Derry & Toms

Derry & Toms

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1860 (1860)
Founder	Joseph Toms, Charles Derry
Defunct	1973 (1973)
Fate	Closed; premises taken over by Big Biba until 1975, then redeveloped into retail and office space
Headquarters	London , England, United Kingdom
Products	Department store goods

Derry & Toms was a department store located on Kensington High Street in London, established in 1860 and distinguished by its famous Roof Garden, which opened in 1938. The store ceased operations in 1973, after which Big Biba took over the premises until 1975. Eventually, the site was transformed into smaller retail outlets and office spaces.

Origins

Joseph Toms initially launched a modest drapery on Kensington High Street in 1853. In 1862, he joined forces with his brother-in-law Charles Derry to form the partnership known as Derry & Toms. By 1870, the enterprise had grown to encompass seven adjoining shops, primarily serving the affluent residents of Kensington.

History

John Barker & Co., a neighboring department store, purchased Derry & Toms in 1920, adding it to their collection alongside Pontings. Notably, in 1919, the store commissioned distinguished poster artist F Gregory Brown to produce its advertising materials.

Between 1930 and 1933, a new seven-story Art Deco building was constructed under the design direction of Bernard George, featuring metalwork by Walter Gilbert and sculptural reliefs by Charles Henry Mabey Jr. The establishment’s most celebrated attraction is the Kensington Roof Gardens, created by Ralph Hancock in 1938 and inspired by New York’s Rockefeller Center.

The main restaurant on the fifth floor, called The Rainbow Room, was a venue for numerous corporate and governmental gatherings. In 1957, House of Fraser acquired John Barker & Co., thereby bringing Derry & Toms into its management group.

In 1971, the store was sold to Biba and continued trading until its closure two years later in 1973. Following this, Big Biba briefly occupied the location before shutting down in 1975. British Land subsequently redeveloped the property into retail units and office accommodations currently occupied by Marks & Spencer, H&M, Japan House London, Gap, Sony Music UK, and Warner Music Group. Additionally, Equinox opened its inaugural UK gym on the fifth floor in 2012. The roof garden has held Grade II listed status since 1978, while the building itself has been Grade II* listed since 1981.

The founder’s heritage is commemorated nearby with Derry Street.

External links

• London's Lost Department Store
• Detailed history of Roof Gardens
• Detailed history of store construction
• Antique posters of the store