End of an era

FOUNDED in 1859 by the late Richard Whitehead -- who came to Bolton from Heywood that same year -- Whiteheads started life as a small fur shop at 10, Deansgate.

It even had living quarters in the basement! Not bad for an annual rent of £80.

When Whiteheads first opened, the centre of Bolton looked very different from today.

The Yeomanry were stabled between Crown Street and Bank Street and cattle were sold on the open market between Mealhouse Lane (former site of the Bolton Evening News) and Market Street.

Lancashire was suffering from one of the worst slumps of its history -- owning to a shortage of cotton -- yet Mr Whitehead's vision of a family store were to be proven well justified.

In 1898, he was joined in business by his son, William, and his appearance came at the same time as expansion for the store which acquired shop numbers six, eight and 10. In 1909 a new building was erected and in 1912, number four, Deansgate was purchased by Prestons and this is the famous double-fronted landmark we know so well today.

A Third Generation

IN 1921, Geoffrey Whitehead, grandson of the founder, joined the firm. After the First World War he trained in the fur trade and spent time at Selfridges on London's Oxford Street before returning to Bolton and the family store.

He and his wife had a son, Gordon, who was 19 in 1921 and due to also train in the fur trade before joining the firm. Gordon represented the fourth generation of the Whitehead family.

The Early Days

RICHARD Whitehead brought furriers from Manchester and London to open his Bolton workroom and he bought many of skins in their original parcels and shipped them over. At the turn of the century he had customers in 19 countries.

The mantle department was introduced in 1881 and before the end of the 19th century, the dressmaking department had also become firmly established.

In 1897 all the ladies costumes worn by members of the Bolton Operatic Society's performance of The Mikado were made by Whiteheads. Founder, Richard Whitehead retired from the business in 1913 and died two years later at the age of 82, leaving four sons -- William, Arthur, Fred and Frank.

No Wine for Whiteheads

IN the July 1962 Whiteheads had planned to introduce an in-store wine department where they planned to offer 495 "exotic" items of wines and spirits. But magistrates turned down the application ruling that "present needs were adequately catered for".

At the time the store had carried out market research among its customers and more than 300 had said "yes" to the idea. In 1962 the store had 35 departments and nearly 1,000 account customers.

Food for Thought

IN September 1965, a 29-year-old Gordon Whitehead -- who had been managing director for 16 months along with Geoffrey as chairman -- opened a new rooftop restaurant in the store.

The restaurant was the first in-store one in any department store in Bolton and boasted its own cloakroom and reception foyer.

These changed over the years but the restaurant remained as popular as ever with shoppers.

In 1962 the restaurant was extremely child friendly, offering high chairs and infant milk foods. It also catered for the "calorie conscious" with a range of cream cheese salads, brown bread, vegetables and fruit.

And the kitchen was staffed almost entirely by "housewives used to looking after their family's needs rather than experience cooks with pre-conceived ideas".000 During the same year the hairdressing salon opened, along with a special powder room for clients' use.

By now Whiteheads boasted china, gifts and bedding on the second floor, a linens department and also a Polyfoto Studio.

The first floor housed ladies' fashions including Jaeger and "Team Ups" -- matching "colourful skirts and sweaters with individual styling".

There was also a Pattern Bar on the ground floor and a planned fabric department. Also on this floor were greetings cards, shoes and hosiery and fashion accessories.

Down in the basement, the old living room had gone making way for electrical goods, hardware and kitchen items.

Sadness Hits the Store

IN August 1986 staff at the store were shocked to learn of the death of 50-year-old Gordon Whitehead who had died suddenly at his Heaton home.

His wife, Margaret, assured the store's loyal customers: "The Bolton store will carry on as it has done . . . it will continue as a family business as will Musgroves of Kendal (the family's other store)."

Gordon Whitehead left three sons Richard, Stephen and David.

Four years later another member of this famous Bolton family passed away. This time it was 90-year-old Geoffrey Whitehead who died at his home near Barmouth, Wales. He left a wife, Ida and five grandchildren.

The Next Generation

IN December 1987 two young men, representing the fifth generation of Whiteheads, joined the board of the Bolton store. Richard Whitehead, then 25 and eldest son of Margaret and the late Gordon Whitehead and his brother, Stephen, then 23, both officially joined the family firm.

They were both great, great grandsons of the store's founder, Richard Whitehead.

Their mother, Margaret continued to work as managing director of the store.

"Taylor"-made for Bolton

IN March 1990, VIPs, customers and staff joined in the celebrations to mark the official launch of JR Taylor-Whiteheads.

This was a new chapter in the Whiteheads' 131-year saga when JR Taylor of St Annes, Musgroves of Kendal and Whiteheads of Bolton all began trading under the JR Taylor name. It was stressed at the time, however, that the Bolton store would keep its own "intrinsic character". In recent years the store reverted back to the name of simply Whiteheads.

The Later Years

WHITEHEADS continued to move with the times and opened a new men's department in October 1994.

The cosmetics department was going strong and the popular restaurant was still as busy as the day it opened in 1965.

Sadly all this will soon be no more.

From that day in 1859 when Richard Whitehead had a vision, the store has been something of a landmark in Bolton town centre.

The late Richard and his family will be sadly missed.