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General => The Shed => Topic started by: jimtheworzel on September 26, 2011, 18:14:03

Title: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: jimtheworzel on September 26, 2011, 18:14:03
i dont for one!!
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: tomatoada on September 26, 2011, 18:19:19
I do.   I got cheap fruit trees for my last garden which did very well and now I would like 2 Victoria plum trees for my allotment I miss them.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: grannyjanny on September 26, 2011, 18:44:03
Oh yes I do. I always got loads of bargains from them, gardening & otherwise. We got 2 lovely plum trees from Lidls 2 years ago.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 26, 2011, 18:48:33
Miss the Woolworths of my youth............remember the wooden floorboards,loved the hot peanuts.So many things.

The modern day shops were not great.Very sad.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Mr Smith on September 26, 2011, 18:49:59
We went past a shop which was one with the new branded name for Woolies and that was shut up,
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 26, 2011, 19:38:08
Miss the Woolworths of my youth............remember the wooden floorboards,loved the hot peanuts.So many things.

The modern day shops were not great.Very sad.

yes, wooden floorboards and plastic macs, my two endearing memories of Woolworths in the 1960's

*edit*

Holy moly, a picture of Dora Bryan in a Woolies plastic mac took some finding   ;D How 60's Woolworths is this:

I r teh master of teh google

(http://www.lakelandelements.com/films/filmpics/A%20Taste%20of%20Honey%20(1961)/A%20Taste%20of%20Honey%201961_01.jpg)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: cornykev on September 26, 2011, 20:19:02
Bags of broken biscuits.    ;D ;)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: ACE on September 26, 2011, 20:26:24
Ha ha, a woolies engagement ring, done wonders for your love life. Till her finger went green ;)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: macmac on September 26, 2011, 22:19:47
I got lost in Woolies when I was 5 I remember being lifted up on to a big counter, heavy polished brown wood so my mother would find me.Strange how you remember stuff  ::)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: gazza1960 on September 26, 2011, 23:03:20
The woolies in Staines Middlesex used to have a brilliant pic N mix for those of us with a sweet tooth(ooops it just fell out)....so yes I miss that I guess.

the link reminds me of all the goodies they had on display...........

http://www.mycandyshop.co.uk/

Back in 67 I brought my first fishiing reel an Intrepid Black Prince fixed spool reel from Woolies in Feltham so yer,I guess it did have good memories for me.

Also every bloomin Christmas for the last 25 years id walk in there and buy Jude a monster sized tub of Maltesers for under the tree.

So thanks for reminding me.

Gazza1960
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Stopp on September 27, 2011, 01:36:46
Mmmmmm pick 'n' mix ....

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/pic-n-mix/e/b/12422/r/50.end
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: non-stick on September 27, 2011, 08:43:48
Back in 67 I brought my first fishiing reel an Intrepid Black Prince fixed spool reel from Woolies in Feltham so yer,I guess it did have good memories for me.


That's one of my endearing memories of woolies as a child - looking longingly at the fishing equipment that they had. Dreaming of all the big chub, etc I was going to catch from the River Wey. In reality all I got was minnows but happy days.

The woolies of latter years was a sad copy, bit like latter day WH Smiths

And what happended to Timothy White's?
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 27, 2011, 08:53:26
Remember Richards shops?

Loved them.

http://youtu.be/WftOH5qDxT0
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: tomatoada on September 27, 2011, 09:14:33
Oh yes I do. I always got loads of bargains from them, gardening & otherwise. We got 2 lovely plum trees from Lidls 2 years ago.

I would settle for a plum tree from Lidl, Aldi of Wilkinsons but never catch when they are in stock.  Woolworths use to put them out side so they could be seen on passing.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: grannyjanny on September 27, 2011, 09:17:15
I think Manics usually announces when they're in stock at Lidls etc. I'm sure we can let you know Tomatoada ;).
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Melbourne12 on September 27, 2011, 09:19:49
....
And what happended to Timothy White's?

