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Wilson Peck


Guest sheffsteel

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

It would appear from information in the 1 o'clock hooter thread that the jewellers H. L. Brown made exactly the same move, but at a much later date as they moved into the Wilson Peck building and currently trade from there.

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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.
HI tsavo was this mystery music shop Milners skeets
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Sorry Arthur, Milners doesn't ring any bells, but the memory isn't what it was! (I think the rest of me is in pretty much the same condition!)

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It would appear from information in the 1 o'clock hooter thread that the jewellers H. L. Brown made exactly the same move, but at a much later date as they moved into the Wilson Peck building and currently trade from there.

Finally got into town today and had a look at this mysterious writing and suddenly it all makes sense. "They moved just across the road" is the source of confusion as the H.L. Brown / Wilson Peck building is on a corner so there are 2 roads you can cross.

It would appear that Wilson Peck crossed the Barkers Pool road from the top of Pinstone Street as indicated in the writing on the wall pictures and the presence of what was the Newcastle Building Society. In my 1973 picture this is on the left and was at the time Timpsons Shoe shop (In the photo you can read the word SHOES above the shop windows)

However when H.L. Brown crossed the road to the same building years later taking the 1 o'clock time signal with them they crossed Leopold Street. In fact both the old and new H.L. Brown buildings would have Leopold Street addresses. In my 1973 photo the old H.L. Brown building would be on the right, I think just off the right of shot but close to that public house with a John Smiths / Magnet Ales sign.

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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

Another trip into town allowed me to take these pictures of the wall shown by HughW

The Newcastle building Society is now the Proper Deli Co.

The first picture shows the writing in HughW's shot, the second one shows more writing further up the alley.

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would just like to add that above the wilson & peck shop there were rooms that were hired out by piano teachers - i used to visit on saturday mornings when i was young (8-10), then off to hillsboro for the match!

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would just like to add that above the wilson & peck shop there were rooms that were hired out by piano teachers - i used to visit on saturday mornings when i was young (8-10), then off to hillsboro for the match!

Piano practice rooms (plural, several of them) being used by music teachers to teach youngsters their scales and chopsticks!

Hope the soundproofing between the upper floor rooms and the lower floors was good. :o

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Piano practice rooms (plural, several of them) being used by music teachers to teach youngsters their scales and chopsticks!

Hope the soundproofing between the upper floor rooms and the lower floors was good. :o

it would need to have been when i was playing!

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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.

Hia my gran lived on Clough Road behind St Marys church and my cousin and i were always around the Moor every Saturday. The music shop was Virgin records long before a store opened up on High Street.

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Hia my gran lived on Clough Road behind St Marys church and my cousin and i were always around the Moor every Saturday. The music shop was Virgin records long before a store opened up on High Street.

See post #12

At the bottom of the Moor there was both Virgin and Hudsons.

Depends what you mean by a "music shop"

Virgin sold records and cassette tapes (pre CD days)

Hudsons sold guitars, amplifiers, drums, pianos and all other sorts of musical instruments along with sheet music.

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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

Hey yes, I remember those listening booths.Spent many a Saturday afternoon listening to the latest 45's in them.

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A good Saturday afternoon when we were young teenagers was to move around the record shops listening to the latest LPs. Wilson Pecks had booths to sit in with a glass windowed door (maybe 6 of them?). Bradley's on Fargate had 3 and you had to stand. Canns on Chapel Walk had booths and Redifussion at the bottom of the Moor had standing booths

Hello and welcome Jayteacat. Hope you'll post more about what you remember about "the old days" around Sheffield.

I'm deleting the other post (that I presume was a mistake) . :)

PS jayteacat - I've sent you a PM.

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I'm researching Sheffield record shops for a possible book, so would love to hear any recollections you have of working there at this time!

Simon

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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Wilson Peck was actually the longest running music and record store in the city. It opened around late 1890s and only closed in 2001 (when it had downsized to a tiny shop up Abbeydale Road with about three pianos in!). They sold records right from the word go, but their main business was pianos, then keyboards and other instruments - including the first Stratocasters to probably be seen in the city. They opened in the big store on the corner opposite the Town Hall - then just nipped across the road to the other corner - no idea why, the shops look about the same size.

The name comes from the two partners who founded the business, though the Wilson was actually a pseudonym.

I'd love to hear from anyone who worked there, or has any memorabilia - I have a shopping bag from the 70s, and some of the old 78 record sleeves (I'll try and post one here).

I can remember me and my brother keeping watch while one of us lifted posters off the staircase wall!

