Why in old Photos & Postcards?

[dunsbyowl1867]

Do most of the shops have these canopies - obviosly to shade them from the sun but when did they go out of fashion & why?

[Guest tsavo]

Don'tkoow when they went out of fashion, but they started to disappear in the mid 1950s, and were more or less gone by the 60s. (except for some of the posher shops and cafes on Ecclesall Rd!)

[Sheffield History]

People these days are so much taller than they were then

They would bash their heads on those canopies and then call a 'where there's a claim there's blame' companies

lol

[Stuart0742]

Do most of the shops have these canopies - obviosly to shade them from the sun but when did they go out of fashion & why?

2 more postcards showing shops and canopies

Date unknown

Postmarked 25 July 1913

[RichardB]

Far fewer canopies before 1896 of course.

[DaveH]

Do most of the shops have these canopies - obviosly to shade them from the sun but when did they go out of fashion & why?

Does it date back to a tradition of outdoor markets when shopkeepers still had some of their goods on display outside the shops, in the street under the canopies in a "market tradition". seems to have ended in the 1950's / 60's, when I assume, due to rising crime shopkeepers could no longer leave goods outside the shop while they were at the at the till inside the shop for fear of the stuff outside being nicked, - you can't trust anyone these days and honesty isn't what it used to be.

[Hjdary]

If they were first installed when the shops were built in the late 1800's it would be a fair assumption that by the 1960's the things were about worn out!

Shop keepers being what they are, face with a choice of paying to have them repaired or simply not using them anymore would probably choose the latter.

Thats my guess.

[RichardB]

If they were first installed when the shops were built in the late 1800's it would be a fair assumption that by the 1960's the things were about worn out!

Shop keepers being what they are, face with a choice of paying to have them repaired or simply not using them anymore would probably choose the latter.

Thats my guess.

1896 - the answer lies within !

[vox]

1970's I worked at The Glory Hole. (2nd hand/antiques/junk shop). As well as quite a few shops around town we had 3 shops in a row on Asline Road at the junction with London Road.

All 3 had very large blinds which we put down if it rained, to cover the stuff we displayed outside. They became so bad that we had them replaced by (can I say) Mc -------. A very expensive job I remember.

After only a few days one of them partially collapsed. We contacted them and they came to look, but said it wasn't their fault because the woodwork they were attached to was in poor condition. It was argued that they should have said that before they fitted them etc. etc. Anyway, they refused to repair it at their expense.

My cousin, the owner, painted in whitewash on the shop window, simply this - "We had our new blinds fitted by Mc ------- "

Within a few hours they came to repair it

Edit:

I just remembered. Their company vans had, A Blind Man Drives This Van, painted on them. lol

[Bayleaf]

They could also collect copious amount of rainwater, which would cascade without warning on passers-by, unless the shopkeeper came out and pushed up from below with a sweeping brush before too much accumulated. I guess it also reduced the weight hence the collapse vox described.

[DaveH]

They could also collect copious amount of rainwater, which would cascade without warning on passers-by, unless the shopkeeper came out and pushed up from below with a sweeping brush before too much accumulated. I guess it also reduced the weight hence the collapse vox described.

In my experience some shopkeepers deliberately wait until there are people near their water filled canopy before pushing it off with a brush over the people.

Never done it to me but attractive, young ladies seem to be their favourite targets :o