I remember a Timothy Whites & Taylors from my childhood.  They were a sort of cross between Boots and Robert Dyas.  Swallowed up by Boots eventually.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: BarriedaleNick on September 27, 2011, 09:31:28

And what happended to Timothy White's?

Got taken over by Boots (in 1968) which is in turn owned by Glaxo
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: raisedbedted on September 27, 2011, 10:27:34
Loved Woolworths 30 years ago.

The pick and mix, the bare root roses, Christmas time where as kids you could buy presents for the whole family - Yardley for mum to add to her collection already..

Still have a wooden floor at our house bought from contracters who were replacing the floor of the local woolies 20 years ago, just resand it every 10 years and its perfect.

As a sleek commercial enterprise it was rubbish but it did have a very British feel to it.  That said our local Woolies is now a Wilkos and I love it.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Deb P on September 27, 2011, 11:04:55
I too remember the Woolies from when I was little, especially the Christmas decorations, my mum still has some beautiful glass baubles from the early sixties she bought from there. I also remember buying singles from the then very trendy record department as a young teenager.

Our local store was next door to a small Marks & Spencers, I used to hate going in there as it was an 'old ladies' store then...and now I buy a lot of Per Una stuff....how things change! ;D ..and don't you dare suggest I am now an old lady! >:(
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: saddad on September 27, 2011, 11:10:11
 ::) As if I would...  :)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Poppy Mole on September 27, 2011, 11:41:35
I loved all the old shops but especially Boots Library, what happened to that? I still have a couple of treasured books which were sold off by them.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: tomatoada on September 27, 2011, 20:18:10
I think Manics usually announces when they're in stock at Lidls etc. I'm sure we can let you know Tomatoada ;).

Yes please.  Will keep a lookout for info. on the bargains site.  Thankyou.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: gazza1960 on September 28, 2011, 10:00:51
Totally forgot about the record dept DebP,I can remember buying ""Tiger feet" by Mud about 73/74 and doing that inane dance where you held on to your waistband and sort of head banged at the same time to the rhythm...and yes im 51 and old........as gazza creaked out of the post and left stage right.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: ACE on September 28, 2011, 16:22:50
I lived in Sincil Street 48 years ago when the market was there. Two stupid railway lines always making me wait about. Can't remember the shops apart from the butchers shop I had a flat above, smiths crisps down by the gas works and  the saturday night hop in the coop halls. But I can remember the natives, nosey awkward sods, I put it down to most of them all having reserved occupations during the war and non of them ever leaving the county.
Didn't stay that long, if the world was going to have piles, there's a good chance  they would be in Lincoln.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 28, 2011, 17:16:26
I lived in Sincil Street 48 years ago when the market was there. Two stupid railway lines always making me wait about. Can't remember the shops apart from the butchers shop I had a flat above, smiths crisps down by the gas works and  the saturday night hop in the coop halls. But I can remember the natives, nosey awkward sods, I put it down to most of them all having reserved occupations during the war and non of them ever leaving the county.
Didn't stay that long, if the world was going to have piles, there's a good chance  they would be in Lincoln.

The market is about half the size now, they nkicked a chunk to build another Mall. The Fish Market on the other side has also gone, its now a row of boring shops.

Smiths Crisps is now Walkers, they make Quavers there. No one who has ever worked ther eeats Quavers ever again.

If it wasnt for the Engineering expertise in Lincoln during the wars, we wouldnt have had half a chance to win - the tank was developed here in WW1, as was vast numbers of Sopwith Camels (in fact, I know the guy who now owns all the production records). Lincoln was the home of some of the finest engineering companies to emerge from the Victorian Industrial revolution. At one stage, 60,000 people out of a town of 120,000 worked for an engineering company of some sort. Rustons, Bucyrus, Proctors, Clayton and Shuttleworth, all names legendary in engineering, all from Lincoln
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: katynewbie on September 28, 2011, 17:27:11
How lovely to hear names I had forgotten, like Macfisheries. My old infant school was knocked down and they built a Priceright supermarket on the site. Whatever happened to them?
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: ACE on September 28, 2011, 17:34:14
Was supposed to go to rustons for a job but sod that for a game of marbles. Built wimpy houses just out of town instead. In fairness you do have a wonderful cathedral and there was a traditional steam fairground once that set up near sincil bank.

