Welcome to the Original Virtual Museum - celebrating Woolworths' century at the heart of British High Street Shopping
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please click a menu button Original Virtual Museum Home Page please click a menu button The Woolworth value store concept is born in the USA please click a menu button Laying the foundations as the first British Woolworth store opens in Liverpool in November 1909 please click a menu button Woolworths rapidly open forty-four stores in Britain and Ireland before facing a World War please click a menu button Bigger, brighter and bolder Woolworth stores in the Roaring Twenties please click a menu button Woolworths go to amazing lengths to keep all prices under sixpence in the Thirties please click a menu button Bravery and defiance during World War II in Woolworths' finest hour. We pay tribute to the sacrifices made and look behind the scenes please click a menu button Redefining the Woolworth brand for modern times in the 1950s, as prices go up and stores get bigger and bigger please click a menu button Superstores in and out of town, a new own brand and the opening of overseas Commonwealth stores during the 1960s please click a menu button Woolworth struggles to keep up during the rapid inflation and change of the 1970s please click a menu button Woolworth stores in more recent times, covering the period 1980-2008 please click a menu button
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Background to the Original Virtual Museum and copyright information about the contents Origins of the firm's legendary pic'n'mix and a century of chocolate, candy and confectionery in the High Street A century of music and entertainment in the High Street from sheet music and gramophone records to CDs and blu-ray discs A century of toys, games and fun in the High Street stores of F. W. Woolworth A century of fashion in the High Street, from paper patterns and sixpenny knickers to an extensive range of award-winning Ladybird clothing A century of cards, pens, pads and books from the shelves of F. W. Woolworth stores Pots and pans, paint and brushes, bulbs and compost and even toiletries - all in High Street Woolworth stores for much of the twentieth century Woolworths pioneered Christmas decorations in the 19th century and supplied presents for our parents, grandparents and great grandparents from their High Street stores Working conditions and pay rates at Woolworths over a hundred years and some of the people behind the brand-name Our cinema, quiz and picture gallery features Visit the new look 21st century Woolworths on line, on the site operated by Shop Direct Group
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The Original Virtual Museum's Coronation Scrap Book

Album Photos from the F. W. Woolworth "New Bond" Staff Magazine
 
 
The Golden Coach (royal landau) outside Westminster Abbey, adapted from the back cover of the Coronation Edition of the Woolworths New Bond magazine
The sheet music of "In A Golden Coach (There's a Heart of Gold)" by Ronald Jamieson. Woolworths sold almost a million copies in 1953. Teddy Johnson's recording (which is currently not commercially available) is playing in the background of this page
An artist's impression of one of the royal horsemen from the cover of the Coronation New Bond magazine.
         
The Queen leaves Buckingham Palace for Westminster Abbey en-route for the Coronation (left) and The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland presenting the Holy Bible to the Queen (right). Images courtesy of the London News Agency, reproduced from the New Bond magazine.

Above: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh leaving Buckingham Palace in the State Coach, en route for Westminster Abbey.

Below: The Queen, her Maids of Honour and the Peers. Prince Charles disappears for a moment behind the canopied stand, occuped by Royal Relatives.
God Save the Queen!

Above: The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland presenting the Holy Bible to the Queen.

Below: Her Majesty the Queen after the Crowning Ceremony, wears St. Edward's Crown, and the Bishops play homage.
         
The Queen with the Maids of Honour and the Peers at Westminster Abbey during the Coronation (left) and Her Majesty the Queen after the Crowning Ceremony, wears St. Edward's Crown, and the Bishops pay homage (right). Pictures courtesy of the London News Agency, drawn from the Woolworths New Bond house magazine.
         
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in a resplendent photograph from 1953. Image courtesy of the London News Agency, reproduced from the New Bond staff magazine of F. W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd. in the UK
A Royal Family portrait taken at Balmoral in 1952 with Her Majesty the Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles and Princess Anne standing on the steps. Image courtesy of Studio Lisa, reproduced from the F. W. Woolworth New Bond magazine of June 1953
         

A letter from Buckingham Palace, thanking Stanley Swash, the Chairman of F. W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd. on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen for the loyal greetings of the Directors and Staff and for forwarding a copy of the New Bond Staff Magazine that you see here.

Pray for Me

a colleague's poem for H.M. The Queen
by D. Hitchens of Woolworths Northwich
June 1953.

'Pray for me,' a humble wish
From a palace grand and fair.
'Pray for me,' a Queen has asked
Oh her peoples everywhere.
Whate'er their creed or colour
Be it black or brown or white,
Their prayers will intermingle
And our Empire will unite.

'Twas a Royal proclamation
Went forth on Christmas Day
When a Queen asked of her subjects
That they for her would pray.
That God would guide her steps
Alolng the path that she must tread,
That she might rule with wisdom
Thro' the years that lie ahead.

So we'll pray that God will arm her,
With the sword of righteousness,
The shield of hope and courage,
She will carry on her breast.
The lamp of peace will light her way
And she shall reign supreme.
And from our hearts we all will pray -
"God Bless our lovely Queen."

 
         

Backing song:

 "In a Golden Coach (There's a Heart of Gold)" Words and Music by Ronald Jamieson, performed by Teddy Johnson.
Released on Columbia Records 78rpm Disc No. DB3268 (1953). The following year Teddy Johnson and his wife Pearl Carr were
founding singers on the F.W. Woolworth and Oriole Embassy Label. Their pseudonym was "Teddy and Pearl Carr"!

The song itself is © Copyright 1952, Box & Cox (Publications) Ltd. London, England and Box & Cox (Publications) Inc. New York, USA.
The Gramophone Record and recording are © Columbia Gramophone Co. Ltd.

Copyright information: the song was not commercially available at the time when this page went to press. We have included
a low fidelity version for historical interest on a 'not for profit, not for download' basis.
         
         
If you have enjoyed our Virtual Museum website, why not check out our complete history of Woolworths in a 194 page, richly illustrated paperback book? A Sixpenny Romance is just £10.99, with free delivery in our on-line shop.
The special DVD, the Wonder of Advertising, is now available in our on-line shop for £7.50 with free delivery. A fully illustrated 194 page history of Woolworths, or a selection of professionally authored DVDs in our on-line shop
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