Joseph Della Porta
Retailer / private label
UnclaimedJoseph Della Porta was a historic department store in Shrewsbury, England, later absorbed into House of Fraser and rebranded as Rackhams.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Joseph Della Porta was a family-founded department store based in The Square in Shrewsbury, England. Its origins date to the arrival of Joseph Della Porta from Italy in 1847 and the opening of his first small shop on Princess Street in 1857. Over subsequent decades, the business expanded through the acquisition of neighboring premises, eventually creating a substantial retail presence extending toward The Square and later onto the High Street. The business operated through several family and partnership structures. In 1869 Joseph's son-in-law, Augustine Alfred Rabnett, joined as a partner, and the store traded as Joseph Della Porta Son & Rabnett. Rabnett subsequently departed to establish a separate retail business, after which the original company reverted to the name Joseph Della Porta & Son. Joseph's son, John Lewis Della Porta, assumed leadership following Joseph Della Porta's death in 1904. A further succession occurred after John Lewis Della Porta died in 1929. His son, Joseph William Della Porta, took control and converted the enterprise into a private limited company in 1930. He was the final member of the Della Porta family to run the business. Under his direction, the retailer continued expanding its premises, including by acquiring additional property along Shrewsbury's High Street. In 1948 the store was acquired by Hide & Co, a department-store chain that operated Della Portas as a subsidiary. Hide & Co later acquired the Shrewsbury drapery business Edwin Powell & Son in 1950 and placed it under Della Portas' management. By 1957, the business had grown to more than 40 departments, reflecting the broad merchandise range associated with a traditional regional department store. The corporate context changed again in 1975, when House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co. The Shrewsbury store was subsequently rebranded under House of Fraser's Rackhams name. The former Joseph Della Porta operation therefore ceased to trade as an independent family department store, while its premises continued in department-store use and became associated with House of Fraser Shrewsbury. The brand is now historical rather than an active independent retailer.
History
Joseph Della Porta's history began with Joseph Della Porta's move from Italy to England in 1847. Ten years later, he established a small shop on Princess Street in Shrewsbury. The business grew by purchasing neighboring stores and premises, gradually extending its presence toward The Square, one of the town's principal commercial locations. In 1869 Joseph's son-in-law Augustine Alfred Rabnett entered the business as a partner. The resulting partnership traded under the name Joseph Della Porta Son & Rabnett. Rabnett later left the partnership to establish his own store, and the original business resumed trading as Joseph Della Porta & Son. Following Joseph Della Porta's death in 1904, his son John Lewis Della Porta assumed control. John Lewis died in 1929, after which his son Joseph William Della Porta became responsible for the enterprise. In 1930 he incorporated it as a private limited company. Joseph William was the last Della Porta family member to operate the business, but he continued its physical expansion by acquiring more property fronting Shrewsbury's High Street. The family-owned phase ended in 1948, when Hide & Co purchased the business and operated it as a subsidiary. Hide & Co expanded its Shrewsbury presence again in 1950 by acquiring the drapery retailer Edwin Powell & Son and placing that business under Della Portas' operation. By 1957, the store had more than 40 departments, indicating its development into a broad regional department store rather than a small specialist shop. In 1975 House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co. As part of the resulting corporate integration, the Shrewsbury store was rebranded as Rackhams. The Joseph Della Porta name consequently disappeared as the trading identity of the department store, although the site continued operating within the House of Fraser retail network. The location is now associated with House of Fraser Shrewsbury, making Joseph Della Porta a defunct historical retail brand.
- 1975
House of Fraser acquisition and Rackhams rebrand
[1]House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co and subsequently rebranded the Shrewsbury store under the Rackhams name.
- 1957
Store exceeds 40 departments
[1]The retailer had expanded to more than 40 departments, demonstrating the scale of its regional department-store operation.
- 1950
Edwin Powell & Son joins the operation
[1]Hide & Co acquired Shrewsbury draper Edwin Powell & Son and operated it through Della Portas.
- 1948
Acquisition by Hide & Co
[1]Hide & Co purchased Joseph Della Porta and operated it as a subsidiary within its department-store group.
- 1930
Business incorporated
[1]Joseph William Della Porta incorporated the enterprise as a private limited company.
- 1929
Joseph William Della Porta succeeds his father
[1]After John Lewis Della Porta died, his son Joseph William Della Porta assumed control.
- 1904
John Lewis Della Porta takes control
[1]Following Joseph Della Porta's death, his son John Lewis Della Porta took over the business.
- 1869
Rabnett joins the partnership
[1]Joseph's son-in-law Augustine Alfred Rabnett joined the business, which adopted the trading name Joseph Della Porta Son & Rabnett.
- 1857
First Shrewsbury shop opens
[1]Joseph Della Porta opened a small store on Princess Street in Shrewsbury.
- 1847
Joseph Della Porta arrives in England
[1]Joseph Della Porta came to England from Italy, preceding the establishment of his Shrewsbury retail business.
Products and positioning
A locally rooted, full-line regional department store that expanded from a small family shop into a large multi-department retailer serving Shrewsbury and the surrounding area.
Department store
General department-store merchandise
Joseph Della Porta developed from a small local shop into a broad department store with more than 40 departments by 1957. The available historical record does not provide a complete department-by-department catalogue, but the business is documented as a general retailer rather than a specialist store.
Apparel and textiles
Drapery and clothing
Drapery formed part of the store's retail scope, and the business also operated Edwin Powell & Son, a Shrewsbury draper acquired by Hide & Co in 1950. Specific proprietary labels or product ranges are not identified in the available source material.
General merchandise
Household and general retail goods
The store's multi-department format implies a wide general-merchandise assortment serving local shoppers. The documented sources establish its scale and department-store character but do not enumerate individual household product lines.
Brand decisions
1975
Rebranding under RackhamsStrategyBackground
House of Fraser acquired Hide & Co and consolidated the acquired department-store operations under its own retail architecture.
Action taken
The Shrewsbury Joseph Della Porta store was rebranded as Rackhams.
Aftermath
Joseph Della Porta ceased to operate as the store's independent trading identity, while the premises continued as a House of Fraser department store.
1948
Sale to Hide & CoM&ABackground
The family-owned department store had grown into a substantial regional retailer before being acquired by the department-store chain Hide & Co.
Action taken
Hide & Co purchased the business and operated it as a subsidiary.
Aftermath
The store became part of a larger retail group and later absorbed the operation of Edwin Powell & Son in Shrewsbury.
1930
Incorporation as a private limited companyStrategyBackground
After Joseph William Della Porta succeeded his father, the long-running family business was reorganized as a private limited company.
Action taken
The enterprise was incorporated while remaining under Della Porta family management.
Aftermath
Joseph William remained the last family member to run the business and continued expanding its property holdings.
Sources1 sources
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