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Wilson Peck


Guest sheffsteel

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Guest sheffsteel

I'm surprised theres no thread for Wilson Peck.

It must be one of the most famous stores there's ever been in Sheffield.

It was a MASSIVE store and used to stand on the corner of Leopold Street and Barkers pool.

I used to regularly wander in during the late 70's and was instantly impressed with the size of the place.

The ground floor was full of all these double keyboard Hammond organs and piano's. There was usually

an assistant playing one of the latest high tech keyboards. I was amazed when he'd be playing all

these authentic sounding intruments (violin, guitar etc) just using a keyboard.

Upstairs there were various other intruments on sale, guitars, flutes etc.

There was also a large area selling sheet music. You could even purchase sheet music for

individual songs.

"Oh What a Night (December 63)" by the Four Seasons had just been in the charts and I made a

spur of the moment decision to buy the sheet music for this song with my pocket money.

Don' know why really, as I was only about 10 and couldn't play any instrument, lol.

The company later downsized and moved to a smaller shop down the road from the back of

Debenhams, but I think it lost its aura when its left Leopold Street.

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Bizarre - I did exactly the same thing with the sheet music

Why did I buy it ?

I couldn't play anything

I made up for it though - I can play any instrument now so maybe it inspired me to learn !

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Don't forget the record department in the basement with its soundproof listening booths. Also remember how people used to line up outside, sometimes overnight to buy upcoming concert tickets

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Don't forget the record department in the basement with its soundproof listening booths. Also remember how people used to line up outside, sometimes overnight to buy upcoming concert tickets

Whenever a big name band came to town my mates an I used to take it in turn to queue for four tickets (max allowed I think at any one time)

I remember my turn was for ELP - at the time one of the biggest bands around - I got there around 6:30 to find the queue already round the corner and heading up to Barkers Pool.

I also have a hazy memory, but I could be wrong that there used to be queues whenever a big album (L.P. in those days) was sold for the first time

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Strange co-incidence, I DIDN'T buy any sheet music, and I still can't play a single note on any instrument )not even the Bongos), or is that just me being rubbish ?

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Strange co-incidence, I DIDN'T buy any sheet music, and I still can't play a single note on any instrument )not even the Bongos), or is that just me being rubbish ?

So I awoke after having major surgery on my hands -

"Doctor?"

I said

"Was the operation a success?"

The doctor replies ...

" Yes, a complete success"

"Brilliant" I said.....

"Does that mean I can play the piano?" -

"I don't see why not" said the doctor

" Oh that's wonderful - it's a miracle what medical science can do nowadays" I said - "because I couldnt play a 'b****y note before the operation"

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Did anyone ever buy a musical instrument in there?

when it moved to the back of Debenhams (Moore Street?) I had to buy my son a recorder, valued at £12 for music lessons at school. They would not accept a credit / debit card for this as they claimed the seller had to pay a transaction fee on the use of a card and this was a % proportion of the cost and if I was buying a piano valued at say £8000 that would be a big extra cost to them. But I wasn't buying a Steinway piano, - it was a cheap recorder! Needless to say in later years when my son graduated from the recorder firstly to a clarinet (about £400) and then to a tenor sax (about £1000) I didn't go to them.

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There was also a music shop at the bottom of the Moor in the early 80s a couple of doors up from the Yorkshire Bank. Can anyone remember what that was called.

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I remember going in there but I can't be sure about the name. I think it may have been Fox's, Bradley's or Hudson's. There was a similar music shop on West street that I may be getting it mixed up with.

Bradleys also had a record shop on High Street at one time.

Can anyone remember Phillip Cann (the music man) on Chapel Walk, and before that on Dixon Lane?

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Can anyone remember Phillip Cann (the music man) on Chapel Walk, and before that on Dixon Lane?

Yes I can remember Phillip Cann (the music man) went there for a job interview just before I left school. Did not get the job and went to Wigfalls instead.

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I remember going in there but I can't be sure about the name. I think it may have been Fox's, Bradley's or Hudson's. There was a similar music shop on West street that I may be getting it mixed up with.

