Bourne & Hollingsworth in Lowestoft!

On a recent visit to Nicholas Everitt park at Oulton Broad, Lowestoft, I was fascinated to discover it’s connection with the long since past Bourne & Hollingswoth department store in London.

"Howard Hollingsworth, Lowestoft’s first Freeman"

This is the story of Howard Hollingsworth, one of Lowestoft’s most important benefactors. Howard’s father, Charles, a successful bacon curer from Bilston, Staffs, ensured Howard (born 1871) received a good education – first in Edgbaston, then at college in Taunton, Somerset. Starting out as apprentice in a drapery store, he was ill-used by the management, was served bad food and forced to live in a rat-infested basement. He soon moved to London where he met Walter W Bourne, son of a farmer, who worked as a buyer for the well-known Pontings store. They became very close friends and with £600 capital, borrowed from relatives, set up the first Bourne & Hollingsworth store in Westbourne Grove. The business thrived, moving into larger premises. In 1902 they were able to purchase a much bigger store at 116–18 Oxford Street. From then until 1908 business really took off and they gradually purchased and rebuilt the entire block. By 1925 it offered the best quality fashion goods, served by smart, well-trained staff within a very spacious and stylish 320,000 sq ft store, whose name was advertised nationwide.
Walter Bourne had died in 1921, aged 56, but two of his three sons joined the business as directors. Howard, who never married, encouraged and supported them and the store continued to lead the field. Escalators and lifts were installed, a dining room and rest area, and floorwalkers ensured customers received excellent service. Howard, perhaps remembering his own introduction to work, made sure the B&H employees had the best conditions. His unique Staffordshire House company hostel was sold in 1911 and its successor, the larger Warwickshire House, provided good meals and rooms for up to 600 female staff close to the store. Another innovation was producing own-brand labeled goods in a company factory behind the store.
Howard was now a well-off and widely traveled businessman. During one of his frequent visits to Lowestoft he bought the burned-out shell of Briar Clyffe, with its large grounds, on Gunton Cliff. Loving the unrestricted view of the sea, he rebuilt and enlarged the house where he could now live in style. Seven staff maintained the magnificent gardens and hothouses. Although he did not shoot, he purchased the duck decoy and estate at Barnby Broad to entertain his friends. As a “bachelor”, he indulged himself in cars and speedboats, collaborating with JW Brooke who built cars and marine engines in Lowestoft, and Howard’s Brooke-engined boats appeared as far away as Monte Carlo. The wherry Ardea (recently brought back to the Broads for restoration) was commissioned by him in 1927, from Leo Robinson the Oulton Broad boat builders. A guest at the launching was his close friend Nicholas (Henry) Everitt who lived at Broad House, Oulton Broad. After Everitt’s death, Howard Hollingsworth purchased his friend’s estate and presented it to Lowestoft to be used as a public park, in perpetuity. In 1928, as a thank you gesture, Lowestoft made him the first Freeman of the Borough, presenting him with a scroll in a silver casket (still treasured by the family). The park, named in memory of Nicholas Everitt, opened with great celebrations in June 1929. Remembered for his generosity to many local causes (he once paid for all the furniture to equip the new nurse’s home at Lowestoft Hospital) Howard died in 1938. His ashes were scattered at sea, in sight of his beloved Briar Clyffe home, from the sailing smack Telesia which he had earlier restored for the 1935 Silver Jubilee celebrations.