J R Roberts Stores

J R Roberts Stores was a historic British department-store chain established by John R. Roberts in 1870. The business began at 96 Broadway, Stratford, London, as a drapery and furniture shop. Over time it developed into a full-line department store and expanded across adjoining premises, eventually occupying numbers 78 to 102 Broadway. Its assortment and format reflected the development of the Victorian and Edwardian department store: a broad retail offer under one roof, supported by seasonal presentation, prominent premises and a local civic presence. The business is particularly associated with early Christmas retail presentation. In 1888, J R Roberts Stores was reported to have introduced the first Christmas grotto in a British department store. Later Christmas fairs featured animated soldiers, sailors and other toy figures, helping establish the store as a seasonal destination as well as a general retailer. The company also commissioned specialist display work; the postcard artist Hermann Fleury Jnr is reported to have created a Christmas display for a fee of £200. J R Roberts Stores was incorporated in 1894 and was then reported as having a value of £202,500. The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange, although its subsequent financial history included difficulties with dividend payments. In 1899, it opened a second location in Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, as a subsidiary of the Stratford business. The Stratford operation also became associated with the temperance movement after announcing that it would stop selling alcohol. Its grocery department was later closed, and the company reported that costs had reduced profit to £46,066 while it was unable to pay a dividend. In 1911, the share structure was reorganised, with preference shareholders receiving ordinary shares and the value of existing ordinary holdings being written down. The Stratford store was rebuilt in 1927 at a reported cost of £25,000, with the project adding a 260-foot arcade. The Southend business moved in 1933 from Nelson Street to 90 High Street, a site that had previously been occupied by Percy Ravens. These changes show the company’s efforts to maintain substantial, centrally located department-store premises during a period of increasing competition and changing retail practice. In 1950, J R Roberts Stores was purchased by the multiple retail company Hide & Co. The Stratford store was subsequently sold separately and closed in 1954. It was acquired by the London Co-operative Society, which demolished the older buildings and later developed a new department store on the site between 1957 and 1962. The Southend store continued to trade under the J R Roberts name until Hide & Co was acquired by House of Fraser in 1975. House of Fraser rebranded the store, first as Chiesmans and later as an Army & Navy store. The Southend premises were finally closed by House of Fraser in 1984. The former site later accommodated Dixons and Currys, followed by a Morrisons Local and, for a period, the community hub The Ironworks. The building was reported to have been occupied by Popeyes from 2025. J R Roberts Stores itself is therefore a defunct historical retail brand rather than a continuing trading chain.

J R Roberts Stores began in 1870 when John R. Roberts opened a drapery and furniture shop at 96 Broadway in Stratford, London. The business expanded steadily and developed into a full department store occupying the frontage from 78 to 102 Broadway. Its growth coincided with the expansion of British department stores, which offered customers a wide assortment of goods in large, centrally located premises. The store became known for its Christmas retail presentation. A 1888 report credited it with creating the first Christmas grotto in a British department store. Subsequent Christmas fairs used animated soldiers, sailors and other toy figures. Hermann Fleury Jnr, known as a postcard artist, was reported to have designed or fitted out a Christmas display for £200. These events gave the store a distinctive seasonal role in local shopping culture. The enterprise was incorporated in 1894 with a reported value of £202,500 and was listed on the London Stock Exchange. In 1895, after Queen Mary Hospital at West Ham opened a new wing, two of its main wards were named after J R Roberts because the company had paid for their furniture. This episode reflected the civic and charitable visibility that large local retailers could acquire. Expansion continued in 1899 when a second store opened in Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, as a subsidiary of the Stratford business. Around the same period the Stratford store announced that it would cease selling alcohol, linking the business to contemporary temperance campaigning. The company later closed its grocery department. It also experienced financial pressure: after costs were deducted from reported profit of £46,066, it stated that it could not pay a dividend. In 1911, the share structure was reorganised, with preference shareholders receiving ordinary shares and the existing ordinary share values being reduced. The Stratford premises were rebuilt in 1927 at a reported cost of £25,000. The redevelopment included a 260-foot arcade. In Southend, the store moved in 1933 from Nelson Street to 90 High Street, a property previously occupied by Percy Ravens. The relocation maintained the company’s presence in a major town-centre shopping position. Hide & Co acquired the business in 1950. The Stratford store was sold separately and closed in 1954. The purchaser, the London Co-operative Society, demolished the earlier buildings and constructed a replacement department store on the site between 1957 and 1962. The Southend store continued using the J R Roberts Stores name for a longer period. When House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co in 1975, the Southend operation was rebranded as Chiesmans, and later became an Army & Navy store. House of Fraser closed the location in 1984. After the retail business disappeared, the Southend premises had several later occupants, including Dixons and Currys, a Morrisons Local and the community hub The Ironworks. The building was reported to have received a further retail use in 2025 when American fried-chicken chain Popeyes opened there. These later occupancies are part of the site’s history, not continuations of the J R Roberts brand. The brand is now defunct and survives primarily through local retail, architectural and department-store history.

