A HISTORY OF CLOTHING SHOPS AND SHOPPING IN NEWCASTLE
External Partner: Tyne and Wear Museums
Newcastle has long been the hub of shopping for surrounding areas. Markets, arcades, family run businesses, department stores and chain stores are part of the history of shops and shopping in Newcastle. Changes to this aspect of local heritage have been great in a relatively short space of time.
The aim of this project is to produce a concise history of the developments of clothing shops and shopping in Newcastle from the 1800s to today. Topics of interest range from architecture and interiors, to changes in the workforce and shopping habits, but research should focus on actual shops in the region rather than on producing a generic history. Undergraduate research might focus on a single shop, and postgraduate research on all of those suggested, with the aim of highlighting which clothing shops were popular at different times in the history in Newcastle; what kinds of dress were available in these shops and changes in general shopping habits over time.
Local shops that could be studied include Bainbridges, the Handyside Arcade and Fenwicks.
Tyne and Wear Museums has an extensive collection to draw upon, including photographs from local stores, store catalogues, shopping bags and accounts of people working in local shops (including the French Salon in Fenwicks).
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