Botterill’s Fish Restaurant

Botterill’s Fish Restaurant & Tearoom where you could buy a large ice lolly for a Penny, Watch Repairer, Barbers, Burleigh Church.

It was in this Tearoom that a romance blossomed. In the late 50’s. Perhaps you will remember a door pedlar whom we affectionately called, “Johnnie the Darkie”, not very polite but no harm was meant. He would carry a large brown suitcase filled with clothes, which could be paid for by installments.

His name was Yaqub Ali who when going out with friends or to restaurants, he would always offer to pay and leave a generous tip. Indeed, it was a tip that introduced him to his future wife, Nancy Botterill. (Nancy was a very beautiful young woman in her day)

One day in the late 1950’s during his rounds in the village of Blantyre, he went to a cafe. A cup of tea cost him 5d but he gave the waitress 2/6d and told her to keep the change. The waitress was flabbergasted at being given a tip that in those days was just about a day’s wages for a young waitress. However, she said it was too much and, returning two shillings, told him that she was not a waitress but the owner of the place. Over the years their friendship developed into love and they married in 1968.

In spite of vast difference in their cultures their marriage was very happy and highly successful. Nancy became a tower of strength for Yaqub at home and at work. Nancy died in 2000 after a long illness and this was an insufferable loss for him and he never recovered. Yaqub left in excess of £18 Million when he died died on June 7, 2003. (see Obituary to Yaqub Ali for the full story)

At the end of these buildings stood Burleigh Church on the corner of Herbertson Street. Opposite corner was the Co-op.

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