This page: last update 26th August 2010
 A nostalgic page ( non-retail )



Page 1

Welcome to the part of the site that is dedicated to the record and
 popular music scene that occurred within the vicinity of the City of Exeter.


It is hoped that this bit of nostalgia will give enjoyment, and with any luck jog some memories from those of you who where in and around Exeter, with a view that some interesting contributions will be forthcoming!

Images pertaining to the music retail industry and entertainment wanted to include here:

record outlets
artifacts with individual shop names affixed or printed
posters
admission tickets
membership cards
interior of dance halls
rock n' roll scene
mod scene

Please note that pre 1975 is the main period of interest, but versatility is always on the agenda !

By the way, it would be nice to know why it is that in the early 20th Century it was decided that shops that sold bicycles would fare well by stocking records also? Is there a logical explanation for this?
                                                           added March 2010 - 
Apparently, one of the logistics of this was that the mechanism of the bicycle, and that of a wind-up gramophone, both operated on the same principle, thus servicing / repairs went hand in hand.

Note that for 'local' bands, there is a book available that has plenty of information.

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Anybody submitting a story, photograph, etc, will be credited if so desired 
  (sorry, no external links to any commercial sites).
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A few of the items on these pages have been kindly supplied by John Allegro, Emporium, Heavitree Road, situated just down from the Police Station. John does not have a Police record as his era is concentrated around the 1967 ~ 1977 period; prog. rock and the suchlike, but he does not have a 'closed mind'. He also stocks lots of Turntables, Amplifiers, and Speakers. Also helpul for repairs, servicing, and advice. A stylus for your record player is usually available. Phone 01392 277417. Not open Tuesdays, Wednesday, and the Holy day. If you have an old Exeter bag, please drop her it in!

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Additions
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 8 March 09  ---> two more Godfrey & Co Ltd covers found
16 March 09 ---> on a roll here.. MOON'S 7" paper bag unearthed 
 8 May 09    ---> two more 78rpm covers and a 7" sleeve added + THE MUSIC SHOP extended.
                               Bags moved to a new page due to amount of content now on this here page.
22 June 09 ---> tripped, stumbled, and nearly fell over two newly discovered record retailer's record covers
                               plus three MOONS and a GODFREY & Co. paper bags !
7th Oct 09  ---> Co-op bag and a 1960 Savoy flier added.
7th March 10 --> two more 1950's concert posters unearthed, and..
                            .. Exeter Cycle Works exposed !
19th Mar 10 --> Bobby's first bag + Moon's with additional sticker
24th May 10 ---> variant found of early John C Guest sleeve, a Fildews sleeve discovered,
                        plus a playable Fonoscope Greetings In Music card in it's original Colson's
                        paper bag, and a Woolies 7" paper bag = all acquired in one day.!
27th May 10 --> more old bags, including one for The Music Shop.
26th Aug 10 --> two Moons paper bags added


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78rpm Protective Covers

Any original photographs of the shops or further information on these businesses would be most welcome!
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"ORIEL" STORES 116 Sidwell Street. 
 
'Agent for ROYAL RUBY CYCLES'. Also, Largest Record Dealers in Exeter' Labels stated here are Regal, Winner and Velvet Face. The latter two were Edison Bell subsidiary labels. This cover is pre 1926, as Velvet Face became extinct by this year.



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"ORIEL" STORES 116 Sidwell Street. This is the reverse.

19143 ~ 1922? the proprietor was Walter Matthews.  From 1923 as Mrs. K> Matthews. Vacated no. 116 in 1927'ish (see Exeter Cycle Works further down), moving to no. 50 Sidwell Street ---->




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"ORIEL" STORES 50 Sidwell Street. 

Over-sticker for the new address in the same street, Still claiming to be the 'Largest Record Dealers in Exeter'.  Also,' 'Sole District Agents For Coventry Eagle Cycles'. So Exeter Cycle Works had competition in very close proximity (see further down the page). Not known when ceased trading. Premises is currently a Charity shop.
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JOHN C. GUEST 199 High Street + 40-41 Bridge Street, Exeter.

' Guest's Syncopated Orchestra always at your service'.

Mr. Guest initially had two outlets, as printed here. Along with the EXETER CYCLE WORKS shop, probably the first record outlets in Exeter.

This cover :
              The Pianoforte House'  
Left side has the brand names of wind-up gramophones stocked, including Tyrelia, Vocalion, and Columbia. Right column record labels: His Master's Voice, Zonophone, Columbia.  Zonophone records began in 1903.. 

In 1912, a shoplifter named as Joseph Powell was jailed for 3 months for stealing a flute from Mr. Guest's premises !