Bradleys also had a record shop on High Street at one time.

Can anyone remember Phillip Cann (the music man) on Chapel Walk, and before that on Dixon Lane?

In 1973 Kelly's Bradley's are listed as at 59 Fargate and 103/105 West St

Did Bradley's move onto Chapel Walk? opposite the Methodist Book Shop

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I remember going in there but I can't be sure about the name. I think it may have been Fox's, Bradley's or Hudson's. There was a similar music shop on West street that I may be getting it mixed up with.

Bradleys also had a record shop on High Street at one time.

Can anyone remember Phillip Cann (the music man) on Chapel Walk, and before that on Dixon Lane?

The shop at the bottom of the Moor was Hudson's. Do you remember Virgin Records being a few doors down?

I used to get my City Hall tickets from Wilson Peck in the early 70's, my queue record was 26 hours to get tickets for Bob Dylan at Earls Court in 1978. We had sack races up and down Leopold Street in the middle of the night. Fun days. It was a shame when Wilson Peck moved from Beethoven House.

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In 1973 Kelly's Bradley's are listed as at 59 Fargate and 103/105 West St

Did Bradley's move onto Chapel Walk? opposite the Methodist Book Shop

Yes it was Fargate and not high street, - I knew it was near to Boots opposite Coles Corner.

The one on Fargate was basically a record shop and the one on West street sold musical instruments, - very big on guitars.

Don't know about moving into Chapel walk though, it's possible but I always associate Chapel walk with Phillip Cann.

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Remember both Phillip Cann shops. In 1958 I worked for a few months at The Star Ecclesall Road, before moving to the Gaumont, and they supplied the intermission music. Seem to remember we played a lot of Duane Eddy records. I had the pleasure of meeting Eddy just a few years later. He smoked a corn cob pipe and had a rocking chair in the wings before going on stage.

Great sound!

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The "Music Man" himself.

Interesting, I can't quite make out the details on that old HMV Red label on the record in the Phillip Cann sleve, but, judging by the size of the label to the diamater of the disc, and the quarter inch spindle hole lacking a Juke box knock out I guess this is a 78rpm disc. If so it probably predates 1960 and gives some idea how long it is since Phillip Cann traded from Dixon Lane.

Some record companies used Coloured labels to indicate the style of music, eg if it was "Parlophone red label" it was Jazz, although most people would be more familiar with pop music, particularly the Beatles, on "Parlophone black label" I don't know what colours HMV used, but even so this is still a nice image of their famous "his Masters Voice" dog and Vitriola phonograph logo.

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I'm surprised theres no thread for Wilson Peck.

It must be one of the most famous stores there's ever been in Sheffield.

It was a massive store and used to stand on the corner of Leopold Street and Barkers pool.

I used to regularly wander in during the late 70's and was instantly impressed with the size of the place.

The ground floor was full of all these double keyboard Hammond organs and piano's. There was usually

an assistant playing one of the latest high tech keyboards. I was amazed when he'd be playing all

these authentic sounding intruments (violin, guitar etc) just using a keyboard.

Upstairs there were various other intruments on sale, guitars, flutes etc.

There was also a large area selling sheet music. You could even purchase sheet music for

individual songs.

"Oh What a Night (December 63)" by the Four Seasons had just been in the charts and I made a

spur of the moment decision to buy the sheet music for this song with my pocket money.

Don' know why really, as I was only about 10 and couldn't play any instrument, lol.

The company later downsized and moved to a smaller shop down the road from the back of

Debenhams, but I think it lost its aura when its left Leopold Street.

I have posted this picture elsewhere on the site but I have cleaned it up a lot and improved it so I will post it again.

Taken in 1973-4 here is the Wilson Peck store in its hey day which sheffsteel describes

Stuart 0742 may also like to note the 1 o'clock alarm on the outside of the building, although only just visible in profile in this picture.

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I've no idea if this has been posted before - so here goes.

Where were Wilson Pecks premises before the corner of Leopold Street, say 1900 ?

<Easy, no made up prizes, just for fun>

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Stuart 0742 may also like to note the 1 o'clock alarm on the outside of the building, although only just visible in profile in this picture.

