Harry Parkes

[Lizz]

I always used to go in there as the old N° 14 to Tile Cross went from virtually outside the door.

RIP Harry, linked with memories of his shop and my first solo bus journey on the old No 14 bus route.  I used to catch the No 14 bus near a Tile Cross park by 2 blocks of flats.

[villa `cross the mersey]

My late father went to a few share holders meetings with Harry, the late George Edwards and Stan Lynn.
I too have fond memories of his shop back in the day.
My mom managed to get discount on the stuff bought as she used to work for George Edwards at his shop on Baldwins Lane, Hall Green.

Decent fella Harry ... RIP  from the Moss family.

[ColinMac]

Got my first Villa kit there, first football boots...loved that shop, my parents tell me what a great player he was too.

[Percy McCarthy]

God bless you Harry, may you rest in peace.

There is some great stuff about him in Peter Morris's 'First Hundred Years'. He was a right comic apparently. Very versatile and talented player as well by all accounts.

I'm not surprised he's remembered for his shop though. Going in there as a ten year old, and seeing those team portraits around as I went down the stairs, was one of the first moments that I realised I supported a very special club.

Always had a good selection of Fred Perrys as well.

[villa `cross the mersey]

God bless you Harry, may you rest in peace.

There is some great stuff about him in Peter Morris's 'First Hundred Years'. He was a right comic apparently. Very versatile and talented player as well by all accounts.

I'm not surprised he's remembered for his shop though. Going in there as a ten year old, and seeing those team portraits around as I went down the stairs, was one of the first moments that I realised I supported a very special club.

Always had a good selection of Fred Perrys as well.

Fred Perry`s what ? :-

[Greg N'Ash]

Harry played 345 times for Villa between 1939 and 1954 and would have played many more were it not for the war. He was voted Villa's player of the forties, served on the board when Doug took over and came within minutes of buying the club from Ron Bendall in 1982.

Yet he's mainly remembered for owning a sports shop. Strange world.

erm not really. most of us weren't born in 1939 or indeed 1954, so i'm not surprised a shop that everyone knew in Birmingham as a kid in the 70's and 80's is our main memory of him.

[Percy McCarthy]

God bless you Harry, may you rest in peace.

There is some great stuff about him in Peter Morris's 'First Hundred Years'. He was a right comic apparently. Very versatile and talented player as well by all accounts.

I'm not surprised he's remembered for his shop though. Going in there as a ten year old, and seeing those team portraits around as I went down the stairs, was one of the first moments that I realised I supported a very special club.

Always had a good selection of Fred Perrys as well.

Fred Perry`s what ? :-

Fred Perrys, plural. No apostrophe. But you knew that didn't you, you naughty boy.

[hawkeye]

my first villa kit was purchased from his shop as a christmas present, i went with my dad who also passed away recently RIP

[PeterWithe]

Harry played 345 times for Villa between 1939 and 1954 and would have played many more were it not for the war. He was voted Villa's player of the forties, served on the board when Doug took over and came within minutes of buying the club from Ron Bendall in 1982.

Yet he's mainly remembered for owning a sports shop. Strange world.

Maybe but I would guess that no-one on here would have any recollection of him playing whereas most would have fond memories of his shop and the Villa related memories it brings.

[PeterWithe]

When did the shop close?

The first time I realised it had shut was before the England v Spain game, Erikksons first, when I was drinking in a bar thinking 'Harry Parkes must be next door to this' and when I went outside I realised that pub bar was the old Harry's.

[Desi]

Harry played 345 times for Villa between 1939 and 1954 and would have played many more were it not for the war. He was voted Villa's player of the forties, served on the board when Doug took over and came within minutes of buying the club from Ron Bendall in 1982.

Yet he's mainly remembered for owning a sports shop. Strange world.

Maybe but I would guess that no-one on here would have any recollection of him playing whereas most would have fond memories of his shop and the Villa related memories it brings.[/quote]
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I remember seeing Harry play, my Dad took me to my first game in 1949, and I had already heard a lot about him as he was one of my Dad's favourite players. (He could never understand how he didn't become an England regular).

In the 70's/80's I worked for Slazenger/Puma and clearly remember the first time that I had an appointment to see Harry in his shop, his leading me up the stairs, past all the wonderful photos, to his office.
Once he knew that I was a life long Villa fan most of our 'business' time. on subsequent occasions, was spent talking football.
I got to hear all about the Bendall takeover, how everything had been agreed and what actually happened on that infamous weekend!
Sad to say that Harry never returned to Villa Park after that time.

He was one of the funniest guys I ever met with a really dry sense of humour and a fund of great stories, about football in general and the Villa in particular.
He'll be having a good laugh with Vic and Johnny, that's for sure.

[richardhubbard]

RIP Harry

[PaulTheVillan]

Did he make HP Sauce?

[1_Pablo_Angel]

When did the shop close?

The first time I realised it had shut was before the England v Spain game, Erikksons first, when I was drinking in a bar thinking 'Harry Parkes must be next door to this' and when I went outside I realised that pub bar was the old Harry's.

Which building used to be his shop, out of interest?

[PaulTheVillan]

I remember he had a shop near the law courts?