Rumbelows was an electrical and electronics retailer on Market Street, Hyde , now the site of Ca$h Converters. In it's heyday it rivalled Currys, Dixons and Comet. I used to love to buy ex chart singles from here - 25p a go.
Fred Dawes established the company as a chain of television and radio rental shops in the 1950s, naming it Fred Dawes. In 1969, the business was sold to Radio Rentals (which had merged with Thorn Electrical Industries in 1968), and all the rental accounts were transferred to Radio Rentals. All 90 of the Fred Dawes high street stores became electrical retailers instead, and were renamed Rumbelows. The demise of Rumbelows started in the early 1990's with all shops closing by February 1995.
For two seasons, from 1990 to 1992, Rumbelows were the title sponsor of the English Football League Cup, a professional association football competition.
Rumbelows circa 1995
Next to Rumbelows you can see Hibbertsons the Bakers who also had a cafe as part of the shop.
20 comments:
I remember the last day of their sale- bought a Kenwood Mixer for 50p and a pouch for my mobile phone for 1p
I still sometimes refer to Cash Generator as Rumbelows. - which reminds me -- every week the Ring & Ride service ask us if we want to go to "Norweb" - how many folk remember where THAT was.
Norweb........was it where Gabbotts is now???
Great information about how Rumbelows came about Nancy.. I recall both Fred Dawes and Radio Rentals.... Me and Jane got our very first washing machine from here.. The manager used to drink in the Cheshire Cheese Hyde Lane... I think he now works for ASDA.. but not as a manager.
I remember Norweb very well... I was owed money from Norweb and when they said I had to wait for the rebate I kicked up a fuss.. I said you would not wait when my meter was read incorrectly and a large bill landed on my mat... I did get the money within the week ..ha! I never liked that shop... never found them helpful.. yet the Gas shop was great... very helpful indeed.
Ian you mention Gabbotts... that in my opinion is the smelliest shop in Hyde.. I detest even walking by it..
Tom, I used to detest that butchers shop smell in the mall - was it Dawsons? Did you used to work there? Urghhhh!
Tom - I'm not fond of the place by any means either after downing one of their hot beef muffins, and not managing to keep hold of it for very long.
Sorry about the detail!
;>D
Just to say the bakers next to Rumbelows was 'Ibbotsons'!!
I had many a Ibby's Meat and Potato pie and gravy, followed by their Wimberry Pie and Custard...
When at Greenfield Street School we would get here as quick as we could.. scoff our fill then nip up to Fitzpatrick's for a pint of Sarsaparilla. I am sure they also had another shop near to the bus station... but we used this one mostly as it was a cafe as well.
Who remembers the shop pre-Rumbelows? It was Martin Middleton, The Music Shop. Brilliant place, much frequented by teenagers on a Saturday afternoon. I bought my first LP from there in 1963 - still got it!
I'd like to get a picture of that Shop Susan... Welcome to the blog and thank you for commenting and adding to the post.. so go on then tell us all.... what was the LP you bought... :0)
I am fairly new to this computer lark,I am working on my ancestry tree, but just logged onto your site for a nosy, and it looks very interesting, so thought I would join in, Susan was right regarding Martin Middletons shop, I bought many singles Eps and Lps' from the early sixties there, they had individual booths where you could listen to the record before buying it. Hyde shops were wonderful back then, I remember walking down Market St with mum and my brother in the 50s' and the lovely choice of shops, and then we would get to the splendid market stalls, who remembers Jocks stall? And who remembers the swingboats. it was a joy to go into Hyde back then. And now I am adding another shop to your disappeared shops article - Garbetts Comfort Corner shoe shop on the corner of Manchester Rd and Newton St, it was my family's shoe shop, my great grandad William and his sons Frank and Jack had opened a small shoe shop on George St to begin with, but it soon proved to be too small, so they moved onto Manchester Road in the 1920's, and when the shops next door became empty they bought them until eventually they had six display windows,and a mens'childrens'and ladies dept. My dad worked there too until the shop became compulsory purchase in 1971 to make room for the sliproad to the motorway. I will try and send you some photos. Regards Trish
Hello and welcome Trish
Great memories here... I am sure there's a glimpse of Garbetts Shoe shop on one of the picture we have of Newton Street. I'd love to see and of course others.
Hi my step dad use to work for this company in the 70s n I was wondering if their were any ex employees his name is robin hughes
Hi my step dad use to work for this company in the 70s n I was wondering if their were any ex employees his name is robin hughes
Hi Kerry
I'm sure that there's a chap who used to work there still knocking about Hyde.. the last time I saw him he was working in Asda... The next time I see him I'll mention your comment... I can't think of his name at the moment.
Hi Tom. In your blog you mention the Manager of rumbelows Hyde. I used to work there and wondered if the manager you mention is Jim Mclavey. I have been trying to get in touch with him for some time now as I moved to Ireland nearly 3 years ago. If you see him will you ask him to contact me via my face book page Janet Dixon (he knew me as Abram) Thank you.
Tom Crain best guy Rumbelows and Eric Eastman service director
Cyril Young another great guy Mark Harding my number 2 at Luton top guy were did it go wrong TAKE OVERS they wanted to be as big if not bigger than Currys WHY ?
I was an engineer at Reigate and Harold Hill service departments. My dad was a rumbelows troubleshooter Roger Cornwell
I was a supervisor in the Tottenham LDC service department working under Mark Harding in the late 80s early 90s, he was without doubt one of the nicest people I had had the pleasure of meeting in my working life, it was Tom Crane, who I also knew and got on ok with, (small in stature but scary with it), who placed him into Tottenham.
I would love to make contact with Mark again to see how he his 25 years since we last met. Last time I saw him he was importing Russian made fridges/freezers!
Just found this WHILST silver surfing.
I started working at Rumbies in Hyde as the delivery driver in about 1978 after leaving the Royal Navy.The manager at the time was a guy called Paulwho was totally bonkers. I became a salesperson after about 18 months on the Luton Van. Progressed through the ranks and was appointed Manager of Denton branch in the early 80's having spent time in Oldham and Shaw branches.I worked for the company for 15 years and in that time managed the following stores. Rochdale,Middleton,Salford and finshed at Cheetham Hill in Manchester 1994 .Many happy memories and some not so good.
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