Hopes of Stow, Drapers

Financial records and photographs

In around 1918, Thomas Hope opened Hope's, General Draper and Outfitters, as sole partner. After Hope's death, the shop was inherited by his daughters, the elder Mamie Matheson Hope, and the younger Helen 'Ella' Archibald Hope, who ran the shop until their death in the 1980s. Thomas Hope's second cousin, Ms. Baxter, remembers talk of his 'fleet' of tailors waiting to measure prospective customers and of the sisters, not having a car or telephone, taking off around the villages, selling goods door to door from a tray strapped around their necks.

Records are arranged chronologically by type following classification scheme

By appointment at the Scottish Borders Campus in Galashiels. Closure periods may apply to unpublished records less than 30 years old and other records containing personal information. Access to records in a fragile condition may be restricted.

Printed list plus item level computerised list available in the Searchroom

Private study and research, subject to the condition of the documents. Applications for permission to quote from or publish images from the collection should be sent to the University Archivist.

The records were gifted to the College by Ms Maureen Baxter, second cousin of Thomas Hope. The records were first listed as part of the Archive by the Business Archives Council (Scotland) Surveying Officer in 1988 while in the High Mill. Following the merger of the Scottish College of Textiles with Heriot-Watt University in October 1998, responsibility for the collection was transferred to Heriot-Watt University Archive, Records Management and Museum Service. In September 2000, the Archive moved to the Main Building at the Scottish Borders Campus, Galashiels.

Not expected.

No other records associated by provenance are known to exist.