The Woolworths Virtual Museum - The 1930s, Royalty and Empire

Royal events in the mid 1930s

Woolworths has always been number one for fun, and makes celebrations a speciality. The company has always been a strong supporter of royal events, and back in the 1930s Executive Office in London had to buy not only for the British stores, but also to source products for export to the Dominion of Canada, and for novelty interest in the United States. The Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary in 1935 was planned long advance. Potential products were evaluated and suppliers were given large orders many months in advance so that they could build their stocks economically.

	3,000 miles across the world, Toronto was preparing for a royal visit and a huge celebration, in much the same way as British cities, towns and villages were planning street parties, mementos for children, bunting and community events. The royal couple planned a national and international tour to meet their subjects across the Empire. At the time the British Empire spanned not only the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - King George V was King and Emperor of India (including today's Pakistan), South Africa, Rhodesia and a host of smaller African and Carribean states. The idea was for all to get a visit during the Jubilee year. Woolworths aimed to supply the flags, bunting, hats, plates and glassware, not to mention the peaches, ice-cream and bags of sweets.





Many schools, churches and other local organisations wanted to lay on a gift for every child to mark the occasion. Woolies were keen to help - and were able to provide Jubilee Mugs by the gross, making them rather less than sixpence (2½p) each

	Sadly before all of the tours and celebrations were complete, King George V died in the Spring of 1936. The nation was shocked.

		Huge crowds lined the streets for the funeral procession, when the late King's coffin was placed on a gun carriage for a parade through the streets. H. M. Queen Mary followed behind in a ceremonial coach. Woolies closed the stores as a mark of respect, and many colleagues from the London stores joining the crowds. These pictures were taken by a colleague on a Woolworth 3 x 6^D camera.

		As is the way with these things, "The King is dead, long live the King". All eyes focused on the new King Edward VIII, a popular monarch who had made a name for himself as the Prince of Wales with a series of successful foreign tours and diplomatic missions. The Woolworths Buying team moved into overdrive to source beakers, decorations, photographs, bunting and all the regalia to accompany an upcoming coronation. The longer the lead time, the lower the cost price.

The month after reporting the funeral of H. M. King George V, the Woolworths House Magazine, the New Bond, carried a profile of the new King, his son King Edward VIII. The piece speaks of his many achievements as Prince of Wales, his popularity with the public at large right across the Empire, and speculates on the date for the coronation, which it believes will be later in the year or perhaps in the Spring of 1937. In retrospect the author Betty Young's comment that the new King was without doubt the most eligible bachelor in the Empire was truly insightful. Only months later the King gave up his throne in pursuit of true love, marrying the American divorcée Wallace Simpson. In the years that followed Edward and Wallace, (as the re-fashioned Duke and Duchess of Windsor,) became close friends with (among others) Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton, her husband of the time Cary Grant, and one Adolf Hitler - but that story is for another day.

			Many an Edward VIII mug and plate never left the suppliers' factories. In recompense the Woolies buyers promised something extra special for the coronation of Edward's brother, the Duke of York, who became King George VI. The excelled themselves with a wonderful range of tin soldiers, bone china mugs, paper products, flags and bunting. But the finest items of all were a glass coronation plate and a model golden coach (the state landau) - both simply incredible value at sixpence.


The glass coronation plate was beautifully finished with a scalloped edge. It was about ten inches (25cm) in diameter. The selling price of 6^D was under a quarter of the cost price - the Buyers knew that getting hold of one would keep customers coming back for years to come. Today they fetch around £20 each.

The Golden Coach (which was back in use for H. M. Queen Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002) received similarly extravagant treatment - with eight horsemen up front in red tunics with black riding hats and intricate models of the four golden cherubs to the front and rear of the carriage. And the price (if you could get hold of one) - why 6^D (2½p) of course.

			On Coronation Day, May 12th, 1937 all of the stores were decked with flags and pictures of the new King and Queen. In the restaurant there was a special commemorative menu, which customers were encouraged to take home as a keepsake. At the time Mock Turtle soup was 3^D (1.25p), Roast Beef and Gravy were 6^D and a full three course meal with a cup of tea could be obtained with change from half a crown (12½p).



The house newspaper carried a centre-page spread to introduce the Royal Family - H. M. King George VI (the present Queen's father) appears on the left, and H. M. Queen Elizabeth (known to later generations as the Queen Mother) appears on the right. The young princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret appear in the family group (centre left). The new King and Queen and the Princesses had only two years of comparative normality before leading their Empire to victory in World War II.

Fearing war, the King and Queen went on a diplomatic mission to North America in 1938, which included a visit to the newly enlarged F. W. Woolworth store in Toronto, Canada (right). Canadians and Americans took the royal couple to their hearts - and their meeting with President Roosevelt in Washington was considered a diplomatic triumph, which helped to secure crucial practical help from the Americans in the early years of the war before the US joined the conflict.


1930s Gallery Home Page Opening gambit - transforming the High Street Flotation on the London Stock Exchange Working for Woolies in the 30s - a day in the life The first character merchandise hits the shelves Amazing lengths to keep prices below sixpence Buying ingenuity Eclipse & Crown - the nation's favourite records Our first Ladybird items Royal events in the 1930s Launch of "The New Bond" colleague magazine Rumbling of war in the late 1930s Price quiz - dateline 1939