Talk:Plummer Roddis

Branches

Through searches on the internet and cross-referencing in Kelly's Directories I've discovered the names of some of the businesses that were renamed Plummer Roddis, as follows:

• Andover - W Percival Clark
• Bath - F Ealand
• Weymouth - Robert R Talbot
• Boscombe - R Tyrrell & Sons (a branch store of the larger Bournemouth business)
• Eastbourne - Sharmans (probably a branch store of the larger Brighton business. There was also a Sharmans in Streatham, with similar class of trade and purpose built art deco building though I haven't so far established a connection to Brighton and Eastbourne. The Eastbourne store became a large branch of C & H Fabrics after closure) AndrewSE19 (talk) 21:43, 13 April 2023 (UTC)

add them in and quote the Kelly's directories that show the old name and plummers at that address. I know it's original work, but this is a historical company that is a nightmare to find stuff about. I added RR Talbot in yesterday from a ref that confirms the purchase and change of name when I was working on the Drapery Trust, who incidently owned the business. Not sure when they purchased it, but it was in between 1925 and 1928 (date of Talbot purchase). As per ref I added to Debenhams page, by 1956 Plummers had 13 branches (the ref does not say where!). Got 4 more stores to find!Davidstewartharvey (talk) 11:38, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

I will endeavour to add information and references to the article when I can (I struggle to get my head round the actual process of adding references on wikipedia. I only have a mobile phone to work with at the moment which probably doesn't help)

Thanks so much for the encouragement.

Your work on these articles is excellent and very interesting. AndrewSE19 (talk) 13:15, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

If you struggle with the delights of ciding references just type . It is the simpliest way to add references and with the current bots loating around, if its wrong they will pick it up and rescue it.Davidstewartharvey (talk) 13:38, 14 April 2023 (UTC) Davidstewartharvey (talk) 13:38, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

Thanks David. Will do. You're a great help. AndrewSE19 (talk) 13:46, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

Lewes (C Morrish & Son at 186 High Street) and Southsea (yet to find any concrete information) are a possible 2 of the 13. AndrewSE19 (talk) 13:43, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

Possibly right about Morrish. Can see the following when you search in books = The Stock Exchange Official Year-book - Page 1548 - 1944 · ‎Snippet view · ‎More editions

Taylor's of Yeovil in 1941 , Percival Clarke in 1942 and C. Morrish & Son Ld . of Lewes in 1943 . Owns branches at Boscombe , Bournemouth , Brighton , Eastbourne , Folkestone , Hastings , Southampton , Weymouth Unfortunately you cant actually see the page properly when you click on it! Davidstewartharvey (talk) 14:53, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

Tell a lie! The above is Plummers found it by searching jnder Percival Clarke![1]Davidstewartharvey (talk) 14:57, 14 April 2023 (UTC)

Found all the stores - there was 4 stores at its creation as a limited company in 1896. Added to pageDavidstewartharvey (talk) 11:49, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Amazing work. I was wrong about Eastbourne being a branch store of Sharmans!

In this reference https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/heritage/9474239.plummers-department-store-the-pioneer-of-southampton-shopping/

it says there were 15 stores by the late 1930s. I don't know how true this is (it also says 'all along the south coast' which sums up the Plummer Roddis stores but isn't strictly correct) but if there were 15, possibly they were in Southsea and/or Southend. If you google search 'Plummer Roddis Southsea' and 'Plummer Roddis Southend' there is one result on each which links to facebook pages of former staff in each location. These are the only leads I've found though as yet. AndrewSE19 (talk) 15:24, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Not sure about Southend - being local! Southend had Keddies, Dixons, Thomson Bros., jr roberts, Brightwells and a couple of small drapers plus the Co-op (which didn't become a department store until the 60s). I tried looking before for Southsea but found only Handleys and Knight & Lee. Davidstewartharvey (talk) 15:48, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Well Southsea did exist in 1963 according to the periodical New Dawn on its breakdown of Debenhams.Davidstewartharvey (talk) 16:19, 16 April 2023 (UTC)

Research on British Newspaper Archive has uncovered a 'Southend' Plummer Roddis branch listed in a 'Debenhams' advert, Daily Mirror 15th September 1967

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000560/19670915/068/0010?browse=False AndrewSE19 (talk) 23:53, 4 May 2023 (UTC)

Found Southend branch in Leathergoods. Leathergoods vol.102 1967 [2] has it as High Street. Sarfend Forum said it was on the corner of Clifftown Rd, next to Mothercare, which could possibly be true as I found a very blurry but too small exert from The Estates Gazette volume 219 1971 [3] which looks to confirm this. Must have gone by 1977 as I don't ever remember it.Davidstewartharvey (talk) 16:43, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Update - still not found a picture of plummers on Southend, but here [4] is confirmation of the development stating Laing were building a building containing a department store, supermarket, 2 stores and offices. The closest pic I can find is the supermarket, but I cant find any confirmation of whom that was either![5] Davidstewartharvey (talk) 07:10, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

Finally found confirmation it was Garons who were the local chain grocer owned by Moores Stores, and that it was a joint project with BR snd Debenhams. Davidstewartharvey (talk) 18:30, 24 February 2024 (UTC)

References

Branches listed in November 1944

The Whitstable Times & Tankerton Press, 4th November 1944 Advert for William Lefevre, Canterbury- 'Gift Tokens may be exchanged at 62 stores'. There's a full list of the 62 stores. The 'Plummer Roddis' locations listed here are Andover, Bath, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Brighton, Eastbourne, Folkestone, Hailsham, Hastings, Lewes, Southampton, Tunbridge Wells, Weymouth, Winchester and Yeovil. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/BL/0000524/19441104/128/0006?browse=False AndrewSE19 (talk) 00:11, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Southsea branch advertisement 1958

Found an advert for Plummer Roddis, Palmerston Road, Southsea 'Shoe Salon on 2nd Floor'. Evening News, 17/2/58 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000290/19580217/199/0006 AndrewSE19 (talk) 00:21, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Bognor Regis Observer, 29th March 1956

Article 'New Store Opened'

describes the new Plummer Roddis at Palmerston Road, Southsea opened on Wednesday 28th March 1956. There is a list of the departments already opened and those due to open in July together with a restaurant.

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001922/19560329/208/0009 AndrewSE19 (talk) 01:01, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Thats great. With the road, found it in Leathergoods Vol 80 1956 [6] which has it at 84-90, which is now the Lord Palmerston pub. Weird that they opened a store a few doors from Handleys which was also Drapery Trust/Debenhams!Davidstewartharvey (talk) 16:11, 5 May 2023 (UTC)

Excellent stuff. 84-90! The Wetherspoon site says it was previously W & H Stevenson. I've looked at the Kelly's Directory for Hampshire, 1911 and it confirms it- 'William and Mrs Helen Stevenson & Co.'.

I wonder whether this business or at least their premises were acquired by Drapery Trust / Debenhams for use by Handleys after their store was bombed in 1941? The new Handleys building was completed in May 1955 and Plummer Roddis Southsea opened in March 1956. AndrewSE19 (talk) 19:28, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

If you look at Google Maps street view it is a Victorian or Edwardian building, so although it was a new Plummers store it was not a new building. Based on experiences elsewhere, a lot of smaller companies struggled during the war and were bought up by larger firms. I will look up Stevensons now and see if tgere was a link.Davidstewartharvey (talk) 06:37, 7 May 2023 (UTC)

Definitely Victorian 1892 it was built for Stevensons [7].Davidstewartharvey (talk) 06:40, 7 May 2023 (UTC)