There was a little tailors shop  near one of the railway crossings that would make you a suit of your own design in two days for about 8 quid and as we use to dress like peacocks in them days for a night out in Boston, I would get one made every month. But back to Woolworths, does anybody know why Littlewoods with a great cafeteria was always built beside them.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 28, 2011, 18:25:04
Was supposed to go to rustons for a job but sod that for a game of marbles. Built wimpy houses just out of town instead. In fairness you do have a wonderful cathedral and there was a traditional steam fairground once that set up near sincil bank.

There was a little tailors shop  near one of the railway crossings that would make you a suit of your own design in two days for about 8 quid and as we use to dress like peacocks in them days for a night out in Boston, I would get one made every month. But back to Woolworths, does anybody know why Littlewoods with a great cafeteria was always built beside them.

Ah, you mean the post war building boom at North Hykeham? I grew up there!!! You may well have built the houses I played in!!

The Fair still turns up in April and October on the South Common, but 'fair' is something of a misnomer..........

The Tailors you mention used to make RAF Uniforms, and suits as a sideline, after nerly 70 years they shut shop not long ago - no demand for RAF Uniforms, and couldnt compete with cheap supermarket suits.

Littlewoods was built on the site of one of the 13 cinemas there was in Lincoln, its now a Primark. Littlewoods Cafe was epic, one of the first of its kind, to challenge Woolworths Cafe ( i still have a Woolworths Tea Spoon) and the Lyons Corner House cafe.

Do you remember WIMPYBURGER down the side of the High Bridge?

My G'father was an Apprentice at Rustons, and then joined the Navy,  and was Chief mechanic on the HMS Pegasus when it picked up the survivors of the Hood when it was sunk by the Bismark in 1942. My father was also a Rustons Apprentice, started 1938 and ended up as Chief Development Engineer until they broke it up and moved it all to Staffordshire.

This is not unusual, it was commonplace to find entire familes where all the men worked for Rustons or Claytons, over 3 generations.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Mr Smith on September 28, 2011, 18:29:48
Linkslocal,
                    What about the old racecourse is it still just a dilapidated area of grass and an old grandstand,
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 28, 2011, 21:03:09
Linkslocal,
                    What about the old racecourse is it still just a dilapidated area of grass and an old grandstand,

Well yes. The grandstand got rebuilt and is used for music concerts, and theres stables at the back for free horse poo, but otherwsise  Lincoln Racecourse is a straight and a bend and thats it   :(
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 28, 2011, 21:19:37
Is Steep Hill still steep?Almost need climbing gear LOL

Is Louth still lovely?One of my fave places.

DoThe Masons Arms still serve a wonderful lunch..............
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 28, 2011, 21:56:01
Is Steep Hill still steep?Almost need climbing gear LOL

Is Louth still lovely?One of my fave places.

DoThe Masons Arms still serve a wonderful lunch..............

Steep Hill
(http://eaglesfishrestaurant.com/ESW/Images/steep-hill-lincoln_2829.jpg?xcache=4072)

If you've never been to lincoln, this hill is a killer, it goes up 250 feet in height in about 300 yards. Its lethal to walk down. Its been 30 years since I could run to the top of Steep Hill.

One section of this was the last remaining example in the world of a Saxon slate pathway, except it didnt fit in with all the rest of the nice new cobble they laid, so to there eternal shame they snuck up one sunday morning with a JCB and ripped it up knowing everyone was in bed and they could get it all in a skip before anyone could object.

I met the current Mrs Lincsyokel in Louth, she ran a restuarant there. Louth is a genteel Middle England country town. Nothing ever happens there.

The Masons Arms, as far as I know is now defunct. Not only that, so is West End Chippy, possibly the finest chip shop in england. Its now run by a greek who fries chips in olive oil and wonders why people hate the taste.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 28, 2011, 22:12:35
Sad.

The past is a different country,they do things differently there.

Something like that  :)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lottie lou on September 28, 2011, 22:13:06
Was Steep Hill the hill in the film Far from the Madding Crowd that Fanny, Sgt Troy's pregnant girlfriend climbed to get to the workhouse?
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 28, 2011, 22:15:12
Think it was Dorset,not sure though.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 28, 2011, 22:17:29
We cook our chips in olive oil and they are fantastic!!!! ;D
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 28, 2011, 22:19:36
Posh int ya ?  ;D
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 28, 2011, 22:20:57
If we was posh we would have french fries- or greek fries ;)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 28, 2011, 22:21:53
Have we ever had a best potato for chips thread on here?
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: betula on September 28, 2011, 22:24:28
Think we have........arely eat them these days though.


Me RRRRRRRRRRRRRR keeps sticking ,driving me nuts .
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on September 28, 2011, 22:26:34
We cook our chips in olive oil and they are fantastic!!!! ;D

noo, dont be silly.

Chips should be made from either Maris Piper or Lincolnshire Red potatoes and fried in beef fat.  The batter used for the fish need to be made with beer (pref Brown Ale), and the fish landed that morning, and unfrozen.

If you havent tasted them made this way then you know nothing of fish n chips
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: gwynnethmary on September 28, 2011, 22:40:25
Miss the Woolworths of my youth............remember the wooden floorboards,loved the hot peanuts.So many things.

The modern day shops were not great.Very sad.

I was a Saturday girl at Woolies in the 60s, on the sweet counter. I loved the dinners in the staff canteen- pie, mash, mushy peas and the most delicious gravy-great stuff.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: pumkinlover on September 28, 2011, 22:50:31
Quote
Me RRRRRRRRRRRRRR keeps sticking ,driving me nuts .


Ahrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr,, that's a shame >:(
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Ninnyscrops. on September 28, 2011, 22:55:13
Oh yes, as mentioned before the well trodden floor boards, the dark wood open counters and the place I bought my first mascara (haven't worn any for years  :)) on Clapham High Street opposite the train museum that moved to York.

On the sub-thread.....

Cara tat chips cooked in sunflower or vegetable oil are better than the beef dripping from my youth and pale ale is a better batter for fish, not so soggy  ;) If only we could source freshly caught fish, even 20 miles away from the sea without going to Hastings which is nearly an hour, I would be in heaven!

Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Aden Roller on September 29, 2011, 00:40:04
....
And what happended to Timothy White's?

I remember a Timothy Whites & Taylors from my childhood.  They were a sort of cross between Boots and Robert Dyas.  Swallowed up by Boots eventually.

That particular day I think I gave Woolies a miss.

I left school for the last time and wandered along the High Street nipping into the local stores that looked interesting asking if any one had a job going. I got to the very last shop in the street, Timmy Whites, and was asked if I could start the following Monday.

I loved it!! To begin with I was employed to replace the porter who was off ill recovering from a heart attack. Soon I was assisting in the stockroom and then on the shop floor serving customers... eventually stock-taking and ordering. Lousy rate of pay, good discount and great fun when it was busy.

The mamanger was quite disappointed when I turned down the offer of a trainee managers job. I had said it was just a temporary job I was after. A few weeks later I set off to college in the big city miles away on the other side of the country.


Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: ACE on September 29, 2011, 06:33:07
It does not matter which beer you use, it is the sugar content that makes the batter crispy. You get a crispier batter if you dilute sugar into the mixture without wasting the 'falling over water'


I worked part time in a chippie years ago and the head frier always splashed a drop of sugarwater into the deep frier when the fish was added with a great big hiss the batter came out loverly. The use of oil instead of lard was purely economics. You could filter and clean oil, the lard had to be dumped.

