Shop fronts

These images depict many local businesses, generally of the town centre in Barrow-in-Furness, where the Sankeys had different shops over a number of years. The photographs are mainly of individual local shops, reflecting a time before the area came to be dominated by major retail chains and edge-of-town supermarkets.

Go Back

Underwood's Sheffield Emporium, Barrow-in-Furness

Nelson's Shop, Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Nelson's Shop, Anson Street, Barrow-in-Furness

War Workers' Hostel, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

J Mawson & Son, Ship Brokers Offices, Barrow-in-Furness

Hetherington's, Cavendish Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Sankey shop, 78 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Cooper's & Co's Tea Store, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Loxhams Bread Shop, Cavendish Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Entrance to the Market Institute, Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

Jas. Nelson & Sons, Paxton Terrace, Barrow-in-Furness

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

William's, Queen Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Benson's, Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Simpson, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Window display for Vitafer, location unknown

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

Scotch Wool and Hosiery Stores, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Hunter's Tea Store, Paxton Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Blanchard, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Frank Fairclough, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

More curated collections

Curated Collections

Group Portraits

Curated Collections

Street scenes

Curated Collections

Public Events

251, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.251

Underwood's Sheffield Emporium, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

The sign ‘Sheffield Emporium’ below the name Underwoods (above the shop window) was an invite to a place where one could buy many metal tools, all types of cutlery and long bladed knives - as displayed in the window. There may have been a place inside where knives could be sharpened.A very tall uniformed man guards the shop entrance, his uniform is advertising 'Matchless Metal Polish'. He fills the shop doorway, making a very imposing presence.

494, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.494

Nelson's Shop, Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1910

One of Jas Nelson butcher’s shops with three butchers facing the camera, ready to meet whoever comes. Note the caving knives hanging from the belts of two of the butchers! There are many cuts of various kinds of meat on display outside and inside the shop. The row of hanging carcases seems to have a chicken inside each one! The shop front is decorated with images of a bull and a sheep below the window. Who is the well dressed gent?

3083, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3083

Nelson's Shop, Anson Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

Nelson’s other shop, on Anson Street, seems smaller than the one on Dalton Road. There is still a large display of meat hanging in four rows, with a variety of cut pieces on a counter. Two of the butchers stand by the doorway and another is leaning against the building to the left. There is a small child with white apron and hat standing close to him. Not an apprentice surely!

3823, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3823

War Workers' Hostel, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1916

This smart three-storey building housed men who had probably emmigrated during war times and were allowed to work because of shortages in the labour force. Two men are standing in the doorway between two large half covered windows, and four on the left are at another doorway. Three half covered windows are on the first floor and two on the second floor.The Singer sewing shop is next door, with three children standing outside watching the photographer - and being photograhed too.

The hostel building still stands.

3937, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3937

J Mawson & Son, Ship Brokers Offices, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

Mawsons, located down on the Strand on one of Barrrow's earliest rows of shops, became part of a global shipping industry. The job included acting as a go-between for ship owners who used to transport cargo between buyers and sellers. Mawson's austere looking display gave the names of some companies he helped.He would also have been involved with insurance and formal details of entering and clearing vessels at custom houses.

A129, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.A129

Hetherington's, Cavendish Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1920s

The sale is on at Hetherington’s on Cavendish Street! A large group of people, mainly women, are waiting to enter - looking in the two shop windows at all the draper's has on offer: blouses, skirts,corsets and lots more items to buy, even umbrellas. There are some mothers with their babies in carriages, and older children with their mothers.Hard to see a man in the crowd. Perhaps buying chocolate at Ladbury’s next door!

A421, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.A421

Sankey shop, 78 Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1930s

All the images you have looked at are the work of the Sankey family and this one captures how their business expanded. This shop window is a fabulous reminder of the work the family did during their 50 or more years as a local firm.The display encourages people to buy their own cameras and Selo fast film, as well as some of the many postcards they produced, plus stationary. There's also an advert for a Kodak Picture Competition. Did an amateur win the prize?

409, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.409

Cooper's & Co's Tea Store, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1910

This Tea Store had two shop windows, one either side of the shop entrance, illuminated by a fabulous glass bowl and pottery shade. The printed label on the left window display invited you to look at the variety of teas on offer; sausages and other meat products were carefully displayed in the right hand window. It was hard to miss the bold signage of the shop owners above the shop.

456, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.456

Loxhams Bread Shop, Cavendish Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1910

What a brilliant display in Loxam's shop window. It’s all about the bread! It is a great diorama of the bread making process; the wheat growing in the field, the horse and cart leaving the Loxam windmill with bags of flour, and the loaves of bread being the result. Such a clever display! And the board at the back reminds you what to ask for. Well done Loxams.

487, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.487

Entrance to the Market Institute, Abbey Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1910

There is a wonderful lamp above the entrance to the Market Institute between the two shop fronts of H.Cooke and Sons- Furniture Manufacturers.The Institute was a place where industry leaders, thinkers, experts and innovators could meet and share ideas and learn from each other.The building was built in1875 and the Cooke's business was liquidated in 1959.

After several uses,the building was renovated, with the award winning Signal Film and Media becoming the main tenant, but the Cooke’s name is still boldly displayed in one of the windows.

3195, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3195

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

Another ingenious, quite symmetrical, shop front display of a shopkeeper (not the real one hopefully) in bed - and his wife 'Handy Ann' standing by the side? There's a notice to let shoppers know the ‘establishment’ closed at 1pm every Thursday; the traditional 'half-day' closing for many retail businesses at the time. There are some cheeky references which soaps not to choose - because Lux was the best choice amongst a few others.

There's also an advertisement which urges people to use Sunlight Soap and 'finish work early.' A peek inside the shop reveals either a reflection of a lady or a picture?

3384, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3384

Jas. Nelson & Sons, Paxton Terrace, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

We tend to think of shops in the early twentieth century as being small, family run businesses, with perhaps two or three premises in one or two towns, but Nelson’s butchers were a national chain. In 1912 they had at least 10 branches in Barrow alone. Sankey photographed several of these. Nelson’s began opening shops in the mid-1880s, and was one of the first to develop the River Plate trade in Argentina. Nelson had started as a cattle salesman and in 1886 set up a freezing plant in Argentina. By 1900 they had over 400 branches, and by 1910 over 1,500.In time, other multinational meat-trading companies were set up in competition to locally owner butchers, and other national chains.

Union Cold Storage, owned by the Vestey family, acquired the subsidiaries of the Western United Investment Company in 1923. This included the British Argentine Meat Company, James Nelson & Sons, and Fletcher’s butchers’ shops. After the First World War, the Vestey family were the richest in the UK, after the Royal family. Vestey Brothers was the largest retailer of meat in the world by 1925, with a chain of 2,035 butchers’ shops in Britain. Most of their shops traded under the name “Dewhursts”.In 1980, a Sunday Times investigation revealed that in 1978, the Dewhurst chain paid £10 tax on a profit of more than £2.3m. The public was outraged.Vestey closed 600 of its 1,000 Dewhurst butchers shops in 1992, as it was adversely affected by the growth of the supermarkets. Dewhursts and Union Cold Storage entered into administration in 1995. Some 213 of the Dewhurst shops were saved by a management buyout.

REFERENCES

Links:https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=oDpBv9A9y7IC&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&dq=James+Nelson+%26+Sons,+Butchers&source=bl&ots=2nfaBhG4hK&sig=ACfU3U2GlVB3HdayciNu2kqB1TBfzIupAw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4l_-cpv_pAhVBUhUIHdkDDI0Q6AEwD3oECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=James%20Nelson%20%26%20Sons%2C%20Butchers&f=false(P187/9) https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=vD9dDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=James+Nelson+%26+Sons,+Butchers&source=bl&ots=OG8cYX6psj&sig=ACfU3U1EkZKz-eo6i0rNEMtl1eyyt6CyRA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj4l_-cpv_pAhVBUhUIHdkDDI0Q6AEwEHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=James%20Nelson%20%26%20Sons%2C%20Butchers&f=false (P114/5) http://letslookagain.com/2015/04/invested-a-history-of-vestey-brothers/

