Records of Hoadleys Limited of Burgess Hill, Seaford and Ditchling

<span class="wrapper"><p>PHOTOGRAPHS</p> <p>PH 7982 Horse-drawn funeral procession, n.d. [c. 1900's] (1 doc.)</p> <p>PH 7983 Collage of photographs of various Hoadleys stores, n.d. [c. 1905] (1 doc.)</p> <p>PH 7984 Staff Christmas Party, n.d. [early 1950's] (1 doc.)</p> <p>Shows: Standing in front of the bus, left to right - (1) Mr. Tiffin, General Manager and Director; (3) Mrs. Tiffin; (4) Mr. Parker, upholsterer; (5) Eric Poole, furnishings buyer. In the bus, left to right - (1) Jim Eade, groceries manager; (2) Mrs. Dale; (8) Mrs. Bulldock; (10) Mr. Satchell; (11) John Towgood; (14) Mrs. Satchell</p> <p>PH 7985 Members of staff, n.d. [early 1950's]</p> <p>Shows, left to right: (3) Tufton Beamish; (4) Ronnie Clark; (5) customer; (6) Harry Tiffin</p> <p>PH 7986-PH 8002 Shop interiors, n.d. [c. 1950's] (17 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8003-PH 8009 Window displays, n.d. [c. 1950's] (7 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8010-PH 8016 Rebuilding, n.d. [c. 1963] (7 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8014-8016 shows, left to right: (4) Ronnie Clark, Managing Director; (5) Harry Tiffin</p> <p>PH 8017-PH 8031 Repairs, n.d. [early 1960's] (15 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8032-PH 8041 Shop exteriors, n.d. [c. 1965] (10 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8042-PH 8057 Shop exteriors, n.d. [c. 1965] (16 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8058-PH 8060 Shop exteriors, n.d. [c. 1968] (3 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8061-PH 8075 Shop interiors, n.d. [c.1960's] (15 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8076-PH 8083 "Room for Living" exhibition in Martlets Hall, n.d. [c. 1974] (8 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8084-PH 8086 Hoadleys display at trade exhibition, n.d. [c. 1974] (3 docs.)</p> <p>PH 8087 Aerial view of Burgess Hill showing Hoadleys store, n.d. (1 doc.)</p></span>

Deposited by B. Wooten Esq. of Burgess Hill in November 1983

Acc. 6136

Frederick Hoadley started his business at Prospect Place, Burgess Hill in 1857. The shop started as a grocers and drapers store but during the latter half of the century the store expanded rapidly. A new branch was opened at Seaford in 1896 and Kelly's Directory for 1895 described the Burgess Hill store as "grocer, draper, outfitter, boot, shoe, ironmongery and furniture warehouse, ladies and gentlemen's tailors and undertakers". Frederick Hoadley was also agent for the Capital and Counties Bank and an insurance agent

In 1900 the company of Hoadleys Limited was created. It was very much a family firm with Frederick Hoadley as the first chairman of the directors and his two sons also on the board of directors. Alfred Hoadley became the second chairman of the company when his father died in 1915

Hoadleys Limited acquired the upper floors of the new Post Office building in Burgess Hill in 1905. A branch was started at Montague Street, Worthing in 1906 but closed down in less than a year. A new branch was opened in Ditchling in 1920 and as a result of this Hoadleys ran three stores in Burgess Hill, Seaford and Ditchling until the 1950's

In 1950 there was a complete change in the board of directors when Sidney Alfred Clark purchased control of the share capital. The existing board resigned, a new board of directors was appointed and the new chairman's son, Ronnie S. Clark, was made managing director. The new directors embarked on a reorganisation of the business. The grocery business in Church Road, Burgess Hill was closed down in 1953 and the Seaford and Ditchling branches were sold in 1955. Hoadleys acquired the former Post Office building in 1965 and extensive repairs and alterations were made to the Burgess Hill store in Junction Road throughout the 1960's. In 1980, the Southsea based firm, Wendovers, took over Hoadleys