Old Co-op - East Parade

[eric]

The good thing about traffic jams, is that it gives you time to look around and see things you may have missed for years! For instance, the building on East Parade where Motor World used to be, has, on the first floor, apparently a full set of windows complete with leaded lights, now to me this doesn't gel with an "Industrial Building".
Going back to the 70's I remember it was the Fish Dish cafe (can't spell restraraunt) but has anyone any idea what it was before, or preferably what it was originally built as? I've got a feeling the building is being turned into flats and these leaded lights will disappear in the next couple of weeks or so.

[maryb]

In the 50's it was the Co.op it sold clothes and carpets also I think.
I remember going upstairs to get my party dresses for school party when I was about 7/8.
my mum used to use co.op coupons or something like that,and then there was the divvy,co-op dividends.
When I think about the shop it reminds me of Are you being served

They had the money canisters going round the store on wires.
Maryb.

[parkwoodgirl]

Before the war, and during the war It was the Co-op ladies & Gents Outfitters, and upstairs part of it sold curtains etc.. My mom used to take me there for my 'liberty boddises' and school navy blue knickers. It always had a strong smell of Mansion polish and the staff wore black dresses with white lace collars. I remember the Co-op Shoe Dept., was on Hanover Street. I hated going there because my mom made me wear boys shoes as they lasted longer than girls and she saved on the clothing coupons plus she got divvi points.

[Admin]

Fabulous information from Parkwood Girl & Mary B - this is what history is all about.

Thank you as always for your wonderful information..........

Jan

[kellytica]

Picture of the Store 1910



From 'Half a Century of Co-operation in Keighley'

It seems this was the Central Stores & General Office of the Society prior to the Brunswick Street buildings being erected.

[Admin]

What a fantastic picture Eddie..........how much better it looks than it did with its garish signs - think I should have lived many years ago.

Thanks for sharing it, I have never seen it before.

Jan

[parkwoodgirl]

That is a great picture of the old Co-Op Drapery Department Store. In my day in Keighley there were 'them and us. Us being the ordinary folk who were taken to the Co-op for their clothes and shoes and 'them' who shopped at Keighley & Wilkins on the corner of North St., Anyone remember Madame Silverwoods on North St., she sold beautiful expensive baby and childrens clothes and Mrs. Fred Pearson Ladies Shoes... I bought my first pair of high heels from there, having saved up for months out of my 19shilling a week wage.

[fsharpminor]

My late Uncle Fred Thompson (b about 1910) worked for many years at the Coop drapery. Not sure whether he worked at the place above, but certainly at Hanover St (or was it Brunswick?) he ended his working life as Manager at Cross Roads Co-op in he 70's.

[eric]

My Gt Gt Grandfather must have been one of the founding members of the Keighley Industrial Co-op, I believe it was founde in 1860, and in 1863 Samuel Fearnside was the secretary, there is (or was!) a minute book in the library covering ththe early days, and there is Samuels beautiful copperplate hand writing.

[barcroftlad]

Aug 16, 2009 13:50:10 GMT fsharpminor said:

My late Uncle Fred Thompson (b about 1910) worked for many years at the Coop drapery. Not sure whether he worked at the place above, but certainly at Hanover St (or was it Brunswick?) he ended his working life as Manager at Cross Roads Co-op in he 70's.

As a teenager I bought most of my clothes from Fred at Cross Roads Co-op. He made two suits for me as a growing lad in the early '50s. When I made my first visit back home after 29 years away in '82, Fred heard I was back and got in touch. I went around to visit and have a nice photo of Fred and his wife and their neighbours, the Coates, who owned the stationers shop in Cross Roads for many years through the '40s. Fred was a lovely chap who I have always remembered with affection.

[gemma]

I was walking down East Parade towards Sainsbury's the other week and I noticed that some of the old signage was visible on the left side of the building - the letters "Gen" are definately visible! I was very intrigued and then this post has appeared

[scaramanga]

Would anyone know why the present owners have removed windows and other timbers from this building? I hope there wont be any other fittings disappear! Certainly is a very beautiful building.

[gemma]

Something is definately happening to this building - I walked past on Saturday and noticed the Motorworld sign had been taken off and there is now an old chip shop sign up and someone was inside doing a bit of wallpapering...

[Admin]

Hope they get the windows in Gemma or the wallpaper will be all over the floor.
I remember it being a fish restaurant.....was it "The Fish Dish"? or was that up on Lawkholme Crescent area.
Certainly looking very dilapidated and sad........................

Jan

[Andy Wade]

The coloured lead light windows currently on the first floor are definitely not original then, because they're different to the ones from the 1910 picture posted about by kellytica.
I reckon the 2nd floor windows were removed because the frames were rotten and they've taken the opportunity to replace them. The lead light windows - even in rotten frames are still worth a fair bit so I expect they'll be keeping them intact until they can get a buyer for them or maybe they will even restore them. I hope it's the second option.

[gemma]

I see that it's now had a lick of paint, new signage and is now being used to flog fridges, washing machines etc...wonder how long for though!