The High Street address is currently (2008) leased to a tea and coffee retailer called WHITTARD.






0

JOHN C. GUEST 199 High Street + 40-41 Bridge Street, Exeter.

This cover:
     'Sole agent for Broadwood's Piano'.
Right column now lists His Master's Voice, Zonophone, Regal, and Columbia Records.

Regal was formed by Columbia in 1914, so by deduction we will assume that this was the second design cover for Guest empire.

Now called GUEST, with the cover stating 'Note only address: 40-41 Bridge Street, Exeter'. 
 

GUEST. ' THE RELIABLE FIRM'.

40 & 41 Bridge Street, Exeter.
'PLEASE NOTE ONLY ADDRESS'.

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This business eventually merged with MOONS.
               *********************

If you are one of those observant types, you probably spotted that several of the covers depicted on this page have the same image designs; that is the 'His Master's Voice' logo, and the music notes. The latter has the wording 'Columbia Records' within, and a trademark termed as 'Magic Notes'.

Due to trouble-at-mill, in 1931 the owners of the label His Master's Voice, The Gramophone Company, merged with their rivals Columbia Gramophone Co. Ltd. to form a new company christened Electric & Musical Industries Ltd - better known as EMI. As we all know, the two brand labels were retained and employed for many years.

So, in all probability, EMI subsidised the cost of the covers in return for their logos being advertised. Or...
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GODFREY & Co. Ltd. 3 Eastgate, Exeter. 

'The House of Music ~  PIANOFORTE MANUFACTURERS SINCE 1859. Branches Throughout England & Wales'

The top end of Eastgate is long gone. With the latest building development, this address is currently a branch of Barratt's, the retailer of footwear.
 

GODFREY & Co. Ltd. 3 Eastgate, Exeter. '
AGENTS FOR Cramer, Broadwood, Brinsmead, Collard, Chappell, Allison pianos' ~ His Master's Voice and Columbia Radio and Radiograms ~  ' SOLE AGENTS CHAPPELL PIANOS'. 


.
 

GODFREY & Co Ltd. 8 Sidwell Street.

This cover states 'Regal and Zonophone Records', so pre-dates 1933, as this is when the two labels merged and were then named Regal Zonophone. I thought this address is the move from Eastgate, but the telephone number here is 352, with other two covers stating 3552.. would this be logical?  See also bags.
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PAISH & CO. Shops in Exeter, Paignton, Torquay. They were still trading in Torquay in the 1970's.




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PAISH & CO. 'EAST-LIGHT Patent Filing Envelope for Records'. A 'Record File' housing twelve 10" discs with these covers was available @ 3/-. A 'Box-Album' with colour artwork was 5/-, and an 'EAST-LIGHT SOLID CABINET' to house four Box-Albums was 30/6 (a week's wages if one was a Lancashire Weaver!).
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NORTON BROS. 120 Fore S. Hill, 

Possibly had this address printed so as to save confusion over Fore Street within Heavitree. 'Largest stock of latest records'.  These premises are currently a mosaic shop and gallery.
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W. D. K. PHILLIPS 143 Sidwell Street, Exeter.

"Official Appointed dealer ~ Radio Society of great Britain and Wireless League. Specialists in all makes of Wireless Receivers, Radiograms, etc. BATTERY SERVICE STATION. SERVICE AFTER SALES."
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W. A. JOHNS, 22 Paris Street Exeter.
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"WIRELESS ENGINEER. Any Machine Supplied by Instalments (sic). All Accessories in Stock. Repairs Promptly executed on the Premises. Speciality Records of all Theme Songs & "Hits from TALKIES". We have an up-to-date Public Address Equipment for Hire for Political Meetings, Bazaars, Churches & all reasonable Terms."
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 WEBBER & SONS. 36-37 Cowick Street is now two separate entities. No info ~ anybody remember Webber & Sons?
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MOONS 192 High Street, Exeter

12 record cover. "The largest Stock of Records in the West. Repairs by our own Mechanics. Post orders delivered in 24 hours". Oh? Really?

Housing the issue of 'Hear My Prayer' by the Choir Of The Temple Church, London, this dates from 1928
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MOONS were next to Woolworth's = now McDonalds.. In the 1970's, the premises then became Rumbelows. This sleeve is circa late 1930's. See also here. 


In December 1962 this family business was sold to J & F Stone Lighting & Radio Ltd (based in Broad Street Place, London).


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 FILDEWS 177 Sidwell Street, Exeter.

THE CITY & COUNTY SPECIALISTS for RADIO AND RECORDS.

