Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Woolworth Harringay c1930
I've finally tracked down this image and stumped up to have Historic England digitise it. It is reproduced here with their permission.
A companion photo of the northern part of the parade, from just a few years laters is published here.
The image shows Woolworth's first Harringay store in the premises where Tesco is now based. If you compare the roofline of this photo with the roofline today, you'll see that the current roof projection is much bigger than the original one. I'm guessing that the current one dates from 1932 when both the Salon Bal, above Woolworth, along with Woolworth itself were pretty much gutted by fire.
Next door:
No. 7 was Mary Chester, Miliner
No. 6 was Rosse Ltd Ladies hairdressers
The Woolworth collection also includes photos of the second Woolworth store in the building where Iceland is now based, but I thought I'd hold off splashing any more cash. I have reference copies but I don't think those come with non-commercial repro permission.
Some years back, I compared other Woolworth stores around the country and those set up at the same time as the second Harringay one have an almost identical architectural style. So, that resolved any residual doubts I had about why we have that mid-20th century block in the middle of Grand Parade. Woolworths dunnit.
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Comment by matthew cuthbert on April 6, 2023 at 10:08
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Did they operate at similar times or location move, and what period of time ?
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Comment by Hugh on April 6, 2023 at 16:20
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Woolies opened at Salisbury Promenade in 1926 and ran at that location until 1958. Apparently, you could walk through the store from Green Lanes to Harringay Road.
It moved up to 17 Grand Parade in 1959 where it ran until at least 1983.
The stores weren't operating at the same time. The one replaced the other.
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Comment by Christine Yates on April 7, 2023 at 12:38
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I remember the wooden floor in the original Woolworth shop and the toy counter. Yes you could walk through to Harringay Road. You could also enter the ‘new’ Woolies from the side entrance in Kimberley Gardens - very handy for the toy counter.
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Comment by pamish on April 7, 2023 at 16:14
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Are there pics of the Woolies' in West Green Road? where the sainsburys is now, after the gallant attempt by Lagu Sukumeran (sp?) to keep a general store going as Fair Deal for many years in the middle of the Grainger land grab. I think there are traces of the old sign behind the facade.
ex-Woolies Saturday Girl, 1967-68. It was hard on the feet, there were little pull-down stools but we weren't allowed to use them unless we were feeling ill.
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Comment by John Shulver on April 26, 2023 at 14:44
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Oh I loved the original old Woolies store, it seemed so 'homely'. A wooden floor, quite dimly lit, circular pillars (think painted maroon colour) supporting the lowish ceilings. Quite wondrous and generously decorated at Christmas times. However, the shop front in photo doesn't strike a bell with my memory but I am only going back to early 50s through to closure. And yes it was a walk through store. Happy childhood memories.
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Definitely the Woolies on Green Lanes next to the Coliseum.
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Yes, there’s no doubt about that. It’s from the Woolworth’s collection via Historic England.
John, there was probably about 20 years between this photograph and your memories. I know you’re not doubting the authenticity of the photograph. I suspect that in those intervening years, Woolworth would’ve updated their storefront to look more like the Woolworth’s, we all remember. I did also get reference copies of the Woolworth’s further down the road which opened in the late 50s. I imagine the look of the store in those would be much more in line with your memories.
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Absolutely right Hugh. That photo would predate me by a good 20 years. But taking a closer detailed study of that photo, then in all probability the shop front didn't differ. Probably only my recollections telling me otherwise.
The shop to the left, in my time, was Rosen's Ladies Outfitters. My Mum and Sister both worked there late 50s, early 60's.
The 'new' Woolworths in Grand Parade I recall as a 'modern' characterless frontage and much more open and spacious inside. My Mum, as well as my best mate's mum, both worked there in 60s/70s. I have a not very exciting photo of the Woolies 'girls' Christmas get together.
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