Barsleys: From Tailor to Department Store
Charles Wilcox Barsley (decd 1940) outside his shop in 1926 ©
Barsleys enjoys a long history as a well known family business that has been part of the fabric of Paddock Wood for four generations (2022).
The roots of this family business go back to 1891 when Charles Barsley took over the running of a tailoring establishment in Brenchley.
Charles Barsley was the eldest of the eleven children of a master tailor and draper of Kimpton in Hertfordshire. He had qualified with a diploma in Garment Cutting at the “Tailor and Cutter” academy.
He travelled around the locality by bicycle or by horse and cart, measuring his clients in their homes: other customers called at the shop, where there was a tailoring workshop employing three to four men. By 1900 he had increased trade to a degree sufficient to enable him to open a shop in Paddock Wood, a relatively new village thriving on the benefits of a railway station and the annual influx of hop-pickers.
Charles Barsley outside of his Paddock Wood shop ©
Charles Barsley outside of his enlarged shop in Paddock Wood around 1934©
In 1903 he purchased Alma Cottages in Commercial Road , Paddock Wood and enlarged the building to accommodate a shop. This was on the site of the present store (2022).
Commercial Road Paddock Wood with Alma Cottages shown behind the Parochial Hall on the right. The present site of Barsleys Department store (2022) ©
A clear image of Barsleys shop on the right ©
In 1919 the Brenchley shop was closed down and all efforts were concentrated on the Paddock Wood business. Factories that had been producing military uniforms during the First World War WW1 now began to turn out inexpensive ready made civilian clothes and so, as the demand for home tailoring decreased, Barsleys extended their trade to include footwear and outfitting. Charles son Bob ( Roberts Wilcox Barsley) was apprenticed to C.E. White, the Tunbridge Wells men’s outfitter and he in turn joined the family business in 1934.
Charles Barsley outside of his shop after his son Roberts Wilcox (Bob) joined the family business ©
In 1940 Charles Barsley died. After the Second World War WW2 Bob extended the Commercial Road premises still further. In 1952 the acquisition of further buildings in Station Road enabled Barsleys to open Drapery, Haberdashery, Soft Furnishings and Ladies Wear departments. In 1961 an extension totterer of theCommercial Road property was built and a furniture and carpet department opened. Ataboutthis time what had been Oswald Turners Printing Shop next door also became part of Barsleys.
Between 1968 and 1970 further construction was carried out to rebuild the Station Road part of the shop and join it to the Commercial Road building.
Charles Barsley’s grandson John joined the firm in 1972 after training in linens, soft furnishings and drapery Noakes of Tunbridge Wells. He was followed in 1974 by his brother Richard who was trained in clothing and outfitting at Sharps of Maidstone.
In 1980 Andrew Chackfield joined thecompanyto run the Furniture and Carpet Department.
In 1987 the original Alma cottages that formed the shop were demolished and the front of the store rebuilt as we know it today (2022).
In 2001 an extentionof storerooms and a loading bay in Station Road together with the first customer lift in Paddock Wood enabled customers to have easier access to the first floor.
Centenary literature Barsleys 1991 ©
Centenary literature Barsleys 1991 ©
Mr Richard Barsley in the festive spirit at the Barsleys stall outside of the shop / department store. Paddock Wood Lights up event 2022 ©