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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| name = Home and Colonial Stores
| name = Home and Colonial Stores
| logo = [[File:Home & Colonial Logo.jpg|200px]]
| logo = Home & Colonial Logo.jpg
| logo_size = 200px
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| type = [[Private company|Private]]
| caption =
| caption =
| fate = Name Change / Acquisition
| fate = Name change/acquisition
| successor = Allied Suppliers / Cavenham Foods
| predecessor =
| successor = Allied Suppliers / [[Cavenham Foods]]
| foundation = 1883
| foundation = 1883
| defunct = 1961 / 1972
| defunct = 1961 / 1972
| location = [[London]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]
| location = [[London]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]
| industry = [[Retail]]
| industry = [[Retail]]
| key_people = [[Julius Drewe]] (Founder) [[Lancelot Royle]] (Chairman & CEO)
| key_people = [[Julius Drewe]] (founder); [[Lancelot Royle|Sir Lancelot Royle]] (Chairman and CEO)
| products =
| products =
| num_employees =
| num_employees =
Line 16: Line 19:
| subsid =
| subsid =
}}
}}
'''Home & Colonial Stores''' was once one of the [[United Kingdom]]'s largest retail chains. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.
'''Home and Colonial Stores''' was once one of the [[United Kingdom]]'s largest [[Chain store|retail chains]]. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.


==History==
==History==
[[File:Home and Colonial Stores May 10, 1910.jpg|thumb|left|Shop assistants outside the Home and Colonial Stores on Broad Street, [[Waterford]], May 1910]]
[[File:Home and Colonial Stores May 10, 1910.jpg|thumb|left|Shop assistants outside the Home and Colonial Stores on Broad Street, [[Waterford]], May 1910]]
The business was founded by [[Julius Drewe]] who in 1883 went into partnership with John Musker selling [[groceries]] at a small shop in Edgware Road in [[London]].<ref name=odnb>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/46889 Julius Drewe at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]</ref> He subsequently opened stores in [[Islington]], [[Birmingham]] and [[Leeds]].<ref name=odnb/> The shops mainly sold [[tea]]<ref name=odnb/> and by 1885 they were trading as the ''Home & Colonial Tea Association''.<ref name=odnb/>
The business was founded by [[Julius Drewe]] (1856–1931), who went into partnership with John Musker in 1883, selling [[groceries]] at a small [[colonial goods store]] in [[Edgware Road]] in London.<ref name=odnb>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/46889 Julius Drewe at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]</ref> He subsequently opened stores in [[Islington]], [[Birmingham]] and [[Leeds]].<ref name=odnb/> The shops mainly sold [[tea]];<ref name=odnb/> by 1885 they were trading as the 'Home & Colonial Tea Association'.<ref name=odnb/>


William Slaughter took over the [[Chairmanship]] of the business on incorporation in 1888.<ref name=odnb/> By the turn of the century the Company had over 100 stores<ref>[http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/server.php?show=conObject.5918 20th Century London Posters]</ref> and by 1903 it had 500.<ref name=odnb/>
On the incorporation of the business in 1888, William Slaughter took over as [[chairman]].<ref name=odnb/> By the turn of the century the company had over 100 stores;<ref>[http://www.20thcenturylondon.org.uk/server.php?show=conObject.5918 20th Century London Posters]</ref> by 1903, it had 500.<ref name=odnb/>


In 1924 Home and Colonial bought the share capital of Maypole Dairies of [[Wolverhampton]] from the Watson family.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/maypole/maypole01.htm |publisher=Wolverhampton History & Heritage |last= Clare|first= David |title=Maypole Dairies|accessdate= 29 July 2014}}</ref> Between 1924 and 1931, several stores, including [[Lipton#History|Liptons]] merged with Home & Colonial to form a company with over 3,000 branches.<ref>Supermarkets; a report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom. Volume 2, page 8, The Competition Commission, October 2000</ref> Within this period of rapid change, Home & Colonial formed Allied Suppliers to act as a buyer on behalf of the whole group.<ref>''Home & Colonial Stores'', The Times, March 8, P.19, 1930</ref>
Home and Colonial bought the share capital of Maypole Dairies of [[Wolverhampton]] from the Watson family in 1924.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historywebsite.co.uk/articles/maypole/maypole01.htm |publisher=Wolverhampton History & Heritage |last= Clare|first= David |title=Maypole Dairies|accessdate= 29 July 2014}}</ref> Between 1924 and 1931, several stores, including [[Lipton#History|Liptons]], merged with Home and Colonial to form a company with over 3,000 branches.<ref>Supermarkets; a report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom. Volume 2, page 8, The Competition Commission, October 2000</ref> Within this period of rapid change, Home and Colonial formed Allied Suppliers to act as a buyer on behalf of the whole group.<ref>''Home & Colonial Stores'', The Times, 8 March, P.19, 1930</ref>


