J. Preston Limited

I have been searching the Internet recently for old photographs of Sheffield, specifically on the PictureSheffield.com website when I came across a number of photos of a company that I used to work for – J. Preston Limited.

Photographs (See right).

1. West Street. This photo (dated around 1980) was taken with the sewer gas lamp in mind but shows the West Street premises in the background on the corner of West Street and Mappin Street.

2. Barker's Pool. This is photo (dated around 1900) was taken showing the window display of the shop situated at 105 Baker’s Pool.

3. High Street. This photo (dated around 1890) shows the J. Preston chemist shop at No.4 High Street.  The site is occupied today by Boots Chemists.

4. High Street. This wider shot (dated round 1890) shows the J Preston chemist shop just to the right of W. Lewis tobacconists. The building on the left is the Parade Chambers building which still stands today.

Working for J. Preston Limited

A couple of years ago I wrote a piece for Wikipedia (see below) detailing the brief history of the company. The information and dates were given to me verbally during my period of employment and the facts stated are written to my best knowledge. There appears to be an interest in the company as I have also come across conversations and questions on the Sheffield History Forum.

I joined the company in 1976 and I worked initially in the Showroom and later moved into the Sales Office. In the late eighties I left the company as I believed that I had gone as far as could go but in December 1989 I was given the opportunity to return when I was offered the chance to take up a position as the buyer. Sadly, the company went out of business in 2004.

Like most jobs it had its ups and downs but overall I look back fondly over the years I spent with the company and the people with whom I worked. I have kept in touch with some of the people who I worked with in the later years but have inevitably lost contact with people from years ago. I have written a short article about those early days on West Street (see below).

A Brief History

J Preston Limited was a company of laboratory equipment and chemicals suppliers based in Sheffield, whose origins could be traced back to the early 1830s. The company, that was originally called Cubley & Preston, went through many changes over the years.

J. Preston chemists were first believed to be located on High Street before later moving to Barker’s Pool. Prestons moved again to make way for the new Sheffield City Hall, moving to West Street around 1930. The company continued its expansion into the laboratory and chemical supply industry, supplying products to laboratories in many fields including the city’s vibrant steel industry. J Preston Limited also had its own glass shop with a team of glassblowers which produced specialist laboratory glassware to order.

During the early nineteen sixties the company expanded its West Street premises by opening a new showroom exhibiting laboratory equipment and furnishings. The modern showroom complimented the traditional chemist shop that stood on the corner of West Street and Mappin Street.

The nineteen eighties saw a steady decline in business as the company struggled against the decline of the local steel industry. With increased competition from national suppliers, combined with the massive closures in the manufacturing industry that decimated the local economy, Prestons found it tough going.

In 1986 the Preston family sold its interest in the company selling to a local holding organisation that owned a number a local companies. Prestons moved to Netherthorpe Road in early 1987 ending the company’s long history as a local retailer. The chemist shop fittings were given to the local museum and have been exhibited in Sheffield's Weston Park Museum showing visitors what an old traditional chemist shop may have looked like.

The Netherthorpe Road warehouse and offices saw the company trying to change to match the modern competitive age. The new premises were also used to house additional businesses such as Carlton Brown & Partners. This new addition manufactured "Autostic" and "Adhaesium", a range of specialised adhesives and supplied its products to an international customer base.

With the company now trading as Hallamshire Chemical Holdings Limited, the firm re-established itself as a medical supplier by purchasing Fiona Shaw Medical in 1995.

As the new millennium dawned, the company held its breath and entered a new phase. By 2001 and now under new ownership again, the company continued to expand by entering into the highly competitive education market. However, owing to changes in legislation covering the supply of chemicals and medical supplies along with escalating costs of insurance, the company struggled against the tide.

In early 2004 the company went into liquidation.

I have also published this article on Wikipedia: ViewArticle

West Street Days

My happiest time of those West Street days was during the early eighties when a group of us that included Phil Simpson, Chris Webster and Harry Ward would regularly go for a game of pool after work in The Mail Coach pub on West Street. Although the pub has been refurbished in recent years, in those days The Mail Coach pub could at best be described as a traditional pub with very few frills with an old school landlord and landlady. A classic joke about the place was that regardless of how hungry you were, you should not be tempted to have a hot meat pie from the pub’s kitchen as on one occasion the landlord asked if we could recommend anything to clean the pub’s oven. We suggested that he should try caustic soda but he said that he had already bought some of this from our company and it wasn’t strong enough to get it clean. We concluded that if caustic soda would not clean it; the oven must have been filthy.

We also had occasional outings to Doncaster races and Phil, Chris and I would gently poke fun at Harry as regardless of which horse that he had backed he was always wise after the event at the finish of a race claiming the he knew that a particular horse was going to win. Doncaster outings were always mixed with games of pool before and after the meeting at a chosen pub of our liking. Happy days!

West Street, Then and Now

West Street has undergone many changes since I used to work there in the late seventies / early eighties. One obvious change is The Supertram network that runs along the street connecting the City Centre with Malin Bridge and Middlewood. The Royal Hospital, which used to occupy a position opposite the Prestons building has long gone and many of the shops and offices have been turned into pubs, restaurants and fast food outlets. At one time the only pubs on West Street were The Saddle, The West Street Pub, The Hallamshire, The Mail Coach and The Beehive but in recent years the number of pubs on the street seems to have exploded as the nightlife appears to have moved from the City Centre on to West Street. Even the Methodists church situated on the corner of West Street and Carver Street has been converted into a pub. Sacrilege, some might say. See photos of West Street today (right) and the former Prestons building on the corner of West Street and Mappin Street.

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