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Further Miscellaneous Facts and Information from the Suters era at Uxbridge and Slough...... Please note that if click on some of the images on this page they will enlarge Communications Within the Stores Computerised Monthly Accounting for Customers Delivery Service for Customers at Suters Fire Detection Systems at Suters Lamson Paragon Tube System at Uxbridge and Slough Removal and Storage Service at Suters Shopfitting at Suters in Uxbridge (opens on new page) Staff Clocking In and Out at Suters Staff Magazine - "Spotlight" at Suters Burglar Alarms: The Slough store was connected by phone line to Slough Police Station, so if the alarm went off the Police would investigate first. They would then phone someone on the "call out list" who would be a key holder. At Uxbridge, no direct connection was actaually made to the local Police, however they would contact the local Uxbridge contact person and Philip Suter remembers, his father John Suter always appeared as the only phone number this person could remember. It was not until he was in hospital for a couple of months in the late 1960s did this stop. Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Carpets and Soft Furnishings: When the Slough store was rebuilt in the 1960s a pupose built building in the car park area was built. Downstairs was a carpet warehouse / cutting area and on the first floor a workroom facility (image below)
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Communications Within the Stores: At Uxbridge if one of the directors was required there was a system of lights and and an electronic noise. On each floor there was a large square double sided clock hanging from an area close to a light well. There were three coloured lights below and lights shone for whowever was the person required. When the Slough store was re-built a purpose built "Tannoy" loudspeaker system was fitted to areas throughout the store. This was used for customer service announcements and for contacting staff. A similar system was then installed into Uxbridge.
At Slough in the 1970s the main switchboard operator was a certain "Mrs Pay". This lady had a delightful telephone voice and manner, such a voice that would today be used in automated announcements. The switchboard was located in a small room within the open plan "General Office" on the third floor. At closing time there would be a "Tannoy" announcement along the lines of "It is now two minutes past closing time and the store has closed"
Background Music Like other similar businesses Suters also had background music playing and naturally in December the tune changed to Christmas music. Unlike in many retailers in the 2000s the volume was not too loud and the objective was to make the customer feel relaxed whilst shopping. Unfortunately in 2016 the volume is so loud that many people find that they cannot think properly and just want to get out of the shop or store. See also Suters Limited Staff Rule Book Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Computerised Monthly Accounting for Customers: The Uxbridge store has a mechanical system of using cards with holes punched in them (Possibly supplied by Bell Punch in Uxbridge). In the late 1960s with the accounts department now located in the much spacious Slough store, a computer bureau at Hounslow was used.
See also Accounts for Customers at Suters Ltd over the years Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Delivery Service for Customers at Suters:
At
Uxbridge deliveries left the building via the Goods Entrance
in Bakers Yard pictured below in the 1950s and
later when Sports Direct occupied that part of
the building.
Which means that when you buy your child a bicycle or yourself a food mixer we literaly take the load off your shoulders. By delivering from our door to your door. And if you prefer to shop from home just call our telephone receptionist. Who'll connect you with the department you want. So our vanman can deliver the goods without your stepping out of your house. We try to make to make your shopping simple. And enjoyable. So take us up on our offer. Soon." More about making this advertisement Here
Philip Suter comment on department stores delivery services. "Back in the late 1970s when I was taking a Diploma in Furnishing at the College for Distributive Trades in Leicester Square, London. One the lecturers recalled a story when he worked for Harrods. A customer telephoned to compain about the delivery service. Nothing was damaged, it was the correct day etc, however the Harrods delivery van had not parked outside her house, but a neighbour's one! A similar story was told to me by a colleague at Frank Farr in the 1990s. His relative was working for John Lewis in High Wycombe. Again the same type of complaint with the van not parking outside the customer's house, but a neighbour's property. I am not sure if the customers of Suters had similar concerns!"
