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RichardB

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John Walsh Ltd , department store retailers, was founded in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, in 1875 by John Walsh, and initially traded under the name John Walsh . By 1888, the company had expanded its existing premises at 39 High Street, Sheffield, through the acquisition of a number of short and long term leases on adjacent and neighbouring premises, which were situated on the north and south side of the High Street, Sheffield. In 1902 , the year following John Walsh's retirement from active management, the company was incorporated as a private limited company. Five directors were drawn from the Walsh family; John Walsh became the chairman of the board of directors, while his two sons and two sons-in-law constituted the remainder of the board.

The company traded in the sale of silks, dresses, millinery, ribbons, laces, flowers, feathers, toys, stationery, patent medicine and other goods as well as maintaining restaurant and writing rooms. The company also made furniture and carried out household removals, so that in 1906 a new cabinet factory, warehouse and furniture depository was built in Pinford Street, Sheffield. A residential property was acquired at Glossop Road, The Mount, Sheffield. In 1920 , the company was incorporated as a public limited company, John Walsh Ltd. During the 1939-1945 World War, the premises on High Street were destroyed due to an air-raid bombing, and subsequently a temporary war-time store was opened at The Mount. By the end of 1941, the company resided in premises at 41-45 Fargate, Sheffield, (previously used as assistants' accommodation), and at Church Street, Sheffield. The Pinfold Street factory was made into a separate company, John Walsh Manufacturing Company Ltd , for administrative reasons in 1944 . This offshoot company operated until its closure in 1957 .

A new store was built on the site of the High Street premises in 1953. This was funded through financial resources derived from Harrods Ltd, department store retailers, London, England, who acquired the entire share capital of John Walsh Ltd in 1946. In 1959, John Walsh Ltd came under the control of House of Fraser Ltd , department store retailer, Glasgow, Scotland, when Harrods was taken over by House of Fraser Ltd. From 1987, the store was renamed House of Fraser, Sheffield after it had undergone a 3 year programme of refurbishment costing �2,000,000. In 2003, House of Fraser Ltd operates its Sheffield store from 1 Park Lane, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield.

Source: Moss, Michael and Turton, Alison , A Legend of Retailing. House of Fraser , London , 1989

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Wasn't it called Rackhams before House of Fraser?? :blink:

Yes it became Rackhams in the early seventies. House of Fraser owned the store so changed its name again to bring it in line with its nationwide empire.

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From BBC South Yorkshire web site

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/sheffield/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_9286000/9286367.stm

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Guest plain talker

Was reading last night's Star byegones supplement about the Sheffield blitz, there was a photo of the bombed-out Walshes store on Fargate, but the wallies had captioned the photo "The Moor", when the name of the store was quite clearly to be seen. Poor journalism.

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Was reading last night's Star byegones supplement about the Sheffield blitz, there was a photo of the bombed-out Walshes store on Fargate, but the wallies had captioned the photo "The Moor", when the name of the store was quite clearly to be seen. Poor journalism.

Sounds about right for the Star,

and lets not forget that these clever people are well paid for doing their research.

he he

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Was reading last night's Star byegones supplement about the Sheffield blitz, there was a photo of the bombed-out Walshes store on Fargate, but the wallies had captioned the photo "The Moor", when the name of the store was quite clearly to be seen. Poor journalism.

I've yet to see this weeks issue ... soon hopefully.

I'd be quite happy to receive any scans of anything from The Star- Sheffieldhistory@gmail.com

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http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/cgi-bin/deadsearch.cgi

John Walsh Ltd , department store retailers, was founded in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, in 1875 by John Walsh, and initially traded under the name John Walsh . By 1888, the company had expanded its existing premises at 39 High Street, Sheffield, through the acquisition of a number of short and long term leases on adjacent and neighbouring premises, which were situated on the north and south side of the High Street, Sheffield. In 1902 , the year following John Walsh's retirement from active management, the company was incorporated as a private limited company. Five directors were drawn from the Walsh family; John Walsh became the chairman of the board of directors, while his two sons and two sons-in-law constituted the remainder of the board.

