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WHSmith Archive Trust auction offers insight into retailing past

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A timed auction closing at the end of this month offers a rare glimpse into British high street heritage, featuring a classic WHSmith delivery bicycle, historic signage and beautifully detailed scale models of a typical WHSmith store.

  • An architectural model of the W. H. Smith building, Bridge House, Albert Embankment, 1930s, designed by Herbert O Ellis & Clarke and ‘Architect to W. H. Smith’, F. C. Bayliss, 1930s, finished front and back and painted with signage, the painted base applied with a painted plaque 'Bridge House . Lambeth . The New Stationary Factory of W. H. Smith & Son', the interior of the base fitted for a lighting tube, 69cm wide, 13cm deep, 51cm high. Opened in 1935, ‘Bridge House’, which stood on London’s Albert Embankment was designed and built for the booksellers, W. H. Smith & Son, Ltd. Located immediately south of Lambeth Bridge (1929-1932), the building was demolished without resistance in the 1970s and since that time has been almost entirely forgotten about, despite being one of the best examples of interwar ‘factory’ buildings to have been built in London. The building was intended to serve as both a stationery factory and book-binding workshop, allowing Smith’s to consolidate three existing west end buildings into one. Also: a late 19th Century oak and painted model of a W. H. Smith high street store, an applied label to the side reading ‘This model of a typical W. H. Smith and Son shop is made to the scale of one inch to one foot’, the reverse applied with miniature advertising posters, with a loose brass plaque ‘Presented by W. H. Smith, Esq., M.P., 1873', the WHS logo in painted glass to the top, 67cm wide, 51.5cm deep, 37.5cm high, on a later display stand. Likely designed with the involvement of W. H. Smith in in-house architect Francis Charles Bayliss, F.R.I.B.A. (1876-1938). Between 1905 and 1938 Bayliss was the design coordinator for W.H. Smith & Son and responsible for the design of all shops and retail outlets.
    An architectural model of the W. H. Smith building, Bridge House, Albert Embankment, 1930s, and a late 19th Century oak and painted model of a W. H. Smith high street store
  • Pictured: A W. H. Smith newspaper delivery bicycle, mid 20th Century, an adapted version of the ‘Model N’ tradesmen’s bicycle by Gundle for W. H. Smith, with pannier bags and W. H. Smith sign to the back, the wheels 23" diameter, label for Gundle, Birmingham. Also, a tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign, depicting a lady and titled 'Colour Books', in original oak frame, 45.5cm x 38cm, with frame 66cm x 59cm
    A W. H. Smith newspaper delivery bicycle and a tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign
  • A W. H. Smith painted 'Newsboy' hanging sign within a pale oak finished framed with fluted gilt details, the top fitted with hanging hooks and the underside with wrought iron brackets centred by a painted metal English heraldic shield of three gilt lions on a red ground, double sided, 85cm wide, 13.5cm deep, 139cm high (excluding hooks), one side with 'Booksellers', the other side with 'Stationers' Also: A large tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign of two pictorial panels and centred by a blue ground text panel 'Newspapers Books and Periodicals sent to all parts of the World', in original oak frame, 45.5cm x 146cm, with frame 79cm x 156cm. Pictorial and lettered tile panels in an Art Deco style adorned many exteriors of W H Smith’s distinctive recessed shopfronts in the 1920s and 1930s. Produced by Carter & Co in Poole, the panels advertised particular services, goods and those with a pictorial element advertised book categories such as Travel, Literature, etc. Many included the font designed for the company by Eric Gill.
    A W. H. Smith painted ‘Newsboy’ hanging sign and a large tiled W. H. Smith advertising sign

Chorley’s Auctioneers is running the sale of a unique selection of retail memorabilia from the historic WH Smith Archive Trust collection, and you can view items on offer via TheSaleroom or their website.

For researchers, while the scale models and items such as advertising signs are aesthetically pleasing on the eye, more intriguing might be the opportunity to acquire copies of several WH staff magazines such as Newsboy & Newsgirl, Newsbasket (the monthly internal journal of the staff of WH Smith and Son launched in 1908, spanning two world wars, with its last issue in 1978), Talking Shop (“The Business Magazine for WH Smith Staff”).