See also Suters Limited Staff Rule Book Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Fire Detection Systems: A sprinkler system was installed in the Uxbridge store, however when the Slough store was re-built a "Minerva" detection system was used instead. Within a few years, however a sprinkler system was installed there too and two systems used. In October 2019 Philip Suter went to the Dublin Fire Brigade museum at the Training Centre. He was reminded of the large red buckets marked in black "Fire" and filled with sand at various locations in the Uxbridge store in the 1950s. From memory these were near the doors to the front and rear first floor balconies. The museum also had the type of fire extinguishers of the era, narrow at top and much wider at the bottom. See also Suters Limited Staff Rule Book Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Warehouse
and
The Fisher and Denning operation ran a cash and carry for local shops to suply them with toys and other associated products and included late night shopping once a week. This enabled local traders to stock up whilst their shops were closed.
See also Owen Owen closes warehouse - January 1984 Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Lamson Paragon Tube System: When the Uxbridge store was rebuilt, a very modern system for sending cash and account bills from an individual department to a central point was included. The network of pipes runing with suction pressure meant money need not be on the shop floor and the transaction completed in the cash office.
In the Feedback section of this website there have been comments from readers about "the tubes" and one comment from a lady from the High Wycombe area who as a Saturday girl had worked in the "Lamson Room" and her late mother was a regular employee there.
White Carrier: For all cash sales including cheques, club stamps and lay-bys. Red Carrier: For entries, account payments, Gift vouchers, C.O.D. Green Carrier: Buyers use only for invoices post etc.
A note in the staff training manuel said "Make sure that the carriers are completely closed nefore using Lamson Tube otherwise cash and bills may be lost in transit". When Philip Suter was working at Bourne and Hollingsworth in Oxford Street, London in the early 1970s they too had a similar system although very rarely used as commercial tills were by that time more effective. The cash office was in the basement and it did mean that security arrangements had to be changed so the tills could be emptyied throughout the day and money transported off the shop floor. Many modern supermarkets like Tescos have similar systems in some of their branches whereby there are shutes near the checkouts that send money in large containers to the appropriate cash office.
Randalls in Uxbridge the store that was located in Vine Street, Uxbridge and traded for 123 years and finally closed in January 2015 also used this system - See photo here of Sir John Randall demonstrating the Lamson pneumatic tube system. See also: Cash Railway Website and extracts below are featured on it SLOUGH. Suters, High Street . Pneumatic tube system. Photograph of cash office on Philip Suter website. They also had a store at Uxbridge, Middlesex. UXBRIDGE. Suters. "The 'Lamson' system involved a network of pneumatic tubes running from every department in the store up to the 'Lamson room' referred to by the Middlesex Advertiser in 1937 as the 'Central Cash Railway Station'. According to the 'Advertiser' 40 tubes terminated in the room - Hilda remembers that there were 'a couple of dozen'. Each time a sale was made a copy of the sale invoice plus the payment were rolled up together and placed in a cylinder which was inserted in the end of the tube which terminated behind the counter in the department. A lever was pulled which closed the cap on the end of the tube and released compressed air which pushed the cylinder all the way along the tube up to the Lamson room where it popped out into a tray and was dealt with by Hilda and the other clerks. The Lamson system was 'two way' and the change for the customer would be returned to the department via a 'down' tube." Philip Suter website with photograph of cash office
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Removal and Storage Service at Suters:
Like other department stores, Suters ran a removal and storage department moving customers all over Britain and sometimes onto mainland Europe. It was based in Uxbridge and there was one large removal van and a smaller one. They were kept in the garage behind "Burtons" on the old Carrick and Coles Waterloo House site in Graingers Yard.
One of the most difficult moves was when TV presenter Richard Dimbleby moved to an island in the middle of the River Thames. It was very much an "all hands on deck" for this somewhat complicated move. Tom Suter said in March 2018 "I was wholly involved in the R. Dimbleby removal from ? Hindhead to the island at Boulters Lock by raft .We did all the curtains & carpets there and I think Mr Simmons was the other man" The service was run by Archie Taylor. In the the early 1960s the existing vans were replaced by an "A" registered large Bedford van and a "B" registration Bedford van. (Right hand image below in the right of picture).
