Last month we saw a lot of big loans. I don’t remember this always being the case however we all seem to get hit by big bills and unexpected expenses in April and this leaves many of us short of cash.
One lady needed £540 to pay her car insurance and loaned against a gold curb bracelet.
Another wanted to redecorate and modernise the living room of her house to help it to sell and borrowed £1020. A gentleman wanting to help his cash flow while waiting for an insurance cheque has borrowed £2460 against various jewellery and some Mont Blanc fountain pens and in one of our Liverpool branches a customer borrowed £3750 on a solid gold belt containing 24 Napoleon III coins dating from 1857 – not the sort of item that you could resell but quite literally worth its weight in gold.
The industry and people’s needs have moved forward so much from the ‘Putting the food on the table’ loans of the 1940’s.
While flicking through the old pledge book out fell a business card. ‘The Stanley Rug Company’ based at Orchard Mills on Belinda Street, Hunslet.
It related to a loan on a ‘stairs carpet’ made in 1926 which presumably will have been rolled up and brought into the store. The mill must have been renowned for quality rugs and Mr Webolin perhaps worked for them. The Mill has long since been demolished as part of a redevelopment scheme but the part that interested me was the contact details:
Telephone number: 73 Rothwell or you could send a telegram to “Cordage” East Ardsley.
How would we survive today without the ability to call a mobile phone or send an email or tweet someone!
80% of pawnbroking customers redeem their goods and we contact people by mail, phone, email, facebook, tweets or Instagram now to let them know when their loan is due for repayment and I couldn’t imagine having to send a telegram everytime!
We will buy, value or lend against any jewellery and most valuables but perhaps not the ‘stairs carpet’ so bring them down to your local Brown & Gold store or Christopher Brown Jewellers in Shipley and let us help your cash flow needs.
Chris Brown
