Kathryn A Morrison
@kathrynmorrison.bsky.social
Architectural and Retail Historian (FSA FRHistS). ‘Chain Stores’ published May 2025.
Website: buildingourpast.com
Also expect posts about Romanesque sculpture (CRSBI fieldworker, Hampshire) and the Western Isles.
Website: buildingourpast.com
Also expect posts about Romanesque sculpture (CRSBI fieldworker, Hampshire) and the Western Isles.
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
This shop frontage in Belmont, near Harrow needs a local listing. It's a precious example of 1930s style.
@c20society.bsky.social @londonmuseum.bsky.social @modinmetro.bsky.social
@c20society.bsky.social @londonmuseum.bsky.social @modinmetro.bsky.social
October 18, 2025 at 7:43 PM
This shop frontage in Belmont, near Harrow needs a local listing. It's a precious example of 1930s style.
@c20society.bsky.social @londonmuseum.bsky.social @modinmetro.bsky.social
@c20society.bsky.social @londonmuseum.bsky.social @modinmetro.bsky.social
Bedford take note!
The #Peterborough store (also a former M&S, snapped by me here in 2018) shows that B&M is capable of a more tasteful approach to signage when it wants!
October 18, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Bedford take note!
Bet not many of these #Cambridge students realised that Gardenia's shopfront was installed for Lennards (shoe shop) by Pollards in the late 1920s. A tad altered, but recognisable - hope it isn't now swept away!
October 5, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Bet not many of these #Cambridge students realised that Gardenia's shopfront was installed for Lennards (shoe shop) by Pollards in the late 1920s. A tad altered, but recognisable - hope it isn't now swept away!
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Bit of Peckham Rye art deco. Former Holdron’s department store. Now a tremendous shop in its own right
October 4, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Bit of Peckham Rye art deco. Former Holdron’s department store. Now a tremendous shop in its own right
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
What do we do with our former department stores? Well, Age Concern Southend has one answer that seems to be working. Heard some lovely stories tonight of the impact The Haven has had (4000 visitors a month!) & the wider benefit it's had on the high street. Inspirational stuff. @archhfund.org.uk
October 1, 2025 at 5:43 PM
What do we do with our former department stores? Well, Age Concern Southend has one answer that seems to be working. Heard some lovely stories tonight of the impact The Haven has had (4000 visitors a month!) & the wider benefit it's had on the high street. Inspirational stuff. @archhfund.org.uk
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
This week we are exploring the Electricity Showroom, which appeared in the nation's high streets in the 30s, often in an art deco or modernist finish and looking to sell new fangled electrical and gas appliances. Read more in Power to the People www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/blog/power-t...
September 22, 2025 at 9:45 AM
This week we are exploring the Electricity Showroom, which appeared in the nation's high streets in the 30s, often in an art deco or modernist finish and looking to sell new fangled electrical and gas appliances. Read more in Power to the People www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/blog/power-t...
Lovely historic shops in Grand Hotel Buildings, #Eastbourne.
September 13, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Lovely historic shops in Grand Hotel Buildings, #Eastbourne.
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Dealbh-camara às an adhar de dh'Ospadal tùsail an Ràthaig Mhòir ann an Inbhir Nis. Cha robh anns an ospadal thùsail ach grunnan uàrdan air aon làr agus chaidh a' chiad euslainteach a thoirt a-steach air 5 An t-Sultain 1941
[neach-fiosrachaidh: Nurses League of Inverness Hospitals]
[neach-fiosrachaidh: Nurses League of Inverness Hospitals]
September 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Dealbh-camara às an adhar de dh'Ospadal tùsail an Ràthaig Mhòir ann an Inbhir Nis. Cha robh anns an ospadal thùsail ach grunnan uàrdan air aon làr agus chaidh a' chiad euslainteach a thoirt a-steach air 5 An t-Sultain 1941
[neach-fiosrachaidh: Nurses League of Inverness Hospitals]
[neach-fiosrachaidh: Nurses League of Inverness Hospitals]
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
The C & A store at the corner of Sauchiehall and Cambridge Streets is brand new in this 1929 photograph. Designed by North, Robin & Wilsdon, and built in 1928, the successor firm of North Partners did the design work for the 1950s alterations.