March 2018 - Philip Suter posted the 1930's flyer above on the CAN YOU REMEMBER OLD SHOPS AND PLACES IN UXBRIDGE Public Group Facebook page - some very interesting comments followed: Peter Gunter I was a removal man for Suters in 68. We had 2 vans that were parked behind the police station. Could it have been Archie that l worked with in the 60s. He must have been in his 60s then. Lovely man. Joan Piper Yes he was he lived near me in Hayes End he was in Hayes End Drive & I was in Blacklands Drive later I remember he went to live with his Son in Australia as his wife had died .He was only very slim but strong & told me he are nettles as his greens & always made nettle soup. Peter Gunter Ive just read the link regarding the removals. I remember Archie telling me about the tricky move to the island in the Thames. One move l recall was Raymond Baxter who moved to Denham. Both vans were needed. He gave us all £1 10s each. Very nice man. One odd fact l recall was the vans both ran on petrol. Peter Gunter Yes he was a very strong man and much smaller than me. He was always happy which made the work easier. We had another chap that worked with us for a short period. Patrick from Ryefield Ave. Hilingdon. Peter Gunter I had very little to do with inside the shop. We had work every day. Some work we took on was via Bestaways. But do recall it was always the work they didn't want to do.
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Like any retailer Suters had to be prepared for shopliffters and also staff thefts. Philip Suter remembers as a youngster being in the third floor office with his father John who was unwrapping shopping wrapped in Suters packaging that had been returned by the "Mystery / Secret shoppers" employed to check on satff if they were issuing correct money in the change given back to "the customer".
For a while in the 1960s to 1970s there were also circular "balls" with cameras protruding from them and hanging at vantage points on each floor at Uxbridge and Slough. Tom Suter recalls "This was the first unit in a retail establishment in Britain." He was also interviewed about it on BBC Radio.
Spot checks on staff baggage would also be checked when they left the buildings from time to time and this was often carried out by a member of the personnel department.
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________
Unfortunately the area started to suffer from vandalism and eventually most of this side arcade was blocked off. After Suters sold out to Owen Owen, one of the later owners - Owen Owen, Alders or Debenhams converted this area into sales space and in the Debenhams era in 2018 the entrance to "the shopping arcade" area is the staff entrance. See also Display Services - Window and Internal Promotional Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Staff Accommodation: Over the years the company had purchased a lot of property in the Slough area for staff accommodation, some of it was used occasionally as "back up" warehouse space for busy periods such as Christmas. There was a house opposite the old Fisher and Denning / Suters Warehouse in India Road, Slough occupied by a member of staff and his family.
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Staff Clocking In and Out at Suters:
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________
Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index ____________________________________________________________________ Staff Restaurant Facilities: When the Slough store was re-built a purpose built staff restaurant (Canteen) was incorporated next to the kitchen for the Tirol Restaurant on the second floor. Within a very short space of time it was discovered that a much larger kitchen was required so the staff canteen was relocated to an area above on the third floor. A "dumb waiter" lift was installed and staff benefited from subsidised catering. At Uxbridge the original staff "mess room" could only provide tea or coffee and room for people to eat their own sandwiches. As time went by improvements were made, however the extent of the catering never went past fiiled rolls, sausage and mash and other easy to prepare meals. Staff
dining facilities - Uxbridge
and Slough See also Suters Limited Staff Rule Book Return to Suters Ltd Index | Return to this Page Index
See also: Shopfitting at Suters in Uxbridge and Power cuts at Suters in the 1970s Display Services - Window and Internal Promotional © Philip Suter 2014 / 2020 ____________________________________________________________________ We understand further information about Suters Ltd can be found at the Slough Museum, Slough Berks Find out more Here
____________________________________________________________________ Source of images, unless otherwise stated - Suter family archives |
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Morris
Carpet Van from 1967
There
was an internal telephone sysyem using phones like the ones
in the images above that would normally be everyday phones found
in Italy at that time. To contact someone in another department
/ office you simply dialled the number. However if that person
could be anywhere within the store, 
you simply picked up an ordinary BT (Post Office) black phone
and were answered by "Switchboard" and
requested you put a call out for "Mr Jones 15".
Mr
Jones would then dial 15 on the internal phone. To commuicate
cost effectively between branches the company paid for a "private"
line so the internal phones could be used instead of using the
BT (Post Office) line. So this would not be abused as there
was only one line, certain management phones had a button on
the phone that could be pressed to listen to a call briefly
if the line was engaged for a long time.