The company traded in the sale of silks, dresses, millinery, ribbons, laces, flowers, feathers, toys, stationery, patent medicine and other goods as well as maintaining restaurant and writing rooms. The company also made furniture and carried out household removals, so that in 1906 a new cabinet factory, warehouse and furniture depository was built in Pinford Street, Sheffield. A residential property was acquired at Glossop Road, The Mount, Sheffield. In 1920 , the company was incorporated as a public limited company, John Walsh Ltd. During the 1939-1945 World War, the premises on High Street were destroyed due to an air-raid bombing, and subsequently a temporary war-time store was opened at The Mount. By the end of 1941, the company resided in premises at 41-45 Fargate, Sheffield, (previously used as assistants' accommodation), and at Church Street, Sheffield. The Pinfold Street factory was made into a separate company, John Walsh Manufacturing Company Ltd , for administrative reasons in 1944 . This offshoot company operated until its closure in 1957 .

A new store was built on the site of the High Street premises in 1953. This was funded through financial resources derived from Harrods Ltd, department store retailers, London, England, who acquired the entire share capital of John Walsh Ltd in 1946. In 1959, John Walsh Ltd came under the control of House of Fraser Ltd , department store retailer, Glasgow, Scotland, when Harrods was taken over by House of Fraser Ltd. From 1987, the store was renamed House of Fraser, Sheffield after it had undergone a 3 year programme of refurbishment costing �2,000,000. In 2003, House of Fraser Ltd operates its Sheffield store from 1 Park Lane, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield.

Source: Moss, Michael and Turton, Alison , A Legend of Retailing. House of Fraser , London , 1989

I well remember Walsh´s as a little girl. For one thing they held the Ladybird brand of childrens clothes which my mother liked to dress me in. Although I must admit I had a navy blue skirt with a mushroom on which I loved for ages as a kid. It made me laugh when my son was young and Ladybird transferred their loyalties to Woolworths, a bit down market for my Mum´s taste, she was horrified. However, we did shop for clothes, haberdashery (as it was called then) etc. at Walsh´s (I must have been from a middle class family or what?? :) One Christmas they sold a wonderful orange, gummy stuff that you could do all sorts of things with, bit like putty but more plasticky, perhaps some of our more scientific lads could elucidate. They always had a wonderful toy department, grotto and Santa, you got a proper present in those days... lol

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Was reading last night's Star byegones supplement about the Sheffield blitz, there was a photo of the bombed-out Walshes store on Fargate, but the wallies had captioned the photo "The Moor", when the name of the store was quite clearly to be seen. Poor journalism.

In Friday nights TV programme about the Sheffield Blitz they had an article about Atkinsons store and showed a photo of the bombed out Atkinsons store which WAS on the Moor.

It was a brilliantly defiant picture.

The store was destroyed but as was typical the metal girder structure was partially left standing.

In the picture one of the still standing metal girders clearly carried the lettering "Sheffield" on it, indicating its place of manufacture.

But. it looked as though, although the Germans may have succeeded in destroying the store, this piece of steel stood proudly and defiantly above the ruins, almost sticking 2 fingers up to the Germans and saying "you haven't beaten us yet!"

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Guest jonceebee

I recall Walsh's from the late 1950's it must have been one of the earlist if not the first to have floor to floor escalators, we used to go in there as kids just for the fun of riding them from level to level. I cannot remember even with my parents ever buying anything from the premises, but it was still a must have visit every time I ventured into the Town Centre. It always seemed an up market venue to us East End Sheffielder's andI recall mother often had to shop a a place called Bunny's near the Castle Market where prices were so much cheaper

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Guest OLD No.12

i would have loved to have gone into walshs in the 1900's looking out of the grand front glass windows . a few years ago in banners the antique centre there was a walsh blazer pin badge but didn't give it a second glance. i do have a 1900's ceramic walshs tooth paste lid

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I started my working life at Walshs in 1974 in the radio & tv dept which was on the ground floor next to gents tailoring. It was very much like Grace bros in those days with the assistant manager floor walking in his pin stripe suit. I have very fond memories of the old place and would love to hear from anyone who was there 74 - 78.

