William Whiteley - Wakefield, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 40.988 W 001° 29.899
30U E 599177 N 5949314
This blue plaque celebrates William Whiteley and the site where he started as an apprentice.
Waymark Code: WM17E1V
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/04/2023
Views: 1
WAKEFIELD CIVIC SOCIETY
RECORDS
WILLIAM WHITELEY 1831 - 1907. THE
SELF-STYLED UNIVERSAL PROVIDER
AND FOUNDER OF ONE OF THE
WORLD'S FIRST DEPARTMENT
STORES; WAS APPRENTICED
HEREABOUTS IN 1848 TO
HARNEW AND CLOVER,
DRAPERS
1996
The reference to 'one of the first department stores' relates to the original Whiteleys department store that started as a drapery shop at 31 Westbourne Grove, London in 1863. By 1867 it had expanded to a row of shops containing 17 separate departments.
Harnew and Clover obviously trained him well.
The plaque is above the entrance to Central Buildings on Bull Ring. Central Buildings has retail premises on the ground floor with 3 floor of office space above.