A little history of the Lower Precinct

[rebbonk]

[dutchman]

Thanks Rebbonk.

Here are some additions,

Market Street before it became pedestrianised showing Woolies under construction:

It was possible at that time to drive up what is now the Lower Precinct and turn right into Market Street!

Market Way viewed from the other end:


Market Way viewed from Shelton Square:


"Happy Harry" as we called him entering the Lower Precinct:


The market roundabout:


Princess Alexandra opening the new market:

[Midland Red]

Thanks Rebbonk.

"Happy Harry" as we called him entering the Lower Precinct:

Wow! - I never thought I'd see "Happy" again
What a character, whether carrying the sandwich boards as in the photo or directing the traffic!
"Happy" we'd shout, banging on his sandwich board
"Happy" he'd shout back
Lived at the Salvation Army, or had something to do with it, I seem to remember
(Don't remember him being "Harry" though, just plain "Happy")

MR

[dutchman]

(Don't remember him being "Harry" though, just plain "Happy")

You're probably right, memory can play tricks.

It would have been the Salvation Army hostel in Gulson Road as he was often to be seen in that general area.

[Roger Turner]

I seem to remember him pushing a bike along St Patricks Row going in the direction of the top end of Greyfriars green. He always answered "Happy Yes" - "Happy Yes" and repeated it perhaps ad infinitum this would be in about 1962/63

[Roger Turner]

The "Photo" showing Woolies under construction.

There was a joke..........
Mr.Henry Ford, heard there was a market after WW2 for second hand cars.
So he produced one ..... the Ford Popular.

Seems he was right, looking at the fleet in that photo.

[dutchman]

Indeed Roger, the Popular was a "pre-war" design for a post-war market. A friend's family had one, I remember it needed contant attention.
On the other hand it enabled thousands of working class families to own a car they wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford.

[Roger Turner]

Yes, I speak from bitter experience,

I had a BSA Bantam at the time and my girl friend would have nothing to do with it (her father used to race motor bikes and threatened her with death etc........) so I allowed my brother to palm one of Mr. Ford`s best off on me, as you say constant attention needed ..........
oh yes it WENT, but I had to park it on a hill to ensure a cold start and the windscreen wiper slowing down to a virtual stop when going up a hill in the rain was alarming (apparently it was supposed to work on a vacuum system), perhaps it was a "Friday Night" car.
Anyway, more or less my last memory of it was stuck on a ramp in Rugby Autocar on a Friday Night, with all four wheels off, after they had promised me it for the weekend.

Want any more motoring reminiscences where cash was short?

[dutchman]

Want any more motoring reminiscences where cash was short?

Would love to hear them Roger although I should probably split these posts from the Lower Precinct thread.

[Roger Turner]

Anything to oblige!

1st Car approx 1955/56
1936 Morris 8 Tourer, bought from a "dealer", looked like a bomb site, by Spon End arches on the Chapelfields side going out of city, for £95.
Learner driver father accompanied me, won`t say he "taught" me, as he only had a motor cycle and sidecar licence.
I was a Purser in the Merchant Navy, came home one trip, took friends to Mallory Park, watched motor racing - mainly pre-war cars remember Bob Gerard ERA - looked pretty harum scarum
Car park at Mallory undulating meadow type field - strained front nearside fork of car - had been plated and bolted previously over a crack (or fissure)
Came home on next leave - no car - father informed me it had been taken away, previous owner hadn`t settled final payments, began to learn about Caveat Emptor!