Anything from a Pin to an Elephant: Tales of Norfolk Retail

2016 | Business & Finance

The popularity of recent television drama series such as 'The Paradise' and 'Mr Selfridge' and, the splendid three part documentary 'Shopgirls: the True Story of Life Behind the Counter', is evidence enough of the level of public interest in the history of the retail trade. Even today, Norfolk boasts a remarkable collection of genuinely independent stores which have survived just about everything that has been thrown at them: wars, bombs, fires, recessions and depressions, family fallings out, takeover bids and a succession of revolutionary changes in the retail market. Chris Armstrong has painstakingly researched the fascinating history of five of Norfolk's most iconic department stores, unearthing many previously unheard stories and meeting some genuinely eccentric characters along the way. One such character, Arnold Roy, one of the founding brothers of Roys of Wroxham, was hailed as 'the Norfolk Napoleon' and an extraordinary appearance on the BBC's 'In Town Tonight' in the 1930s gave rise to an avalanche of letters from ladies wishing to marry him, as well as the title of this book (which was his answer to the question of what was sold in his emporium).

The author also goes to explore the massive changes in the retail market over the last 30 or 40 years, from out of town centres to the rapid advance of the internet, as well as a chapter on a chain of local charity shops.

Chris Armstrong (Author)