THE DEPARTMENT STORE

Grace Brothers Department Store
became possibly the most famous store in the world for a while thanks to
the BBC-Television Series, Are You Being Served?

Are You being Served Theme Music

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OTHER DEPARTMENT STORES – 9

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THE DEPARTMENT STORES

OF KENSINGTON HIGH STREET

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INTRODUCTION

The Former Barker’s Department Store in Kensington High Street

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Kensington High Street
Top Right: Odeon Cinema Kensington; Bottom Right: The Old Vestry Hall

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When I was a child, all I knew of Kensington High Street was that the bus passed through it on the way to Olympia. All I cared about then was the food samples that would be on offer at The Food Fair, which we went to on a number of occasions, or the circus I was going to see.

Olympia is an Exhibition Centre, an Event Space and a Conference Centre

The Food Fair was a great event and was held at Olympia on alternate years between 1950 and 1968. When I attended, I remember munching on lots of samples of foods that I have never tasted before and enjoying most of them. Mind you, what I liked best, and ate a huge number of, were the Doughnuts that were prepared right in front of our eyes during one visit and which tasted wonderful!

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I also remember going to Olympia for other events including The Ideal Home Exhibition and the Bertram Mills Circus. Unfortunately, I have yet to attend Cruft’s Dog Show or The London International Horse Show.

Click here to go to Cruft’s You Tube Channel and watch the video celebrating its 125th Anniversary

Please note that The London International Horse Show is not the same event as The Horse of the Year Show, which came from Harringay Arena from 1949 until 1959, and then moved to Wembley Arena, where it remained until 2002 when it was first presented at Birmingham‘s National Exhibition Centre. The London International Horse Show seems to have been presented at Olympia since its instigation.

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On our journeys to Olympia, I evidently failed to notice the big Department Stores that lined Kensington High Street, and it was only later, once we moved to Langley and began to take the 704 or 705 London Transport Coach Service to Victoria Station, that I became familiar with the Street.

Even after our move, I can’t say that the buildings of Kensington High Street caught my attention. However what I did notice, and was annoyed by, since it held us up from arriving at our destination, was the traffic and the hordes of people that were obviously shopping.

Sadly for me, it was only after the great Department Stores of Kensington High Street had closed that I finally noticed their buildings. It is a great regret that I never visited these Stores when I had the opportunity and got to see them from the inside in all their glory.

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When I went away to college, I remember meeting the mother of a friend of mine. She and I never quite got along: she found me too working class and I found her pompous with a over developed pretense at being middle class! However, despite our mutual distrust and dislike, we tolerated each other and occasionally suffered each other’s company during Tea when I visited her home.

During one such especially miserable encounter with this woman, I recall her complaining that a Store in Kensington High Street was closing. I remember that she launched into a long discourse about her many trips up to London to the Department Stores of Kensington High Street where she shopped for school clothes for her children. She continued on about taking Morning Coffee and later Luncheon at one of the Stores and Afternoon Tea at another and then rushing to catch the train home. She yapped on and on about the decor of The Stores and which one she preferred and why. I have no idea how I tolerated this silly woman.

Afternoon High Tea – although I like a good cup-of-tea, I never enjoyed this meal

Of course, now I wish I had paid more attention to what this ghastly woman had to say about the Kensington High Street Stores, as now I would be more interested in what she had to say rather than dismiss it as incessant prattle.

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There were once three large Department Stores of note in Kensington High Street: Barkers of Kensington (open: 1870-2006), Derry & Toms (open: 1862-1971) and Pontings (open: 1863-1970).

I am told that many thought that these Stores rivaled those once found on Oxford Street. Although the Kensington High Street Stores were geographically close to Harrods, they did not attract the same class of clientele, although those who shopped here were certainly not poverty-stricken, but obviously were looking for both good quality and a bargain at the same time and would no doubt enjoy shopping there during the January Sales.

A January Sale during the 1950s at Swears & Wells

The January Sales were once yearly occurrences when Stores offered certain merchandise at greatly reduced prices and were considered as a great event by many. Sales were first introduced to the public by John Wanamaker in his New York and Philadelphia Stores.

Sales can hardly be considered as special today, since they often occur throughout the year in many Department and Large Box (Superstore) Stores.

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Today, only the buildings where Barker’s and Derry & Toms once traded are left standing and are now used by other companies. Pontings was demolished and the site redeveloped between 1976 and 1978.

Looking only at the ground floor level of the shops that are now in habit the erstwhile Stores on Kensington High Street, the un-knowing visitor might think themselves in any of the many smaller shopping areas of London. However, should the adventurous visitor look upwards, he or she will be treated to two remarkable buildings and wonder about their history.

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Having three large Department Stores together and owned by one company is perhaps not as unusual as might first appear, as it reminds me of Les Grands Magasins de La Samaritaine or La Samaritane for short.

La Samaritane once consisted of a series of five adjoining Department Stores (including the largest book shop in Paris, a Do-It-Yourself Store, a pet shop, a toy shop and a garden centre) between the Rue de Rivoli and the Quai du Louvre (renamed Quai François Mitterrand in 2003) in the First Arrondissement, close to the Pont Neuf in Paris. There was, of course, a Store especially for women customers.

Apparently, the Stores had been losing money since the 1970s, although when I knew them at this time, they were always filled with shoppers, and were closed down in 2005. After much debate, plans have been drawn up, as of June 2015, to convert the Stores into a River-Front Luxury Hotel, a Luxury Supermarket, apartments, and, hopefully, several Department Stores. Nous devrons attendre et voir!

I liked La Samaritaine and a number of hours looking at the architecture of The Stores. After gazing at what was on offer, I had to agree, as the advertisements of the times said, On trouve tout variment a La samaritane!

Click here to watch and hear an academic discuss La Samaritaine.

I was always amused by their short advertisements that were shown in cinemas during the 1970s ……… especially the one involving a look-alike actress playing The Queen! Here, The Queen is seen driving up in her Rolls-Royce and entering the Store and going to a particular department to shop for something special. She is next seen returning to her car followed by someone carrying a large box. Once seated in the car, she opens the box and takes out her purchase. Once she had placed it on her head, she reaches for a hand mirror to examine how she looks. Evidently pleased with her purchase, she is heard to say, On trouve vraiment tout a La Samaritaine!

A Look-a-like (!!!) supposedly shopping a La Samaritaine!

I am NOT in complete agreement with M. L’Universitaire – as with all large Stores, one has to look and see what is offered – not everything was always bon marche et bonne qualité! But I bought some amazing things there, which I still have never found elsewhere!

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One final point regarding La Samaritaine: somewhere in my house, hidden away in a box, is a plastic carrier bag that I received when last I shopped at the Store and on it is written in large blue letters, the slogan that I find so amusing!

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