Lewis's Department Store

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Wed 17 Oct, 2012 7:16 pm

View from New Briggate I think

pyramar · Post by **pyramar** » Thu 18 Oct, 2012 8:16 pm

Interesting thread. One correction to make: the Food Hall was on the ground floor, not the basement. The confusion might arise in that because of the level of the land if you entered the store from what is now St Johns Centre direction, you actually entered on the first floor.Ground floor was the food hall at that end of the building, famous for ham off the bone, broken biscuits and Mr Whippy type ice cream from a machine. The basement was carpets, records, beds, electrical goods. There was even a sub basement which was for staff only and was stock rooms. I had a Saturday job there in my student years and worked in the basement on bathroom fittings. I often had to go into the sub basement to get bathroom cabinets for customers.On the ceiling of all floors were five coloured lights in a row at various intervals. They were linked to the fire alarm. The idea was that if the fire alarm went off then the combination of lights lit depicted where the problem was in the store. As staff we were always told that if the blue light lit by itself it meant the store had received a bomb warning. The store wasn't evacuated, all staff were meant to check round counters and see if anything suspicious had been left. The Police, meanwhile, went straight to the public phone boxes on Lands Lane where they would usually find the culprit who was waiting for the excitement of seeing fire engines arrive.For me the best memory of Lewis's would be as a child. the next weekend after Bonfire Night would be the arrival of Father Christmas. It was advertised in the YEP and there was a timetable route of his procession. He would usually begin from Halton Moor Social Club and his procession of floats would circle North Leeds with a police escort. I would be waiting with my mother in the crowds lining Roundhay Road. It was like a royal visit. Sweets were thrown to the children. When he had passed we knew that the real Santa was now in his grotto on the third floor of Lewis's.One of the many lifts would be converted into an 'express lift to Toyland'. At Christmas, much of the third floor was given over to toys including massive demonstration Triang Hornby train sets and Scalextric which children could operate.The January Sale was a huge event, a real genuine sale in every department. Windows would be blacked out whilst they were prepared.Spring time would see live chicks hatching in the toy department!I enjoyed shopping at Lewis's and working there. It was a good store which looked after its staff. I remember that the staff canteen on the fifth floor also had a rest room and there were posters advertising a staff convalescent home on the coast somewhere. The staff were a superb bunch too. I went to their Christmas staff party one year, held at St Chads Parish Centre in Headingley.Customers were looked after too. I remember a customer bringing a product back which had a fault. The product was immediately exchanged and the floor manager repaid her bus fares from Birstall or somewhere.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Thu 18 Oct, 2012 11:16 pm

pyramar wrote: Interesting thread. One correction to make: the Food Hall was on the ground floor, not the basement. The confusion might arise in that because of the level of the land if you entered the store from what is now St Johns Centre direction, you actually entered on the first floor.Ground floor was the food hall at that end of the building, famous for ham off the bone, broken biscuits and Mr Whippy type ice cream from a machine. The basement was carpets, records, beds, electrical goods. On the ceiling of all floors were five coloured lights in a row at various intervals. They were linked to the fire alarm. The idea was that if the fire alarm went off then the combination of lights lit depicted where the problem was in the store. As staff we were always told that if the blue light lit by itself it meant the store had received a bomb warning. The store wasn't evacuated, all staff were meant to check round counters and see if anything suspicious had been left. The Police, meanwhile, went straight to the public phone boxes on Lands Lane where they would usually find the culprit who was waiting for the excitement of seeing fire engines arrive.For me the best memory of Lewis's would be as a child. the next weekend after Bonfire Night would be the arrival of Father Christmas. It was advertised in the YEP and there was a timetable route of his procession. He would usually begin from Halton Moor Social Club and his procession of floats would circle North Leeds with a police escort. I would be waiting with my mother in the crowds lining Roundhay Road. It was like a royal visit. Sweets were thrown to the children. When he had passed we knew that the real Santa was now in his grotto on the third floor of Lewis's.. I remember a customer bringing a product back which had a fault. The product was immediately exchanged and the floor manager repaid her bus fares from Birstall or somewhere. Great post pyramar.......remember the 60's well when we would travel from the other side of Wakefield whilst in temporary residence,all the way to Lewis's just to see the grotto etc......was well worth the journey.....

BLAKEY · Post by **BLAKEY** » Fri 19 Oct, 2012 12:16 am

pyramar wrote: IGround floor was the food hall at that end of the building, famous for ham off the bone, broken biscuits and Mr Whippy type ice cream from a machine. The basement was carpets, records, beds, electrical goods. Also the west end of the basement contained the enormous self service cafeteria, and there was an ice cream "soda fountain" counter as well.

Brunel · Post by **Brunel** » Thu 25 Oct, 2012 12:50 am

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 25 Oct, 2012 1:19 am

That's a great photo Brunel. I see the Odeon was showing 'The Big Country' (an excellent film). I did not know so I've just looked it up and found that film came out in 1958. To the best of my knowledge the last trams in Leeds ran in 1959 so the photo will have been taken in 1958 or 1959.PS. I like the line of cars behind the tram as if they could not readily and/or safely pass it.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Thu 25 Oct, 2012 9:21 am

Brunel, that is lovely, Ta

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Thu 25 Oct, 2012 9:26 am

The road surface looks good, newly tarmacced perhaps. Just in time to be torn up as the tracks are removed. Nothing changes.

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Mon 29 Oct, 2012 10:47 pm

Schofields never did it for me, that was over the road and viewed, by some, as just a bit posher.

somme1916 · Post by **somme1916** » Mon 29 Oct, 2012 10:52 pm

Jogon wrote: Schofields never did it for me, that was over the road and viewed, by some, as just a bit posher. Like the old photos.....pre-Christmas or Jan sales ??????