OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

CLARENCE NEWBY SPOONER (1869-1951)

Clarence Newby Spooner was born in Plymouth on December 21st 1869 to Mr John Dawson Spooner (1844-1900) and his wife, the former Miss Clara Elizabeth White.  He was the younger brother of Mr John Dawson Spooner junior (1868-1935).  He was baptized at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, South Molton, Devon, on August 10th 1870.

Mr Spooner claimed in 1927 that he had been in charge of Messrs Spooner and Company Limited since the death of his widowed grandmother on March 9th 1887 although there is evidence that his own mother, Mrs Clara Elizabeth Spooner, also had a prominent role in the management of the business.

On June 2nd 1897 Mr Clarence Newby Spooner married Miss Edith Rose Pethick at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Buckland Monachorum, Devon.

At the time of the census on Sunday March 31zst 1901 the Spooners were living at Trematon Villa, 21 Trematon Terrace, Plymouth.  They now had a young son, Kenneth Lillingston Spooner, born March 28th 1899, and the household was completed by a housemaid and a cook.  A daughter, Sylvia Spooner, was born on May 24th 1905 and the census of Sunday April 2nd 1911 shows them living at "Homeleigh", Horrabridge, Devon, with a housemaid, a cook and a nurse.

Clarence's mother, Mrs Clara Elizabeth Spooner (1846-1925), died in France on Wednesday December 30th 1925.

He was the head of Messrs Spooner and Company Limited when the business was sold in 1925 to Mr Clarence Charles Hatry's Drapery and General Trust, who the following year sold it on to Sir Ernest Debenham for a handsome profit.

When the special register was compiled on September 29th 1939, Mr Clarence Newby Spooner was a "retired draper", living at "Hazelmere", Tavistock, with a domestic servant and a cook, while his son, Mr Kenneth Lillingston Spooner, was also a "retired draper" living at Brantwood Avenue, Paignton, Devon.

Clarence's older brother, Mr John Dawson Spooner (1868-1935), who was a bachelor, died at his home, Furzecroft, Yelverton, on Tuesday April 2nd 1935.

The business was thus a branch of Debenham's when disaster struck for the second time on the night of March 21st/22nd 1941 when the building was once again engulfed in flames, this time as a result of the German bombing of the Second World War.  This time the building was closed, of course, and there must have been some warning of what was to come: the junior, part-time staff had been sent home early and only the full-time firewatchers were present.

Within a year of the destruction of their premises, Spooner's were up and running again in a large number of temporary locations dotted throughout the centre of the City:-

the main offices were at Clarence Chambers, Tavistock Road;

hosiery, gloves, blouses, knitwear, handbags, jewellery, ladies' and children's underwear, children's outfitting, baby linen, umbrellas and perfumery were on the ground floor of Austin House, Tavistock Road;

artificial flowers, millinery, gowns, coats, costumes, skirts and macs were on the first floor at Austin House, Tavistock Road;

the china and glass department was at number 80 Regent Street, adjoining Austin House;

the dressmaking workrooms were above the china and glass department at 80 Regent Street;

household linens, eiderdowns, cushions, curtains and loose covers were at 105 Tavistock Road, just opposite Austin House;

art needlework, wools, haberdashery, laces, neckwear and electro plated goods were at 15 Tavistock Road, opposite Austin House;

carpets, lino, rugs, bedsteads and bedding were at 111 Tavistock Road;

stationery, fountain pens, trunks, and fancy goods were at 95 Tavistock Road, above the City Museum;

wools, art needlework and bargain basement were at 44 Ebrington Street;

hardware, turnery, electrical and radio departments were at 41 Old Town Street;

fruit, vegetables, grocery, provisions, cakes and biscuits were at 57/58 Old Town Street;

silk, cotton and woollen dress materials were at 60 Old Town Street;

men's and boys' under wear and outfitting were at 63 Old Town Street;

the restaurant was at 66 Old Town Street;

the carpet workrooms were in Chapel Street, off Regent Street;

the receiving depot was at 9 Duke Street;

the food store was at 8 Duke Street;

the china store was at 78 Regent Street;

stock rooms were at 81 Regent Street;

and ladies' hairdressing, hosiery, underwear, gloves, baby linen, haberdashery, wools, toys, prams, and cots were also at 11 Townsend Hill, Mutley.

One rather unusual item that Spooner's advertised for Christmas 1945 was RAF Escape Maps, as used by Royal Air Force aircrews while over enemy territory during the Second World War.  Printed on superfine cloth, they were ideal for making souvenir head squares, handkerchiefs, cushion covers and lampshades.  They were priced at 4s 11d each, tax and coupon free and were available from the double-fronted shop opposite Austin House.  While the ladies were purchasing their Escape Maps the men folk could have a haircut from one of the four hairdressers in the Hairdressing Department next to Austin House for 1s 3d.  Their equipment was not only new but also 'Bacterol Sterilized'.

Mr Clarence Newby Spooner died on Tuesday December 25th 1951.

In October 1954 the new premises in Royal Parade were partly opened.  The architect was Mr T Overberry.  It was not until the café, shoe and beauty sections were finished that the premises were fully and officially opened by Lady Astor.  The date was Thursday May 10th 1956.  Also present were Mr John Bedford, chairman of the Company, and Mr S A Skyrme, managing director.  During the day fashion parades were presented by television personality, Miss Patti Morgan, while on the veranda lounge floor Mrs Lorna Sewell compéred a parade of ladies' négligé and lingerie. 

On September 27th 1971 Messrs John Yeo and Company Limited was merged with Messrs Spooner and Company Limited and took on the parent company's name, Messrs Debenham's Limited.

Mr Kenneth Lillingston Spooner died at 42 Cleveland Road, Torquay, Devon, on Friday April 11th 1975.