murmur. He did, however, served in the Bedford Observer Corps and carried out regular shifts while still running the shop. During the war years, tobacco goods were scarce. Sometimes, he would receive an order, which would be sold out before he had time to even place it onto the shelves! In 1943, and at the age of 13, Nathaniel’s second son,
John Simmonds, began working in the family shop with Nathaniel’s wife, Madeleine, who also helped out when Nathaniel was on Observer Corps duty. After the war years Harrison & Simmonds exhibited at the
Coronation Exhibition held in 1952 at the Bedford Corn Exchange where they had a winning display. The following year, John, now 23 years old, left the business to pursue life as a Franciscan friar. His younger brother, Michael, then 17 years old, left school to join the family business, until 1955, when he was called up for National Service, closely followed by his younger brother, David. On their return, Nathaniel took them into partnership with him. The ethos of building a warm, happy and intimate
relationship that Nathaniel had created with his customers, was now firmly established and the hard work was once more rewarded when the business won second prize for their window display in Charter Year, 1966. In 1968, Michael left the family business to train as a
teacher. Just two years later, in 1970, both Nathaniel and his wife Madeleine died and David inherited the business going into partnership with John Maund, his wife’s brother-in-law, and his wife’s cousin, Michael March. The same year, the lease expired and so the business moved a few doors along from 78a to 80 High Street, which, to this day, remains a familiar landmark along Bedford’s high street.
a heart attack, Michael returned to the family business in 1985. By the mid-1990s, Michael’s son Dominic and David’s son, Matthew had both joined the family firm. In 1998, with the established face of the high street
starting to change with the arrival of the internet, Matthew and David had the foresight to create an internet presence for the family’s long-established high street business. Matthew, who had computer training, successfully developed and, now maintains the expanding website (
www.h-s.co.uk). As a result, a large part of Harrison & Simmonds’ business is now transacted via the internet and staff spend many hours, each business day, packing and posting parcels to the four corners of the globe! In 2008, Nathaniel’s son David, who had been called up
for National Service and later became a partner in the family business, died. His son, Matthew and nephew, Dominic are now partners. David’s other son, James, a classically trained actor, also helps manage the shop, as does David’s daughter, Christiane. Ninety years on, and three generations later, Harrison &
In 1985, the partners opened a new branch in St. John’s
Street, Cambridge, which traded very successfully for more than 15 years, with David’s son, Matthew, and daughter, Christiane, working at the Cambridge shop for several years. Following his retirement as a teacher, having experienced
Simmonds has developed into a gentleman’s emporium, with a range of accoutrements, mainly for men, including: walking sticks; scale models; wallets and other leather goods; quality pens and ballpens; penknives; globes; tankards; pocket watches; and anything suitable for men’s gifts, which also includes a range of Masonic gifts. The family business has successfully traversed the void between the high street and the internet and remains a legacy. This year, Matthew Simmonds’ first novel, Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Pigtail Twist, was published, which, in some way, endorses the intrigue of this traditional high street shop.
PHOTO STORY: Above: 1928 - Phyllis Heyward outside number 78a High Street. Top: Bow Tie staff, with Michael Simmonds, far right. Bottom left: David, Nathaniel and Michael inside the Bedford shop during the1960s. Bottom right: The Cambridge shop. Photo: Courtesy of Harrison & Simmonds
www.countylifemagazines.co.uk
County Life 27
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68