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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Warwickshire => Topic started by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 18:33 BST (UK)

Title: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 18:33 BST (UK)
I have a photo of my grandfather, from the look of his age in this photo

He was born 1908, and emigrated to Canada in 1931, when he would have been about 23.

I'm wondering if this was a photo of him where he worked as a Butcher in Birmingham or whether this was in Toronto. I'm guessing in Birmingham since English Lamb is a speciality? I'm imagining England didn't import lamb to Toronto.

Googling is not giving me results  :(



Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 18:47 BST (UK)
This is on the back.
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 19:24 BST (UK)
Hi bit young at c 23 to have owned the shop if in Birmingham area, so who was Harry and who were his parents?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: Jool on Sunday 15 October 17 19:38 BST (UK)
Hi, can you read the currency of the meat prices in the window?, you may be able to see it more clearly on your original photo.
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: Schoch on Sunday 15 October 17 19:46 BST (UK)
A thought only. If this was in the Uk then why call it "English Lamb". It should be just "Lamb".
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 19:51 BST (UK)
A thought only. If this was in the Uk then why call it "English Lamb". It should be just "Lamb".
:) A Good point, were we importing from New Zealand at all?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 19:56 BST (UK)
Oh yes, I don't think he owned it - just worked there.
His parents are:

Harry Swinbourne
1883–1965

Lilian (Lily) Hunt
1885–1959

(Winson Green)

---

Jool -- I can not read any signs in the window, no matter how closely I focus my cameron on it.

---

Schoh -- good point about "English Lamb".  It's like when I visited Scotland finally, and realized they don't call it Scotch there, they just call it Whiskey!

I'll focus looking in Toronto for now (where I live).
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: Schoch on Sunday 15 October 17 20:02 BST (UK)
Lack of refrigeration would I think make that rather hard. So Toronto might be a better area to look (in PEI myself)
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 20:07 BST (UK)
Lack of refrigeration would I think make that rather hard. So Toronto might be a better area to look (in PEI myself)

 ;) Hi if you are talking re New Zealand lamb google tells me we have been importing it in the 1880's
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: Schoch on Sunday 15 October 17 20:08 BST (UK)
Must have travelled alive then  ::)
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 20:12 BST (UK)
 :) Just google, the SS Dunedin was fitted with a refrigeration unit and the first frozen load came in 1881.

Did your Grandfather have a brother Arthur Swinbourne b c 1917 if so I can see him in 1939 as a Butchers Assistant?

Arthur E Swinbourne June qtr 1917 Birmingham 6d 275 mmn Hunt

In 1939 I can see an Albert/Albert J and Arthur J Turner who were Butchers in Birmingham?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 21:09 BST (UK)
keyboard86 -- Arthur Swinbourne was my grandfather's only brother (5 sisters). Mom's maiden name Hunt.

Arthur Ernest Swinbourne
1917–2001

So 9 years my grandfather's jr., & would have been 14 when my grandfather came to Canada (he was the only one in his immediate family to come).
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 21:17 BST (UK)
Hi again, then just wondering who Arthur was a Butcher's Assistant to in 1939 maybe one of the A Turner's in my amended post above, so who was Harry, your Grandfathers father?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Sunday 15 October 17 22:04 BST (UK)
Keyboard86. (I mentioned earlier)

His parents are:

Harry Swinbourne
1883–1965

Lilian (Lily) Hunt
1885–1959

(Winson Green)

Arthur *could* have been the boy on the right in the photo. He does look like he could be 9 years younger.

On another note, my mom says he was a butcher here in Toronto too though.

I'm wondering:

- does the stamp 'postcard' stamp on the back look like something that would have been done in Birmingham?

- does the building look like a building that would have been in Birmingham in the 20's?

Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Sunday 15 October 17 22:09 BST (UK)
 :) OK I get all that so your Grandfather was William ( Harry ) is that correct?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Monday 16 October 17 00:09 BST (UK)
Hi again, Harry Swinbourne arrived 13th April 1931 via Liverpool on Vessel Scythia in Halfax aged 22  occ Butcher host in Canada, Uncle Arthur Hunt, 449, Miller Avenue, Westmount Height, Oshava, Ontario
Parents Mr & Mrs Harry Swinbourne 43, Carlyle Street, Birmingham
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Monday 16 October 17 00:44 BST (UK)
keyboard86 - I knew he came in 31, ship and everything, but knowing that he was a butcher in both Birmingham and Toronto doesn't help me to know where the photo is, right?
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Monday 16 October 17 13:42 BST (UK)
Hi again as the message is "Harry do you remember this" I would suggest that it was one of his family in the UK reminding him of where he used to work in Birmingham?
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Tuesday 17 October 17 13:59 BST (UK)
True. I'll let you all know, if I ever find out.
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: keyboard86 on Tuesday 17 October 17 14:18 BST (UK)
Hi again tbe Swinbourne family were in Carlisle Street, an Albert Turner had a Butcher's Shop at 111, Winson Green Road from at least 1915 until 1936, two addresses about 350 yards apart.
Keyboard86
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Tuesday 17 October 17 18:48 BST (UK)
Amazing! Thank you.
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: Lisa in California on Wednesday 18 October 17 23:54 BST (UK)
Hi again tbe Swinbourne family were in Carlisle Street, an Albert Turner had a Butcher's Shop at 111, Winson Green Road from at least 1915 until 1936, two addresses about 350 yards apart.
Keyboard86

I tried an internet search for any old photographs of "Winson Green Road".  One photo in particular (alamy stock photo) has similar buildings to the building in your photo, but even better - the light fixture on the building (it is next to Whitwell Milton Hosiery, Shirts & Wools) appears to be almost identical to light fixtures in your photo.

There is another photo (a more modern photo) of "164 winson green road" birmingham, which appears to be similar to your building.

Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: saraslater on Thursday 19 October 17 00:52 BST (UK)
You guys are super sleuths. Thanks. ;D
Title: Re: A. Turner Family Butcher
Post by: jim1 on Thursday 19 October 17 11:08 BST (UK)
The photo by Alamy was taken at the top end of Winson Green Rd. looking down in the direction of the prison. 111 would have been beyond the railway bridge at Heath St. where there were shops on both sides of the road. All gone now of course because at the rear of the shops were back to backs.