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 Coronation

of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
The flagship F. W. Woolworth store in London's Oxford Street, decorated for the Coronation of H. M. Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
If one event summed up the hope and expectations of the new Elizabethan age of the 1950s, it was the Coronation of the new young Queen, Elizabeth II.  The nation had been shocked by the early death of her father King George VI in 1952 - an immensely popular man who, helped by his wife Queen Elizabeth (known to most of us as "the Queen Mother") led the nation through the darkest hours of World War II.
         
Her Majesty the Queen stands on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to receive the applause of the crowd, with Prince Phillip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne. (Image: The New Bond, 1953, courtesy of the London News Agency)
But the idea of a young Queen, bringing up a young family with her dashing husband, Prince Phillip, captured the imagination of the nation.

How did the new Queen find time not just for her family, but to run the affairs of state not only in the UK but in a new Commonwealth of Nations?

Everyone was looking forward to the Coronation - with many people planning trips to London, and others arranging street parties, and celebrations at home.
   

 

The Woolworth Buyers excelled, with one of the finest ranges ever.  In a very wise move they kept the price of decorations artificially low, with Gold Foil Crowns (measuring about 12.5 x 7.5 cm) selling for just 3D (1½p), the royal coat of arms for 9D (4p) and gold letters, including the obligatory E and R, at 6D (2½p) each.  The whole alphabet was available for people to make their own special message.

Other souvenir items including flags, bunting, tablecloths, mugs, glass plates, china teapots and even bars of chocolate were more expensive, but Woolies established themselves as the store  for the Coronation, helping cement the Company's reputation with the public.

 
This four page brochure detailing Woolworths' range of Coronation items was distributed free to customers in the Spring of 1953
Colleagues from Woolworths at Shepherd's Bush preparing to celebrate H. M. The Queen's Coronation. In the background the store front is decorated with flags, bunting and pictures of the Queen.
         
The Queen's Coronation in 1953 was the inspiration for these spectacular windows at the British Woolworths. Everything from flags and bunting to china plates and collectables, all at great value prices.
         
Stores were sent very detailed instructions of how to set out the windows.  Each item is numbered in the photographs to match it to the stock in-store.  Each price ticket in the picture was left blank, as the prices were kept a secret right up until the day the windows were built.  It took most company window dressers a whole day to complete each window, but the results were stunning.
         
1953 Coronation Window display at Woolworths, featuring everything needed for a street party or a home celebration.
         
Sales on the Coronation Ranges beat all expectations - and colleagues up and down the country were proud to be a part of the celebrations.   If you would like to find out more about the Queen's Coronation, there are lots more pictures in our bonus feature Scrap Book, which includes a 1 Megabyte embedded music track: Click this link to take a look.
         

Backing instrumental:

"In a Golden Coach (There's a Heart of Gold)" Words and Music by Ronald Jamieson. F. W. Woolworth customers' favourite.
The sheet music was offered in store for two shillings (10p). Almost a million copies were sold.
On disc the song became a number one hit for two artists Dickie Valentine and Teddy Johnson.
© Copyright 1952. Box & Cox (Publications) Ltd. London, England / Box & Cox (Publications) Inc. New York, USA
         
         
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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