A stunning bit of recent local history dropped in my lap unexpectedly today with an email from reader and friend of the blog Andy Wood, who’s sent me a whole bunch of interesting photos.
I’m going to go first with these, as I know this is a much sought-after topic and one I’m often asked about – Taylors Cafe, that used to stand on Pelsall Road, Brownhills, just opposite Wallace Road.
The well-loved cafe was razed for new housing ten years or more back (does anyone know exactly when?), but it seems Andy paid a visit just before it closed.
He wrote:
Bob
I have some pictures of Taylors Cafe Pelsall Road taken the week prior to it being demolished. They include some interior pictures and include of some of the staff.
I also have pictures of the path between the old pig farm and Pelsall Road before it was developed
all the best
Andy Wood
Andy actually sent me loads of wonderful additional stuff, which I’ll post up in due course – but for now, wallow in the memories of smoke, steam, sticky sauce bottles and soss, Egg, Chips and beans with and a large mug o’ tay.
Have any memories or anything further to add? Please do comment or mail me: BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.
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another memory revived taylors cafe its oragine was at the end of woodbine terrace chester road next door to the fire station a favourite watering hole each morning for gas electric and other public workers cals wife was my wifes cousan it was previosly owaned by a mrs peabody my wife and i lived at chester road north it still holds many memouries for me simpsons garage retane firemans days the row of council houses from the garage to coppice side were often refered to as the fire mans houses as they were mostly housed by fire mens families to quote a few old timers simpson bloomer willocks trawford tabberer his father is often seen on old photo graphs of the old horse drawn tender happy days iremember those houses being built and the families who first moved in each one played a distinct part in brownhills way of life thanks for the memory god bless
Reg it was you that told me that Lillian Taylor and her brother Charlie started the cafe. I am still trying to find a picture of Charlie. Do you know of any one that may have a picture of him. We believe that Charlie was my mothers birth father and would really like to know what he looked like.
the best cafe ever in brownhills” such a loss as it was where so many would meet up for food, drinks & a chat” i even called it the office” such friendly great owners & staff” such great memories” :-))
I live in Pelsall Road nearly opposite to where Taylors cafe was Its funny even now after its been demolished all these years its still a landmark. I recently phoned a builder told him where I lived and he said where is that in relationship to where Taylors cafe used to be. Funny old thing local history even when its turned to dust its still there really.
I live in Pelsall Road nearly opposite to where Taylor’s cafe was Its funny even now after its been demolished all these years its still a landmark. I recently phoned a builder told him where I lived and he said where is that in relationship to where Taylor’s cafe used to be. Funny old thing local history even when its turned to rubble and built upon its still there really. I remember that in the back of Taylor’s was a side room nicknamed the Blue room by the local Police who visited Taylor’s and used that room to have their breakfast. Joe Taylor was the owner his son Barry did all the cooking It It may not have been cordon bleu but give me a sos and tom on crusts From Taylor’s rather than than a tiny plateful French cuisine costing £25 any day. Sadly Taylor’s Cafe has gone and its now become part of Brownhill’s History as have so many wonderful things in Brownhill’s So best not forget that our tomorrow’s are soon to be our yesterday’s and our today’s should be savored.
I think if my research is correct Joe’s mothers name was Lillian Taylor maiden name Harrison . And as Reg said they started the café in Woodbine Terrace
Hi Bob
many thanks to Andy for these photos…..an interesting building and fine restaurant.
kind regards
David
When I worked for Joe Lyons Taylors was our first call for breakfast every morning. Barry went to the Central same time as me. “Two runny eggs with soss on top Cal’ “comin up Joe’
My nan Eileen Cooksey owned this cafe years ago when my dad was a kid. He had a pied Cobb I think it was in the stable out back he used to ride.
hi pam sorry to tell you since i last spoke to you i have been unable to find any photographs of the harrison family as i said earlier i knew them well as lil and clarises and charlies mom was my father in laws sister and as we lived close by it was a cuppa and natter stop home was next door to what was to become the well loved taylors cafe how ever i cannot recall actualy meeting charlie there was an old saying when family chat was about their cat ran over our garden it appears this could have been a garden a lovely garden of memouries from the response so far you may achieve your wish godbless you
Thank you for trying. Yes it is nice to see that everyone loved the shop
When working at Edward Rose, if we worked on Saturday mornings, I would go round with a list, then phone them through to the cafe and Barry would deliver them down to us in the van. Lovely man, always smiling. Best Sos & Tom sarnies around. Lovely memories.
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didnt floss dickenson run a greengrocers in the high st in the fiftys was her madian name rogers
Yes Lyn her parents ran the shop, she also worked in Wimbush cake shop in the high st and was also a very highly valued member of Brownhills Townswomen’s guild for many many years
She worked in Wimbish especially on the high street in the ’60s. Her husband was a butcher .
