Bearmans
Quite a few searches that end up on this site are for “Bearman’s Leytonstone” and having searched for the same information myself in the past I know that there is suprisingly little out there on internet. So, what is, or was Bearman’s? you might ask. Well, try mentioning the name to some of our older residents and they’re liable to go all misty-eyed on you, recounting tales of Leytonstone’s “glory days”. Anyone who’s walked through Leytonstone tube station’s subway may have noticed an older poster on the wall near to the Church Lane entrance as well.
Bearman’s was in fact a department store, a proper “Are You Being Served” job, sadly no longer with us and seemingly almost wiped from memory given the aforementioned lack of information out there. Frank Bearman, the proprieter, a draper by profession also went on to buy a part-share in Allders Department Stores.
So, I’ve basically started this post to try to gather any stories, pictures, in fact anything at all that people may wish to share about Bearman’s in Leytonstone.
Now, to get the ball rolling, I’ve been nosing around the 1901 census information recently and thought I’d see if I could find Mr. Bearman. Luckily, there’s an entry in there for what appears to be the department store itself – possibly the Bearmans actually lived there at that time. The census information lists the address as “3 and 4, The Parade, Leytonstone”, which presumably was the name given at the time to that section of shops on the High Road. The occupants were…
- Frank C Bearman (Draper/Shopkeeper)
- Kate Bearman (his Wife)
- Bernard Bearman (their son, aged 2 at the time)
- Mary Waller (Cook)
- Agnes Newby (Servant)
- Susan Tapp (Servant)
- Ellen Goodson (Servant)
- Arthur Harrison (Drapers Assistant)
- Bertrand Cox (Drapers Assistant)
- Richard Hilton (Drapers Assistant)
- Victor Brier (Drpaers Assistant)
- Thomas Simpkins (Drapers Assistant)
- Douglas Bunbury (Shopwalker)
So, looks like at this time the shop was still just a drapers, but it would evolve over the years into much more than that.
More to follow on this and as I mentioned, please add comments if you have any information to contribute.
My Mum was fostered by a couple in Leytonstone from 1917 – 1929. Her fostermother’s daughter Violet May Ellis worked for Bearmans all her working lifef & lived at 7 Kirkdale Road which I understand was a house bought by the store owners for their shopgirls.
If anyone else has more information I would love to know it.
My grandparents lived in Leytonstone and I remember going to Bearmans regularly. I particularly remember going to visit Father Christmas there when I was small. Wonderful memories and its so sad to see how run down Leytonstone High Road is these days. I’m so surprised at the lack of info about Bearmans on the internet too.
I used to go in Bearmans all the time during the 60′s and early 70′s. The pop music dept was upstairs in the rear, with some listening booths. Toys next to that and at Christmas who could forget the Grotto, sheer magic. I can still picture in my head the interior of the ‘ride’. Used to mainly buy gifts for myself or famliy. There was a side passage that led to the Rialto cinema .used to go there alot too. saw it get demolished during the summer of 1984. Have a photo of that unhappy event. Such a pity its gone but glad it made a lasting impression on us.
I was brought up in Walthamstow in the 60′s and 70′s and remember visiting the store lots of times. My parents dining room furniture came from Beamans I think. I remember the Christmas Grotto well, and the ‘ride’ that took you there. They had a great toy department. We also used to visit the cinema next door, but would never have remembered the name. Rialto doesn’t sound familiar though…did it change ?
I spent my childhood in Leytonstone and I always loved going to Bearmans. I remember the Rocket ride which used to be near the stairs and I used to save my pocket money so I could go on it. It looked a bit like an old motorcycle side car and there was a lever to make you go up and down. We visited Santa every year and the carriage that took you to the Grotto was fantastic.