Industry | Retail |
---|---|
Founded | 1881 |
Founder | William Riddell and Henry Wilkinson |
Headquarters | Birmingham, England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Rackhams was a British department store that opened in Birmingham, England in 1881. The business became part of the Harrods group in 1955, before Harrods was purchased by House of Fraser in 1959. As part of the Harrods grouping in House of Fraser, during the 1970s the Rackhams name was selected to be used as the Midlands and parts of the North of England brand name and several stores were added to its portfolio. In 2000 the Rackhams name was retired and replaced by House of Fraser. [1]
This section needs to be updated.(August 2024) |
In 1851 a new retail drapery business was opened by a partnership formed by William Riddell and Henry Wilkinson at 78 Bull Street, Birmingham, which by 1863 had expanded to a wholesale business based in Temple Row. During 1861 two apprentices joined the company, John Rackham and William Matthews who by 1878 had become buyers for the company. In 1881 the retail store was transferred into Rackham and Matthews ownership and became Rackham & Co. [1]
The business was acquired in 1890 by a trader called Charles Richards. In 1898 Richards expanded the business into the North Western Arcade and within two years had added a Dressmaking department. During 1907 Richards daughter, Hettie married Frank Matthews, the son of former owner William Matthews and one of his workforce, and Matthews was made manager. [1]
The business was incorporated, along with Richards other business, Beehive a discount clothing warehouse, into Charles Richards Ltd in 1913, with Richards and his two daughters owning a third share. In 1914 the frontage on Bull Street was rebuilt and the store had expanded into Temple Row, as well as the Windsor and North Western Arcade. During 1921 Frank Matthew was replaced as manager by Richards nephew, Charles Phillips. [1] Under his management the store was vastly expanded in Temple Row.
In 1927 Maurice Clutterbuck took charge of the business, but it was struggling due to the economic climate and the store was made available for sale, though no bids were accepted during the 1930s. The business took a big hit during World War II when bombs destroyed a third of the store in 1940. [1]
The business however recovered and in 1955 was purchased by Harrods to add to their other stores, and purchased a site for a new store building which work started on in 1957. However, before the store could be completed, House of Fraser completed the purchase of Harrods and did a phased opening of the new store between 1960 and 1966. [1]
During the 1970s, Harrods group were selected to be the constitute grouping for Midlands House of Fraser stores, with the Rackham name being chosen to be the branding. The stores re-branded to Rackhams were:
In 1982 Rackhams Birmingham store became the first to be refurbished under the new plans of House of Fraser. The ground floor completed between 1984 & 85 was expanded at the cost of £6 million. [1] However the Sheffield store was rebranded in 1987 under the House of Fraser brand, and by 2000 all stores were rebranded under House of Fraser or had been closed.
To the rear of the Birmingham store was a red light district. As a result, going to the 'Back of Rackhams' became a euphemistic phrase used locally for any involvement in prostitution. [13]
The song Big Store by The Devils is set in Birmingham's Rackhams. [14]
Harrods is a British luxury department store located on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge, London, England. It is owned by Harrods Ltd, a company currently owned by the state of Qatar via its sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies, including Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air Harrods. Recognised as one of the world's leading department stores, it is visited by 15 million people per year.
House of Fraser and Frasers are a British department store chain with 25 locations across the United Kingdom and 2 in Ireland, part of Frasers Group. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891, it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century and in 1936 began a period of growth through acquisition which would continue for over forty years. House of Fraser Ltd was incorporated in 1941 and first listed on the London Stock Exchange six years later.
Arnotts was a department store in Glasgow, Scotland. It became part of the House of Fraser and one of their group brands, with the Arnotts brand then also being used by the company for department stores elsewhere in Scotland.
Beatties was a small British department store group located primarily in the Midlands of England. In 2005, when it had 12 stores, the group was acquired by House of Fraser. On 14 January 2006, the Birmingham store closed, because a similar House of Fraser store, Rackhams, was not far away. In August 2007, the Telford store was rebranded, along with the Solihull and Sutton Coldfield stores. The group gradually rebranded all its branches under the House of Fraser name. In January 2010 the Dudley branch was closed.
Owen Owen was a Liverpool-based operator of department stores in the United Kingdom and Canada. Beginning with a drapery shop in Liverpool, a chain of department stores was built up, often by taking over rival retailers. The company remained under Owen / Norman family control until the 1980s, and the brand ceased to be used in 2007.
John Walsh was a family-owned department store in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England.
Schofields was a department store that operated on the Headrow in Leeds, England, from 1901 to 1996. For much of the 20th century Schofields was regarded as being the pinnacle of shopping in Leeds city centre.
Army & Navy Stores was a department store group in the United Kingdom, which originated as a co-operative society for military officers and their families during the nineteenth century. The society became a limited liability company in the 1930s and purchased multiple independent department stores during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1973, the Army and Navy Stores group was acquired by House of Fraser. In 2005, the remaining Army & Navy stores were refurbished and re-branded under the House of Fraser nameplate. House of Fraser itself was acquired by Icelandic investment company, Baugur Group, in late 2006, and then by Sports Direct on the 10 August 2018.
Grafton Apparel Ltd. is a Canadian seller of men's apparel. Grafton Apparel Ltd. operates through its retail chains, Tip Top Tailors, George Richards Big and Tall, Mr. Big & Tall, and Kingsport Clothiers, which are located coast to coast in Canada. The company's leading competitor is Men's Wearhouse's Moores.
D H Evans was a department store located in Oxford Street, London, England, which later became part of House of Fraser. The store was rebranded as House of Fraser in 2001.
H. Binns, Son & Co. was a chain of department stores based in Sunderland, later purchased and absorbed by House of Fraser.
Chiesmans was a department store group based in Lewisham, London. The business was established in 1884 as a general draper, expanding to become the largest department store in south-east London and operator of a network of branches stretching from Essex to the Isle of Wight. The group was acquired by House of Fraser in 1976. The former Lewisham flagship store closed in 1997.
J J Allen was a small retail group that formed in 1860 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England.
Bobby & Co. was a provincial department store group based mainly in seaside towns on the south coast of England. The business operated from 1887 until 1972. During the 1920s it became part of the Drapery Trust, which in turn became a subsidiary of Debenhams.
E Dingle & Co was a department store chain with its flagship store in Plymouth, England. It is now part of House of Fraser group.
Brown Muff & Co, was a small chain of department stores based in Yorkshire, England, with its flagship store located in Bradford. It was purchased by House of Fraser in 1977.
Joseph Della Porta was a department store located in The Square, Shrewsbury.
William Harvey was a department store located in Guildford, Surrey, England.
Morgan Squire was a British department store based in several locations in the City of Leicester. The business was formed in 1846 as a drapery, before going onto be owned by House of Fraser and eventually being rebranded as Rackhams as per House of Fraser's grouping of business in the 1970s.