Reference
Z1399
Title
Business records of C.J. Beavis Limited, retailers of china, glass and homeware, predecessor and subsidiary companies.
Date free text
1901-2010
Production date
From: 1901 To: 2010
Creator
Admin/biog history
C.J. Beavis Limited has its origins in the family business, Domestic Bazaar Company Limited. This had been started by Albert Octavius Beavis in Southampton in 1895. The company subsequently expanded to approximately 200 branches selling household goods. In the 1930s the arrival in the United Kingdom of Woolworths stores, selling similar items, led to the company suffering heavy losses. Domestic Bazaar Company Limited was liquidated in 1934.
Cecil James Beavis, Albert's eldest son acquired the leases of four shops from the receivers of Domestic Bazaar Company: Bedford, Wolverhampton, Stoke Newington and Newport, Isle of Wight and formed a new company, C.J. Beavis Limited.
C.J. Beavis Limited were retailers of china, glass and homeware goods and by the late 1970s comprised of ten stores in the Midlands and the Isle of Wight, including outlets in Leicester, Ryde and Shanklin.
The business also included subsidiary companies: C.J. Beavis (Wholesale) Limited (1951 – 1976) selling catering equipment and Chancery Direct Supplies (1957 – 1969). In 1962 Cecil’s son Donald Beavis took over the running of the company when his father retired. He took on the lease of an additional unit in order to sell greetings cards; 19 The Arcade, Bedford.
In 1982 the company suffered heavy financial losses and contracted into two locations: the shops in Bedford and Newport. Cecil’s son Donald Beavis ran the Bedford china and greetings card shops, with his brother Ian running the business in the Isle of Wight (as I.C. Beavis Limited). After taking over from his father at Bedford in 1992 Michael Beavis then purchased I.C. Beavis Limited from his uncle in 2000.
The greetings card shop at 19, The Arcade, Bedford was closed in 2006 with the main unit at 14-16, The Arcade, Bedford closing down in 2010. The Newport business (IC Beavis Ltd) continued to trade, including a coffee shop on its first floor which was opened in 2007 (Chapel Coffee Lounge) but was dissolved in 2016.
Biographical details from collection, https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk and http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/family-shop-is-facing-closure-1-1099641
Donated by Michael Beavis, Isle of Wight, former owner of C.J. Beavis Limited, upon closure of the Bedford store in 2010.
Scope and Content
Domestic Bazaar Company:
Correspondence relating to liquidation (1934 - 1935)
Notebook of outlets (c.1920)
C.J. Beavis Limited:
Incorporation certificate and memoranda of association (1934 - 1967)
Share registers, correspondence and dividends (1934 - 2003)
Minute books (1934 - 2005)
Annual returns (1982 – 2009, with gaps)
Finance records including general ledgers and company accounts (1934 - 2009, with gaps)
Operational records including risk management and retailing / stock management procedures (1973, c.1992 - 2009)
Sales and marketing, including advertising (1935 -1953, 1978 - 2010, with gaps)
Property leases, business rates, rent reviews and correspondence (1901 - 1902, 1925, 1934 - 1950, with gaps, 1982 - 2010, with gaps)
Employee records including wages and redundancy records (1975 - 1977, 1982- 1983, c.1992 - 2006)
C.J. Beavis (Wholesale) Limited:
Incorporation certificate and memorandum of association (1951)
Share register (1951 - 1970)
Minute book (1951 - 1970)
General and private ledger (1951 – 1970)
Employee correspondence (1970 -1976)
Chancery Direct Supplies Limited:
Incorporation certificate and memorandum of association (1957)
Share register (1957 – 1969)
Minute book and annual returns (1957 - 1968)
General ledger (1957 – 1961)
Correspondence relating to company cessation (1970)
Descendants chart created by Cecil James Beavis depicting children and grandchildren of his own grandfather James Beavis - Beagley (c.1968)
Exent
0.21 cubic metres (7 boxes and 1 roll)
Language
English
Archival history
Records have been retained within the family business prior to their deposit at Bedfordshire Archives and Records Service.
System of arrangement
Due to a lack of evidence of administrative history of the company, documents have been preserved within files as per original order received and arranged at higher levels by function.
The following were disposed of in their entireity: duplicates, blank share certificates and expired share certificates (these had previously been defaced and company seal removed). One incomplete un-titled file with individual’s names and addresses and figures but no supporting context.
Application forms where candidate was subsequently rejected or unable to take up the post offered. Personal correspondence from former employees. Insurance policy brochures accompanying policy documents.
The following files were weeded: stock transfer forms - random examples were retained for illustrative purpose and forms also preserved if additional correspondence was included illustrating either the process by which shares were purchased back by the company or where the share price was queried. Proxy forms for shareholder meetings - random examples were retained for illustrative purposes. Individual applications for shares and carbon copies of acceptance letters to accompany share certificates. An example of the most complete process of share purchasing was retained. Stock taking reports, summaries retained but not print outs of actual stock levels. Annual returns - where these had been deposited, only those stating a change in situation were retained. Banking details post 2005 were destroyed apart from mortgage details from 1992, post 2005 details were retained to illustrate finances for the years that accounts were unavailable. Accommodation requests where there was no supporting context of trade fair attendance.
No accruals are expected
Some restrictions on access under the Data Protection Act 1998 due to presence of personal data relating to employees, including share membership and individual staff records. See individual records for closure periods.
Level of description
fonds