David Evans & Company (Swansea) Ltd Records

Records relating to David Evans & Company (Swansea) Ltd, including administrative records, 1944-1995; records relating to the post war redevelopment of Swansea, 1944-c. 1955; letters, 1955-1975; records relating to the opening of new stores, 1962-1964; records relating to redevelopment of Swansea, 1970-1982; records relating to the development of the Swansea store, 1974-1994; records relating to marketing, 1962-1995; share records, 1912-1957; staff records, 1950s-1983; advertising, c. 1930s-c. 1990s; records relating to social events, 1950-1975; records relating to the company's history, c. 1954-1985; newspaper cuttings, 1918-1985; photographs, c. 1920s-c. 1980s; and ephemera, 1913-c. 1980s.

In 1899, S. Andrews & Son constructed a building in Swansea on the old Theatre Royal site, at the corner of Temple Street and Goat Street. It was let to David Evans & Company (Swansea) Ltd, a firm set up by Solomon Andrews, his son, Francis Emile Andrews and a well known draper called David Evans. The store opened in October 1900. In 1909 an extension was added to the David Evans building. During the First World War trade was poor, in 1919 David Evans resigned as managing director and sold his company shares. The bombing in 1941 completely destroyed the David Evans store. Temporary shops were opened to accommodate departments around the town. In 1953, the company began rebuilding the store. It opened in October 1954. An additional floor was added to the building in 1958. The company purchased W. J. Williams, a well established shop in Port Talbot in 1951; also the Capitol cinema, Port Talbot, in 1948, which was converted into as furnishing store in 1953. In 1965 David Evans & Company (Cwmbran) Ltd also opened a store.

Arranged into the following: administrative records; records relating to the post war redevelopment of Swansea; letters; records relating to the opening of new stores; records relating to redevelopment of Swansea; records relating to the development of the Swansea store; records relating to marketing; share records; staff records; advertising; records relating to social events; records relating to the company's history; newspaper cuttings; photographs; and ephemera.

No restrictions

It is the policy of the West Glamorgan Archive Service to withhold the names of depositors.

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: West Glamorgan Archive Service, David Evans & Company (Swansea) Ltd Records, catalogue.

Hard copies of the catalogue are available at West Glamorgan Archive Service.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

All records deposited at West Glamorgan Archive Service have been retained.

Accruals are not expected