Memories of Wigfalls

[lazyherbert 10]

i worked for them as a van lad when i first left school in1978 my driver was called willis south and the gaffer was mr crank i got sacked for being abusive to customers and staff:huh:

 

just an excuse as they were moving up to rutland road:hihi:

 

Was Willis South a twin.Who in the 50s lived off Ellesmere Rd.

[alan stepney 10]

Thank you all for your comments.

 

It is interesting to see how many people remember what was, not long ago, a major company in that area.

Obviously, from the responses so far, a lot of people do not remember them, which seems to be typical of many erstwhile famous names.

[shirecliffe 10]

Hello all, I started working for Wigfalls in 1986 as a delivery driver out of the Hellaby Depot near Maltby our Manager was Ray Bradshaw and some of the lads I recall Ian Copley,Karl Madden,Ian Shepherd,Paul Scott,Willis South,little Eric Staples,Big Kev,Little Kev,Malc Miller,Paul France,Andy Crummack from Barnsley Jeff and Carl, Decker,Barry,Jed,Ken,Alf Dave Big Andy and not forgetting Alice who made the Sandwiches in the mornings . I remember when had a brand new transit Luton box van Arrive,we only had it on the fleet for a week and one of the drivers took it under a low bridge and ripped the top off.It went off for repair then to our Garage on, as I remember Mowbray street to be checked and a field engineer took it out straight under another low bridge and took the roof off again,oh how we laughed at the time.had some great times, then Currys took us over and I stayed with them for 21 years as a driver and was then made redundant last March 2007.They say all good things must come to an end:)all the best regards John.

[Sheff2006 10]

I remember Wigfalls in Fitzalan Square and the fire there.

 

At some point in the 80s I bought a Toshiba Walkman from there - with Radio I might add! Wow! the technology then eh...weighed a ton!

[Titus 10]

What was valances? They were in Rotherham I think. Their number was the same as ours in sheffield and all through the 70's and 80's people would phone us by mistake asking about TV repairs and the like.

[Titian 10]

Hello all, I started working for Wigfalls in 1986 as a delivery driver out of the Hellaby Depot near Maltby our Manager was Ray Bradshaw and some of the lads I recall Ian Copley,Karl Madden,Ian Shepherd,Paul Scott,Willis South,little Eric Staples,Big Kev,Little Kev,Malc Miller,Paul France,Andy Crummack from Barnsley Jeff and Carl, Decker,Barry,Jed,Ken,Alf Dave Big Andy and not forgetting Alice who made the Sandwiches in the mornings . I remember when had a brand new transit Luton box van Arrive,we only had it on the fleet for a week and one of the drivers took it under a low bridge and ripped the top off.It went off for repair then to our Garage on, as I remember Mowbray street to be checked and a field engineer took it out straight under another low bridge and took the roof off again,oh how we laughed at the time.had some great times, then Currys took us over and I stayed with them for 21 years as a driver and was then made redundant last March 2007.They say all good things must come to an end:)all the best regards John.

 

Jed! biggest Morrisey fan around.

[jiginc 10]

When I worked at Wigfalls Mobray St workshop we had a gentleman called Stan. Stan was the original laid back guy.

 

Stan worked in the radio repair shop but was moved upstairs to the TV department.

 

My boss wrote a little ditty about this and I can still remember it 50 years later.

 

At last he’s gone and oh what glee

They need our Stan to mend TV’s.

 

But will he work not on your Nelly

You’ll find our Stan sat watching telly.

 

Sad or what.

[Roveress 10]

i worked at wigfalls,bellhouse rd twixt 85 and 86,,salesman trainee-- my

 

manager was jack rudkin,,

 

also worked with richard from parsons cross and alan from rotherham(asshole)

 

jack was a top manager,came from chapeltown .

 

is he still alive,,??????????????????????

 

i remember the commission set up was ridiculous,,we had to sell discontinued items to get good spivs or syte amstrad or fidelity stereo "stack" systems to make up our wage

 

the best thing that happened to me while at wigfalls was meeting a chick from the school up the road who used to buy me donuts!!!

 

ha ha

 

whatever happened to richard pease and alan spencer,who i worked with

??

as well as jack rudkin ,,manager?

 

they got laid off shortly after me

[Roveress 10]

i remember been sent ,temporarily to woodseats branch(what a hole!!)

to work with nora wheatley,,

 

she robbed me of my commission all the time,,

 

i hated my 2 weeks up there

 

didnt like her at all,,

 

[ldgtel 10]

My wife Carole West and her friend June Westbrook worked for Wigfall's in Rotherham around 1967-68, first in the store then in TV service the other side of Clifton Park. They were walking through the park one day back from lunch when they came across a "flasher" They spent the afternoon looking at mug shots in the police files. June now works in the Rotherham ASDA store.Two employees at the Rotherham store near where the four clocks tower is now were Howard Hall and Ian Walker who were in the well known Rotherham band, The Kodiaks. Howard went on to become an Agent, and also owned the Riverside Club in Catcliffe for some years. Pete Twybell was an engineer who now has a TV repair shop in Thurcroft. The Manager was a guy called Charlie Pepper.

 

You also had a club singer, a tenor I believe but I can't remember his name. I think everyone knew Charlie Pepper.

[bullerboY 10]

anyone remember Brian who used to go around mending tv,s around hillsbro area and percy simpson who fixed teles on mowbrey st depo.

[jojo1974 10]

I am writing a book about the changes in the retail TV & radio trade since the war.

 

As I am sure those of you over a certain age will recall,high streets used to be full of a large number of retail and rental TV chains.

 

Sheffield had the Head Office of Wigfalls, as well as a number of their stores.

(In fact, they had 100 branches in 1985.)

 

I am trying to contact anyone who worked for them, and gather as much information as possible about the company.

I know they took over Curry's, and assumed the better-known Curry's name, and that they, in turn, were absorbed by Dixons.

 

However, I would also like anecdotes, and trivia items, plus, especially, any human interest stories.

Recollections about them, of any type are welcomed.

 

If anyone has any such information, please contact me by PM, or email to: alan "at" alanstepney.info

 

Of course, some of you may have memories that others in your local area might appreciate, so why not post them here too?

 

 

The same applies to any of the other "high street" multiple tv outlets.

If you worked for any of them, please get in touch. Particularly if you were involved in the tehcnical side.

 

Thanks.

 

 

My Dad work for Wigfalls in the 70's. I remember visiting him there and sitting on the furniture. I'll give you his email address if you're still interested!!

 

Jojo