Sometime in the 1950s they moved to Fore Street, into the shop next to Thomas Moore. They then traded as 'Electrical Engineers'. There was also a branch in Teignmouth. 
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EXETER CYCLE WORKS, 43 Sidwell St, Exeter.

One of the first record retailers' in Exeter. Began trading in 1909 as EXETER CYCLE & MOTOR WORKS, with 'Motor' dropped from the trading name the following year. Variable trading names ensued: EXETER CYCLE WORKS;  P J HAWKINS CYCLE DEALER.
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'This Envelope is charged at One Penny, and will preserve the life of the record. Customers returning 12 in good condition can Receive 1/- in Cash - or can select a new 1/6 Double-sided record Free from our Stock'.

EXETER CYCLE WORKS, 41 & 43 Sidwell St. 

One of the first record retailers' in Exeter. Cover establishes the proprietor as a P. J. HAWKINS. Took on these additional premises in 1919,. Vacated from here in the late 20's, probably 1928, moving to 116 Sidwell Street (see the old bags on the following page !).



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HOWARDS, 5 Exeter Rd, Exmouth 
RADIO, TELEVISION, RECORDS. SHEET MUSIC
-and at 90 Sidwell St. Exeter

Although Howards had not stocked records for many years, they were 'Exeter's Last Stand' in respect of independent businesses that will ever appear on this page. In latter years, televisions and hi-fi such as Bang & Olufsen was their forte. 

            This is MY party, and I'll cry if I want to...
Last year they (the Howards) retired, with Richer Sounds, who had been their next door neighbour for a while, expanding into Howards premises. I paid their new shop a visit just after Christmas with the intention to spend £250, but am yet to hear from them about the product that is on the shelf and priced, but one has to wait at least 6 weeks to own one. Hey Richer Sounds - don't bother, thank you!

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7" Record Company Slip-Sleeves
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                            NOTHING IN COMMON' 
              b/w 'HOW ARE YA' FIXED FOR LOVE?'
Two duets by Frank Sinatra and Keely Smith, issued in 1956. Sleeve inked stamped:

 Western Radio Of Exeter
TELEVISION SPECIALISTS   RECORD CENTER
9, QUEEN STREET - Phone 54148



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'                  BURKE'S LAW THEME'
          Tommy Watt and his Orchestra
Cover of the signature tune for the television series of the same name, starring (the now deceased) Gene Barry, later in Dennis Spooner's 'The Adventurer'. Gene was, with Peter Falk, the main actor in the pilot for the successful series Columbo.

Coincidently, this tune was written by Herschel Burke Gilbert. Apparently, Tommy had turned down working with Parlophone' s new signing - The Beatles. This single is from 1963, with the sleeve being inked stamped:

 E. WENMOUTH
 Radio and Television
78 Holloway Street
Phone Exeter 76058

 

Covers pertaining to 
THE MUSIC SHOP' City Arcade, Exeter
 are featured here


Information stated is from faded but not jaded  memories and recent footwork.
Please contact if you have additional  information - or corrections !


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  Next page : Record Retailer's Bags, etc  *   Email


Exeter Nostalgia Contents:

1a Bags 1b Moons in Plymouth 2 Concert Memorabilia      3 Ken Spray's 'The Music Shop'
4 The Left Bank     5 Civic Hall's live recording 6 About the author 7 Star Scene package at the ABC 1965
8 Paramounts (pre Procol Harum)     9 Correspondence

If you are interested in anything and everything regarding the history of Exeter, then visit the website Exeter Memories

This site's contents 
jaded

  ©  Peter Rice Destiny One
1900s RECORD SHOP IN EXETER 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1960s BEAT DANCES IN EXETER 1960s AT ST THE CIVIC HALL EXETER DEVON IN THE SIXTIES

EXETER NOSTALGIA HERE ! ROCK N ROLL IN EXETER 50 YEARS AGO 1960s POP GROUPS IN EXETER DEVON 1970s POP GROUPS IN EXETER DEVON
BEAT GROUPS IN EXETER IN 1964 1965 1966 1967 THE BEATLES IN EXETER IN 1963 1964 CONCERTS AT THE ABC EXETER CINEMA 1960s 1970s
1960s RECORD SHOPS IN EXETER BRINGING ON BACK THE GOOD TIMES IN EXETER DANCE HALLS IN EXETER IN THE 1950s 1960s 1970s
RECORD SHOP BAGS HERE!  VINTAGE RECORD COVERS OF EXETER BUSINESSES HERE! BIRTH OF PUNK IN EXETER 1976 1977 1978
VINTAGE EXETER RECORD SHOPS IN DAYS GONE BY RECORDS SHOPS IN EXETER IN THE 1940s 1950s 1960s IN EXETER