Rackhams

Last updated
Rackhams
Industry Retail
Founded1881;143 years ago (1881)
FounderWilliam Riddell and Henry Wilkinson
HeadquartersBirmingham, 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 except for the Skipton and Altrincham stores. [1]

Contents

Rackhams (Leicester) Rackhams.jpg
Rackhams (Leicester)

History

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]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrods</span> British department store chain

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debenhams</span> Defunct British department store chain, 1778–2021

Debenhams plc was a British department store chain operating in the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Republic of Ireland, and is still operating as a franchise in seven Middle East countries. It was founded in 1778 as a single store in London and grew to 178 locations across those countries, also owning the Danish department store chain Magasin du Nord. In its final years, its headquarters were within the premises of its flagship store in Oxford Street, London. The range of goods sold included middle-to-high-end clothing, beauty, household items, and furniture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenners</span> Well established department store in Edinburgh, Scotland

Jenners was a well-established department store in Edinburgh, Scotland, situated on Princes Street. It was Scotland's oldest independent department store until the retail business was acquired by House of Fraser in 2005. It closed in December 2020 and was vacated by House of Fraser in May 2021. The building is currently undergoing restoration to be repurposed as a hotel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Fraser</span> British department store group

House of Fraser and Frasers are a British department store chain with 29 locations across the United Kingdom, 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 after the Second World War a large number of acquisitions transformed the company into a national chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnotts (Scotland)</span> Former department store in Scotland

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beatties</span> Former British department store chain

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.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D H Evans</span> Former department store in London

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binns (department store)</span> Former department store chain

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.

E Dingle & Co was a department store chain with its flagship store in Plymouth, England. It is now part of House of Fraser group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brown Muff</span> Former department store chain

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.

J F Rockhey was a department store located in Torquay, Devon with a further smaller branch in Newton Abbot.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Rackhams Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  2. "Brown Muff & Co Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  3. "Plans revealed for former House of Fraser site in Altrincham - Manchester Evening News". 24 April 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  4. "Remembering Bradford's department stores of the past. - The Telegraph & Argus". 9 December 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  5. "NOSTALGIA: When Brown, Muff's was given an enthusiastic welcome to Skipton High Street - Craven Herald & Pioneer". 18 November 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  6. 1 2 "Army & Navy Stores Ltd Army & Navy Co-operative Society Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  7. "Fallback plan for Leamington branch of House of Fraser gets green light - The Leamington Spa Courier". 13 May 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  8. "Joseph Della Porta & Son - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  9. "From Della Porta to Rackhams to House of Fraser: Store closures mark end of an era - The Shropshire Star". 8 June 2018. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  10. "JJ Allen Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  11. "City centre street boasted a rich variety of shops in the 1980s - Leicester Mercury". 11 March 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  12. "John Walsh Ltd - House of Fraser Archive - University of Glasgow Archives" . Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  13. "50 top Birmingham and Black Country sayings". 14 July 2017.
  14. "I've heard a thousand words" (PDF). aztecmoon.free.fr. Retrieved 12 September 2023.