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Bryn Street

25 Comments

John Morris shop
John Morris shop
Photo: Frank Orrell
Views: 3,445
Item #: 29038
A close up of John Morris's shop to show in more detail his goods for sale.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 15th February 2017 at 19:16

The object in the lower right corner would appear to be a stack of spare wheels for a Tan-sad. I could have made a beltin' trolley with four of those, but instead, had to make do with the four different sized ones that I'd managed to purloin from a variety of different sources. People rarely chucked good stuff away back then, unlike nowadays. Thinking about it now, that's probably why my shed is half full of pram wheels to this day. It must be some kind of deep rooted psychological defect that was triggered by being the owner of the wobbliest trolley on the street.

Comment by: irene roberts on 15th February 2017 at 19:23

Open All Hours! x.

Comment by: .,Ozymandias . on 15th February 2017 at 19:52

Also I've just noticed, the bag hanging on the stack of canes, the one at the very bottom. I think they were a gas mask bag. Kay's in Darlington St. used to sell them for coppers. Everybody had one backin the 60's. We used to take our brew can and butties to work in them. I had mine for years. I suspect the only place you'd find one now would be at one of those stalls at a military show, and I daresay you'd have to fork out more than a few coppers for it as well.

Comment by: Dave lewis on 15th February 2017 at 20:57

Remember johnnie moggie's well and on this pic he is showing a fair old undercarriage.

Comment by: Veronica B on 15th February 2017 at 21:04

You can bet there was no shoplifting in there. Doesn't look much room to browse either! He must have been quite a character and the last of a dying breed bless him. It just doesn't look safe to go inside.

Comment by: Garry on 16th February 2017 at 09:56

Most of the goods looks secondhand.

Comment by: Fred Foster on 16th February 2017 at 10:06

When I worked at Stones colliery, he was known as "Hapenny Jack" because if some thing was going well he would put up the price by a halfpenny. When the Americans were stationed on Haydock park during the war, he would sell them bikes and when they moved off,would buy them back and sell them to the next contingent that came along, making a profit.

Comment by: A.W.. on 16th February 2017 at 10:41

Ozymandias, I remember Kay's and those gas mask bags very well. Every kid for miles around had a gas mask,a paratroopers beret or something that originated at Kay's, lol.

Comment by: whups on 16th February 2017 at 12:10

i bought my 1st set of darts from jonny moggies. the rest as they say is history.

Comment by: Cyril on 16th February 2017 at 14:25

Dave, he looks to be presenting hydrocele, maybe it's what the lady with the pram in the original photo is looking aghast at.

Comment by: Albert. on 16th February 2017 at 15:10

If expressions are anything to go by, I should imagine trade wasn't too brisk that day.

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 16th February 2017 at 17:10

Can you get that hydrocele at Brabbin and Rudd's Cyril, or would I have to go to Screwfix for it ?

Comment by: DTease on 16th February 2017 at 20:02

Ozy, I got mine from the missus. They do get upset when you forget Valentine's Day don't they ?

Comment by: GW. on 17th February 2017 at 11:11

A proper man cave that.He's even got a mongrel to guard the gate.

Comment by: Cyril on 17th February 2017 at 12:14

Brabbin & Rudd, that takes me back, are they still going, that was another place with its own distinctive aroma, shops all seem to smell the same now, even Screwfix, unless it's my shnoz.

Comment by: Garry on 17th February 2017 at 15:41

Like Irene always says, I would love to have a snoop in there lol.

Comment by: Ab on 17th February 2017 at 21:53

Wonderful photo. Open All Hours indeed. What a character he must've been. People like this don't exist anymore. That shop would be shut down in a second today by the council sticking their noses in with their health and safety nonsense, and people would be moaning because they wouldn't be able to get their wheelchair, pram or family hatchback-sized mobility scooter in.

Comment by: Veronica B on 18th February 2017 at 08:09

Makes you wonder if the old chap had all the hardware hung up as booby traps to deter any 'pinching'! Imagine trying to get out of there quick! I bet he was a veteran from the 1st WW as well!

Comment by: Garry on 18th February 2017 at 09:06

How right you are, Ab.

Comment by: Maurice on 18th February 2017 at 09:17

Brabin and Rudd are still in business Cyril,they are doing well,they have shops in Wigan and Bolton,I still go there.

Comment by: Cyril on 18th February 2017 at 13:19

Good to know that Maurice, are they smelling nice and sanitised too now, I suppose the aromas in differing shops derived from products and substances deemed to be dangerous and banned long ago by the EU, even though they had been in use for years with no harm coming to folks.

Comment by: Owd viewer on 18th February 2017 at 14:56

When I worked at cromps I would walk round Ashton on my dinner break,i would always look in John Morris's shop although nothing ever changed.

Comment by: Maureen on 18th February 2017 at 16:46

There won't be many plastic goods in there either.

Comment by: Joe Thomas on 20th February 2017 at 13:48

Notice the two rolls of Pyramid felt made by Vulcanite of Wigan

Comment by: . Ozymandias . on 20th February 2017 at 21:02

For more comments, see items 936 and 937.

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