Jarrold's History - 1920s-1930s

• British Broadcasting Corporation is formed • Black Thursday starts the collapse of the US Stock Market • Maddermarket Theatre founded by Nugent Monck and Norwich Players

Jarrold rebuilds store after the war

(Above left and right) The interwar period saw the rebuilding of the Norwich store with the addition of the first restaurant, as well as the opening of a further branch in Cambridge.

Leading Norwich architect George Skipper, who had designed the London Street building in 1903, remodelled the frontage of the Exchange Street/London Street corner in 1923. Skipper was behind other city landmarks including the Royal Arcade and Norwich Union Marble Hall (right).

(Left) A gift catalogue produced in the 1920s featured handbags priced upwards of 3s 11d. Jarrold designed its own leather purse which was exhibited at Crystal Palace and offered as a gift to Queen Mary.

(Above) To celebrate 100 years of trading in Norwich, Jarrold demonstrated just how far they had come by displaying a model of the humble Woodbridge store in front of the grand London Street premises.

(Below left) The ultimate home with a view! Jarrolds' caretaker Arthur James Dunham, known as Joe, lived on the roof of the London Street store, where he created a beautiful garden with fish pond and rose garden. Joe, who is pictured here holding keys to the store, lived with his wife Emily and daughters Winifred and Olive (pictured).

(Left) This illustrated newspaper advertisement shows the opening of the Jarrold Arcade, the name of the store's ornate entrance on Exchange Street, the remnants of which can still be seen today.

(Above right) Customers viewed an egg-grading machine in operation at this Easter display by the Marketing Board in about 1928. The National Egg Mark scheme launched at this time was the first organised attempt to provide the market with reliably-graded, high quality, home-produced eggs.

1930's

• Edward VIII marries Wallis Simpson • Start of the Second World War • Norwich Theatre Royal burns down

 

The Jarrold stationery department in the 1930s

(Above) In an era of letter writing, Jarrolds' stationery department was well stocked. Jarrold manufactured stationery on a large scale for the forces during the war.

Value was the watch-word in the 1930s

(Above) Value was the watch-word in 1932 when Jarrolds advertised discounted offers to attract shoppers to the home exhibition, such as "perfume at a ridiculous price".

(Above) Jarrolds' "Home Needs Exhibition" in 1937 demonstrated "laboursaving ideas that lighten the small irksome jobs", including a non-electric suction sweeper.

Jarrold's 1930 catalogue cover (left) In 1931 a House Rules booklet was published, detailing the regulations that retail staff were required to obey.

Illustrated covers of catalogues from the 1930s reflect the style of the era (left and below).

In 1937 John Jarrold became chairman upon the death of his father, Herbert Jarrold.

Continue to 1940s-1950s >

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