When I was 11, it was the only place I was allowed to go shopping with my friend on our own…we felt so grown up. Her Mum would drop us off there & we were not allowed to go outside of Bold Street all day, we used to buy fake cigarettes from a little joke shop that puffed out some form of talcum powder and we’d sit on the benches trying to look older, pretending to smoke.
Years later Bold Street’s Café Tabac was the meeting place for my friends and I at the weekend before going on to Macs & the Mardi …what great nights out we had then. I had my 18th Birthday at the Four Seasons which was awful but cheap to hire and as I was too drunk to remember much of it, it’s of little importance where it was held.
I still love Bold Street, I can spend hours in Rennies, it’s like a second home to me.
Thank you to Carol Ramsay at the Liverpool Biennial for her memories.
From Denys Owen again! Re my earlier comment this evening, I have just seen a photograph on your website which shows BARCLAYS Bank on the upper corner, with what appears to be the Midland next door. So now we know.
I don’t see any historical reference to John Byrne & Son Ltd., diamond merchants from the early 1900s. I have a piece of jewellry in a box from this company. They also had an address at ?83 Hatton Garden, London.
Does anyone know of this company?
I have just purchased a silver set in a box with a crown and an address for John Byrne & Son Ltd., Diamond Merchants, 10, Bold Street, Liverpool.
Hi
My Great Great Grandmother was Mary Byrne (Hawkins) the sister of John Byrne of John Byrne and sons Bold St. He came from Co Wexford Ireland and lived with my Great Great Grandfather William Hawkins in 1861 in Court Cazenau St a slum off Upper Beau St near Scottie Rd.
He took 10 years to become a watchmaker and jeweller and had 9 kids one of whom (Dr Ferdinand Byrne) was a dentist. He moved to London to practice and his daughter Natalie married into the Wolff family. Her husban Freddie won an olympic gold medal in 1936 Berlin in the 400m relay. The family owned the London metal exchange and nearly all the family had MBE’s and whatnot. I have found references in very old telephone directories for Liverpool but little else after 1910. The family lived at Greenbank Rd, Toxteth Pk for many years and the large house is still there.
I would welcome any further info you may have from 1910 onwards, living in N.Ireland I get little chance to get over to Liverpool now.
I have two abiding memories of Bold Street from the 60s. The first was the El Kabala, which was THE place to be. I used to sit drinking coffee in there with friends, and we’d chat to Roger McGough and John Gorman. I used to smoke Sobranie Cocktail cigarettes, which cost a fortune but which were, oh, so cool!
My other clear memory is of the Jaguar car showroom, halfway up on the right hand side as you’re walked up from the city centre. There used to be a Jaguar E type 2 2 in the window, I think it was British Racing Green, though I might have made that up, but whatever, it gleamed, polished to perfection, and begged me to buy it every time I stood drooling over it.
I haven’t been to Liverpool in years, (I’ve lived in East Anglia for 35 years) but I’m up in September to look around old haunts, so I’ll be paying a visit.
Thanks for the memories guys. They’ve been a joy to read.
Zoe
Bold St.was an important part of the life of the city ,commercially and socially.Earliest memories of the late 1940s include being taken to Cripps department store for the annual buying of the Party Dress- usually a confection of what we called organdie material.Then, still on the right hand side going up the hill, to a shoe shop for school and party shoes. Here they had a wonderful rocking horse-more interesting than clothes or shoes ,which were chosen for you. A little further was a stationers[not as magical as Philip son and nephew ,but classy)where Christmas cards were ordered with ones address printed inside.Then on to the Kardomah cafe where ladies met ,always in hats and often furs ,to enjoy the oriental decor as well as afternoon tea;this practice continued well into the 60s but upstairs had been taken over by students and ‘bohemian’ types from the late 50s. The various coffee bars were thriving by now. Frequented by Mount Pleasant students ,among others, and Italian waiters on their afternoon break ,they were always busy and atmospheric.Neils Place or was it the Rumbling Tum had a wall- mounted Juke Box.And back on the right hand side,upstairs ,for a short time, could be found the Cherokee club where the floor seemed to be about to collapse.Little or no alcohol, the last bus home, and about 7 and 6 a week pocket money covered all our teenage needs.(Finally not forgetting the most amazing Deco interior of the Gas showroom .Where did that go?)