3399, Sankey Family Photographic Archive © Cumbria Archives

no.3399

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

Another imaginative display in the Cannon’s Brothers shop window. It is very carefully laid out in rows of bottles with, at the base of the display, five small pyramid shaped structures made with cubed boxes of tea. But there is a centre piece which seems to be in the shape of a person. The shopkeeper almost inviting us to look closely at what is on offer in the shop. And it’s all about Lipton’s tea!

no.3564

William's, Queen Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

A neat display in Williams’s corner shop window with the well dressed doll inviting shoppers to take a look. Go there for Birds custard, HP sauce - and then pan across the frame at the top of the window see the images of two young people - a boy and a girl - enjoying a cup of Rowntrees cocoa. The prices are displayed and almost centre is a large trophy.

no.3603

Benson's, Dalton Road, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

The shop owner has gone the extra mile with this window display advertising the 'Worlds Tonic', splitting the window in two and creating two clever constructions which resemble Egyptian “Nemes” - the striped headdresses often worn by Pharaohs. The left section proclaims health for all and the right section offers life in every drop.

no.3656

Simpson, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

The large message above the display in the shop window lets the onlooker know how to buy what is displayed. Obviously Simpson’s dealt in all things pertaining to Ford cars and the dog shaped vessel on the right could draw attention to the bicycle parts on show and ‘Britain's Best’ bicycle probably by Rudge-Whitworth. An interesting display and quite well set out.

no.3743

Window display for Vitafer, location unknown

Early 20th Century

A very graphic, clever Vitafer display in an unknown shop window. It was patriotictoo, as this display was during the First World War. The strength of national feeling is shown in one poster, which uses puns to imply the enemy was nothing more than 'germs'; John Bull, a 'personification' of Britain, stands with his dog at his side, ready to whip the enemy. Certainly attention grabbing. To the right is perhaps an athlete sitting upon a model of the earth.The Vitafer food remedy is advertised as the “greatest of all tonic foods” and is “all British”.

Lets hope only the “British” with brainfag, debility or weak nerves used the shop.

no.3783

Cannon Brothers, Barrow-in-Furness

Early 20th Century

This grocer’s shop displays a variety of goods for sale. Between the two Vim adverts is a depiction of a lifeguard and his float ring. Below this, a collection of various soaps and house-cleaning essentials are displayed. Most noticable are the two boards standing on either side of the window.They depict Britannia letting the shoppers know the secret of Britain's power - Cambrian Malt Vinegar!

no.3848

Scotch Wool and Hosiery Stores, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

After 1912

Here is a lavish display of all things woollen to wear and to knit for the coming winter. Lots of warm hosiery ready to buy. It is harder to tell what the white packets are on the right hand side of the display. Apparently this establishment is part of a network of 200 branches across the country.

no.7176

Hunter's Tea Store, Paxton Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1918

This tea store is adjacent to the Jas Nelson butchers on Paxton Street. There are large pieces of cured meat(hams?) hanging just below the shop’s name. On either side of the meat is a marvellous samovar. The six women standing in a line seem happy to be there. It’s hard to see the display behind them. I wonder if they actually served cups of tea inside the shop as well?

no.7831

Blanchard, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Circa 1920s

Blanchard's shop, at 78 Duke Street, became the second of the Sankey premises on Duke Street; after they moved from number 88 - and Blanchard sold up. The window displays are full of trinkets, cards, maps and books letting the shoppers know what an interesting collection could be found once they stepped inside. It seems a bit like a tourist shop, but Blanchard's was in fact a printer and producer of local photo-guides; in some they used images taken by the Sankeys.

The two external hanging lights look big enough to light up the display and the inside of the shop.

no.395

Frank Fairclough, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Mid 20th Century

This night time image of Fairclough’s frontage is much more interesting than the daytime image. It's almost futuristic - making the shop seem like it has just landed on Earth. The lighting in the shop shows the household appliances more clearly. A very modern looking store.

no.460

Frank Fairclough, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness

Mid 20th Century

This is the Fairclough shop that most people would have seen. They would come to peruse the household appliances which are lined up in the left window. This shop had all the latest appliances that people would like to have in their house. Displaying individual items to catch the attention seemed less important than creating the overall impression of a modern and trendy shop of the 1950’s. Nice bathroom set up in the other window though!