Barker, John, & Co Ltd
Other Business Names:
- Whitehead, James
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- Kensington, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
-
Distribution - retailing
Department store retailing
Notes:
Traced origins to 1870 when (Sir) John Barker, 1840-1914, opened a linen drapery business at Kensington High Street in partnership with James Whitehead, financier. Expanded rapidly so that by 1892 had 42 departments. 1893 bought out Whitehead and floated as John Barker & Co Ltd. Business developed from c1905 by (Sir) Sydney Skinner, d1941. 1907 acquired Ponting Brothers Ltd and in 1920 Derry & Toms Ltd, both of which continued to trade separately. Trevor Bowen was important in management from 1914 and chairman from 1941. Premises extensively rebuilt 1930-50s. After 1945 acquired new stores in Richmond and Eastbourne. 1957 acquired by House of Fraser Ltd [2023]
Publications:
- Brief Narrative of the House of Barker, 1870-1930 by Unknown
- 'Department stores of Kensington High Street' in H Hobhouse (ed), Survey of London. Volume 42. South Kensington - Kensington Square to Earl's Court by Hobhouse, Hermione (ed)
- Garden in the Sky. The story of Barkers of Kensington, 1870-1957 by Peel, Derek W
- 'John Barker & Co Ltd' in J W Ferry, History of the Department Store by Ferry, John W
- 'John Barker & Co Ltd' in M Moss & A Turton, A Legend of Retailing. House of Fraser by Moss, Michael, & Alison Turton
Groups:
Other Business Names:
- Whitehead, James
Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:
- Kensington, Greater London, Greater London, Greater London, England
Sectors:
- Distribution - retailing Department store retailing
Notes:
Traced origins to 1870 when (Sir) John Barker, 1840-1914, opened a linen drapery business at Kensington High Street in partnership with James Whitehead, financier. Expanded rapidly so that by 1892 had 42 departments. 1893 bought out Whitehead and floated as John Barker & Co Ltd. Business developed from c1905 by (Sir) Sydney Skinner, d1941. 1907 acquired Ponting Brothers Ltd and in 1920 Derry & Toms Ltd, both of which continued to trade separately. Trevor Bowen was important in management from 1914 and chairman from 1941. Premises extensively rebuilt 1930-50s. After 1945 acquired new stores in Richmond and Eastbourne. 1957 acquired by House of Fraser Ltd [2023]Publications:
- Brief Narrative of the House of Barker, 1870-1930 by Unknown
- 'Department stores of Kensington High Street' in H Hobhouse (ed), Survey of London. Volume 42. South Kensington - Kensington Square to Earl's Court by Hobhouse, Hermione (ed)
- Garden in the Sky. The story of Barkers of Kensington, 1870-1957 by Peel, Derek W
- 'John Barker & Co Ltd' in J W Ferry, History of the Department Store by Ferry, John W
- 'John Barker & Co Ltd' in M Moss & A Turton, A Legend of Retailing. House of Fraser by Moss, Michael, & Alison Turton