List of branches and rules to be observed ... : W. H. Smith & Son, Ltd. : London : 1953
A £2 bargain in a weekend flea market - the 1953 List of Branches of W. H. Smith's and the Rules to be observed by managers and staffs of the bookshops and bookstalls. It is a really useful snapshot showing the branches, bookshops and bookstalls, such as at railway stations, operated by this famous chain of newsagents and booksellers.
The branches are sub-divided into "A" Houses, overseas shops, shops with tea rooms, shops with printing works, branches at hotels and clubs, and sub-branches that included many of the station platform kiosks. The 'Rules' are suitably of their age; a huge emphasis on not disseminating Libel and all staff being required to give three months notice of the intention to marry!
Some of the "A" shops still traded under their valuable local name, such as Sherratt & Hughes in Manchester, and only four stores had tea rooms. Two were in England; the odd choices of Bournemouth and Darlington, the other two being two of the 'abroad' shops at Brussels and Paris (their third 'overseas' shop was in Toronto). It's interesting to see the mostly London locations that had branches attached to hotels, clubs, flats and office buildings. As for stations even some London Underground stations had integral Smith's branches at the time.
List of branches and rules to be observed ... : W. H. Smith & Son, Ltd. : London : 1953
A £2 bargain in a weekend flea market - the 1953 List of Branches of W. H. Smith's and the Rules to be observed by managers and staffs of the bookshops and bookstalls. It is a really useful snapshot showing the branches, bookshops and bookstalls, such as at railway stations, operated by this famous chain of newsagents and booksellers.
The branches are sub-divided into "A" Houses, overseas shops, shops with tea rooms, shops with printing works, branches at hotels and clubs, and sub-branches that included many of the station platform kiosks. The 'Rules' are suitably of their age; a huge emphasis on not disseminating Libel and all staff being required to give three months notice of the intention to marry!
Some of the "A" shops still traded under their valuable local name, such as Sherratt & Hughes in Manchester, and only four stores had tea rooms. Two were in England; the odd choices of Bournemouth and Darlington, the other two being two of the 'abroad' shops at Brussels and Paris (their third 'overseas' shop was in Toronto). It's interesting to see the mostly London locations that had branches attached to hotels, clubs, flats and office buildings. As for stations even some London Underground stations had integral Smith's branches at the time.