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Guest plain talker

I recall Walsh's from the late 1950's it must have been one of the earlist if not the first to have floor to floor escalators, we used to go in there as kids just for the fun of riding them from level to level. I cannot remember even with my parents ever buying anything from the premises, but it was still a must have visit every time I ventured into the Town Centre. It always seemed an up market venue to us East End Sheffielder's andI recall mother often had to shop a a place called Bunny's near the Castle Market where prices were so much cheaper

As I understand it, Banners was the first to have escalators. They were wooden.

I would have loved to have seen the old Walshes in the flesh, so to speak. It certainly did look grand in the old photographs. Sadly we lost a lot of beautiful and grand old buildings to the Blitz, and then the city planners saw to it that we lost the rest. :(<_<

I remember Bunneys.

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On 04/10/2007 at 16:09, RichardB said:

http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/cgi-bin/deadsearch.cgi

 

John Walsh Ltd , department store retailers, was founded in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, in 1875 by John Walsh, and initially traded under the name John Walsh . By 1888, the company had expanded its existing premises at 39 High Street, Sheffield, through the acquisition of a number of short and long term leases on adjacent and neighbouring premises, which were situated on the north and south side of the High Street, Sheffield. In 1902 , the year following John Walsh's retirement from active management, the company was incorporated as a private limited company. Five directors were drawn from the Walsh family; John Walsh became the chairman of the board of directors, while his two sons and two sons-in-law constituted the remainder of the board.

 

The company traded in the sale of silks, dresses, millinery, ribbons, laces, flowers, feathers, toys, stationery, patent medicine and other goods as well as maintaining restaurant and writing rooms. The company also made furniture and carried out household removals, so that in 1906 a new cabinet factory, warehouse and furniture depository was built in Pinford Street, Sheffield. A residential property was acquired at Glossop Road, The Mount, Sheffield. In 1920 , the company was incorporated as a public limited company, John Walsh Ltd. During the 1939-1945 World War, the premises on High Street were destroyed due to an air-raid bombing, and subsequently a temporary war-time store was opened at The Mount. By the end of 1941, the company resided in premises at 41-45 Fargate, Sheffield, (previously used as assistants' accommodation), and at Church Street, Sheffield. The Pinfold Street factory was made into a separate company, John Walsh Manufacturing Company Ltd , for administrative reasons in 1944 . This offshoot company operated until its closure in 1957 .

 

A new store was built on the site of the High Street premises in 1953. This was funded through financial resources derived from Harrods Ltd, department store retailers, London, England, who acquired the entire share capital of John Walsh Ltd in 1946. In 1959, John Walsh Ltd came under the control of House of Fraser Ltd , department store retailer, Glasgow, Scotland, when Harrods was taken over by House of Fraser Ltd. From 1987, the store was renamed House of Fraser, Sheffield after it had undergone a 3 year programme of refurbishment costing �2,000,000. In 2003, House of Fraser Ltd operates its Sheffield store from 1 Park Lane, Meadowhall Shopping Centre, Sheffield.

 

Source: Moss, Michael and Turton, Alison , A Legend of Retailing. House of Fraser , London , 1989

I remember in the 50s there were some kiosks, one a Thorntons I think, in front of or just below Walsh's, maybe during the rebuilding. What I DO remember are some painted 'iron lion' sculptures, with what I took to be zips up their backs - presumably part of the design. I think they were the heraldic sort of lions. Anybody know anything about them?

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