A1 Records

A1 was a family-run shop by three generations serving the Walworth area. General record store with lighting accessories and cards. Specialist in easy listening. The main shop was on Walworth Road SE1 with a smaller unit in East Street market and a Sunday market stall. The other branch was in Tottenham High Road N17. The East Street and Tottenham shops were also known for R&B, Soul, and Ska & Reggae specialists. Another family member, Bernie, was the man on the ball with the latest sounds supplied to the punter seeking the latest R&B and Ska & Reggae.
Interview Anecdote:
I asked Melvyn which record he recalled sold in volumes in its day?

"When the New Seekers brought out I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing
we had delivery of 100 copies - some I sent round the corner to the Walworth Road shop. My cousin rang me up at the East Street store part-way through the morning and said that he needed more."

Melvyn Samuels shop proprietor.

Shop record label
A 1 record label also with a roster which included the launching of the Gypsy Kings
with 'Bamboleo'. Other artists included Rosie-marie Irish country singer, Jimmy Roselli,Steve Walsh 'I found lovin', Joe Longthorne and the Cell Block H theme song. Raymond who ran the label also brought us the Tweets with the 'Birdie Song'.
Famous Associations
Perry Como, Pete Moore, Charlie Gillett, Dennis Waterman, Pete Waterman, Scott Walker, Andy Williams and Neil Sedaka
Spencer Davis Group, The Cheetahs and March Bolan/Johns Children. These stars either did a record signing/promotion, shopped in the Store especially Mark Bolan in the Tottenham branch. Radio presenter Danny Baker was a regular customer.

How And Then Walworth Facebook

My husband Gary brooks has just seen this page and spoken with our old friend Freddie Foreman and asked him for some insight into the A1 stores. He told him several amusing stories; He was once standing in Lyman’s [The Gladstone] having a late one when a load of big black cars screeched up outside of everyone’s favourite lock in, well everybody thought it was old bill so certain people started thinking of ways to get out. Fred went upstairs and peeked out of the windows and realised it was certain members from the A1 stores along with Jimmy Rosselli and his entourage. As well as this, he says that once when he was on the run he was staying at a flat in Dalston, he was sporting a full on facial beard, plain clothes police type clothing including the official looking three quarter length Mac. He didn't have a kettle in the flat so decided to take a chance and go over the road to a little electrical shop. He chose a kettle from the shelf and took it to the counter to pay, as he did so, trying not to look at salesman behind the counter the salesman said "hello Fred", Fred looked up and saw that it was someone from the A1 stores, he didn’t realise they had a store there. He had known them for years and just said "ssshhh" which they obviously did. BLESS EM. He also confirmed that they did use to supply records to the juke boxes in the area as Fred used them for his pubs and also he used to have his juke boxes in many other pubs and the music in them all were regularly changed by the A1stores. Finally, my husband's hobby is his vinyl records and his book's. He collected his records from the age of 11 from the A1stores and HMV store in Oxford St [now defunct], he has hundreds. He has always praised the A1 stores for their ability to get whatever he wanted, musically. He says that if ever he heard a song, no matter how old or new it was, if he didn’t know what it was called, this is how the conversation would go;- "scuse me mate theres a song I’ve heard but don’t know what it’s called" "Well sing it to me " the old boy behind the counter would say. "Don’t know the words" Gary would respond thinking that was the end of it. "Well hum it then". Originally thought they were trying to take the piss out of him but they finally got him to hum it after a very quick but sheepish look around as well as being very red faced. 9 times out of 10 they would tell him the singer and the song within 5 seconds then play him the correct song. He swears by them and also says that there is or was nowhere else like it. Today all you’ve got are youngster who couldn’t tell Jim Rosselli from Jim Bowen. Lisa Colquhoun


Got my 1st record there I think it was in 1966, sent my Mum there to buy me T-Rex's ride a white swan, she came back and said there was no such record, when I asked her what she had said to the man, she told me she had asked for ride a white horse god bless her, I went and got it myself lol. Janet Ramsey

12" you can`t hurry love was the 1st one bought in the A1, by Phil Collins, loved the fact you could ask to listen to the record b4 buying it, Great shop, lovely family Aerron Eales

My 1st record bought with pocket money was "Fingertips" Stevie Wonder in the early 60`s. Miss the A.1. Wendy Rodgers Pocknell

Bobby Vee and The Crickets, 39/6 Chriss Joyce


Bought my first ever record from there, Sound and vision-Bowie. Shopped there for years after hat. I used to go every Saturday and stock up on new tunes. :-) Dean Downey

A1 was probably the last shop on Walworth road that been there thru generations... I got my first 7 inch single there and my nans xmas present too...Sally O'reilly
I remember when you could go in the A1 record store and asked to hear a record before you purchased it, you would stand in a booth and listen through massive headphones! Try before you buy!!! Pat Andrews OReilly

I loved A1 stores. If ever I wanted to know anything about a record, who sang it or what year it came out to settle argument etc I would ring a1 stores and I can’t remember the name of the bloke that had it but he would give me the name of artist and the year it came out and any trivia about that song or artist.. pure class Patricia Weaver

Ben- Michael Jackson, Without you- Nilsson, Honky Tonk Woman- stones, various Slade, Sweet and a Bay City Rollers song for my girlfriend at the time! And I got Slade Alive from the Walworth Road shop!Liam Barnes

I bought my first record in there with a record token from my birthday...Son of my father by Chicory Tip!!!!!I was between 8 and 10 I guess early 70's. Good luck with you exhibition Kay Rogers

Comment
I bought The Limit (Say yeah) album from A1 store. You'll always remember when you bought it, as it had a stamp inside the cover :). Unfortunately, when I asked for: Barbara Fowler - Come and get my lovin... No chance lol. Hi ho, hi ho, it's Off to West End I go. Great times! A1 Store is iconic. xx

Name
Mags Starmag
​(2022)

Always bought lots of vinyl and eventually the guy at Westmorland Road, Walworth asked me if I’d help him out in the Market over at Petticoat Lane . Then his partner got pregnant and I went and ran the shop in South Norwood called Phonograph Records

That was a great time also as I was playing records in a pub a few days a week and got to meet the reps and got cheap records. Left there and helped a friend out who was a record importer of Disco and Soul. Got to meet some lovely people , Robbie Vincent, Greg Edwards, and used to meet Pete Tong when he knocked on the door early in the morning after a shipment arrived and had a cup of tea.

. Paul Brown (2023)

1989

An example of what you could buy at A1 Stores along with electrical lights.

The A1 stamp is just visible above the Temp in Temptations