American recruits for the British Woolworths

In a letter in 1909 Carson Peck, Frank Woolworth's American General Manager, expressed concern that the opening of a British subsidiary would impact the smooth running of F. W. Woolworth in the USA. Initially Frank's request for volunteers had fallen of deaf ears. But the second time he asked the New York HQ was inundanted with applications. It seemed most Store Managers were prepared to make a leap of faith.

In fact, beyond the original founders, relatively few Americans made the switch, with only half a dozen moving into Store Management up to 1920. A few others saw the opportunity to get on, moving into Buying or Executive jobs by crossing the Atlantic. Most settled and stayed in Britain, only returning after retirement. They had a big impact in shaping the company in the UK and helping the new baby to come of age remarkably quickly.

Charles Heiman Hubbard was the first American recruit to join the British Company. A friend of MD Fred Woolworth he was head-hunted to manage the first store in Liverpool. He set a high standard and was a good teacher. Between 1909 and 1912 each "learner" started under Hubbard's supervision. He taught them the ropes, teaching them about display, merchandising, financial control and staff recruitment and management. His trainees were only allowed stores of their own when he declared them ready.

Once a core of managers was established, each capable of recruiting and training their own learners, Hubbard was elected Director and District Manager. He took responsibility for all the stores North of Birmingham and the whole of Ireland. In 1923 he was appointed Deputy Manager Director and took charge of the firm's influential Investment Committee and its Investor Relations. Over the next fifteen years he oversaw the opening of almost 600 stores, and helped guide the firm through its flotation on the London Stock Exchange. He declined the Chairmanship of the company, surprising his workmates by announcing plans to retire at the age of fifty. He later realised his life's ambition in returning to the USA, getting married and seeing the world. Despite his roots he became known as a true English gentlemen, who would gladly swap a day in the Board Room for a day on the golf course!

Arthur A. White was the only American to join the British Woolworths as a store manager during World War I. During the first two years of the Great War fifty-seven Woolworth managers and learners had volunteered for service, leaving quite a hole in the recruitment process. Fortuitously Arthur White had asked his District Office if he might be permitted to transfer to England. His request was accepted.

White was proud to have been recruited personally by Frank Woolworth, and celebrated his American roots. He was a popular and successful Store Manager who took a pride in all aspects of his work. In 1935 the embryonic staff magazine "Metropolitan News and Views" approached Arthur to ask him if he would write a brief synopsis of his 30 year career-to-date with the Company. He obliged. This is what he had to say (verbatim from the October 1935 edition - Vol. 2, No.6) :

It was in the year 1903 that I had the pleasure of joining the Company, receiving the opportunity from the late F. W. Woolworth, the founder of the business. I was sent to Gloucester, Mass. under the management of Mr Minard, who is now the manager of our 5th Avenue Store, New York City. My earliest remembrance of my first day was that of unpacking crates.

After spending a year there I was sent to Pittsburgh, PA, under the management of the late Mr Allbright. There I stayed a year on the floor, after which I was offered my first management, that of South Pittsburgh Store, where my friend and neighbouring manager was Mr. F. W. Seaman, now of the Co-operative Warehouse. After two years I was transferred to 86th Street, New York City, where I first met Mr Denempont, now of the Executive Office. I then moved to Bushwick, Brooklyn, which is the brand which always remains in my memory as my ideal store. Here I stayed for four years. About that time the consolidation of the Woolworth, Knox, Kirby and Charlton stores took place, bringing them under the title of F. W. Woolworth Co. .....

..... I was chosen to open the first store in Nashville, Tennessee. This was the most hectic opening I have ever witnessed, the crowd breaking the door, windows and at one time even bodily pushing some of the counters, which unfortunately the workmen had not had time to fasten securely.

After 1½ years there I went to St Louis, Missouri, and from there to Topeka, Kansas, from which I travelled to England to take up my first location at Nottingham 36 under the Superintendency of Mr Roland Parker. From there I followed Mr. E. C. Prescott at Newcastle 27, then came to Kensington 162 and finally to Clapham Junction 34.

