Elliston & Cavell
Elliston & Cavell was for many years the leading department store in Oxford, England.[1] The store was located on the west side of Magdalen Street in central Oxford. The shop stocked uniforms for local schools such as the Dragon School.
| Type | Subsidiary (1953–1973) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retailing |
| Founded | 1835 |
| Founders | Michael Stratton and Barrie Stuart Trinder |
| Defunct | 1973 |
| Fate | Re-branded as Debenhams |
| Successor | Debenhams |
| Headquarters | Oxford, England |
| Products | Clothing and Department |
| Revenue | See parent company |
| See parent company | |
| Parent | Debenhams plc (1953–present) |
History
Jesse Elliston originally owned a draper's shop opposite St Mary Magdalen Church in Oxford. On 9 April 1835, at the age of 22, John Cavell married Sarah Elliston, the sister of Jesse at St John Baptist Church in Summertown, Oxford.[2] Elliston made Cavell a partner in celebration of the marriage. Thereafter, the shop became known as Elliston & Cavell. In 1853, Jesse Elliston was found dead on his walk home from work at the age of 47, while Sarah Elliston died in 1856.[3]
In 1861, James Cavell married his widowed sister-in-law Harriet Delf (nee Elliston); they lived above the premises at 12 Magdalen Street. James Cavell was made Mayor of Oxford for the first time in 1865 and was the Chairman of the Oxford Building & Investments Company until 1882, but died aged 74 in 1887.[3]
The original store was demolished in 1894 to make way for the current building.[3] It eventually became the largest department store in Oxford. The store was lavishly decorated with a sweeping staircase and a bakelite mural depicting deer in a forest glade. The ladies' powder room had basins in the shape of marble swans with gold taps, with ladies in black uniform providing dry towels.[4]
The shop was taken over by Debenhams in 1953, but the original name was retained until 1973.[3] The building formed part of the Debenhams store until its administration in 2020.
See also
References
- Michael Stratton and Barrie Stuart Trinder, Twentieth Century Industrial Archaeology, Taylor & Francis, 2000, page 180. ISBN 978-0-419-24680-0.
- John Caldicott Cavell, Mayor of Oxford.
- "John Caldicott Cavell, Mayor of Oxford 1865/6, 1877/8 1879/80 - Oxford History.org.uk". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
- "The way shops were in Oxford by Chris Koenig - Oxford Times published 4/8/2010". Retrieved 7 November 2014.