• 1984

  Southend store closed

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  House of Fraser closed the former J R Roberts store in Southend.

• 1975

  Southend store rebranded after House of Fraser acquisition

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co, after which the Southend store was rebranded as Chiesmans.

• 1954

  Stratford store closed

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The Stratford store closed and was sold to the London Co-operative Society.

• 1950

  Acquisition by Hide & Co

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The multiple retail company Hide & Co purchased J R Roberts Stores.

• 1933

  Southend store relocated

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The Southend operation moved from Nelson Street to 90 High Street.

• 1927

  Stratford store rebuilt

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The Stratford store was rebuilt and gained a 260-foot arcade.

• 1911

  Share restructuring

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The company reorganised its share capital amid problems relating to dividend payments.

• 1899

  Southend expansion

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  A second store opened in Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, as a subsidiary of the Stratford business.

• 1894

  Incorporation and stock-market listing

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The business was incorporated with a reported value of £202,500 and listed on the London Stock Exchange.

• 1888

  Early department-store Christmas grotto

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  The store was reported to have opened the first Christmas grotto in a UK department store, beginning a long association with elaborate seasonal displays.

• 1870

  Business founded in Stratford

  [1]J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org

  John R. Roberts opened a drapery and furniture shop at 96 Broadway, Stratford, London.

A traditional South East English department-store business combining broad household and consumer merchandise with prominent town-centre premises and highly visible seasonal retail displays.

• Department-store merchandise · 1870

  Drapery and textiles

  Drapery was part of the original 1870 offer and remained central to the company’s identity as it developed from a specialist shop into a full department store.

• Home furnishings · 1870

  Furniture

  Furniture was sold from the founding shop and formed part of the business’s broader household-goods offer. The company’s furniture-related civic contribution was also reflected in its payment for furniture for wards at Queen Mary Hospital, West Ham.

• Food retail

  Grocery department

  The business operated a grocery department during its development as a full-line retailer, but later announced that the department would close.

• Seasonal retail experience · 1888

  Christmas grotto and seasonal fair

  J R Roberts Stores became known for Christmas displays featuring animated soldiers, sailors and other toy figures. Its early Christmas grotto was a notable part of the store’s customer experience and local identity.

• 1899Temperance positioning

  Stratford, London

  The Stratford store announced that it would stop selling alcohol in connection with the contemporary temperance movement.

  Outcome. The longer-term commercial effect is not documented in the reference material.

  Source
• 1888Christmas grotto

  United Kingdom

  The store introduced an early department-store Christmas grotto, followed by animated seasonal fairs that became a recurring attraction.

  Outcome. The displays helped establish J R Roberts Stores as a destination for seasonal shopping and entertainment.

  Source

• 1975

  Rebranding of the Southend storeStrategy

  Background

  House of Fraser purchased Hide & Co, bringing the remaining Southend operation into its retail portfolio.

  Action taken

  The Southend store was rebranded as Chiesmans and later operated as an Army & Navy store.

  Aftermath

  The J R Roberts Stores name ceased to be used at the Southend location, which House of Fraser eventually closed in 1984.

  Source

• 1950

  Sale to Hide & CoM&A

  Background

  J R Roberts Stores was operating as a multi-location department-store business in the South East of England.

  Action taken

  The business was purchased by the multiple retail company Hide & Co.

  Aftermath

  The Stratford store was later sold separately, while the Southend store remained under the J R Roberts name until House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co.

  Source

• 1911

  Reorganisation of share capitalOther

  Background

  The company faced issues involving dividend payments and the relative position of its share classes.

  Action taken

  Preference shareholders were given ordinary shares, while the value of existing ordinary shareholders’ holdings was written down.

  Aftermath

  The restructuring altered the company’s capital arrangement, although later performance is not detailed in the reference material.

  Source

• 1902

  Closure of the grocery departmentStrategy

  Background

  The company was operating under financial pressure and had reported difficulty paying a dividend after costs reduced its profit.

  Action taken

  J R Roberts Stores announced the closure of its grocery department.

  Aftermath

  The reference material does not document the department’s precise financial or operational outcome beyond its closure.

  Source

1. 1J R Roberts Storesen.wikipedia.org