The early sixties, El Kabala used to be the haunt of Italian catering staff on their afternoon break between the lunch and dinner shifts. Some of the patrons worked at La Bussola, the first Italian coffee house/bistro in Liverpool. It was a great place to people watch. This blog has brought back many memories. Anybody out there remember this era at El Kabala? And the staff of the robley Catering Group?
I remember Jaeger, and Kardomah coffee shop. There wa a club on the left side coming from Church Street direction. Was it the Odd Spot or Jacaranda?
I remember so well Bold Street in the 1960`s. I used to go to the El Cabala and sit all night with one glass of lemon tea.
I met several of my boyfriends there, tow became quite famous. Guy Edwards, who later becae a racing driver and was on of the people that pulled NIkki Lauder out of his burning car. The other was Tom Keyes, he went on to write science fiction and wrote and sold a movie.
I remember those happy days when I was a student, no money but had a great time.
I often wonder what happened to some of the friends from there, one particular one was Jonathan Knox.
Hi, I workrd in La Bussola, pretty fresh out of Colquitte st. Catering College - a wonderful eye opener to the real catering world!!
I walked up and down Bold st. every day for 2 years to reach college, brings back loads of great memories.
Irene
I worked for robley 69/73 remember rembrant club, royal restaurant,jennys pen & wig dog & bear caseys corn exchange la brosh & loads more I was relief manager at the time. mark
I,was a comis chef at the el kabaka in 1959. The owner was a mr kushner. He also had a coffee bar in southport.the chefs name was ray,Worral after that I worked for the Robley Group for 8′years.forcathy it was the jacaranda.
I was a student at Machin & Harper’s Commercial College off Bold Street, therefore I walked up and down each day. The main things that I noticed at the time were Neil’s Shoe Shop on the corner, and the massive chair with holes in the arms in another shop, which must have been an antique hearing aid.
I also spent time in the aforementioned Coffee Bars, drinking half coffee, half chocolate. We thought that we were terribly sophisticated. Around ten/fifteen years later, I worked for Arrowsmith Holidays, unfortunately, the atmosphere had gone. Perhaps it was because we had all moved on to Matthew Street to watch my Cousin’s Art Teacher’s Boyfriend, John Lennon years before. Happy Days.
I worked for Robley Group for a couple of years, La Bussola, The Royal (what that the name? Down the stairs, turn left at the bottom of Bold st?)
I loved working with Jennie, what a Lady with a character!
I was then sent off by them into the wilds at Uttoxeter!
I have lived in Spain more or less since then, so memories are a bit vague!
But, yes, full of great times and memories.
Irene
I worked at el kabala in 1964 what a great coffee bar that was, I also used to help out in la cabala sometimes, they used to make their own cakes and bread in the bakery upstairs, fabulous! I think both el and la cabala were owned by two hungarian brothers, mr kushner was my boss. And yes all the Italian staff from the Adelphi used to frequent both. lets face it bold street was the place to be in the 60s and 70s,I enjoyed every minute!
I am doing some research for an auction I am doing next week from some personal letters from an Australian WW1 veteran (Richard Learoyd) to his friend (Mark Roche) in Garrylough, Wexford Ireland where he recommends that he visit his friend in Liverpool who works in Bold Street for a company called John Byrne & Son Ltd. When I googled the address I was sent to this site. I am transcribing the letters & publishing them to our website soon. They will only be available online until they sell next week, have a look over the next few days if youre interested. http://www.lawsons.com.au
Hi, my mum Tess was a waitress at El Kabala in 1963/1964, she used to wear the 4″ stiletto heals carrying Russian tea with Kathy Blanch Flower another waitress and her best friend, saving money for another holiday to Spain!! She used to hate the boss who would tell her to get the 4″ stiletto’s off!!!
Yes, I remember Bold Street in the sixties. It really was the place to see and be seen! El Cabala was a favourite haunt: I used to meet my fiancé there (an Italian waiter at La Bussola-where I worked for a short spell.) I have memories of the Royal Restaurant, Kardomah, the Jaguar Showroom, Jaeger’s - I went on to work at McFadden and Barron- off one of the streets running parallel to Bold Street-can’t remember the name.
This is a great project- reviving my past and memories of Liverpool, my birthplace-I’ve been living in Canada for an age.
