Pride of Lyons | The Lyons Family

John Lyons (born 1848)

John Lyons seems to have come to Knowle in 1903, opening a butchers in a block of shops which was newly built by Sergeant John Court; close to the old cinema (approximately where Dorridge Autos is now).

Knowle Picture House. Sold 1950’s becoming Johnson’s Garage

Dorridge Autos shop site. Probably early 1940’s

John then moved to the shop in the picture below (now One Stop). Phil Lyons (his son) took charge of this shop.

Frank Harper's and John Lyons' Butchers shops

This picture shows Frank Harper’s Butcher’s shop (now Eric Lyons), The Swan, and on the far right John Lyons Butchers. (John Lyons was father to Phil, and Eric’s Grandfather)

John then moved yet again to the bottom end of the High Street, near Lodge Road corner (we assume around the area of the sweet shop).

Bateman’s Stonemasons Yard 1950’s. Now the High Street entrance to the Precinct.

Phil Lyons (born 1889)

Phil Lyons joined the Army on almost the first day of the First World War.

After the War Phil returned to set up a business in the Victoria Building on the corner of Lodge Road and Station Road.

Phil Lyons’ butchers shop corner of Lodge and Station Road 1950’s. Note on the left, Turret Stores — named because of the turret on top, which was later demolished.

Phil Lyons at his shop in Lapworth

In the course of time he acquired an additional shop in Lapworth.

St John’s Close and surrounding area

When the Lyons family purchased the High Street premises from Frank Harper.

The White Swan with its bowling green, John Lyons’ Butchers shop (from approx. 1903) is now Gardner’s in the photograph

The back of the Red Lion and the shop, before the bungalows in St John’s Close were built

The rear of Station Road and the future Village Green

The local opposition Frank Lander. To become Soden’s Butchers, now the Bridal Shop. Next door is the Congregational Church, now Knowle Brasserie Curry Restaurant.

Eric (born 1920) and Bob (born 1926)

Eric pictured in 1978

Bob pictured in 1978

The High Street shop was still owned by Frank Harper until 1946 when Phil Lyons, along with his son Eric did a deal over a pint of beer in The Red Lion, to purchase it from Frank Harper.

It remained trading as Frank Harper’s whilst owned by Phil and run by Eric.

Phil and Mary Lyons along with daughters Jeanette and Yvonne moved into the flat above the shop.

Jeanette and Yvonne feeding chickens in the yard

Jeannette and Yvonne feeding the free range chickens in the yard. Eric in the background. Note the pig stys to the left and the old butcher’s van in the barn. The phone number 2034 is still the same as today (772034) 70 years on!

The yard at the rear of the shop was often like a farmyard, with chickens and pigs roaming around. Eric made Yvonne and I saddles so we could ride around the yard on the back of the pigs. Once some pigs escaped and had to be rescued from the church during evening service!

— Jeanette Lyons

In the early 1950’s Eric and Pat purchased the high street shop from Eric’s father Phil, whilst Bob and his wife Iris purchased the Station Road and Lapworth shops.

Eric and Pat along with children John and Jayne moved into the flat above the shop. Subsequently Peter was born.

Phil and family moved to Milverton Road.

The alteration to the shop frontage then took place in the mid 1950’s and the shop was renamed Eric Lyons.

A separate shop was created alongside the butchers replacing the downstairs living accommodation. This shop was taken on by Brian Chare opening as Chare’s Furniture Store.

Lyons butchers and surrounding shops on High Street

Lyons butchers, Chare’s furniture, George Mason grocery, National Provincial Bank (eventually changing to the National Westminster Bank) and MEB Electricity

Lyons Butchers, Chare’s furniture, and Nat West Bank (having taken over George Mason and MEB sites). This modern building replaced the Old Swan public house, demolished in 1939.

Growing up on the High Street early 1960’s

Eric Lyons, John, George and Rosemary Curtis all barbecuing at Grimshaw Hall for the Knowle Festival, raising money to build the Village Hall

1962 — Chris Curtis, John, Jayne and Peter Lyons hard at work in the yard, in front of the outbuilding where the sausage was made. The old barn was to the left.

On the left the old timber barn. In the centre the old pigsty with the tin roof. This garden stretched as far as the bungalows as there was no council car park to the rear of the shop.

Another great place to play hide and seek in the old garden behind Curtis’ Bakery (now The Bread Collection). Note the new shops being built over the road replacing the old cottages.

Summer Holidays in the early 1960’s would be spent at the Greswolde Lido.

Greswolde Lido (now Crabmill Close), Greswolde Garage (now McCartney Stone Homes), Greswolde Hotel

Pickering’s Field (another great place for Hide and Seek). Now the car park behind the Church.

The Re-Development

The early shop still had a driveway off the High Street to the yard at the rear. Eric Lyons would leave the shop via the side door, going up the side driveway (now the Larder with offices above) into the yard at the rear, where the fridges were situated.

The yard at the back of the shop with outbuildings

The yard at the back of the shop with the outbuildings housing the fridges. Prior to all the re-development.

This was done in two stages. The first being in 1965. This saw the demolition of the old dilapidated and unsafe barn, and the outbuildings housing the fridges.

The barn was replaced with covered storage area and garaging. Whilst the passageway onto the High Street and the whole of the right hand side of the yard alongside the Red Lion pub was developed.

This created:

The Larder / Delicatessen

This sold, as well as their own pies and pasties, an extensive range of cheeses from all over the world, cheese cakes, Ski flavoured yogurts (a new phenomenon in those days!), Scotts of Bletchley cooked hams (delivered by train to Dorridge station to be collected by Bill, who drove the van). Pat Lyons even experimented in buying in tins of frog’s legs and chocolate covered ants!

Meat prep area, indoor fridges and a Pie Kitchen

This meant no more having to go into the yard to access the fridges. The creation of the Pie Kitchen meant Eric could at last fulfil an ambition held since his army days in catering, and produce his own pies to sell in the shop. Eventually supplying Solihull Civic Hall, Flight Catering Elmdon Airport (now known as Birmingham Airport), Massey Ferguson and Standard Triumph staff canteens, as well as many local pubs and shops.

The start of the redevelopment. Note the butcher’s bike in the foreground and the remains of the old pig stys.

The ‘A Team’. John Lyons, Chris Curtis and Andrew Bryson help Eric with the demolition.

Jayne Lyons and Sidney Bryson join the ‘Team’.

Bob, Iris, Diane and Pam with Eric, John and Jayne

Bob (with Peppy), Iris, Diane and Pam join Eric, John and Jayne to survey the building work.

The old Knowle Bowling Green seen from the patio at the rear of the new flat.

Above the new Larder / Delicatessen and manufacturing area there was created a new flat. Eric and Pat along with John, Jayne and baby Peter moved in from the old flat above the butchers and Chare’s furniture. Two years later David was born.

The old flat was converted into upstairs showrooms for Chare’s, and an office plus staff room and toilets for the butchers.

The Lyons Family.