Cavendish House
of Cheltenham
1813 Thomas Clark, who was the owner of a small drapery shop at 44 Wigmore Street, close to Cavendish Square, London, took William Debenham as an equal partner, and thereafter the firm traded as Clark and Debenham. The shop was later renamed Cavendish House and carried drapery, silks, haberdashery, millinery, hosiery, lace and family mourning goods. As the trade grew, the partners determined to expand the business by opening provincial branches in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, and Harrogate.
1883 Cavendish House Ltd was registered as a limited liability company to acquire the Cheltenham business with a capital of £35,000. George Hewitt, chairman of the new company, took most of the shares and the remainder were largely split between John Cooper, an accountant and secretary of the company, Charles Williams, manager of the general departments, and Albert Chapman Nicholls, manager of the furnishing section
1928 The company was taken over by Standard Industrial Trust
1961 Controlling interest acquired by Swears and Wells
1970 Acquired by House of Fraser
2024 Closed.