📷 Glasgow City Archives
#Glasgow
📷 Glasgow City Archives
#Glasgow
September 3, 2025 at 9:22 AM
The C & A store at the corner of Sauchiehall and Cambridge Streets is brand new in this 1929 photograph. Designed by North, Robin & Wilsdon, and built in 1928, the successor firm of North Partners did the design work for the 1950s alterations.
📷 Glasgow City Archives
#Glasgow
📷 Glasgow City Archives
#Glasgow
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
158-160 Argyle St, at Mitchell Lane, photographed in 1926. The fashion retailer Burton had been established in London in 1903, and by the time this was taken, had around 400 stores across the UK. Today you'd find slot machines rather than shirts at this location.
📷 City Archives
#Glasgow
📷 City Archives
#Glasgow
September 1, 2025 at 9:40 AM
158-160 Argyle St, at Mitchell Lane, photographed in 1926. The fashion retailer Burton had been established in London in 1903, and by the time this was taken, had around 400 stores across the UK. Today you'd find slot machines rather than shirts at this location.
📷 City Archives
#Glasgow
📷 City Archives
#Glasgow
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
New post this morning 27/8.
Review of @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social brilliant book Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street.
stirlingretail.com/2025/08/27/c...
Review of @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social brilliant book Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street.
stirlingretail.com/2025/08/27/c...
Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street
“In a nutshell, Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street explores how multiple retailing has shaped the experience of shopping and the appearance of streets, throughout the British…
stirlingretail.com
August 27, 2025 at 8:03 AM
New post this morning 27/8.
Review of @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social brilliant book Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street.
stirlingretail.com/2025/08/27/c...
Review of @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social brilliant book Chain Stores in the Golden Age of the British High Street.
stirlingretail.com/2025/08/27/c...
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Former Debenhams/Bon Marché store, Gloucester: the early 1960s part of the building very like the Festival Hall's original 1951 elevations, especially the small windows to the left which echo those which originally illuminated the RFH's side fire escape stairs.
Things you can do with a former Debenhams store. #Gloucester #refurbishment #repurpose #architecture #university
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📷 flic.kr/p/2pMdKcQ
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📷 flic.kr/p/2pMdKcQ
August 25, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Former Debenhams/Bon Marché store, Gloucester: the early 1960s part of the building very like the Festival Hall's original 1951 elevations, especially the small windows to the left which echo those which originally illuminated the RFH's side fire escape stairs.
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Have you seen this @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social ?
Some #UrbanPrehistory for chain stores - The Lost Stones of ASDA…
Some #UrbanPrehistory for chain stores - The Lost Stones of ASDA…
One for @urbanprehistorian.bsky.social - I was reading this morning about the Asda 'Price Promise' stones that were erected across the country in the 90s
loststonesofasda.wordpress.com
Some are definitely on the way to being archaeological monuments, such as this one in Trumfleet, South Yorkshire
loststonesofasda.wordpress.com
Some are definitely on the way to being archaeological monuments, such as this one in Trumfleet, South Yorkshire
![A stone that looks like a prehistoric standing stone but inscribed with "Asda Price Promise Permanently [text obscured] prices [text obscured].
The stone is by a Drystone wall and vegetation grows around it](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7mzhk55756kcluyutorbqyex/bafkreicxukeks37aqp6tgtzj2hlbvjgtxc5syw4ptr6nnojxhazlrfwflq@jpeg)
August 20, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Have you seen this @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social ?
