Caters sold a diverse range of appliances and audio-visual equipment, including electric keyboards. They had a large shop on the corner of Brickiln Street and High Street – I can’t actually find a picture of the store, but here’s an advert from the Brownhills Gazette in 1995.

I have been contacted by Vicky Woolston who has informed me of some very sad news: the passing of Michael Cater, who ran a very longstanding electrical and audio store in Brownhills for years – Caters.

Caters and the Cater family were a household names in the town for decades – I bought my first hi-fi there, and many kitchen appliances over the years. I remember them selling records and I bought one of my first CDs there, too.

I believe there was also a branch of Caters in Lichfield for a while.

Michael Cater passed away on Tuesday, 29th September 2015 after suffering prostate cancer. He will be remembered by many in Brownhills, not just for the store and his part in it, but for his work with the Round Table and 41 Club.

My condolences, sympathies and best wishes to Vicky and family, and to all who fondly remember Caters as a family run business that prided itself on courtesy and service – a rare breed nowadays.

Vicky wrote:

Dear Bob,

We were wondering if you could post the announcement of the death of Michael Cater on your blog. He lived and worked in Brownhills for many years and was a well known and loved member of the community.

Michael worked in and later ran the family business F.W. Cater and Son on the HIgh Street and was also an active member of Brownhills Round Table and 41 Club.

He sadly passed away early on Tuesday. He had been suffering with a recurrence of his prostate cancer and in the end this proved to be terminal.

Despite his illness we were fortunate to be able to appreciate our last months with him including a blissful family holiday in Cornwall.

He remained active right up until the end – mowing his lawn and picking damsons out of the trees less than a week ago. So whilst his death has come as a horrible shock to us we take solace in the maner of his life.

For those who wish to attend, the funeral service will be held at All Saints Church, Gilmorton, Leicester LE17 5LR at 12 noon, Tuesday October 13th. For more information contact W S Goodman & Sons Funeral Directors, 18a High Street, Lutterworth, LE 17 4AD

Yours sincerely,
Michael’s loving family