William Harvey (department store)

William Harvey

Company type	Private company
Industry	Retail
Founded	1725
Founder	Unknown (originally a tailor's establishment)
Defunct	1974
Fate	Rebranded as Army & Navy (Guildford and Camberley branches), later House of Fraser; stores closed in 2023
Headquarters	Guildford , England, United Kingdom
Area served	Guildford, Surrey, England
Key people	William Harvey (owner from 1922)
Products	Department store goods, specializing in fashion

William Harvey was a department store situated in Guildford, Surrey, England.

History

The origins of the William Harvey department store trace back to a tailor’s establishment founded in Guildford in 1725. By 1886, under the ownership of John Cable, the business was located at 126-127 High Street. In January 1897, it combined operations with the adjacent company owned by John Reeks, adopting the name "Cable, Reeks and Co." A significant fire in November 1915 destroyed the premises and affected neighboring shops, prompting a temporary move to the Old Corn Exchange on Tunsgate.

William Harvey, born in Ashford, Kent in 1883, joined Cable, Reeks and Co. in 1911 and became a partner by 1915. After serving as a motorcycle dispatch rider during World War I and receiving the Military Medal, he returned to oversee the ladieswear section. In 1922, Harvey took ownership of Cable, Reeks and Co., refocusing it into a department store specializing in fashion. The company was incorporated in 1946 and relocated to new premises two years later; however, it soon encountered financial challenges. An acquisition offer from Harrods was declined in 1950, leading to voluntary liquidation in 1951 and the establishment of a new company retaining the same name.

In 1953, the growing department store group Army & Navy acquired William Harvey. They expanded the Guildford location by adding five additional floors along with a roof garden while maintaining it as a subsidiary. Army & Navy also opened a new store under the Harveys brand in Camberley in 1964.

House of Fraser purchased Army & Navy in 1973 and subsequently consolidated its department stores under unified branding. The Army & Navy name was designated for outlets across southeast England; consequently, both Guildford and Camberley branches were rebranded in 1974. These stores were eventually renamed House of Fraser before closing permanently in 2023.