The Historical Society are asking for help to remember Clegg's department store, which for many years was probably the most celebrated shop in Wilmslow. It stood on the corner of Hawthorn Lane and Bank Square.
The Society has been presented with the Cleggs Company embossing stamp machine by Ann Rogerson , daughter of Joan Rogerson who for many years was the company accountant.
Walter Shields Clegg opened his store at the corner of Church Street and Hawthorn Lane in January 1881. Clegg specialised as an outfitter and soft furnisher but added a thriving funeral service business to the store, and was remarked by customers to be "very impressive in his frock coat and black silk hat".
A customer could purchase silk at £0/1/11 per yard, and a gentleman could select from a range of shirts with prices to almost £3 produced in-house by a team of their own seamstresses and tailors, some of whom lived about the shop with the Clegg family.
Councillor Jon Kelly accepted the heavy and ornate metal embossing machine on behalf of the Society. He said "Many thanks to Ann for this kind gift which we will take good care of, Cleggs was an important part of the town's retailing history."
"We have formed a small team to write a history of Cleggs and we really want to hear peoples recollections of working or shopping there, perhaps dropping into the café for scones and cream or going down the stairs with the family to see Santa Clause at Christmas.
"Whilst we have pictures of Kings and Queens passing the striking local landmark it is as important for us to capture as many local memories as possible so we can mark all our yesterdays at Cleggs."
People can send their memories and photos of Cleggs to Jon at [email protected].
Photo: Ann Rogerson presenting the embosser to Cllr Jon Kelly in front of Bridgfords which now stands on Cleggs site. Other pictures, Cleggs in 1904 and post war.
