Business History Explorer Supported by the Business Archives Council

Empire Stores Ltd

Other Business Names:

  • Fattorini, Antonio
  • Northern Trading Co
  • Fattorini & Sons Ltd
  • Moore, Joseph
  • Empire Stores (Bradford) Ltd
  • PPR Group
  • Redcats
  • Robertshaw, E, & Co Ltd
  • UK Shop Direct Group

Locations city-town / local authority / county1974 / region-state / country:

  • Bradford, City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, Yorkshire & the Humber, England

Sectors:

  • Financial services Credit, hire purchase, leasing, etc, services
  • Luxury / consumer goods production Jewellery, decorative objects, etc, production
  • Distribution - retailing Jewellery, silverware & similar luxury goods retailing
  • Distribution - retailing Mail order & catalogue retailing
  • Fabricated metal products manufacture Medals, badges, tallies, tokens, etc, production
  • Wearing apparel & footwear production Outerwear & underwear production

Notes:

Traced origins to Antonio Fattorini, 1797-1859, who was originally a travelling packman and later a retailer of fancy goods and jewellery. Established market stall at Leeds in late 1820s and opened a shop there in 1831. Subsequently opened also at Harrogate, Bradford and Skipton. Sold in quantity at low margin, in particular selling mass produced watches via watch clubs and sports trophies, medals, etc. Interest free credit provided. By 1900 1,000 clubs established. By 1870s making own watches/clocks. 1890s broadened range of goods sold and started mail order via Northern Trading Co, established 1907 at Bradford. 1909 incorporated as Fattorini & Sons Ltd. Mail order business hived off into Empire Stores Ltd 1910 and in 1913 E Robertshaw & Co Ltd established as its buying agents. 1915 acquired Joseph Moore, Birmingham, medallist business. Also started textile / clothing manufacture at Bradford. Post 1945 focused on mail order, developing it into a market leader. 1957 gave up retailing. 1960 converted to public company as Empire Stores (Bradford) Ltd. 1978 sold off medallist business. 1991 acquired by PPR Group of France and subsequently traded as Redcats. Sometime trading name subsumed into UK Shop Direct Group [2023]

Publications:

Groups: