{{Short description|Former department store in Canterbury}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} {{Use British English|date=September 2015}} {{Infobox company | name = William Lefevre Ltd | logo = | caption = | type = Private company | foundation = 1875 | defunct = | location = Canterbury | industry = Retail | key_people = | fate = Purchased by Drapery Trust in 1926, before becoming part of Debenhams in 1928. | genre = Department store | num_employees = | successor = | parent = Debenhams | website = | subsid = }} '''William Lefevre''' was a department store founded in 1875 that was located in Canterbury, England. The store became part of the Drapery Trust in 1926, with the trust itself being purchased by Debenhams in 1927. The store expanded with a further branch in Gillingham, Kent in 1939, before the stores were re-branded under the Debenhams name plate in 1973.
==History== William Lefevre, a son of a grocer, was born in Canterbury in 1847. After serving his apprenticeship with a draper in the Marylebone area of London, Lefevre was employed to run a Millinery business in Marylebone.<ref>{{cite book|title=British Millinery|publisher=United Trade Press for the Proprietors, British Hat Trade Publications|date=1957|page=28}}</ref> While in London he met and married Frances Arnett, a daughter of a master tailor, and would go on and have 15 children.<ref name=Kentish>{{cite news|title=The family that built a shopping empire|newspaper=Kentish Gazette Caterbury & District|date=23 January 202}}</ref> William returned to Canterbury in 1875, purchasing an existing drapery business in Sun Street.<ref name="cha">{{cite web|url=http://canterbury-history-archaeology.org.uk/#/lefevre/4573232638|title=William Lefevre - Canterbury Historical & Archaeological Society|accessdate=12 January 2015}}</ref><ref name=Kentish/>
William's family followed suit by opening drapery and wool business' in other parts of the city. By 1899 the business had stores in Sun Street, Mercury Street and Guildhall Street.<ref name="cha"/><ref name=Kentish/> The company expected its employees to work long hours, and most staff worked over 68 hours a week, with the business operating until late on Saturdays.<ref name=Kentish/>
William died in 1911 and his son Charles took over the running of the business. In the 1920s the business took on a massive project by combining their Guildhall store with the '''Philosophical and Literary Institution and Museum''', the Theatre Royal & the Guildhall Tavern. The plans to merge these together caused much opposition.<ref name=Kentish/> The new store with amended frontage was opened in 1926 and designed by local architects Jenning & Gray, however parts of the original buildings can still be seen, including the Egyptian Windows from the original Institute building.<ref name="cha"/> The business was bought by the Drapery Trust in 1926, which was purchased by Debenhams in 1927.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Modern Case for Socialism|author=Arthur Wilfrid Humphrey|publisher=G. Allen & Unwin Limited|date=1928|page=118}}</ref> During the 1930s the store became part of Debenhams Group C, under the management of F. J. Pope, which grouped Lefevre's with Bon Marche of Gloucester, Spooners of Plymouth, Edwin Jones of Southampton, Footman Pretty of Ipswich, Curl Brothers of Norwich, Jones of Bristol, Pauldens of Manchester, Arnolds of Great Yarmouth, Smiths of Nuneaton, Stratford and Bedworth.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/finesilksoakcoun0000cori/page/114/mode/1up?q=Lefevre|title=Fine silks and oak counters : Debenhams, 1778-1978|author=Maurice Corrina|date=1978|publisher=Hutchinson|isbn=0091349109|page=114}}</ref> The business expanded further with opening a branch in Gillingham, Kent in 1939.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-billy-childish-artist-50-1880912.html|title=My Secret Life: Billy Childish, artist, 50|newspaper=The Independent|date=30 January 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=31ojAQAAIAAJ&q=%22William+Lefevre%22+Canterbury|title=Whom Owns Who|date=1972|publisher=Who Owns Whom Limited|page=1419}}</ref><ref>{{cite periodical|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ez3fYboAac0C&q=%22Lefevre%22+%22Drapery+Trust%22|title=Debenhams|periodical=The Statist|date=1939|volume=134|page=359}}</ref>
After World War II, the store expanded into the former Congregational Church which had been built in 1876.<ref>{{cite book|title=Canterbury in Old Photographs|date=1989|author=Derek Butler|isbn=9780862996543|publisher=Sutton|page=74}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.machadoink.com/Congregational%20Church.htm|title=Congregational Church|website=Historic Canterbury|access-date=24 August 2025}}</ref> During the war, Peter Lefevre, son of chairman Charles Lefevre was lost in action.<ref>{{cite periodical|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EbcfFa1F3WsC&q=%22William+Lefevre%22+Canterbury|title=Debenhams|periodical=The Fur Record|issue=179–190|date=1944|publisher=Fur Record|page=6}}</ref> The company proposed to expand into Canterbury further in 1962, when they applied to demolish no. 4 and 4 Sun Street but the plans were rejected by the council.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/canterburybookof0000cram/page/69/mode/1up?q=%22william+Lefevre+ltd%22|title=The Canterbury Book of Days|author=Paul Crampton|date=2012|page=69|isbn=9780752485850|publisher=The History Press}}</ref> In March 1973 the business was re-branded under the Debenhams brand as part of their rationalisation programme.<ref>{{cite news|title=Carriers of Good News|newspaper=The East Kent Times and Mail|date=14 March 1973|page=4}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Lefevre William Lefevre William Category:Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom Category:Companies based in Canterbury Category:Retail companies established in 1875 Category:Retail companies disestablished in 1973 Category:1875 establishments in England