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Marshall & Snelgrove

I never went into the store. I can see it was certainly a class above all the other departmental stores. What style and class it must have had - just look at this wonderful 3 guinea gown advertised in The Tatler. They were the second store to open a Dior boutique in England

Also attaching a few snippets of history. Previously it was Warwick House departmental store and before that Holliday Son & Co.

Presumably “Twenties” was a boutique (?) - the name suggests a move perhaps to appeal to the younger generation.

Viv
View attachment 176465View attachment 176468View attachment 176464View attachment 176466View attachment 176467Source: British Newspaper Archive
Thankyou for the newspaper cuttings.very interesting.
 
Yes,that was the main part of the job,although we did make clothes as well.The workroom was divided into sections,tailoring,millinery,casual wear ,that covered sports wear and cruise wear.I worked in the model gowns section,so was fortunate enough to work on beautiful ball gowns and wedding dresses.I remember the Dior department and often worked on some of his creations.They really were works of art.I still have some of the metal Christian Dior disks that used to be sewn inside the garment.Fashion then was very formal,but extremely elegant and well made.Even working class girls wore suits or dresses most of the time.Todays casual style didn’t exist then.
I didn’t expect that there would be clothes made in the workshop. Were Marshall & Snelgrove designing their own range of clothes? I think about 1957 my mother was just having an electric motor fitted to her old Singer sewing machine at home.
 
Judging by the recruitment of staff in this advert they recruited many staff in all aspects of making and altering clothes as Audrie mentions. This was prior to Audrie’s employment, but gives an idea of the staff they needed: milliners, tailors, tailoresses, dressmakers and alterations hands. So a strong skilled workforce doing much more than alteration work. Must have been a fascinating place to work (well to me). I expect as more customers moved towards ‘off the peg’ items, the need for a full tailoring and dressmaking service must have declined.

I also wondered if they hand-made wedding dresses. I can imagine brides being very proud to say they had their wedding dress exclusively made at Marshall and Snelgrove.

In time off-the-peg clothes must have really taken hold as ‘a shop within a shop’ enterprises became common, like the Cresta shop within Marshall and Snelgrove - advert below. By the 1960s they had their own fitters and alteration hands.

Eventually these in house shops must have effectively turned departmental stores into conglomerates of concession stores, like Rackhams and Harrod’s stores. But even they have struggled to survive, very few still exist.
Viv.
C9B68B3B-6DDD-423B-AB22-27467C6CBFE9.jpegE6960539-A97A-44C0-A317-78D90FD7775D.jpeg84A04121-F09B-442D-82EE-73917E364C96.jpegSource: British Newspaper Archive
 
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The manager of Marshall and Snelgove in the 60s lived in Penns Court, Walmley. He would catch the 114 bus to and from town in his suit and bowler hat, a dashing figure. He must have had the shortest days walk of any Birmingham commuter as the bus stop was outside his flat and the 114 bus terminus was virtually outside the shop.
 
Judging by the recruitment of staff in this advert they recruited many staff in all aspects of making and altering clothes as Audrie mentions. This was prior to Audrie’s employment, but gives an idea of the staff they needed: milliners, tailors, tailoresses, dressmakers and alterations hands. So a strong skilled workforce doing much more than alteration work. Must have been a fascinating place to work (well to me). I expect as more customers moved towards ‘off the peg’ items, the need for a full tailoring and dressmaking service must have declined.

I also wondered if they hand-made wedding dresses. I can imagine brides being very proud to say they had their wedding dress exclusively made at Marshall and Snelgrove.

In time off-the-peg clothes must have really taken hold as ‘a shop within a shop’ enterprises became common, like the Cresta shop within Marshall and Snelgrove - advert below. By the 1960s they had their own fitters and alteration hands.

Eventually these in house shops must have effectively turned departmental stores into conglomerates of concession stores, like Rackhams and Harrod’s stores. But even they have struggled to survive, very few still exist.
 
We only made to order,known as bespoke.Exclusive to the customer.Yes we made wedding dresses.The head fitter would make the pattern and cut it out.We were never allowed to do this,but once cut out,several of us would get it ready for a first fitting.The bride would come and try it on and then any necessary adjustments could be made before the final fitting.All seam finishing and hems were done by hand.There were no overlockers in our department.We never saw any of the brides only the senior fitter was allowed to do that ! Although,one Saturday morning,there was a frantic phone call to say that a zip had broken on a wedding dress as the bride was getting ready.With little time to spare,a taxi was called and the junior fitter was sent to sew the bride into her dress ! It certainly was a very glamorous shop and having learnt my trade there has held me in good stead over the years.When I started my own little business when I was newly married,the name Marshall and Snelgrove went a long way with my clients.One even rang them to make sure I was proficient enough to do her alterations!
 
Lovely memories Audrie. Really brings the workings of the store to life. Thank you.

Viv.
 
We only made to order,known as bespoke.Exclusive to the customer.Yes we made wedding dresses.The head fitter would make the pattern and cut it out.We were never allowed to do this,but once cut out,several of us would get it ready for a first fitting.The bride would come and try it on and then any necessary adjustments could be made before the final fitting.All seam finishing and hems were done by hand.There were no overlockers in our department.We never saw any of the brides only the senior fitter was allowed to do that ! Although,one Saturday morning,there was a frantic phone call to say that a zip had broken on a wedding dress as the bride was getting ready.With little time to spare,a taxi was called and the junior fitter was sent to sew the bride into her dress ! It certainly was a very glamorous shop and having learnt my trade there has held me in good stead over the years.When I started my own little business when I was newly married,the name Marshall and Snelgrove went a long way with my clients.One even rang them to make sure I was proficient enough to do her alterations!
reading your memories audrie makes me feel as though i was there...many thanks

lyn
 
I live in new zealand now,but whenn i left school my first job was at Marshall and snelgrove in 1956 i worked for Ann Sollis and she was wonderful,taught me everything.We had a doorman with a top hat,and had models walking round the store,it was a bit like being in a movie!There was a restaurant on the top floor and a chocolate kiosk selling dorlon chocs where i worked occsionally,so many memories,Kunzles,Kardomah,Rackhams etc ec
 
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