The Silk Shop: the War Years 1939-1945

House notes for the Silk Shop, Edinburgh from a Gazette of 1946

The John Lewis Partnership suffered like many other businesses did during the war, with the destruction of three stores, loss of staff to active service and constant shortages of materials. But it continued to purchase more stores. In 1943 the opportunity arose to purchase the Silk Shops of Newcastle and Edinburgh, on the retirement of Mr W. Brearely.

Turnover at Silk Shop Newcastle had doubled according to the 1943 Gazette, and turnover at the Edinburgh Silk Shop remained level. The general level of trade, noted the Gazette ‘is not very different from what we are accustomed to at Oxford Street’.

Royal visitors

The specialist nature of the Silk Shop made it highly popular in the local area. It was this aspect that had made the store a very attractive proposition for the Partnership, and they were determined to build on this in the coming years. The shop received royal visits from Their Majesties and Princess Elizabeth, as well as Winston Churchill on his victory tour.

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