Chips were made with king edwards, the only spud availiable and as long as the lard was the correct heat and not too many  chips put in at a time they were the perfect chip. Plus the chipping machine cut a bigger chip in them days not these stupid thin things they use nowadays.  Wrapped in newspaper (proper recycling) with loads of salt and vinegar is the only way to eat them.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Ninnyscrops. on September 29, 2011, 22:36:27
Ahah another interesting turn on the home cooked batter ACE, I always add vinegar to the mixture too, just a slurp  ;) and if the pickled onion jar is looking more vinegar than onion later in the year, that goes in! ;D

Let's not forget this is a Woolworth thread though - hijacking sorry :-[
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Aden Roller on September 29, 2011, 23:29:54

Let's not forget this is a Woolworth thread though - hijacking sorry :-[

Timmy Whites was quite close in our High Street  ;D
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: powerspade on October 01, 2011, 05:06:05
I remember the old styled Woolies with the wooden floors a and the girls behind the counters. I bought some of my first garden tools from the one in Bargoed
Dutch Hoe 2s 3d
Draw hoe 1s 6d
Trowel 6d
Hand fork 9d
Still got them and still use them but they are looking very thin and worn down.
Used to buy my seeds from them too. Who remembers Bees seeds and Cuthberts seeds?
Woollies have been replaced by wilkies and that where I get most of my stuff from these days
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Aden Roller on October 01, 2011, 07:14:45
I remember the old styled Woolies with the wooden floors a and the girls behind the counters. I bought some of my first garden tools from the one in Bargoed
Dutch Hoe 2s 3d
Draw hoe 1s 6d
Trowel 6d
Hand fork 9d
Still got them and still use them but they are looking very thin and worn down.
Used to buy my seeds from them too. Who remembers Bees seeds and Cuthberts seeds?
Woollies have been replaced by wilkies and that where I get most of my stuff from these days

Some of Woolworth's stuff was brilliant when I was very young - good quality for the price and it lasted.
My mum still has the milk saucepan she bought when I was very little (50+ years ago) and still uses it to boil eggs. Good value? Dead right it was.

I've heard of Cuthberts Seeds.... are they still around?

Bargoed South Wales? I've been there!!!  :)
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: jimtheworzel on October 04, 2011, 11:45:07
bumping this thread up
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Stevens706 on October 04, 2011, 12:25:04
I was in Munich last week and they still have Woolworths - don't know who owns them
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Digeroo on October 04, 2011, 13:51:11
Quote
I was a Saturday girl at Woolies in the 60s, on the sweet counter. I loved the dinners in the staff canteen- pie, mash, mushy peas and the most delicious gravy-great stuff.

I also had a 60s holiday job there but no canteen.  Very unhygenic, we had to serve potatoes and then biscuits with only a bucket of dirty water to wash in. 

Bought a great set of mini greenhouses there just before they closed, I would like some new covers.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Aden Roller on October 04, 2011, 17:12:19
I was in Munich last week and they still have Woolworths - don't know who owns them

Wasn't it only the UK ones that closed down?
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: lincsyokel2 on October 06, 2011, 00:44:40
I remember the old styled Woolies with the wooden floors a and the girls behind the counters. I bought some of my first garden tools from the one in Bargoed
Dutch Hoe 2s 3d
Draw hoe 1s 6d
Trowel 6d
Hand fork 9d
Still got them and still use them but they are looking very thin and worn down.
Used to buy my seeds from them too. Who remembers Bees seeds and Cuthberts seeds?
Woollies have been replaced by wilkies and that where I get most of my stuff from these days

I have a hand drill of my Grandfathers, its was sold in three parts, the drill body, the handle and turn gear, and the chuck, 6d each, 1/6d for the whole drill.
Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Aden Roller on October 06, 2011, 02:23:10
Just searched for Woolworths to see if there are stores still operating abroad and found this:

Link to: Woolworths.co.uk...An on-line store (http://www.woolworths.co.uk/)

Did anyone else know that this existed or am I the last to cotton on? (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-confused001.gif) (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)

Title: Re: Does anyboby miss Woolworths ?
Post by: Stopp on October 06, 2011, 02:32:04
and if your missing all those lovely sweets

http://www.woolworths.co.uk/picknmix/en/Pic-n-Mix.page?cm_re=Header-_-USP-_-Pic+N+Mix&searchTerm=pic-n-mix&cmtag=o

 :P
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