1870 - Brown & Muff Department Store - Bradford, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 47.608 W 001° 45.171
30U E 582152 N 5961264
Brown and Muff was a successful department store in Bradford and this building was erected in 1870 when Market Street was redeveloped. The date is shown on a stone pediment at the top of the corner of the building.
Waymark Code: WMJJC7
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/24/2013
Views: 1
At one time Market Street was the centre of trade in Bradford and in 1814 Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, a 37 year old widow with connections to the drapery trade set up a successful draper's store.
In 1834 Elizabeth retired, handing the business over to her son Henry who had helped in the shop since he was a young boy.
Elizabeth died in 1845 and Henry decided to go into partnership with his brother-in-law Thomas P. Muff. The company changed its name to Brown and Muffs and expanded into new areas. The 1856 Trade Directory describes it as drapers, hosiers, tailors and hatters.
While industry in Bradford thrived however the majority of the population lived in poverty and was unable to shop at this luxury department store. Despite this, the store is still fondly remembered by the ordinary worker for its fabulous window displays.
The store continued to do well until the 1970's when it suffered massive profit losses. The company was then taken over by the Birmingham based Hose of Fraser group. In 1995 the store was closed down.
link
These days the ground floor has been broken down into a number of small trading units including KFC and the betting shop Bet Fred.
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