Plus the ticket counter had a big seat plan of the City Hall, so you could see which tickets were booked - they crossed them off in pen and had a different plan for each upcoming gig. Must have been a nightmare to co-ordinate - but at least you didn't have internet touts ripping you off like today...

Sadly nobody seems to have thought to save the old shop sign when the interior was all ripped out - I did take a look when the scaffolding was up but decided against trying on my own.

Interestingly in one of the later pictures posted here, it looks to me like the left hand window next to Wilson Pecks is already a jewellers - I wonder if Browns had a bit of the store even back then? It used to be a branch of Jaeger (fashions) before the war.

Simon

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Interestingly in one of the later pictures posted here, it looks to me like the left hand window next to Wilson Pecks is already a jewellers - I wonder if Browns had a bit of the store even back then? It used to be a branch of Jaeger (fashions) before the war.

Simon

Hi Simon.r and welcome to Sheffield History.

I am sure we have a fair bit of information on the site already about different record / music shops in the area that may be of use to you and also other members will no doubt respond to any request for information that you put out. It's amazing what some of them can come up with to give a good authoritive reply to a Sheffield History question at times.

If the picture you are refering to showing the jewelers is my picture which I posted earlier in this thread then it was taken in 1973 / 1974.

The Jewellers is not necessarily H.L. Brown's though as on that section, technically Barkers pool, there also used to be a goldsmiths jewelers where my younger daughter worked briefly in the late 1990's and also, I think, a Ratners.

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House of Commons Sitting 1916

Hansard

09 March 1916

Sir A. MARKHAM

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that some years ago a company was registered under the name of Arthur Wilson Peck and Company to acquire two well-known Sheffield houses who dealt in pianos and musical instruments; that at the outbreak of war 1,940 of the 2,000 £10 shares in this company were held by Germans or persons of German origin; that E. Bechstein, piano manufacturers, of Berlin, held the majority of the shares and controlled the company; and whether he proposes taking any steps to inform the inhabitants of Nottingham, Sheffield, and Leeds, where this firm carries on business, that this company is a purely German firm trading under an English name?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

I am aware that Arthur Wilson Peck and Company. Limited, was registered in the year 1892 to take over two piano businesses carried on in Sheffield. 1,025 shares of £10 each out of an issued capital of 2,000 shares are held on behalf of Edwin Bechstein, who is a German subject. The greater part of the remaining shares are held by naturalised British subjects of German origin who were naturalised twenty years ago. The application of the "Trading With the Enemy" Amendment Act, 1916, to this case will be considered in due course.

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Hi Simon.r and welcome to Sheffield History.

I am sure we have a fair bit of information on the site already about different record / music shops in the area that may be of use to you and also other members will no doubt respond to any request for information that you put out. It's amazing what some of them can come up with to give a good authoritive reply to a Sheffield History question at times.

If the picture you are refering to showing the jewelers is my picture which I posted earlier in this thread then it was taken in 1973 / 1974.

The Jewellers is not necessarily H.L. Brown's though as on that section, technically Barkers pool, there also used to be a goldsmiths jewelers where my younger daughter worked briefly in the late 1990's and also, I think, a Ratners.

As I recall it, didn't Mappin & Webb have the shop next to Wilson Pecks?

Remember getting tickets for several gigs from pecks and those seating charts too. Just out of curiosity given the musical connections, is Simon R by any chance the Simon R of DPAS?

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I’ve got one of Peter Jones’ prints on the wall in my front room (Peter was my art teacher at King Edwards). It includes a view of Wilson Peck’s and I was wondering how this iconic Sheffield business started and who were Wilson and Peck?

In chronological order:

In 1861 John Peck was a 18 year old Post Office Clerk living at his father’s inn, the Old Bull, in Worksop. By 1871 he was a pianoforte tuner living at 76 West street, Sheffield, with his father, who was now a Brewer’s Traveller.

In 1871 Henry Mushet was living at Belgrove House, Cheltenham, with his father Robert Forester Mushet (the son of David Mushet) the family of metallurgists. During 1871 Henry came to Sheffield with his brother Edward to manage the steel department of Samuel Osborn and Co. Henry had a love of music and wanted to set up a business in that trade, however for some reason he needed to keep the two parts of his business life separate and took on the alias of “Arthur Wilson”, Wilson being his mother’s maiden name. He obtained an agency for Bechstein pianos, probably by taking over Robert Evans’ Pianoforte Dealership at 107 Devonshire street (now Churchills Dry Cleaners), and by April 1878 was trading as Arthur Wilson from 169/171 West street (Dominos / Wm Hill now).

This type of business became known as a music saloon, offering many music related services, sales, repair, lessons, sheet music, tickets etc. In December 1885 Arthur had an additional premises on High street and was advertising tickets for Blondin’s show at Edmund Road Drill Hall. In the late 1880s he had many advertisements covering shows at venues such as the Surrey street Music hall, the Albert Hall and the Tudor street Circus.

By 1881 John Peck had set up as a Pianoforte Dealer and Musical Instrument Maker at 62 Division street, in later years the fire station site. By January 1884 Peck was operating from “ Mr John Peck’s Pianoforte Rooms, 25 Church street” (now Orchard Chambers) and selling tickets for Oscar Wilde’s lecture tour.

By the end of the 1880’s there was great competition between Peck and Wilson, and also other music saloon such as Smiths and Parkes. In 1889 Peck expanded into new premises, the Gladstone Buildings on Church street, to set up his “County Pianoforte Warehouse”.

In 1891 Peck was a “Music Dealer” living at 2 Red Hill (surgeon Skinner’s old house). Wilson/Mushet was at 24 Wellesley Road, a Steel Manufacturer, no mention of the music business.

In 1892 a company was formed to merge the assets of both the Peck and Wilson businesses to become A.Wilson, Peck and Co., followed by rationalisation of their stock and premises.

In 1901 Peck was a “Music Seller (Books)” living at 22 Blakegrove road. Wilson / Mushet was a “Steel Worker” (!) at 24 Wellesley Road.

In 1911 Peck was a Pianoforte Dealer, at 21 Vale Road, living with him were 3 sons who were musicians and two sons who were piano tuners. John Peck died in 1922 in Sheffield, Mushet in 1923 in Cheltenham.

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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>

They were here on the corner of Pinstone St and Barkers Pool, the building is now Barclays Bank.

picturesheffield - s00195

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The Wilson Peck building was I believed first built for Johnson & Appleyard Cabinet Makers. Probably as a showroom for their products. Hence all the space later for pianos!

Last time I looked it still had on the side "Cabinet makers to the Prince of Wales" very high up on it.

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The Wilson Peck building was I believed first built for Johnson & Appleyard Cabinet Makers. Probably as a showroom for their products. Hence all the space later for pianos!

Last time I looked it still had on the side "Cabinet makers to the Prince of Wales" very high up on it.

Wilson Pecks did re-name it Beethoven House but that has been removed.

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Thiscardboard sleeve can be dated with reasonable accuracy if somebody knows when Cann's left their Dixon Lane premises. A clue is the inclusion of Capitol in the list of available record labels: this firm was founded in the USA in 1942 but did not make its UK appearance until 1948. So it's from sometime between 1948 and whenever the shop moved to Chapel Walk.

The HMV record is indeed a 78 - probably a classical release which would have been a 12" pressing. Popular music 78s were generally 10". By 1956, when HMV released the first Elvis Presley records in Britain, the labels of their pop releases were lightish blue, with only the classical issues retaining the red label.

These cardboard sleeves were used by record shops to protect the fragile shellac from which most 78s were made. Perhaps because of their advertising value, many shops continued to use cardboard sleeves for the (almost) unbreakable 45 rpm 7" releases. I have a Cann's sleeve from 1962 which, apart from the addition of more up-to-date record label names such as Mercury and Oriole, is of a similar design to the one which you show. The Dixon Lane address has been removed, but the telephone number 20737 remained the same.

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Thiscardboard sleeve can be dated with reasonable accuracy if somebody knows when Cann's left their Dixon Lane premises. A clue is the inclusion of Capitol in the list of available record labels: this firm was founded in the USA in 1942 but did not make its UK appearance until 1948. So it's from sometime between 1948 and whenever the shop moved to Chapel Walk.

The HMV record is indeed a 78 - probably a classical release which would have been a 12" pressing. Popular music 78s were generally 10". By 1956, when HMV released the first Elvis Presley records in Britain, the labels of their pop releases were lightish blue, with only the classical issues retaining the red label.

These cardboard sleeves were used by record shops to protect the fragile shellac from which most 78s were made. Perhaps because of their advertising value, many shops continued to use cardboard sleeves for the (almost) unbreakable 45 rpm 7" releases. I have a Cann's sleeve from 1962 which, apart from the addition of more up-to-date record label names such as Mercury and Oriole, is of a similar design to the one which you show. The Dixon Lane address has been removed, but the telephone number 20737 remained the same.

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.

Sleeve

Artist Beniamino Gigli

Ave Maria / Agnus Dei [p] 78 rpm

Released 1936

Shellac 10" HMV / DA 1488

"Keep in mind that the sleeve is not necessarily the original one for the record"

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