At Uxbridge there was a small switchboard unit on a desk in
the the General Office on the third floor. When Arthur
and Dorothy Suter lived at Krithia, Norfolk
Road in Uxbridge, a short walk
from the High Street, for many years their home telephone was
in fact part of the Uxbridge store network. This meant that
during business hours if they needed to phone out, someone would
have to dial the number or give them use of the line and when
they received calls they would have to be put through to their
house.
A damaged Suters of Uxbridge van in Novemer 1930 see newspaper
report by clicking on image below
and
at Slough the "Goods Inwards" and delivery bay below
left in the car park at the rear of the store and when Queensmere
Shopping Centre was built there it moved to first floor levl
on the right hand picture below. 
Fisher and Denning Ltd:
The
names Fisher and Denning have occured
a great deal in the early part of the Suters Ltd history. When
a wholesale subsidary was established it was created under this
brand. The objective was to have a vehicle to buy merchandise
for Suters Ltd through and also have other customers too. Merchandise
like toys and stationery were purchased and sold this way. 
In January 2021 the site has been redeveloped and become part
of the Diamond Road Slough Mosque (Image does not enlarge)
In the 1970s although the Lampson system continued to be used,
tills at "Cash and Wrap" pay pooints will very much
the alternative as this was a much faster method of carrying
out a transaction. 
Left:
Lamson terminal in ground floor department at Suters in Slough
(Image does not enlarge) 
Suters ran a retirement pension scheme and life assurance for
staff and directors. It was arranged in conjuncion with The
Standard Life Assurance Company and administered through J.H.Minet
Life and Pensions Ltd of London, E1.
(These
two images do not enlarge)
The
larger vehicle was like this "Bestways" removal van
from that era, in fact when the removal service was closed the
Suters van was sold to Bestways. 
Left
and van behind tree, the smaller of the two removal vans
The
company had two furniture depositories. One of which was a leasehold
premises and the other a freehold building in Trout Road
and Colham Mill Road in Yiewsley / West
Drayton, Middlesex.
Taken
from 
Each unit would have about 5 cameras pointing in different directions.
In reality maybe only one camera was actually real and wired
up. There would be just one TV monitor in an office and the
person watching would have been able to have only had the use
of around four cameras, but the objective was to give the impression
that there were lots of cameras watching people. In that era
there was no zoom in or out system or facilty to make a video
copy.
There
would also be a monitor on a sales floor to tell the general
public these cameras were working. The one above was in Slough.
Left
comment from The Slough Windsor and Eton Express August 11 1967
"The unblinking detective" (image does not
enlarge)
In
the latter part of the 1970s mirror replaced the cameras. Apart
from mirrors and cameras, security people were employed, sometimes
ex-police and the final person in this role was a former policeman
who lived in the High Wycombe area and spent his time working
at both stores, often wearing a coat with a shopping bag as
he would look for suspects who were intent on shoplifting. Above
the entrance to the hairdressing salon at Slough on the half
landing leading to a 3rd floor stockroom and from the same emergency
staircase on the first floor there were also small windows giving
an excellent place to observe people, althiugh binoculars would
be required. 
Taken
from 
When
the Uxbridge store was re-built in the 1930s the front and rear
windows formed window displays customers could look at easily
in the evenings or on a Sunday. This arrangement lasted till
the 1960s when the front was changed at Uxbridge to increase
sales space inside and the rear was also modified. Metal gates
were then pulled across and locked for the night. Mr
Charlie Aldin who was in charge
of the despatch area and had the use of the "Suters"
delivery bike shown by the round window in the left hand image
above lived locally and would return to the store during the
course of the evening to lock up.
At
Slough a similar arrangement was made until the store was re-built
in the 1960s
24/7
shopping in Slough - Between the main store and Milwards
Shoes (in 2015 Clarks) on the right an
arcade was created with windows and vending machines. These
vending machines not only sold sweets, but also items like
Corgi model cars, nylons etc so Suters in Slough
was open 24/7. This arcade led to further side doors and to
the car park at the rear. This meant the store had display windows
on three sides of the building. 
These
tall wall mounted clocks were located in the General Office
of each store and the clocks around the stores including offices
and staff areas would be regulated by these master clocks.