Some #UrbanPrehistory for chain stores - The Lost Stones of ASDA…
Some #UrbanPrehistory for chain stores - The Lost Stones of ASDA…
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
The corner of Kenneth Street and Church Street, #Stornoway, 1930s, with the staff of Bruce Brothers' Coal Merchants and the Ladies Hairdessing Saloon stainding outside their premises
[source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/18]
[source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/18]
August 18, 2025 at 5:23 PM
The corner of Kenneth Street and Church Street, #Stornoway, 1930s, with the staff of Bruce Brothers' Coal Merchants and the Ladies Hairdessing Saloon stainding outside their premises
[source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/18]
[source: HLH Archives, D1751/2/1/18]
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Some nice #geometric #mosaic #tiles in the entrance to two small shops in Rhyl. @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social
August 16, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Some nice #geometric #mosaic #tiles in the entrance to two small shops in Rhyl. @kathrynmorrison.bsky.social
A long piece about 'Chain Stores' by Christopher Catling for the new edition of Current Archaeology - if you fancy a read!
the-past.com/feature/cath...
the-past.com/feature/cath...
‘Cathedrals of commerce’ : A guide through the Golden Age of the British High Street | The Past
In her new book about High Street heritage, Kathryn Morrison takes us on a trip down memory lane and reminds us that design quality was once a proud part of ...
the-past.com
August 11, 2025 at 3:44 PM
A long piece about 'Chain Stores' by Christopher Catling for the new edition of Current Archaeology - if you fancy a read!
the-past.com/feature/cath...
the-past.com/feature/cath...
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
A visit to a new place! Llanidloes, Powys, not far from Newtown. Very interesting as it seems so little changed architecturally. An amazing number of shops still trading - which was so wonderful to see!
August 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
A visit to a new place! Llanidloes, Powys, not far from Newtown. Very interesting as it seems so little changed architecturally. An amazing number of shops still trading - which was so wonderful to see!
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
If anyone has £1.75m then I've just the 1930s and 1960s west country department store for you.
There's a 1938 Deco central bay on the frontage, with a subsequent major remodeling to fit with it in the 1960s.
1/3
There's a 1938 Deco central bay on the frontage, with a subsequent major remodeling to fit with it in the 1960s.
1/3
Former Taunton Debenhams building goes up for sale
The building, which shut as a store in 2021, is listed with a guide price of £1.75 million.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 4, 2025 at 2:42 PM
If anyone has £1.75m then I've just the 1930s and 1960s west country department store for you.
There's a 1938 Deco central bay on the frontage, with a subsequent major remodeling to fit with it in the 1960s.
1/3
There's a 1938 Deco central bay on the frontage, with a subsequent major remodeling to fit with it in the 1960s.
1/3
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
For any old retail shop people on here, the ex Melias store in Cardigan West Wales last week of July 2025
July 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
For any old retail shop people on here, the ex Melias store in Cardigan West Wales last week of July 2025
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
‘London was in his veins’: Gillian Darley pays tribute to the erudition, wit and open-mindedness of the architectural historian Andrew Saint, who has died at the age of 78.
‘London was in his veins’: Andrew Saint (1946–2025)
Gillian Darley remembers an architectural historian of great wit and erudition who was always keen to share his enthusiasms, which included a deep love of the capital
buff.ly
July 30, 2025 at 5:01 PM
‘London was in his veins’: Gillian Darley pays tribute to the erudition, wit and open-mindedness of the architectural historian Andrew Saint, who has died at the age of 78.
Reposted by Kathryn A Morrison
Sadly vacant but this early 20thC shopfront in St Andrews, Fife is still lovely with its delicate stained glass, decorative timber and mosaic entrance
July 27, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Sadly vacant but this early 20thC shopfront in St Andrews, Fife is still lovely with its delicate stained glass, decorative timber and mosaic entrance
Some of the wonderful medieval sculpture we enjoyed on the #BAA Conference (in and around Leicester) this week. Bet you can identify them all!
July 26, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Some of the wonderful medieval sculpture we enjoyed on the #BAA Conference (in and around Leicester) this week. Bet you can identify them all!