My Grandad, Barry Taylor, has LOADS of photos from the cafe so I’ll get some off him and post them
I was wondering if you could ask your Grand dad about his Uncle Charlie. My mother was born in Oxford and was told he was her father . Mum wrote to Clarice when she was about 14 . And they told her he was in the army . She wrote to Woodbine Terrace Brownhills . Mum is getting on now ,and would really like to know what he looked like . If you can help with this. I would be very grateful
I remember your grandad. We all used to meet up at the bike club in Walsall Wood.
Names of Eric, Chunky, Mick Wooley ( JPS Norton ) come to mind, 35 years on. !!!!!
My name is Maggie.
Please give him my regards.
Thanks.
Hi Maggie. It is Brian here, a founding member of the motorcycle club which both John Chunky Ebbans and I started at The Turks Head in Lichfield. Eric is Johns brother in law. Can you please offer up any more thought or photographs on the club and say hi to Barry for me.
Hi, thanks for taking the time to contact me.
In Hook of Holland at the moment. Will get back to you next week when back in uk.
Maggie.
Thanks for contacting me. Sorry for delay, but just got back into the uk.
Unfortunately, I have no photos butI do remember well the club in Walsall Wood.
St. Trinians evening : but couldn’t wear now what I did then. !!!
Also showing the TT races film, with George Formby.
Weekend in Blackpool, sitting on the floor, ‘Oops upside your head. ‘ Remember that. ?
I haven’t seen Barry for over 30 years. Moved to Suffolk in early nineties.
The club meant a lot to me. It helped me socialise after a messy divorce.
Maggie.
Taylor’s Cafe! Great memories from 1972. Was at Brownhills Comp (Central school). We were the last intake of first year students to use the “old school”. Taylor’s pitched their baked beans & chips at 12p, which was exactly what a school dinner cost. Yes, I ate chips & beans for most of the year!! They had a proper, traditional, one armed bandit which was heavily worked by me & fellow 11yr olds!! Thanks for stirring the great memories.
Further to my previous notes about Taylor’s, memories of Central Cafe have been stirred. My late Mom, Dot, worked in Cental Cafe for Mr & Mrs Shepherd in the late 60’s. Nice couple as I recall.Anyone remember them?Proper,traditional, cafe. Remember the fresh orange squeezer & steam coffee machine. We lived in a flat above the hairdressing salon a couple of doors up (later to become Motorcycle Generation). Opposite was the Station Hotel. Curtains always shut on Sunday lunchtime when the strippers were on!
went there 4 times a week for breakfast I used to work at rhon arc we made welding machines breakfast was allways great and barry was a good bloke beans on 1 egg on 1 and 1 on the side
Went there as a kid for sweets and more importantly chewing gum with a free picture card of the Beatles. Which I still have. Any money we earnt Carol singing was spent either here or at priors up the road.
Is there anyone out there that remembers what year the detached bungalow was built just below Taylor’s cafe and by who ?
This was my breakfast stop almost every morning for about 15 years. Barry and the crew are fondly remembered.
I was a hgv driver for triplex safety glass in St. Helens in the 70s and 80s we used to deliver to Ed rose just down the road from the cafe,one of my colleagues Colin ball favourite breakfast was two rounds of toast with melted cheese tomato’s on top and then two eggs on top plenty of pepper and h p sauce delicious fond memories of joe and Barry and there staff .it was good to see the old photos of the place
I can remember so well Taylor’s cafe and can remember well Jo and Barry . Does anyone know how Barry is these days and sadly recall Robert passing away around the Easter of 2014
This thread is possibly too old for responses now but I used to be a Saturday girl there, have so many great memories of Joe, Megan, Barry, Floss and June…. Always loved working there…. I remember Barry’s son and daughter in law and sure they had 2 children…. The police would always come to the back window, everyone loved a Taylors meal or sandwich….. Was lovely to look at the photos and take a stroll down memory lane 🩷
Yes Michele I was one of those Police officers who used to come to the back window for a sandwich . I remember all the family and was a friend of Rob Taylor for many years . Sadly he passed away in 2014 . I think only Barry is still with us . Kind regards Steve
It’s good to know Barry is still going strong, the cafe was a regular stop for a lot of us triplex driver’s and have some good memories of the place,see earlier post
Don’t know if Andy Wood will read this but I was A police cadet in 1975 and briefly worked with Andy . I will leave my number if anyone from those days wishes to contact me 07845761774 . Kind regards Steve Stackhouse
Geoff Houghton says.
I used this cafe lots of times when i was a driver for triplex and got to meet lots of drivers who drove for local firms round that area.
It was a nice friendly place and i always enjoyed having my breakfast or dinner there if i was down that way .
Looked at the photos of the staff i recognise but cant put a name to them apart from Barry and i will always remember joe .
There two ladies that worked i think one was called DOT and one called Anne but i think she went to live in Spain.
Thanks for the photos and the write up i have great memories of Taylors cafe and of Barry and Joe.
regards Geoff.