From 1948 until 1964 the group Chairman and CEO was Sir [[Lancelot Royle]] KBE. He had joined the group in 1928. By 1955 the company was ranked 27th largest in UK.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=GjizSWVbIiIC&pg=PA428&dq=%22ivan+Stedeford%22&lr=&as_brr=3&ei=RbjgSpyCOIWCyATk3OigBw#v=onepage&q=%22ivan%20Stedeford%22&f=false ''Rise of Big Business'']</ref>
From 1948 until 1964, the group Chairman and CEO was [[Lancelot Royle|Sir Lancelot Royle]], [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire|KBE]]. He had joined the group in 1928. By 1955, the company was ranked 27th-largest in UK.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GjizSWVbIiIC&dq=%22ivan+Stedeford%22&pg=PA428 |title=Rise of Big Business|first=Barry|last= Supple
|publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing|year= 1992|isbn=978-1852785710}}</ref>


By 1960, Home & Colonial Stores Ltd was still a major force in the UK food industry. With retail operations in the UK and abroad and factories in the UK, it was able to report a 10% rise in profits to £4,033,057.<ref>The Times, ''The Home & Colonial Stores Ltd'', May 11, 1960</ref>
By 1960, Home & Colonial Stores Ltd was still a major force in the UK food industry. With retail operations in the UK and abroad and factories in the UK, it was able to report a 10% rise in profits to £4,033,057.<ref>The Times, ''The Home & Colonial Stores Ltd'', 11 May 1960</ref>


By 1961, reflecting the end of the [[British Empire]], the group had restyled itself under the name of the company it created in 1929, Allied Suppliers. Early in 1972, Allied was acquired by [[Cavenham Foods]], formed six years previously by British entrepreneur [[James Goldsmith]]. [[Melia's Grocers and Tea Dealers]], another popular grocery chain at the time, was forced to amalgamate with the Home and Colonial company due to competition from larger national supermarkets.<ref>Practical grocer: a manual and guide for the grocer, the provision merchant and allied trades, Volume 1, W.H.Simmonds</ref> In 1979 the business purchased the South East-based supermarket chain Cater Brothers from [[Debenhams]] and converted the stores into their [[Presto (UK Supermarket)|Prestos]] brand.
By 1961, reflecting the end of the [[British Empire]], the group had restyled itself under the name of the company it created in 1929, Allied Suppliers. Early in 1972, Allied was acquired by [[Cavenham Foods]], formed eight years previously by British tycoon [[James Goldsmith]]. The business purchased the South East-based supermarket chain [[Cater Brothers]] from [[Debenhams]] in 1979, and converted the stores into its [[Presto (UK Supermarket)|Presto]] brand.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Waters|first1=David|title=Cater Brothers - A Story of a Supermarket|url=http://www.ferdinando.org.uk/cater_brothers.htm|accessdate=22 April 2015|ref=waters}}</ref>


By 1981, Allied had a turnover of £800m.<ref>"Gulliver and his Expansive Travels", ''The Times'', 6 July 1982, p21</ref> In the following year Allied was acquired by [[James Gerald Gulliver|James Gulliver]]'s [[Argyll Foods]] and five years later Argyll merged with [[Safeway (UK)|Safeway UK]].
By 1981, Allied had a turnover of £800&nbsp;million.<ref>"Gulliver and his Expansive Travels", ''The Times'', 6 July 1982, p21</ref> In the following year it was acquired by [[James Gulliver]]'s [[Argyll Foods]]; five years later Argyll merged with [[Safeway (UK)|Safeway UK]].<ref>Geoffrey Owen [http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%20-%20Background%20paper%20by%20Geoffrey%20Owen.pdf Corporate Strategy in UK Food Retailing 1980-2002''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080627171320/http://cep.lse.ac.uk/seminarpapers/24-05-04%2B-%2BBackground%2Bpaper%2Bby%2BGeoffrey%2BOwen.pdf |date=27 June 2008}}, p.8</ref>


==In literature==
==In literature==
⚫
Home and Colonial was one of three stores immortalised in a verse in [[John Betjeman|John Betjeman's]] poem "Myfanwy":<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.johnbetjeman.com/poetry.html|title=Myfanwy|publisher=John Betjeman.com|accessdate=14 October 2017}}</ref>

⚫
Home and Colonial was one of three stores immortalised in a verse in [[John Betjeman|John Betjeman's]] poem "Myfanwy":


<blockquote>
<blockquote>
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</blockquote>
</blockquote>


In [[Dorothy Sayers]]' "[[Busman's Honeymoon]]" (1935), the "Home and Colonial" network is mentioned as maintaining a branch also at the small Herefordshire village where the book's plot is set - indicating its wide reach at the time of writing. A local woman tells [[Lord Peter Wimsey]] and his servant Bunter that groceries sold at the "Home and Colonial" are "better and half a penny cheaper" than those provided by the village's unaffilated grocer.
In [[Dorothy L. Sayers]]' novel ''[[Busman's Honeymoon]]'' (1937), the Home and Colonial network is mentioned as operating in the small Hertfordshire village where the book's plot is set, indicating its wide reach at the time of writing. A local woman tells [[Lord Peter Wimsey]]'s servant [[Mervyn Bunter|Bunter]] that groceries sold by the "Ome & Colonial" are better and cheaper than those provided by the village grocer. This seems to refer to a delivery van rather than a local branch, since another local says that the Home and Colonial "don't get here till past eleven," and Bunter later says he "succeeded in intercepting the Home & Colonial" to purchase something.<ref>[[Dorothy L. Sayers|Sayers, Dorothy]] (1935) ''[[Busman's Honeymoon]]'', Gollancz Services</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


