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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Devon => Topic started by: finta on Friday 06 February 09 13:38 GMT (UK)
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Hi all :)
My grandparents lived at 11 Tamar Terrace (now Normandy Way?), St Budeaux, from about 1913 to 1961...ish. So no census information :-\
James Theophilus Robertson (b 1874) was a marine engineer, and spent some time in Singapore working on one of the dry docks. Probably during the interwar years.
Catherine Isabella Robertson (wife b 1883) worked, I think, at the Co-op in the soft furnishings dept, and as a prototype interior designer advising the well-heeled on furniture and furnishings.
That's all I know. Does anyone have any advice about how I can find out more about where they worked etc?
Thanks in anticipation :)
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Hi
Welcome to Rootschat :)
I lived in Plymouth for over 20 years :o
The largest Co-op in Plymouth is on Derry's Cross/New George Street. At the moment i can't think of any other branches that would have a furnishing dept.
http://www.plymouth-coop.co.uk/main_derrys.aspx
It is highly likely that your grandfather worked at the naval Dockyard in Devonport:
http://www.plymouthdata.info/Royal%20Dockyard.htm
Regards
Gadget
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I'm just thinking that the Derry's Cross Co-op would have been part of the post-WW2 development. The centre of Plymouth was practically destroyed during WW2 and the modern centre is a 1950s develpoment.
http://www.plymouthdata.info/Second%20World%20War-1941-Blitz.htm
I'm not sure where the main co-op would have been before 1941 :-\
There's a bit about it here:
http://www.plymouth-coop.co.uk/main_about.aspx?content=history
Gadget
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Thankyou Gadget :)
I'll get my teeth into those sites over the weekend ;D
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I have many books on Old Plymouth - I shall search for you.
I'm pretty sure there was a Co-Op in Mutley Plain - quite a high brow shopping area at one time
Phil
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Thanks so much Philezra :)!
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hi finta,
did you have any luck with this topic hun? i lived in plymouth for years and also had a married quarter in st budeaux and remember a co-op store there and if my memory serves me right they had a homeware and furnishig dept upstairs, tho not as large as the derrys cross store it was there never the less. i will dig about and see what i can come up with ok
krissy
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hi finta,
did you have any luck with this topic hun? i lived in plymouth for years and also had a married quarter in st budeaux and remember a co-op store there and if my memory serves me right they had a homeware and furnishig dept upstairs, tho not as large as the derrys cross store it was there never the less. i will dig about and see what i can come up with ok
krissy
Hi krissy
No more luck yet. I'm interested to hear that there was a co-op store in St Budeaux, but haven't been able to find anything out about it. Any more info really gratefully received :) Thanks so much!
finta x
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hi there,
did a little bit of digging for you and found that the supermarket has been renamed to plymco , its still part of the co-op its situated on 2 victoria road, st budeaux plymouth.maybe if you get in touch they can give you some advice as to whether they hold any old personel documents.
its got to be worth a try eh?
krissy
good luck xxxx
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There was a coop warehouse on vauxhall street on the barbican, next door to' The Cooperage '.
It was demolished several years ago and is now Luxury flats
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Hi Caver,
Extract from "The Co-operative congress souvenir" for the congress held in Plymouth in 1910.
"In continuation of the policy of extension, a store for the sale of drapery, Boots and Shoes and Hardware was added to the existing stores at Torpoint, Cornwall and formally opened on May 21st (1908) and in June following a similar store was formally opened in St Budeaux"
The "Souvenir" goes on to state that in 1909 the Drapery & Furnishing department had a "trade" value of £63,213. 10s. 11d and employed 160.
I'd be very surprised if it is the existing building at the bottom of Victoria Road as it is a modern one.
The main Co-op building in the city centre was destroyed during the blitz of world war 2.
Happy hunting,
Ian
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Many thanks..
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Hi Plymouth Ian :)
There's a picture of an old Co-op in St Budeaux (Victoria Rd, I think) in Derek Tait's book of St Budeaux photographs called "St Budeaux". Plymouth Library tell me it opened about 1895.
Can't be the same one then?
Confused ???
finta
finta
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For anybody interested in the Co-op in Plymouth, I received this information from a local knowledgeable person which I thought I'd pass on. The photo mentioned is of the Co-op in Victoria Rd in 1895.
The road layout has changed considerably over the years and part of what is now known as Victoria Road was at the time of the photo known as Trelawney Road.
In 1895, the Co-op bought property known as Stuart House Trelawney Road and on the land built grocery and butchery shops and the first floor above was used as living accommodation for the branch managers. In 1908 the first floors were converted into a drygoods shop which included general drapery, china, lamps, hardware, outfitting, small furnishing, and footwear. This shop was closed in 1932.
In 1949, the Society purchased Mr Searle`s business at 13 Victoria Road, which was adjacent to the property above. It appears as if part of Trelawney had by then been renamed as part of Victoria Road. I am told that the reconverted Searle business was mainly hardware but there may have been some furnishing as well. Later on the whole block was demolished and rebuilt as "Tamar House" store with food on the ground floor and drygoods on the first floor.
finta
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I have many books on Old Plymouth - I shall search for you.
I'm pretty sure there was a Co-Op in Mutley Plain - quite a high brow shopping area at one time
Phil
hi would you happen to have any old photos of jolls cottages and pottery quay you could pls put on line thanks
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Hello finta
I've just seen your post about your grandparents living at 11 Tamar Terrace in St Budeaux, Plymouth. I live just round the corner from Normandy Way and although Tamar Terrace isn't there anymore, I've found this link on the Plymouth City Council website of a planning application from 1920 regarding 7 Tamar Terrace becoming 70 Normandy Way. Once the snow and ice ease I'll have a walk up there and try to work out where your grandparents' house would have been.
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/archivescatalogue?record=82&cid=o13dhfmzamue4p455cxago45&criteria=tamar
Lorraine
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I have many books on Old Plymouth - I shall search for you.
I'm pretty sure there was a Co-Op in Mutley Plain - quite a high brow shopping area at one time
Phil
hi could u c if u have any old photos of pottery quay or jolls cottages please or even old malbourgh street in devonport. or stoke area. thanks
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Hello finta
I've just seen your post about your grandparents living at 11 Tamar Terrace in St Budeaux, Plymouth. I live just round the corner from Normandy Way. Once the snow and ice ease I'll have a walk up there and try to work out where your grandparents' house would have been.
http://www.plymouth.gov.uk/archivescatalogue?record=82&cid=o13dhfmzamue4p455cxago45&criteria=tamar
Lorraine
Thank you so much for your kind offer Lorraine :) . There are so many helpful people on this site! 11 Tamar Terrace became 62 Normandy Way and I have an up-to-date photo of it taken by a local photographer.
I found a planning application too in the early 1950s when my grandparents had a loft conversion done, which you'll see if you pass No.62. I have so many memories of this house, even though I have not been inside it since 1963 when my grandmother died. It figures a lot in my dreams.
Thanks again for your kind offer,
Helen
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This link is to a commercial site, but it does have a specific page all about the history of the Co-Op in Plymouth:
http://www.chrisrobinson.co.uk/system/index.html
Choose: Local History from the left-hand menu bar, and then click on the picture on the right - it's labelled:
150 years of
The Co-operative in Plymouth
Christine
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Go to Plymouth central library in North Hill. In the Naval Studies area on the first floor they have filing cabinets A - Z listed by street name and such. I found only 2 in this section and have a photo of it. If you ask the staff in there they should be able to help you.
hi could u c if u have any old photos of pottery quay or jolls cottages please or even old malbourgh street in devonport. or stoke area. thanks