A shop’s traditional values in a fast-changing world

OLD world values set in a new world setting was how the Burton Mail described a shopping trip to Salts in Swadlincote in March 1971.

The piece said: “Salts is Swadlincote and Swadlincote is Salts - that one simple sentence is key to why this remarkable family business enjoys an unrivalled position in the South Derbyshire town”.

It went on to say: “The reputation of Salt Brothers Ltd stands on quality and service and above all fair dealing. How else would a business founded in Victorian times continue to enjoy the patronage of thousands of people in this modern day and age?”

Described as a store with character because of its labyrinthine effect which was created by the merging of individual departments.

In 1971, Salt Bros owned two stores in Swadlincote - one each side of the High Street.

A three-storey block housed the departments dealing in furniture, hardware, floor coverings and carpets while the other dealt with footwear, clothing, drapery and hosiery. The second store also housed the company offices and a large warehouse to the rear.

In 1971 the firm employed 147 members of staff with more than 100 of these being full time workers. The majority were based at Swadlincote with 14 in Moira.

The story of Salt Bros Ltd began in 1894 when two brothers, Mr Enoch Salt and Mr Joseph Salt pooled their resources and opened a modest shop in the High Street.

Commerce and trade were clearly in the blood of the Salt family for in 1898 another brother, Jack Salt, opened a combined grocery and butcher’s shop in Moira.

The year 1900 saw the opening of a drapery shop at Oversetts Road in Newhall but this was to be a short-lived venture. It was closed just before a new shop was opened at Alvaston in Derby.

The Derby shop prospered until the Second World War when a bomb explosion destroyed the windows and the shop frontage.

The premises, in agreement with the proprietors, was then commandeered by the Ministry of Food as a warehouse. The owners didn’t really have an alternative due to the shortage of staff.

In 1903, two of the bothers, Joseph and Jack, emigrated to Canada where they took up farming and butchering. With this move, the Moira shop was converted into a drapers and it remained as such for decades.

Mr Enoch Salt carried on running the family business and in 1910 another brother Hezekiah joined him. Under their administration the store prospered and in the years that followed many innovations and developments took place.

The firm became a limited company in 1947 with Ronald and Eric Salt becoming directors.

Ronald Herbert Salt had joined the firm in 1930 after serving an apprenticeship at Pullmans Ltd in Nottingham. His son, Royston Ronald Salt also joined the firm in 1959 after serving his apprenticeship in Nottingham.

Eric Salt’s son Richard was too young to be involved with the firm in 1971, he was still studying for his GCE qualifications at Ashby Grammar School.

Until his death at the age of 89 in 1962, Mr Enoch Salt remained the senior partner in the business. His brother Hezekiah had died four years earlier in 1958.

Throughout the 1920s Salts flourished as a drapery and outfitting store and in 1930 a furniture department was opened followed soon afterwards by a hardware department.

The furniture store was built on the old fairground site in High Street and numerous alterations were made to all of the shops including the addition of a lift in the mid-1930s.

One of the largest developments to the company premises happened in 1964 with the addition of a two-storey warehouse.

Today, Salts is still operating from the High Street.