Fred Seaman rose rapidly through the ranks of the American Five-and-Ten Cent Stores, managing the branch in Butler, Pennsylvania before taking control of the reshipping warehouse adjacent to the Sixth Avenue, New York store. In that role he reported to Fred Woolworth. He was lured to Britain to set up a similar warehouse operation in London, reuniting him with his old boss. He stayed for 28 years.

On arrival in Britain Fred rented a railway warehouse at St Pancras. He negotiated favourable terms with each of the big four steam railway companies. The firm's goods were carried at a discount on the Great West Railway, London and North East Railway, London Midland Steam and Southern Electric.

The set up of the depot followed a successful pattern that had been established in the USA. It was treated as a "co-operative", jointly owned by each of the stores and operated for their benefit. It provided each branch with a service rather like an overflow stockroom. Officially it broke nothing, it suffered no shrinkage and its products never went out of date, because any problems were passed straight on to the stores.

The Warehouse was an important part of the success of the Woolworth formula. At the time goods were consigned in huge recyclable cartons to the local train station. By special arrangement the Store Managers could have one special pick over the products in the Left Luggae Office for anything they needed urgently; the rest would arrive a day or two later by Carter Paterson, who provided lorry transport for the last leg of the journey.

George S. Roblin was born in Watertown, New York, the City where Frank Woolworth first came up with the idea of birthplace of his Five-and-Ten. After training Roblin small branches in updstate New York before taking control of the iconic F. W. Woolworth in the Boardwalk at Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1909. He was lured to England to manage the Oldham Street, Manchester store (No. 4) from its opening in 1910, subsequently succeeding Charles Hubbard at the helm in the Church Street, Liverpool flagship. He later managed the stores in Leeds (No. 5), Newcastle-upon-Tyne (No. 27), Victoria Street, Wolverhampton (No. 13), Union Street, Glasgow (No. 39) and Nottingham (No. 36). In January 1922 he was appointed Superintendent (Area Manager) of the Cardiff District.

Roblin became the Buyer for Toiletries, Paints and Polish in 1925 at the HQ in Kingsway, London. He proved imaginative in the role, quickly growing the selection available. Sales rocketed. Under his management Woolworth mini-packs of sixpenny toiletries helped the chain to attract trade from Boots The Chemist. He also pioneered a range of do-it-yourself for the home handyman. Roblin kind agreed to stay in post throughout World War II, past his scheduled retirement date. He is fondly remembered as one of the firm's finest salesmen.

Louis Denempont managed the store in 86th Avenue, New York. The five-and-ten's chief scout, E.J. Smith, had taught him how to spot good sites for new openings, making him an ideal candidate to join the new British company.

He selected virtually every Woolworth location from the 45th in Putney to the 768th in Crawley

Louis Denempont was headhunted to join the British Company in 1914. The chain had already grown to 44 outlets and wanted to accelerate the pace of openings. They had a postbag of letters from local councils asking to be considered for a store. Most sent details about the local catchment population, the competitors and the commercial property or building land available. Denempont's task was to advise the District (Regional) Managers about which locations to consider. Although officially District Managers had the final choice, Louis retained a veto on which proposals were presented to the Board. He also controlled the purse strings, deciding how much investment capital could be employed to build a store or convert existing premises. As a result he was much in demand for long lunches and social occasions.

His also took responsibility for the look and feel of the interior of the stores. Fixtures and layout templates were updated regularly. Bulk buying helped to achieve the best price for everything from tills and counters to store supplies. He worked closely with William Priddle and his team of Company Architects on new exterior designs and experimental fixtures. He also built a strong rapport with B.C. Donaldson, the firm's Construction Superintendent. His goal was to make it easy to open stores quickly, while maintaining a consistent standard of presentation.

Louis was elected to the Board in the 1930s. He was appointed Managing Director in 1938, and served in the role with great distinction until his untimely death in 1944. If you see a former Woolworths building in the High Street (whether the cream coloured 'Cinema Front' variety or the red brick-type with a distinctive parapet wall at roof level), there's a good chance that Louis Denempont put it there!