School Uniform Suppliers - Manchester

[ThrelfallYorky]

Ah, I'd not thought of the one in St Anne's Square - been thinking of the top end, Market Street, after I'd thought of Kendall's. Sorry.

[Maiden Stone]

Another thread on Manchester-forum.co.uk, topic Notre Dame High School, Cheetham, Manchester mentions uniforms from Henry Barrie in 1960s. Post is by Cheethamgirl.
Manchester-forum.co.uk/index.php?topic=6014.0

Heywood, I transgressed by wearing a coloured pac-a-mac instead of regulation transparent one. At least the waterproof to cover my boater was transparent ("Rain-mate"?)

My only visit to the store (Bolton) may have been to buy a replacement cardigan. I wore a plain, home-knitted one for a while, probably until there was enough cash to buy the official one. The only other uniform items I needed replaced were blouses and regulation knickers for thrice-weekly gym & games. Thankfully I stayed small & thin so the rest of the uniform lasted from 1st-year to 6th-form.

[Maiden Stone]

There's a vintage school uniform website (what used to be called second-hand). Currently featured is a pair of knickers dating from 1950s but unworn. Price - a jaw-dropping £150.    Claimed to be a rare pair and to last a lifetime if treated properly. Made in Leicester. Stretches to 38 inch waist. Definitely made for growth.

[Viktoria]

There were two shops at the top end of Market St.
Hope Brothers and Horn Brothers,
The one on the end of High St ,across from the old M&S sol,d uniforms for quite prestigieous schools.
We got blazers for our boys there,the first time my younger son wore his he
fell off a wall and damaged the barathea all down one sleeve.
The shop took it back and put a new sleeve in at a cost of fourteen shillings
This was 1965.
Our boys were at school in Belgium ,not at one of the schools who used th e shop for uniforms.We got them caps too (normal,wear for boys in the 1960s.)The blazers and caps were not for the same school,consequently they looked as if they had been expelled from two good schools.
My School used Henry Barrie’s in St Anne’s Square.
There was a Peter Barrie’s too nearby.
Lewis’s sold Manchester High School for Girls uniforms,.Navy blue and gold.
Our school was Oxford blue and gold.
The Oxford blue was not always easy to get other than at Barrie’s.
Good thinking by our pedantic headmistress.I t meant we could not have any variations on her theme! Gosh the rules.
I was so glad to have a uniform as my mum and dad were of very modest means but in a uniform I was as good as any other girl in the school.
We wore short socks until we were 18, in the sixth form.
Viktoria.

[PaulJC]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your suggestions. Somewhere deep in the recesses of my brain it tells me the name was Horns. I had heard of Barries but I will go for Horns.

Paul

[Techseeker]

There was a small department store ,almost  across from Lewis’s on Market St and was called HENRYS. They were probably sold the  lowest prices of uniforms available in the city in 1960s . They had a uniform dept ,stocking all the usual colours of Bottle green , Navy , Burgundy, Grey Brown Black. The badges for blazers and berets could be purchased from the school itself.  Main stockists were Henry Barrie in St Anns Square. They also stocked all items of uniform for the Private schools ( including the ribboned Boater hats ) After Mcr schools were forced to become Comprehensive , Henry Barries went out of business by 1975/6 and had a Closing down sale,clearing out all those Boater hats for £ 1 each !

[Viktoria]

I had a Saturday job at Henry’s, in the Ladies’Wear Dept and the Jewellery  stall .
Don’t remember actual,dedicated uniforms but yes gym slips, blouses and cardigans etc but no badges of the various schools.
Our school’s uniform was Oxford  blue, so we had to go to the dedicated suppliers .

We dared not remove our hats until we got home, honestly,two bus rides and I did not remove mine!
Oh happy days , I loved my school and was very proud to be there.
Viktoria.

[Pathway]

I think it was Vernons of Piccadilly I worked there in the school holidays in the 60's

[Viktoria]

There was Woolwoolworth’s on the corner of Piccadilly and Oldham St. opposite Queen Victoria’s statue ,Saqui and Lawrence Jewellers on thr next corner, ,then
  littlewoods opposite Mosely St.

Then Ryland’s warehouse, which became Paulden’s opposite Lewis’s ,High  St and Hope Bros,and Horn Bros, on opposite corners .
The Continental cinema and a Chinese restaurant ,then ,Henry’s store .
Our supplier of uniforms was in St,Anne’s Square, Peter Barrie’s . - or Henry Barrie’s can’t remember ,near The Barton Arcade.

Who remembers Wilde’s toy shop on the corner of Market St and Lewis’s arcade? The Hornby Dubblo ( double o gauge ) model railway shop down Market St?
My mum worked in Saxone, then a high class shoe shop ,Startright children’s shoes ,properly fitted.I have really good feet still thanks to those I think.
Oh happy days.
Viktoria.

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Viktoria.