Dingles (department store)

[1] One of his staff, Tom Baker, became his brother-in-law when he married Edward's sister, and he was duly made a partner in the business.

[2] In 1935 E Dingle & Co was registered as a private limited company, and purchased its neighbour W J Vickery & Co Ltd, a gents' outfitters, who were based at 26-27 Bedford Street.

Before the breakout of the Second World War, Dingles had expanded further by purchasing the lease of 32 Bedford Street, and were operating eighty departments with a staff of over 500.

The design, however, purposefully allowed for the future upwards extension of the building and an additional three selling floors were added to the store in later years.

[2] The business was floated as a public company in 1954, and entered a period of significant expansion during the 1960s, buying a number of department stores.

[4] Criddle & Smith of Truro, John Polglase of Penzance and Barzillai Thomas of Helston had been added to the group by 1966.

As part of the discussions with Dingles' chairman, Winston Brimacombe, House of Fraser promised that the company would retain its own identity.