This Leeming Street tailors and outfitters was opened by Sid Yeates in 1908 and later passed to his son Jack Yeates. Sid’s second son owned Dunn & Co. 11 King’s Walk, Nottingham . Jack Yeates ran the Mansfield store until the 1980’s when it was purchased by Mr Troubridge who owned the store until it was bought by Mr Harris 15 years ago.
Sid Yeates & Sons will close its doors for the last time in April 2010. Thank you very much to Mr Harris and his staff for their help and for their donations to Mansfield Museum .
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Back in the early to mid seventies, Syd Yeates shop was a regular for us well dressed hooligans referred to as Skinheads, and later Suede heads, Smoothies, and suchlike.
Buying Ben Sherman shirts, Crombie type coats, Stayprest trousers. Accessories included top pocket handkerchiefs, gloves, and even brollies (a John Steed type weapon).
Other fashion items were Loafer or Brogue type shoes, fluorescent socks. Doc Marten Cherry red boots, Levi jeans, and Harrington jackets for rougher days, or if there was a chance of fighting.
I don’t think I was ever better dressed socially during my teens.
Later grew my hair, and adopted a scruffier hippy type fashion of flared jeans and trousers, cheesecloth or denim shirts, denim or corduroy short jackets.
Not the sort of stuff to be found at Syd Yeates.
Good memories going round the Mansfield shops on a Saturday.
Didn’t the Robinson family live at the top of Rutland St or very near the top? I knew a Monica Robinson she was a bell ringer at St Peter’s, a family tradition.
The shop was sold, apparently various family members involved. I know Jack Yates, he lived on Terrace Road on the right, a late 1970s detached, in a row of about 5. He followed Cantamus from the start, drove a white Mercedes saloon I think, I went in it a couple of times. He was a member of the Conservative club and smoked a cigar, he had a brother who I understand ran a Nottingham shop but I don’t think they had much contact.
Jack was in the Rotarians, pleasant man, always spoke, it was his father’s business although Brunts Charity owned the shop as it does, or did, own most around there, I think this covers what I know, don’t know if it helps or not.
I knew Jack Yates, Marchant’s had a tailors shop, family of the solicitors, and a decorators, Also Julian Jeloneck, on Clumber St. Mark Wilson
Hi Martin. We live in the house which I believe was built for The Robinson Family. Have you any pictures or memories of it? Thanks.
I am the grandson of Frank Robinson , one of the partners in the tailoring firm of John Robinson . My mother was Sylvia ( b. 1919 d. 1969 ) ex Brunts . Her brother was Frank , her sisters Eileen , Peggy and Ethel . We all worshipped at St. Peters where my grandfather was sidesman and Peggy was in the choir for many years . Many happy memories of Mansfield !!
Martin Robinson
I would just like to add 2 more menswear shops on Leeming Street.
G.J. Hepworths Ltd at No 17 between the Red Rose Bakery and Mac Fisheries Super Market, I started my working life there at 15 in 1968. The company had 2 other shops on Outram Street Sutton in Ashfield.
The other Mens Outfitter on Leeming Street was Merchants or Marchants. If I remember right the shop windows were set back and they had a display cabinet by the walkway displaying ties, tie pins, cufflinks and other small accessories.
There was also Gordon Cox’s on Church Street
John Robinsons Tailors, yes I know now which shop your talking about. It was between Lowes Butchers and Nottingham Building Society, then there was Wakefields Army Stores on the corner of the market place.
Hi Angela, the name Robinson’s keeps coming to mind and it might have been on Stockwell gate. The shop downstairs was very old, even back then. I remember making a jacket to a teddy boy style of suit, it was bright green with black pockets. I also remember being very cold in winter and hardly be able to hold the sewing needle. I used to get paid £17 per week.
There used to be another tailors shop in Mansfield, I just can’t think of the name of the shop. I used to work there as an apprentice in about 1977. The supervisor upstairs was Morris Jepson. Janet Briggs worked there too, she could sew the best handmade buttonholes I have ever seen. Doris (who passed away to cancer) and there were quite a few others who made a great team. I would love to know what happened to the others.
There were quite a few tailor shops in and around Mansfield. One being Mr Strauthers shop on Church side,opposite St Peters Church. There was one up Ratcliffe Gate. Jane where abouts in Mansfield was the tailor shop you remember?
I shopped at Yeates almost until it closed down. It had the sort of quality menswear that the chains cannot provide. Their closure is quite a loss.
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