frederick street

[creeping death]

can any 1 tell me if there was a pet shop in fredrick that used to have a little indoor zoo up stairs

[sless]

nothihng would suprize me down them neck of the woods

i think there was a pet shop that was on the corner half way down

[Pooter]

Was it Olsens?

[robpapE2]

yup it was olsens ...probably the "Cruelty Man" closed it doon

[baldy.smith]

He originally opened his first shop at the Chichester end of Laygate Lane.

[Delilahcat]

I always thought the Pet shop at the Chi end of Laygate lane was Duncans. It's still there. George Olsen had a pet shop in Frederick Street in the block between Gilbert St and Bertram St. He then moved to the middle of Frederick Street. Ther were alway animals in cages that the kids could look at. Never heard that he was ever done or badly treating them. He always seemed a canny bloke.

[baldy.smith]

I always knew it as Olsons when I was a little kid, delilahcat. We always had our noses pressed to the window when we passed. I once bought a tiny chick from there for 1d, my mother was not amused.
Never heard of Duncans (except for Duncans the grocers, or Duncan & Daglish), maybe they took the shop over or something when Olsen moved to bigger premises, I just don't know. My father was very friendly with Olsen from the pet shop at Chi, but I did not know him.
I did know that at one time he was done, many years ago, it was in the Shields Gazette at the time.

[Delilahcat]

Duncan was the name of the family who owned the shop known as Chichester Pet Stores. It was in the little parade of shops next to the Chichester pub. Ther was a sweet shop and some others up to Derwentwater Terrace which faced on to the railway and Laygate schools.
The shops faced on to the little park where Queen Victorias statue was until the building of the Metro. Are we talking about the same place?

[baldy.smith]

The shop is probably the same one, but I'm talking about the time when Queen Victoria's statue was in it's original place in front of the town hall, around 1947/8 or just after. Remember I left South Shields more than forty years ago and a lot has changed since then. I could be wrong and you could be right, but I always called it Olsen's. I did not know the pet shop down Frederick Street existed.

[Delilahcat]

In that case I have an unfair advantage Baldy. Just walked past there today!!!

[captain beefheart]

I think Delilihcat is right about Duncans, i also think it was Olsens who had the stall in the market, a man with an extremley red nose used to run it. If i can remember it was the side facing where the Commando pub is.

[Babooshka]

That Mr Duncan still has a little pet stall on Shields market I'm sure?

[Cisco]

That Mr Duncan still has a little pet stall on Shields market I'm sure?

Great to see you back Babs

Cisco

[Cisco]

I've always known that pet shop at the Chi as Duncans, but I can't go back as far as Baldy.
When I was young I can remember Mr. Duncans pet shop stall in the market, he wore glasses and had a very red face.
Olsen also had a stall in the market Capn' but he was the small feller with the fair curly hair

Olsen had a zoo upstairs to his shop on the corner of Green Street and Western Approach, it's a tile shop now, I was in it a few times.
I also believe he was done for cruelty.
I'm not sure but I think he later had a place in Beach Road, I remember birds in the window.

Cisco

[Delilahcat]

I think the people in Beach Road were called Illingworth and bred budgies and other cagebirds

[Cisco]

Delilah, was that the house on the right hand side just past the roundabout.
I always thought that was where George Olsen lived.

Cisco

[Delilahcat]

One of the Olsens did live in Beach Road not sure if it was George or John. I think it was the place you mention. Illingworths lived in Beach Road and had an aviary not sure if it was the same house.

[Axeman]

Yeah Duncans. The guy used to have a very red face, I remember him

I used to work at Chi Garage can anyone remember that.

It was my girlfriends dad and I used to do fiddle work on the pumps and in the garage.

That would of been around 1971- 72 ish.

I think it used to belong to someone called Rountree or something, before he took over.

Remember the Rediffusion vans had an account for fuel and we had a dispenser for Esso Blue paraffin.

Used to get £5 per week. tight git.

Remember taken overalls off, walking up the road to the dole and signing on with hands covered in oil.

[Babooshka]

That Mr Duncan still has a little pet stall on Shields market I'm sure?

Great to see you back Babs

Cisco

cheers (I'd forgotten about Mr Duncans red face) he always seemed such a nice bloke whenever you went in his shop.

[Cisco]

You're right Babs he was a real nice man always very pleasant.
Next time I'm in the Chichester area I'll call at the shop and see if he's still around.

Cisco