What a shame that the age of the gentleman outfitter is over in Bognor Regis

Well this was the price that was advertised by Joscelyn Hansford in his shop in London Road in 1908.

This well-known business illustrated the rise and decline of this kind of shop over the years.

Joscelyn was a self-made man from Powerstock in Dorset, where he was born on February 10, 1881.

He served a five-year apprenticeship in Bridport before moving to Chichester where he acquired his first job in an outfitters shop. His wage was one guinea a week.

He left Chichester and moved to Bognor to work as manager of a shop.

One day in 1908, at the age of 27, he was walking home to have his lunch and called into a shop owned by Harry Nicholson, to buy cigarettes.

Harry Nicholson asked him if he wanted to buy a cash till, as the trader was closing down the next day.

Joscelyn by this time was a branch manager at the outfitters in Bognor and, while he knew a previous tenant of the shop had also been in the outfitting business, which had failed, he decided to take over the premises for which he had to pay a guinea per week, and started to sell his suits.

This was a relatively-small shop at No 36 London Road with a frontage of only 12 feet. Within two years, he was able to move across London Road to take over a shop at No 39 London Road, in a new row that had been constructed.

When he was advised that he was moving too fast, it only spurred him on to greater efforts.

He continued to prosper and, in 1914, opened a second shop in Littlehampton.

Part of the town

Joscelyn Hansford was very active in the town and his name is associated with many organisations, such as being a founder of the Chamber of Trade, connected with the hospital, founder member of Bognor Bowls Club and involved with the Town Improvements Committee.

During the first world war, he also helped fund the town ambulance service.

In the 1920s, the advertising for the trade included the phrase, 'the shop for young men and men of youth'.

By the 1930s, gentlemen's suits had increased in price to 37s 6d with coats costing between 2 2s and 8 4s for a top-of-the-range topcoat.

One bargain (see below) they offered customers was that gentlemen could get a tailor-made cap free, if they purchased four suits.

Hansfords always appeared up-to-date with fashions and, again in the 1930s, it was possible for 3s 11d to buy a shirt complete with attached collar.

Changing fashions

At that time, it was rare for shirts to have attached collars, because collars tended to wear out before the shirt and therefore by having collars that were detachable, the shirt could be worn for longer.

The Hansford trademark was always to serve the customer; to discuss with them what they required and to try to assist them in achieving their purchase.

They did not like the word 'sell'. The business continued and by the early 1930s they were renowned tailors, hatters and hosiers supplying 'everything a gentleman could need'.

Such was their attention to detail that in 1936 it is reported that hundreds of ties were dipped into a large vat of black dye for the funeral of King George V.

Expansion

Due to increasing business, it was necessary to find new premises and eventually, in 1931, they bought the Church Hall, which belonged to the Congregationalists, in London Road.

Here, they built a modern two-storey building, which had a 50ft frontage and was to become a familiar site in London Road.

This shop was well ahead of its time when it opened.

In due course, they were able to open shops in Brighton, Littlehampton and Worthing, but sadly these had to close during the second world war due to the decline in the amount of goods available and of course lack of staff during this period.

The Bognor shop remained open and by 1958, they were able to open a shop in Chichester.

It is interesting, when looking through advertisements for Hansfords and other shops of this nature, how their trade is a reminder of a different era.

For example, at one time gentlemen would have two or three suits with a summer and winter overcoat in addition to their dinner jacket and accessories.

For a time, it was possible for gentlemen to hire dinner jackets from Hansfords.

Even in the 1980s, a report mentions that men would 'hire a suit when attending a job interview'. Not today, I fear! Traditional personal service seems to signify a Victorian age.

Many people will remember the shop in London Road, not only for its stylish frontage but for the fact that for a number of years part of the premises were used by the county council as a public library, until the new one opened at its present site in the 1960s.

As a trade, they moved with the times and by 1971 they had begun to sell ladies clothes, alongside their existing ranges.

Eventually, as fashions changed to a more casual form of dress and the increase in out-of-town stores, trade declined. The business was transferred to the High Street in 1980, to premises opposite the site of today's Safeway car park entrance.

Changing times

In 1983, Hansfords celebrated their 75th anniversary of 'serving the public in Bognor Regis', according to the articles of the time.

As time passed, there were changes within the business.

Mr Hansford retired and his son, Don, took over running the company.

His apprenticeship had started from a young age. He started work as a delivery boy, and he would ride about the town on the 'trade cycle'.

Alongside him at the business were many staff who must have amassed a very high number of years' service by the time the shop closed.

We should remember that, in those days, it was not unusual for staff to work for the same company for their entire working life and, even in 1988, some of the staff had been with the company for well over 35 years.

Leaving Bognor Regis - but thriving in Chichester

Finally, Hansfords closed down in Bognor Regis, and the town centre lost a familiar name that offered a personal service to its customer, a service that was 'never too much trouble' and where individual 'care and attention to the customer' was always offered.

Nowadays the majority of men do not have the number of suits supplied by such shops as Hanfords. Buying off the peg is now the style that is accepted.

This was a family name that offered personal service in a bygone age, but a name that is still remembered with affection by its customers.

Now in 2008, Hansfords still offer their particular style of service in Chichester alongside the multiple stores.

In 1990, Matthew Hansford took over the reigns of the company, which still flourishes today, 100 years after the first shop was opened on October 26, 1908.

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