Christmas Advertising 1930s Style – The Shop Front Back Then!

Published on: 1 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 1 Dec, 2019

By David Rose

Here are a number of local press advertisement published in the run up to Christmas 1935.

It would appear press advertising for festive gifts and products began at the end of November and continued until the edition prior to the Christmas holidays.

But not a sale in sight!

The Guildford Stores was in High Street, between the Angel Hotel and today’s House of Fraser store. For Christmas 1935 it was offering a wide range of beers, wines and spirits. For example, Whitbread Pale Ale at seven shillings a bottle, Australian port-type wine at two shillings and four pence a bottle, and Islemore Scotch Whiskey (extra strength) for 12 shillings and six pence a bottle. You work it out in today’s money!

Motor-vehicle dealers Jackson’s was towards the foot of the High Street, where Millbrook is today. Offering “Ye Christmas bargains in auto accessories”, you could buy eight-day radiator lamps for seven shillings and sixpence, foot muffs from 12 shillings and six pence, leather coats from 25 shillings, speedometers, pillion seats, horns, plugs and batteries!

Despite many of Guildford’s retailers then being local, the multinationals had been making an impact for some years. Timothy Whites & Taylors’ Guildford branch was in High Street on the corner of Market Street – where today there is a fashion store called White Stuff.

Selling a wide range of household goods as well as being a chemists, in 1935 Timothy Whites and Taylors was advertising electric irons from four shillings and eleven pence, canteens of cutlery from three shillings, the Ewbank carpet sweeper at 23 shillings and sixpence and tea trays from one shilling and sixpence.

Guildford’s Friary, Holroyd & Healy’s Brewery (now of course the site of the Friary Centre) had its retail depot at 31 North Street. It was encouraging customers to buy a case of its Audit Ale (a strong barley wine) for friends, while reminding them: “…. and don’t forget to order your own supply of FRIARY”.

The brewery brewed is last batch of beer in 1969.

Tyler & Co, Ltd, wine merchants, were based in Woking. Originally independent, it was acquired by Friary, Holroyd & Healys and was its retail off-licence outlet for wines and spirits – essentially booze that it did not produce itself.

Its Golden Eagle brand was a liqueur scotch whisky, most of the blend being 10 years old, according to this festive advertisement.

For a gift that was a bit different, a season ticket for lectures at the Borough Hall was offered – for either 10 shillings, seven shilling and six pence and five shillings. The Borough Hall was in North Street.

For cinema-goers here what was at the flicks.

The Playhouse was in the arcade, now Tunsgate Quarter, the Cinema was in Woodbridge Road, with the Odeon at the top of the upper High Street, just into Epsom Road.

And finally, the Newlands Corner Hotel had plenty going on for dining and partying.

On Christmas Day its “Old-English Xmas Dinner”, plus entertainment followed by dancing cost 12 shillings and six pence. Dinner and dancing on New Year’s Eve was also 12 shillings and six pence, or supper and dancing at nine shillings and sixpence – all from 9pm to 2.30am.

One wonders if those who well well off enough to own their own car, and drove to the New Year’s Eve bash at Newlands Corner Hotel, made good use of foot muffs from Jackson’s garage if they had received them as a present …. or even that leather coat!

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