping before work in, I think, George Masons and then picked up fruits and vegs from the shop on the corner. If I was working on the Saturday I would go into the butchers and choose my meat, pay for it, and they would keep it in the fridge until I left the office (what service as we did not have a fridge at home).
I remember Wadsworths cake shop and Firkins just around the corner. Next to or nearby was a furniture shop Williams’. Near the Cross pub was Martins Bank (went into Barclays). On the Holyhead Road I remember the Town Hall and the Crown Post Office where we had to take the post. The lady in charge was Miss Wright.
You could get everything you wanted in Wednesbury even
when there was no market day. Mr Oliver owned the chemists, cinema, hairdressers, jewellers, etc.
As previously mentioned it was a busy town and bank and we had such a wonderful rapport with the customers whether business or the lads from the college who used to pop in for 10 shillings (50p) from their deposit accounts carrying with them the rotor arm off their car in case it was stolen!
I transferrred to another branch nearer home but I have always had fond memories of Wednesbury especially as I was schooled there and worked in the Midland Bank.
Yes brings back happy memories.