Right, let me tell you a story that’s a proper cornerstone of British shopping history, and it all kicks off right here in our very own Leeds! We’re talking about Marks & Spencer. Today, you see M&S pretty much everywhere, a global name, right? But its journey didn’t start in some fancy London office; it began amidst the hustle and bustle of Leeds Kirkgate Market. It’s a fascinating tale of how a little local idea, born in industrial Yorkshire, grew into one of the most recognised and loved brands in the world.
The Penny That Started It All: A Leeds Original
The whole M&S story begins with a chap named Michael Marks. He was a Polish-Jewish immigrant who came over to England in the early 1880s and eventually made his way to Leeds. In 1884, he did something pretty clever: he set up his “Original Penny Bazaar” in Kirkgate Market. Now, what made this special was his refreshingly simple idea – every single thing on his stall cost just one penny.
You have to picture Leeds back then. It was the late Victorian era, a proper industrial powerhouse, and a lot of working families lived here. In those days, pricing wasn’t always straightforward; you’d often have to haggle in markets. So, Michael Marks’ clear, affordable “everything for a penny” approach really struck a chord. People knew exactly what they were getting and for how much. It was a simple idea, but it quickly built trust and offered great value, and those became the bedrock of what M&S still stands for today.
The Perfect Partnership: Spencer Joins the Team
Michael Marks clearly had a great business mind, but to really grow his little Penny Bazaar, he needed someone with a different set of skills. That someone turned out to be Tom Spencer, who was a cashier for a wholesale company in Skipton called I.J. Dewhirst. Fun fact: Dewhirst’s actually gave Marks a £5 loan to get his stall going in the first place, and they still supply M&S today!
So, in 1894, Tom Spencer came on board, investing £300 of his own money and bringing his all-important know-how in admin and finance. And just like that, “Marks & Spencer” was officially born.
From that point, they really started to expand. They moved on from just market stalls and began opening proper shops. By 1900, they had twelve shops and twenty-four market stalls, mostly up here in the North – places like Birkenhead, Bolton, Bradford, and Manchester – but they were also starting to pop up further afield in cities like Cardiff and even London. The “Penny Bazaar” idea was still at the heart of it all, offering good value on an ever-growing range of everyday items.
Smart Ideas and a Brand We All Recognise
As Marks & Spencer headed into the 20th century, they kept changing and growing. One of the really big moves was when they registered the “St Michael” brand name back in 1928. This was a nod to Michael Marks (using his adopted first name) and was first used on selected textile products, especially those made by British manufacturers. It was a bit of a “Buy British” push, and that St Michael name quickly became a massive symbol of M&S quality. For donkey’s years, it was one of the most trusted brand names in British homes – you just knew you were getting something reliable and good value.
The company also did things differently from many others back then. They started working directly with their suppliers, which meant they had more control over the quality of their products and the costs. This was all about giving customers better value, and it really set them apart. Even as they got bigger, opening a head office in Manchester in 1903 and then moving to London in 1926 after becoming a public company, that down-to-earth, customer-first attitude they developed in those early Leeds days stuck with them.
A Global Name with Its Heart Still in Yorkshire
Fast forward to today, and Marks & Spencer is a huge multinational retailer selling everything from food and clothes to stuff for your home and even financial services. They’ve weathered massive economic changes, seen tastes change a million times over, and navigated the whole digital revolution. But even after more than a century, you can still feel the echoes of that first little stall in Kirkgate Market. That focus on quality, value, new ideas, and customer trust – all things that were nurtured right here in industrial Yorkshire – they still define the M&S brand.
It feels really fitting that the M&S Company Archive, which is full of amazing things from old clothes to classic adverts, has found its home back here at the University of Leeds since 2012. It’s a proper testament to their journey. From that one simple stall in Kirkgate Market to a name recognised all over the globe, the Marks & Spencer story is a brilliant example of how a local Leeds vision grew into an international retail icon, forever linked with the city where it all began.
Marks & Spencer Company Website (Our History, Heritage sections).
“A Victorian Shop Prices and Shopping Conditions in the 1880s and 1890s.” Victoriana Magazine.
Fraser, D. (1982). The Evolution of the British Welfare State: A History of Social Policy since the Industrial Revolution. Palgrave Macmillan.
“Our history with M&S.” I.J. Dewhirst website.
“Marks & Spencer PLC – Company History.” FundingUniverse.
“St Michael (brand).” Wikipedia.
Bevan, Judi. (2001). The Rise and Fall of Marks & Spencer. Profile Books.
“M&S Company Archive.” University of Leeds Library.
