Johnson Clarks

A Memory of Staines.

Does anyone remember Johnson & Clarks department store? It used to be the place to go for school uniforms. It was like Grace Brother's department store from the comedy TV show "Are you being served?". I tried to find some old photos, but to no avail. Before it was demolished, it sat on the opposite corner from where Debenhams still sits. Strangely, this is one of my oldest memories of Staines along with the big old cinema watching Star Wars, ET etc... The legendary queues to get into the cinema almost wrapped right around the building.


Added 19 March 2012

#235630

Comments & Feedback

Yes I remember Johnson and Clarks department store, opposite use to be Kennards before it became Debenhams.
I grew up in Staines then moved away, I go back from time to time just to see how its changed.
I was a 'Saturday girl' in Johnson & Clarks for several years from 1965 - Matt Shell is quite right, it was just like the Grace Brothers department store! There was even a 'Captain Peacock' - a floor walker in very smart attire, who, if memory serves me correctly, was called Mr Stevens. If I watch an old episode of 'Are You Being Served', I cannot help but think of Johnson & Clarks. Smartly dressed ladies running Ladieswear, very dapper gentleman in Mens Outfitting, an ex-nurse in the Toy department who brought her nurse's belt in to show me one day to prove that she had had an 18" waist when she was a nurse (she had, the belt was tiny). A creaky old lift, a staff canteen where everyone had their lunch and gossiped - lots of memories of a time and a place long since gone.
my dad worked for Johnson and Clarks in the era before they became a departmental store. In the 1940's and 50's he was a plumber, based in the shed at the bottom on the yard.
Next to him was a Glass Shop with George Nicholas and upsatirs was a stained glass department with a man called Bob.
I seem to remember someone in the Sports Department called Ron Dipper but I guess that was after the move to a Departmental store.
Johnsons waxs a regukar weekly trip by us on a Saturday morning , when my mum was at work.

Thinking back it is amazing waht we goyt upto together on a Saturday

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