It was wonderful very recently to return to Whiteleys in Queensway, to take part in filming episode 1 of the new documentary series Shopgirls.
My book, Whiteley’s Folly about the founder of the famous department store, is a true rags to riches tale of a great entrepreneur showing how underneath the carefully crafted public image of a kindly gentleman there lurked a mean individual, violent to his wife and a serial adulterer. It is also a tale of murder, and the mystery man who in 1907 had a secret meeting with Whiteley and shot him dead.
For the programme however the emphasis was on Whiteley as an employer, and I was able to display the list of rules he handed to his employees, a document I discovered in the National Archives during my research for the book. It certainly brought back to me that moment of excitement when I opened a file to reveal the fragile paper and realised what it was. Many of these rules seem very petty to us and most of them, if not obeyed resulted in a fine; for example, if an assistant stood on a chair she was fined 6d. Mr Whiteley was nothing if not thorough and the last rule on the list, number 176 is simply ‘Any rule not before mentioned’, fine for non-observance 6d.
Mr Whiteley’s wife had been his employee and his mistress before they were married, and later he chose his young mistresses from amongst the shop girls in his store. It must have been hard for them to say no to him, as he was so powerful. One, who bore him a son, was provided with a house and an account at the store and went with him on outings. Whether or not she liked his company it was a taste of a life she could not otherwise have enjoyed.
After he separated from his wife Mr Whiteley had more freedom to take his pick of companions, but not every girl was flattered by his attentions. A memoir written by a former shop girl at Whiteleys described how when he was about to go on a trip to the continent he would walk around the shop, and the girls used to duck down behind the counter so they wouldn’t be chosen to go with him!
The filming was done as a conversation between Dr Pamela Cox, the series presenter and myself. I found that very soon I was at my ease, and as we chatted away cheerfully, I quickly became oblivious of the presence of the cameras. Pamela was both knowledgeable and charming and the documentary team very enthusiastic and professional. Luckily I have done some interviews for TV before so I was happy to repeat conversations for several takes until everyone was pleased with what had been filmed. Finally it was time for some establishing shots with Pamela and myself walking into and out of Whiteleys.
I am sure it will be an excellent series giving us fascinating insights into the lives lived by so many women who have previously been overlooked.
Linda Stratmann is the author of Whiteley’s Folly. Whiteleys was the Harrods of the nineteenth century. Its clients included English and overseas royalty and it offered - and delivered - "Everything from a pin to an Elephant". Created by William Whiteley, a draper's assistant from Yorkshire, who come to London with just a few pounds in his pocket, it was a remarkable achievement by a remarkable man.
The ebook of Whiteley’s Folly is now just £2.99, get your copy here.