ben evans & co ltd in swansea any info please

Janepig

Backbiter wrote: »

Not my point at all. It IS known as Walters Rd in Swansea, despite the spelling!

Everyone I know in Swansea calls it Walter Road.

Jxx

Backbiter

Janepig wrote: »

Everyone I know in Swansea calls it Walter Road.

Jxx

I haven't lived there for over 20 years, but all the locals -my gran included - seemed to call it Walters Rd!

swansea_jack_2

Ben Evans relocated after the war to Walter Road (singular) and were in shops just down from the George pub - No 25 was one now occupied by a Housing Association. Ben Evans probably closed in late 1950s

It was David Evans which was the store on their old site near the castle after the war. This was owned by Solomon Andrews - a Cardiff businessman who had property all over Wales - Castle Cinema in Swansea, Castle Bingo is part of the family, houses in Pwllhelli, David Evans in Cwmbran. They started in 1900.

Another store in Swansea was Lewis Lewis which was in High Street near the Mackworth Hotel and an arcade where Snells music shop was. Have a read of Dylan Thomas' Return Joyrney - he lists all the bombed shops from High Street to Wind Street including Hornes Radio which my father ran - does anyone know anything about that or have any photos of the area? I know it was built against the castle wall.

As the start of this thread was about old clothes I would like to ask if anyone knows an easy way of finding Edwardian clothes. We have restored the birth place of Dylan Thomas in Swansea (www 5cwmdonkindrive.com) and would like to offer visitors for house tours and Edwardian dinner parties to dress up in period.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

wow thanks Swansea Jack...

Locally I dont know anyone with edwardian clothes... I have a few bits, but nothing worth shouting about,

The clothes will also be quite expensive, so I dont know if it would be viable to use htem for dressig up in for the general public.. Plus dont forget they are 100 years old... so more or less bought for collectors now, not for everyday wear/use

The only thing i can think of is to get a good seanstress to make you some reproductions...plus you might find people in Edwardian times were alot smaller/thinner than us of today...

Come to think of it I have a load of old prob clothes so over the next few weeks i will go htrough them, and see if htere is anything suitable

thanks for the heads up on the book:T

swansea_jack_2

I think that I'm incorrect in saying before that Ben Evans moved to Walter Road - it must have moved somewhere as I remember my mother talking about 'Ben's'.

However, it was Sidney Heath which was a clothes store which moved to Walter Road - they sold school uniforms among other things and my Swansea Grammar School (Bishop Gore School) maroon blazer came from there (since Dylan also went to teh same school a grammar school cap or blazer would be something we would like to obtain for 5 Cwmdonkin Drive).

This link is to their store that was bombed - what a pity that it wasn't rebuilt in this style - the city fatyhers of Swansea have a lot to answer for! welshwales.co.uk/ben_evans.htm

Sidney Heath moved later to a mock Tudor building on Castle Square which was later occupied by Treasure Gift Shop and now partly by Yeats Wine Bar on the top end of Wind Street. The style of the building was the same as Mr Heath's house Burry Cottage at Burry Green on Gower - the grounds of which used to be open to the public once a year.

It was restored in the 1970s by John and Midge Frayne who went on to restored Fairyhill and turn it into the upmarket hotel and restaurant that it is today.

nicola-g_2

Hi, for the Edwardian clothes, if you could get someone to make them, then the vintage pattern lending library vpll.org lends out patterns some of which have been re-sized too (so they will fit larger modern frames!!)

JenDee

Hi

I have a Sidney Heath Swansea sheepskin jacket which I've had for almost 20 years and only worn once or twice. I would be curious to know how old it is. It's in beautiful condition and looked hardly worn when I acquired it. It's also beautifully made, which is why I hang onto it. I could find very little info about Sidney Heath's but mostly they seemed to be a gents outfitters. However the jacket is quite small for a man's, I'm a size 12 and it fits only as long as I don't have any bulky clothing underneath.

I'd be interested in any info. I could stick a photo up somewhere of the label if that would help.

Thanks
Jennie

maman

Thanks OP, this thread has been a lovely walk down memory lane for me!:)

I remember my grandmother used to shop in Ben Evans when it was in Walter Road (I think Walters Road is a bit more colloquial, I've certailny heard it used). I don't think you made a mistake there Swansea Jack.

I worked in Sidney Heath's (or Sidney Thief's as we called it as it was so expensive )when I was a student (this was in the mock Tudor building). It was the sort of shop that wealthy people used or an average person very occasionally for 'Sunday Best'. Most people only went inside to buy school uniform for the local grammar schools (Llwyn y Bryn in my case) or independent schools.

What I disliked most about working there (Christmas/January Sale) was that the full-time workers were on commission and used to make a bee-line for regular customers. It wasn't that bit that bothered me but that the servility they showed felt all wrong. I'm all for good manners and customer care but this was real Uriah Heep stuff.

I don't remember that particular dress shop but I do remember one called Moriarty. This was in Union Street, almost next door to the Burlington restaurant. Further down was a really old-fashioned cafe and further down again, near Duck, Son & Pinkers music shop was the Number 10 with it's stuffed bear!! There was another really smart dress shop at the bottom of Walter Road, just along from the Albert Hall but I can't remember the name.

I've not lived in Swansea for 30 years but I've enjoyed digging in my memory.

luxor4t

maman wrote: »

....There was another really smart dress shop at the bottom of Walter Road, just along from the Albert Hall but I can't remember the name.

I've not lived in Swansea for 30 years but I've enjoyed digging in my memory.

I remember "Dorothy" along there, just by the bus stop to the Uplands and beyond (I caught the 22, 32 or 35). They did evening dresses and bridal clothing as well as smart suits etc on two floors.

maman

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: You're right Luxor, it was right by the bus stop!