Hillards Archive

Minutes of Directors' meetings, 1950s-1987; policy meetings, 1970-82; balance sheets, 1943-47; financial accounts, 1948-57; monthly accounts, 1968-75; branch accounts, 1971-73; branch trading results, 1946-53; financial budgets, 1963-75; buying book, 1939-47; sales figures, 1974-1987; papers relating to acquisitions (e.g. Brierleys, Key Markets), 1970s; articles of association for Hillards Ltd, 1972; papers relating to floatation of the company, 1972; documentation relating to the takeover by Tesco and the takeover bid, 1987; Hillards News, 1982-87; pension fund reports, 1982-87. Jubbs Grocers Ltd, balance sheet and profit and loss, 1947-48. Correspondence, reports, press cuttings and documentation relating to Hillards stores, staffing, shares, and administration, 1960s-1980s.

Hillards Supermarket was a family-run, national, supermarket chain based predominately in the North of England, with a large number of stores in Yorkshire. Found in 1885 as a single high street store in Cleakheaton, West Yorkshire, it grew to a chain of over 100 stores. Ultimately, Hillards was acquired by Tesco in 1987 in a hostile takeover bid that was hard fought on both sides.
Hillards was founded by John Wesley Hillard (born 1859), the son of a skin hide merchant. John Wesley was an apprentice of the tea trade, who upon finishing the apprenticeship went to Paris where he managed a grocery store. After a year in Paris he travelled to Tralee, in Southern Ireland, where he managed three grocery stores. In 1885, it is said that he borrowed the sum of £60 and bought a store in Cleckheaton in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Within a few years he had six stores, and went on opening stores in the surrounding area. By the time of his death in 1935 John Wesley had built up a chain of almost seventy small stores, all within 15 miles of Cleckheaton. He also acquired a chain of 15 stores, called Jubbs Grocers, in Huddersfield. J.W. Hillard Ltd was registered as a private limited company on 16 October 1929.
Following the death of John Wesley Hillard the business was carried on by Percy Hartley, who had joined the company in 1908. Percy Hartley married one of John Wesley Hillard's four children in 1913, and worked as an accountant in the company until John Wesley’s death in 1935, whereupon he took over management. Soon after their father died, John Wesley’s sons retired from the company.
On his return from Australia, Charles Hillard was re-appointed as a director, and remained so until the company was publicly floated on 11 August 1972, but took little part in the running of the company. Jack Hillard had no involvement in the running of the company, but was a major shareholder.
Percy Hartley ran the company from 1935 until he was forced to retire due to ill health in 1951. Following his retirement, the company continued for a time without a clear management structure.
Peter Hartley joined the company in 1955 having previously gained experience outside of Hillards in Allied Stores and Express Dairies (which also had a supermarket chain called Premier Supermarkets in London). John Jolliff was appointed managing director c1962-3 and continued in the role until his death c.1970.
After John Jolliff’s death the then Chairman, Gordon Hunter, decided that Peter Hartley and his brother David would become joint managing directors. David Hartley had to step back from the role of managing director in 1977 and sold his shares in the company. Peter Hartley thus became sole managing director of the company in 1977 and moved to company Chairman in 1983 when Gordon Hunter retired.
In 1987 Hillards was subject to a hostile takeover by Tesco and a hard-fought 60-day battle for the future of the regional chain ensued. Tesco was forced to raise the price offered for Hillards twice during this time to tempt more shareholders to sell. This was ultimately successful when the Prudential, a major institutional shareholder, decided to accept the final Tesco bid (which offered a significant premium over their initial investment in Hillards). This move made a successful defence all but impossible and in the final days Hillards had no choice but to recommend acceptance of the final offer.

This archive is currently arranged in the order it was received by the Borthwick Institute in May 2022. The archive was repackaged into archival quality packaging on arrival, and the catalogue entries reflect this structure pending future cataloguing.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws.

Gifted to the Borthwick in May 2022.

Hillards Supermarket was a family-run, national, supermarket chain based predominately in the North of England, with a large number of stores in Yorkshire. Found in 1885 as a single high street store in Cleakheaton, West Yorkshire, it grew to a chain of over 100 stores. Ultimately, Hillards was acquired by Tesco in 1987 in a hostile takeover bid that was hard fought on both sides.
Hillards was founded by John Wesley Hillard (born 1859), the son of a skin hide merchant. John Wesley was an apprentice of the tea trade, who upon finishing the apprenticeship went to Paris where he managed a grocery store. After a year in Paris he travelled to Tralee, in Southern Ireland, where he managed three grocery stores. In 1885, it is said that he borrowed the sum of £60 and bought a store in Cleckheaton in the West Riding of Yorkshire. Within a few years he had six stores, and went on opening stores in the surrounding area. By the time of his death in 1935 John Wesley had built up a chain of almost seventy small stores, all within 15 miles of Cleckheaton. He also acquired a chain of 15 stores, called Jubbs Grocers, in Huddersfield. J.W. Hillard Ltd was registered as a private limited company on 16 October 1929.
Following the death of John Wesley Hillard the business was carried on by Percy Hartley, who had joined the company in 1908. Percy Hartley married one of John Wesley Hillard's four children in 1913, and worked as an accountant in the company until John Wesley’s death in 1935, whereupon he took over management. Soon after their father died, John Wesley’s sons retired from the company.
On his return from Australia, Charles Hillard was re-appointed as a director, and remained so until the company was publicly floated on 11 August 1972, but took little part in the running of the company. Jack Hillard had no involvement in the running of the company, but was a major shareholder.
Percy Hartley ran the company from 1935 until he was forced to retire due to ill health in 1951. Following his retirement, the company continued for a time without a clear management structure.
Peter Hartley joined the company in 1955 having previously gained experience outside of Hillards in Allied Stores and Express Dairies (which also had a supermarket chain called Premier Supermarkets in London). John Jolliff was appointed managing director c1962-3 and continued in the role until his death c.1970.
After John Jolliff’s death the then Chairman, Gordon Hunter, decided that Peter Hartley and his brother David would become joint managing directors. David Hartley had to step back from the role of managing director in 1977 and sold his shares in the company. Peter Hartley thus became sole managing director of the company in 1977 and moved to company Chairman in 1983 when Gordon Hunter retired.
In 1987 Hillards was subject to a hostile takeover by Tesco and a hard-fought 60-day battle for the future of the regional chain ensued. Tesco was forced to raise the price offered for Hillards twice during this time to tempt more shareholders to sell. This was ultimately successful when the Prudential, a major institutional shareholder, decided to accept the final Tesco bid (which offered a significant premium over their initial investment in Hillards). This move made a successful defence all but impossible and in the final days Hillards had no choice but to recommend acceptance of the final offer.

A reprographics service is available to researchers. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

A website dedicated to Hillards and project blog with further details of the company's history and images of the former supermarket can be found on the [Hillards Archive project website](https://thehillardsarchive.net/).

Published

GB 193