[[Category:Companies established in 1883]]
[[Category:Retail companies established in 1883]]
[[Category:Supermarkets of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Supermarkets of the United Kingdom]]

Revision as of 02:11, 28 December 2023

Home and Colonial Stores
Company typePrivate
IndustrieEinzelhandel
Gegründet1883
Defunct1961 / 1972
FateName change/acquisition
SuccessorAllied Suppliers / Cavenham Foods
HauptsitzLondon, UK
Key people
Julius Drewe (founder); Sir Lancelot Royle (Chairman and CEO)

Home and Colonial Stores was once one of the United Kingdom's largest retail chains. Its formation of a vast chain of retail stores in the late 1920s is seen as the first step in the development of a UK food retail market dominated by a small number of food multiples.

History

Shop assistants outside the Home and Colonial Stores on Broad Street, Waterford, May 1910

The business was founded by Julius Drewe (1856–1931), who went into partnership with John Musker in 1883, selling groceries at a small colonial goods store in Edgware Road in London.[1] He subsequently opened stores in Islington, Birmingham and Leeds.[1] The shops mainly sold tea;[1] by 1885 they were trading as the 'Home & Colonial Tea Association'.[1]

On the incorporation of the business in 1888, William Slaughter took over as chairman.[1] By the turn of the century the company had over 100 stores;[2] by 1903, it had 500.[1]

Home and Colonial bought the share capital of Maypole Dairies of Wolverhampton from the Watson family in 1924.[3] Between 1924 and 1931, several stores, including Liptons, merged with Home and Colonial to form a company with over 3,000 branches.[4] Within this period of rapid change, Home and Colonial formed Allied Suppliers to act as a buyer on behalf of the whole group.[5]

From 1948 until 1964, the group Chairman and CEO was Sir Lancelot Royle, KBE. He had joined the group in 1928. By 1955, the company was ranked 27th-largest in UK.[6]

By 1960, Home & Colonial Stores Ltd was still a major force in the UK food industry. With retail operations in the UK and abroad and factories in the UK, it was able to report a 10% rise in profits to £4,033,057.[7]

By 1961, reflecting the end of the British Empire, the group had restyled itself under the name of the company it created in 1929, Allied Suppliers. Early in 1972, Allied was acquired by Cavenham Foods, formed eight years previously by British tycoon James Goldsmith. The business purchased the South East-based supermarket chain Cater Brothers from Debenhams in 1979, and converted the stores into its Presto brand.[8]

By 1981, Allied had a turnover of £800 million.[9] In the following year it was acquired by James Gulliver's Argyll Foods; five years later Argyll merged with Safeway UK.[10]

In literature

Home and Colonial was one of three stores immortalised in a verse in John Betjeman's poem "Myfanwy":[11]

Smooth down the Avenue glitters the bicycle,
Black-stockinged legs under navy blue serge,
Home and Colonial, Star, International,
Balancing bicycle leant on the verge.

In Dorothy L. Sayers' novel Busman's Honeymoon (1937), the Home and Colonial network is mentioned as operating in the small Hertfordshire village where the book's plot is set, indicating its wide reach at the time of writing. A local woman tells Lord Peter Wimsey's servant Bunter that groceries sold by the "Ome & Colonial" are better and cheaper than those provided by the village grocer. This seems to refer to a delivery van rather than a local branch, since another local says that the Home and Colonial "don't get here till past eleven," and Bunter later says he "succeeded in intercepting the Home & Colonial" to purchase something.[12]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Julius Drewe at Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
  2. ^ 20th Century London Posters
  3. ^ Clare, David. "Maypole Dairies". Wolverhampton History & Heritage. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  4. ^ Supermarkets; a report on the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom. Volume 2, page 8, The Competition Commission, October 2000
  5. ^ Home & Colonial Stores, The Times, 8 March, P.19, 1930
  6. ^ Supple, Barry (1992). Rise of Big Business. Edward Elgar Publishing. ISBN 978-1852785710.
  7. ^ The Times, The Home & Colonial Stores Ltd, 11 May 1960
  8. ^ Waters, David. "Cater Brothers - A Story of a Supermarket". Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  9. ^ "Gulliver and his Expansive Travels", The Times, 6 July 1982, p21
  10. ^ Geoffrey Owen Corporate Strategy in UK Food Retailing 1980-2002 Archived 27 June 2008 at the Wayback Machine, p.8
  11. ^ "Myfanwy". John Betjeman.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  12. ^ Sayers, Dorothy (1935) Busman's Honeymoon, Gollancz Services
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