Sorry Dave, but the 1'O'Clock buzzer was on the H.L.Brown shop, just acress the road from Wilson Peck's. May have mooved now, but was on H.L.Brown's at the time the shot was talen.

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Sorry Dave, but the 1'O'Clock buzzer was on the H.L.Brown shop, just acress the road from Wilson Peck's. May have mooved now, but was on H.L.Brown's at the time the shot was talen.

H.L. Brown are currently in this building which was previously Wilson Pecks

I made that comment as I know there is a threre is a thread on the 1 o'clock alarm on this site, I'll try to check it out there.

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Guest alantoft

I have posted this picture elsewhere on the site but I have cleaned it up a lot and improved it so I will post it again.

Taken in 1973-4 here is the Wilson Peck store in its hey day which sheffsteel describes

Stuart 0742 may also like to note the 1 o'clock alarm on the outside of the building, although only just visible in profile in this picture.

Nice to see a picture of the Wilson Peck store. My first job after leaving school was there and I worked there for 13 months in 1963/64.

I used to go in the John Smiths pub opposite. I'm not sure of the name but 'The Three Tuns' comes to mind but I may be wrong. It's a long time ago.

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I've no idea if this has been posted before - so here goes.

Where were Wilson Pecks premises before the corner of Leopold Street, say 1900 ?

<Easy, no made up prizes, just for fun>

This Picture Sheffield image (http://www.picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s19987&pos=14&action=zoom&id=22510) dated 1910, has a caption which includes "Wilson Peck, Pinstone Street, left". So did they just move over to the opposite corner?

This picture...

...is of the left hand end of the same building, taken two years ago. You can just see the second half of 'Wilson Peck & Co". And (something I have only just noticed) 'PIANOS' higher up and at a steep angle.

This building currently has scaffolding around it and the planning notices say that they intend to demolish everything except the frontage. So these ghostly adverts will shortly disappear.

Hugh

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This PictureSheffield Image, dated 1910, has a caption which includes "Wilson Peck, Pinstone Street, left". So did they just move over to the opposite corner?

This picture...

...is of the left hand end of the same building, taken two years ago. You can just see the second half of 'Wilson Peck & Co". And (something I have only just noticed) 'PIANOS' higher up and at a steep angle.

This building currently has scaffolding around it and the planning notices say that they intend to demolish everything except the frontage. So these ghostly adverts will shortly disappear.

Hugh

Your picture taken 2 years ago is very interesting, I must go down and try to get a lok at it through the scaffolding if that is possible, - before it finally disappears.

Talking of things disappearing, your picture also includes a part of the Newcastle Building Society branch on Pinstone Street (logo very prominent). It is now 2 years since the Newcastle closed their Sheffield branch when they contracted their business back towards their north eastern roots. This may be one of the last pictures of this branch before it too disappeared. The building is currently some sort of cafe.

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This PictureSheffield Image, dated 1910, has a caption which includes "Wilson Peck, Pinstone Street, left". So did they just move over to the opposite corner?

This picture...

...is of the left hand end of the same building, taken two years ago. You can just see the second half of 'Wilson Peck & Co". And (something I have only just noticed) 'PIANOS' higher up and at a steep angle.

This building currently has scaffolding around it and the planning notices say that they intend to demolish everything except the frontage. So these ghostly adverts will shortly disappear.

Hugh

I have walked past there today, most of the scaffolding has now gone, just some on Pinstone St. I don't think they will be demolishing this side wall, just the internals.

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This PictureSheffield Image, dated 1910, has a caption which includes "Wilson Peck, Pinstone Street, left". So did they just move over to the opposite corner?

This picture...

...is of the left hand end of the same building, taken two years ago. You can just see the second half of 'Wilson Peck & Co". And (something I have only just noticed) 'PIANOS' higher up and at a steep angle.

This building currently has scaffolding around it and the planning notices say that they intend to demolish everything except the frontage. So these ghostly adverts will shortly disappear.

Hugh

Correct, they moved from one side of the Road to the other.

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