Hi, does anybody have any fotos of these places where we all have such great memories of?
Yes Irene there certainly was a Royal Restaurant but I think it was in Hanover St around the corner from Bold St, in a corner basement building, where very good value food could be had for very little. My then (lovely) girl friend was a staff nurse in Alder Hey and we would meet at 6 for a meal and the pictures or even the theatre.That was in the 1950s.
Hi thanks for the great memories, my friend Joan and I used to go to the el Cabala in late fifties early sixties..russian tea and sit for hours people watching..
A walk up or down Bold street was real dream time for us..I too used to have shoes from the shop with the rocking horse…Oh Nostalgia….
I worked at the Elcabala I used to make the cakes and Pastries there before that I was at the Adelphi hotel as aChef Pattisier.
I loved my job and worked for the Kushners when they bought Sissons in Southport, But then I moved to Canada. Great days!!! still looking for acouple of buddie that I worked with Kenny Han ,John Paine.Take care all.Clive
Re all of the above.I remember them well.
But how about the,Odd Spot Club.One if not the first decent night club in the city.Also there was the,Porthole club in Concert St.
And the jewel in the crown of the Robley Group.The Rebrandt Club.
Which was members only five star dining.
Hi guys still looking for buddies that I worked with at El cabala
Kenny Han John Paine I noticed Peter Mc Grath did you work at the Adelphi before el ca ba la. Have fun all of you
Doesnt anybody remember before El Cabala.?
It used to be Sissons.Now that was the place to be in the afternoons.Next door was Mayfair Gowns were Celia Philips held court,and dressed those who could afford it.Across the road was Ruby Miller the furrier.Another high end store.Re the Royal in Hanover Street.
That was not as one person sugested,a cheap place.It was a very up market restaurant with floor show.
I worked at the elcabala and lacabala and also ran the cafe that Mr Kushner owned in Southport on lord street,before I emigrated to Canada I often wonder why the business disappeared and what happened to Stanley Kushner mr Kushners son
I also remember Sissons because we took them over when they were in Southport
It’s pleasant to see some of these comments. I’m now 61 and The Odd Spot was the scene for me Fri. and Sat. Ugly’s on a Thursday, the Babalou on a Tuesday.When I was a little younger, I did the Saturday lunchtime sessions at the Cavern and felt cool at Neils Place on Leece St. In between the Iron Door, Mardi and local dance places in S. Lpool. Great times, Great people and lots of fun drinking Carsberg 68’s in the Hanover before the festivities .
In the mid fities there was a ladies dress shop in Bold St called
‘Nannette’s’ their window displays caused people to stop and admire.
Any memories been stirred about that articular shop,? and the fashions at that time would be of interest to me. Thanks.
Does anyone remember Hills of Bold st the posh hairdressers?
My grandad was a stylist at hills of bold street amd did all the stars hair from the theatre and my mum also worked there for twenty years
I worked at the Robley Group for a couple of years from 1960 to 62, started in the Dog & Partridge Tutbury as a Commis waiter, then on to the Grovesnor Hotel in Aldford, I also went on the Shell Tanker Oscilla,as the Robley group did the catering for all the ships launched at cammel lairds at that time, I finished up at the Rembrandt Club, where Stanley was the doorman, and I remember Leonard the wine waiter, who must have been well into his 80s at the time!
My mother Honor, worked for nanette at bold st, and also for many years, in their london road branch, doing amongst other jobs, as dressing the windows,
Also did the rounds of clubs and coffee bars in around Bold st ( ah such memories} now living in Cape Town.
Memories of hills hairstylists in the early sixties, I was apprentice to MIssMCArthy ,also remember MR HIll,MIss Duff,Joseph the wig maker,THelma Patsy Prue on reception. Marion,Gillian,MissGreen, hair stylists many young men,Keith,Norman,Paul,and the famous Herbert,Miss Williams in charge.Happy days.
Memories of Hills Hair Stylists in the 60s. I was Miss Molly McCarthys apprentice ,Mr Hill MissDuff,&MrJoseph the Wig maker all up the big stair case. Misses Gillian,Marion,in the new open salon! Many young men Keith,Paul,Norman,& the now famous Herbert . Mr Mason gent barber,Thelma,Patsy,& Prue on reception, Miss Williams in charge ,hard work,but happy days !!!