Welcome to the Original Virtual Museum - celebrating Woolworths' century at the heart of British High Street Shopping
 -  -  -  -  -
please click a menu button
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
please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button
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
please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button please click a menu button
 -  -  -  -  -

Trademark acknowledgements


Woolworths is a brand of Shop Direct Group Ltd. All trademarks are acknowledged. Shop Direct Group has not approved the content about Woolworths stores published in the Original Virtual Museum, which relates to a period before the brand became their property. We have included a link to the new Woolworths in our top navigation bar as a courtesy and as a sign of support. http://www.woolworths.co.uk.

Ladybird is a brand of Shop Direct Group Ltd. All trademarks are acknowledged. Shop Direct Group has not approved the content about the history of the Ladybird brand, which relates to a period before the brand became their property. http://www.woolworths.co.uk

Chad Valley is a brand of Home Retail Group Ltd. All trademarks are acknowledged. Home Retail Group has not approved the content about the history of the Chad Valley brand, which relates to a period before the brand became their property. http://www.homeretailgroup.com. Chad Valley toys are available from http://www.argos.co.uk.

 

Legal information about the website

Nothing Over Sixpence sign
The Original Virtual Museum was written by Paul Seaton, who has exercised his right to be identified as the author under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The site is offered for historical interest on a 'not for sale, not for profit' basis. Commercial and broadcast use of the media content requires a licence.

 

3D and 6D Pitures Ltd logo

 

The Original Virtual Museum is published and maintained by 3D and 6D Pictures Ltd, a Company Registered in England and Wales, Number 07007907. Registered Office: Bramfold Farm, Nutbourne Road, Nutbourne, West Sussex, RH20 2HA, United Kingdom. http://www.3dand6d.com

 

 

1&1 Green Hosting Logo


 

The site is hosted on a Unix professional package from 1&1 Internet AG on a green hosting platform. For further information please see http://press.1and1.co.uk/xml/article?article_id=831

 

 

WWW Group Ltd logo



The site includes video content licenced from WWW Group Ltd, a Company Registered in England and Wales, Number 07018298. Registered Office: Bramfold Farm, Nutbourne Road, Nutbourne, West Sussex, RH20 2HA, United Kingdom. http://www.wwwgroup.co.uk

 

The Music Bakery logo


The site includes media content licenced from Jack Waldenmaier Productions, Music Bakery Publishing (BMI) 7522 Campbell Rd., Suite 113 Dallas, TX 75248, USA. http://www.musicbakery.com

 

Privacy Policy

The Original Virtual Museum does not include any cookies or other tracking components. We invite visitors to register as a friend with the option to give feedback, share memories and subscribe to our mailing list. We hold registration information securely behind a firewall. All data is encrypted and password protected. We do not share registration information with third-parties. Subscribers can unsubscribe or update their registration preferences at any time by emailing us with details of the email address from which they registered and giving new instructions. We are committed to keeping your personal data private and honouring your trust in us.

 


Shortcuts to other 'about this website' exhibits
in the Original Virtual Museum

Woolworths history overview   The Woolworths timeline   Woolworths bibliography

Background to the website   How the site was built   Introducing the author   Legal information

Contributors and credits   Copyright information for commercial use   Copyright information for students and private use

Tell us how we did   Getting in touch with the author   Register for updates or just as a friend

 

The diamond 'W' motif was Woolworths' original logo and was used from 1890 until 1959. It was designed by Frank Woolworth himself en-route for a buying trip to Britain

 
Fully illustrated 194 page history of Woolworths, or a selection of professionally authored DVDs in our on-line shop