William Lefevre

William Lefevre was a department store located in Canterbury, and is now home to Debenhams.

History

William Lefevre was born in Canterbury in 1847 and whose father was a grocer. After serving his apprenticeship with a draper in the Marylebone area of London, William returned to Canterbury in 1875 to open his own drapery business.^[1]

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.^[2]

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 combinding their Guildhall store with the Institute of Philosophical and Literary, the Theatre Royal & the Guildhall Tavern. 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.^[3]

It was during this time that the business was sold to Debenhams who continued to operate the business under the William Lefevre name until 1973 when the business was re-branded as part of the rationlisation programme.

References