Blacketts were a small department store chain based in the north east of England with its

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...

store located in Sunderland.

History

Blackett & Sons was opened in

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port city in Tyne and Wear, England. It is the City of Sunderland's administrative centre and in the Historic counties of England, historic county of County of Durham, Durham. The city is from Newcastle-upon-Tyne and is on t ...

in 1826 by William Blackett, a draper. The business grew from a drapery to a full line department store based on the corner of Union & High Street. Stores were opened in Barnard Castle,

Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland () is a market town and civil parish at the confluence of the River Wear and the River Gaunless in County Durham, northern England. It is northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham. Much of the town's early history surro ...

and

Stockton-on-Tees Stockton-on-Tees, often simply referred to as Stockton, is a market town in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, England. It is on the northern banks of the River Tees, part of the Teesside built-up area. The town had an estimated ...

(1939), while they purchased the department store of D Hill, Carter & Company in

Hartlepool Hartlepool () is a seaside and port town in County Durham, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Borough of Hartlepool. With an estimated population of 90,123, it is the second-largest settlement in County ...

during the Second World War. During early 1961, Blackett chairman Mr C. K. Rudkin-Jones pursued the purchase of Gorringes Department Store in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, losing out to a joint bid by the Gresham Trust and Charles Neale Investments. In 1963, the Blacketts group of stores was purchased by fellow department store group Hide & Co. In 1970, the Hartlepool store was closed, becoming a discount superstore before being converted into The Hill Carter hotel. The Stockton on Tees store was sold to Waring and Gillow, a furniture company. The main store in Sunderland closed in 1972 due to the competition of department stores in the town.

References

Defunct department stores of the United Kingdom Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom Retail companies established in 1826 British companies established in 1826 1826 establishments in England 1972 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 1972 {{UK-retail-company-stub