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Secondhand shops owned by the Sirrell brothers, both in the Oxford Road and both run independently, they traded in all sorts of used items. The shop nearest to the town centre (called Sirrells), close to Chatham Street Car Park had a large stock of vinyl and lots of picture discs on the wall that, for some reason, the owner won't sell!

Name: Al Tutt.
Comment: In the 1970s in Reading there was Cyril's secondhand shop with a load of records. The rodent-like Cyril was always good for a few gems. I bought a copy of White Light White Heat, the rarity with the black cover in which you can discern a knife entering a brain - still have it.

Name: Eddie O'Hara
Comment: A great place for records.

Name: Peter Sirrell
Comment: That was my uncle. I am now selling vinyl at my shop, Music Man, 207 Oxford Road, Reading RG1 7PX.


Comments

Ivan Scott
05 Sep 2024 at 12:29
Sirrells was a great shop and Rafe who ran it was quite the character; a bit of history now sadly gone.
Dave Harwood
29 Oct 2024 at 03:33
I found this advert in the 'Reading Evening Post' dated 5th September 1974:
“FLOG IT HERE - CASH FOR GEAR - RECORDS, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, RADIOS, CURIOS, etc. SIRRELL'S SECONDHAND SHOP, 54 Oxford Road, Reading (By Chatham Street Car Park).”
... and this piece in the 'Reading Standard' dated 1st March 1963: “If you visit the Exchange and Mart shop in Oxford Road, Reading, you can't help noticing two old phonographs on display. But they are not for sale. The owner, Mr. Rafe Sirrell, has had several offers for them, but he keeps them on show only. They bear the name Edison Standard Phonograph. Mr. Sirrell cannot date them exactly. “I know Edison invented the phonograph 82 years ago but I don't know when he started producing them.” he told me. Early gramophones are not the main hobby of this 29-year-old secondhand dealer. Two years ago he discovered he could draw and went to Reading Technical College to study. Now his chief love is oil painting.”

Details

Location

Oxford Road Reading / Berkshire
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