Welcome to the WOOLWORTHS Virtual Museum
celebrating 125 years of retailing since Frank Winfield Woolworth opened his first store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA on 21st June 1879
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The Virtual Museum is divided into galleries - each covering different aspects of our history - some from a date angle (e.g. "the 1800s") and some looking at a particular product range through the years. Each gallery's entry is indented in the list below, with each exhibit in a gallery indented a little further to make the list reasonably easy to follow.
Background to the Virtual Museum Copyright information, terms and conditions (education and domestic use)Copyright information (commercial usage) and media enquiries
Technical stuff about how the Museum was builtThe early historyUS origins 125 years ago - the early Woolworth story
The European connectionThe $65 million merger that created F. W. Woolworth Co.
Meet the American FoundersFrank Winfield Woolworth - "the Chief"
William Henry Moore - "the inspiration"Charles Sumner Woolworth - a stunning 68 years' service
Seymour Horace Knox - early partner and friendly rivalFred Morgan Kirby - founder of F. M. Kirby & Co.
Earl Perry Charlton - pioneer of the wild westThe Woolworth Family
Jennie Woolworth (née Creighton) - Frank's soul mate Barbara Hutton, Frank's grand-daughter - "poor little rich girl"United KingdomThe first British store - Church Street, Liverpool
Croydon store - longest-serving Woolies in the worldMeet the team at Southend-on-Sea in 1918
United StatesAmerican concerns at UK openings
The Woolworth Building - tallest in the worldChange at the top, on the death of Frank Woolworth
World at War At the going down of the sun, and in the morning ...Just for Fun
Price Quiz 1910s20s overview: stepping up the pace Rapid expansion - an opening every 17 daysSupplier partnerships and product development
The first gramophone recordsPlay the Little Marvel record "What'll you do"
Alice White in "The Girl from Woolworths" 50th birthday of the America WoolworthOpening gambit - transforming the High StreetFlotation on the London Stock Exchange
Working for Woolies in the 30s - a day in the lifeThe first character merchandise hits the shelves
Amazing lengths to keep prices below sixpence Eclipse & Crown - the nation's favourite recordsRoyal events in the 1930s Rumbling of war in the late 1930sPlay "The Lion and Albert" 78 rpm record (plays both sides)
Play Vera Lynn's Top Hat. White Tie and Tails (Side 1)
Play Vera Lynn's Top Hat, White Tie and Tails (Side 2)
Visit the Vocalion factory that made Eclipse and Crown Records
Xmas 1939: UK and USA a world apartFire from the sky - Blitz hits major cities
Woolies buy two Spitfires for the RAFOccupied by the Nazis - Jersey and Guernsey
Farewell 3d and 6d - hello rationing"They also serve" - home front defiance
A taste of home - US forces discover FWW UKGerman "V" weapons and our darkest hour
War dead - our colleague Roll of Honour Price quiz - dateline 1949Woolworths remember - 168 V2 victims at New Cross, 25.11.1944
Twice around the block - huge crowds greet new openingsRoyal Coronation of H. M. Queen Elizabeth II
Visit a store 50 years agoSweets and ices Toiletries and cosmetics Christmas cards and decorations Cards, stationery and books Clothing - Kidswear, Ladies Fashion, Accessories, Menswear China and Glassware Kitchen and Homewares Restaurant Stairs up to restaurantThe first Commonwealth openings The mobile shop Warning call from the USTop down - sixties overviewDiversifying the business, the first steps out of town
"See the name - the mark of value" - Winfield own labelTransforming the City centre stores
Food for thoughtRochdale's first computer at the Central Accounting Office
Hits of the sixties - the new musicRegular Royal Queen by Gilbert & Sullivan on Embassy
Download choice of 6 WAV or MP3 files
Diversification and rationalisation in the 1970s Parent company celebrates 100th Anniversary in the USStore closures fund the purchase of B&Q and Dodge City
"Management buy in" - the most hostile form of takeoverOperation focus and format development under Kingfisher
Farewell to an old friend as the final US Woolworths "retire" Demerger and flotationMap
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Music and video introductionSixpenny pops: We'll have a Woolworth wedding (20s Gallery)
Little Marvel - our first gramophone records (20s Gallery)Eclipse and Crown records, the nation's favourite (30s Gallery)
Making a Crown record (30s Gallery)Play "The Lion and Albert" 78 rpm record (plays both sides)
Under the covers of Embassy Records (50s Gallery)
Hits of the 60s - the new music (60s Gallery) Launch of the Video Collection Pre-Recorded Video in the 80sF. W. Woolworth & Co. Ltd. On the curriculum in the 1950sOwn brand development in the 1960s and 1970s
The Chad Valley Toy Company Ltd.
Early history of Chad ValleyRuling classes and the royal warrant
Post war expansion and brand developmentWoolworths and Chad Valley join forces
Toys re-launched under Operation FocusYankee doodle candy in the 19th century How sweets were made in the 1930s Advertising and PRFashion overview 1909-2004Paper patterns, cotton and thread
Legend of the Scarlet LadybirdOur first Ladybird items (from the 1930s Gallery)
History of the Ladybird company Launch of Ladybird at WoolworthsChina and glassDo-It-Yourself and home repair
Leading lights - from the first day of electric light ! Pan-o-rama19th Century America