These items come profusely illustrated and filled with photographs offering a fascinating snapshot on the company’s history and retailing of the past, with articles on various aspects of social activities by staff – the company had its own Athletic Association, for example – along with insights into events and concerns across the years. Although perhaps no reader was ready for the suggestion, in September 1939, that a stick insect might make for a good pet…

It’s great to see, for example, caricatures by Mickey Durling, a caricaturist who had a regular spot in the Gravesend Reporter in the 1970s, who it’s believed started out as a booth artist on Southend Pier. His work also featured in the Kent Messenger. He died in 1992.

"An Unusual Pet" article from The Newsbasket, September 1939
“An Unusual Pet” article from The Newsbasket, September 1939
"How to Attract Customers" article, date unknown
“How to Attract Customers” article, date unknown
The cover of "Talking Shop" for January 1954
The cover of “Talking Shop” for January 1954
Caricatures of Doncaster WHS staff by Mickey Durling, a sporting caricaturist
Caricatures of Doncaster WHS staff by Mickey Durling, a sporting caricaturist

“It’s a privilege to bring these fascinating and historically significant pieces to auction,” say Chorley’s Auctioneers. “They don’t just tell the story of WH Smith – they speak to a wider narrative about the evolution of British retail, design, and daily life throughout the 20th century.”

Offering a rare glimpse into British high street heritage, standout pieces include a classic WHSmith delivery bicycle, beautifully detailed scale models of typical WHSmith stores from the 1930s and 1950s and a rare bust of the Rt Hon WH Smith himself. 

Snapshot in time: the "Children's Corner" of WH Smith, Worcester, from "Newsboy & Newsgirl", April 1931
Snapshot in time: the “Children’s Corner” of WHSmith, Worcester, from “Newsboy & Newsgirl”, April 1931

The items are from the WH Smith Archive Trust and represent the enduring legacy of one of the UK’s most recognisable brands. Each piece reflects the company’s central role in British retail history, particularly in literature, stationery, and newspaper distribution.

WHSmith, founded in 1792 by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna in London, began as a small news vendor. Their son, William Henry Smith, expanded it into a family business. In the 1840s, WHSmith pioneered railway bookstalls, revolutionising book and newspaper distribution. The company grew steadily, becoming a staple on British high streets until selling those stores earlier this year. It diversified into books, stationery, and entertainment, and by the 21st century had expanded internationally, becoming a global brand in airports and stations. 

The WH Smith Archive Trust was originally set up in October 1997 by the WH Smith family and the Company as a discrete archive to manage and preserve the historical collection of letters, documents, miscellaneous materials and artefacts relating to the WH Smith family and the Company. The Trustees of the WH Smith Archive Trust donated the historical collection of letters and documents to the University of Reading in 2010. The net proceeds from the sale of these items will be donated to charity.

Chorley’s Auctioneers was founded in 1862 as Bruton Knowles Art & Antiques Division, changing name in 2006. Selling to both national and international markets through live auctions held at its salerooms in the beautiful grounds of Prinknash Abbey, Chorley’s also sells live to online bidders through the internet auction platform The-Saleroom and Chorley’s Live.

• Check out the The W. H. Smith Archive | Timed Online auction here on The Saleroom (where imagery is better) | Or here on Chorley Auctioneers direct (where bidding will result in less fees) | Ends 31st August 2025

With thanks to Rian Hughes

Head downthethetubes for…

Mickey Durling

A 1952 original caricature of Watford player Frank Mitchell by Mickey Durling
A 1952 original caricature of Watford player Frank Mitchell by Mickey Durling

Mickey Durling was a caricaturist who had a regular spot in the Gravesend Reporter in the 1970s, who it’s believed started out as a booth artist on Southend Pier and drew sports caricatures for the Sunday Empire News in the in the 1940s and 50s. His work also featured in the Kent Messenger and he was a member of the Cartoonists Guild of Great Britain. He died in 1992.

• Football Cartophilic Info Exchange: Famous Footballers of Today by Mickey Durling for Sunday Empire News

Collector Alan Jenkins has a checklist for the set of cards can be seen here – Sunday Empire News – (SUN-180) Famous Footballers of Today by Mickey Durling and there’s also an illustrated checklist of all the cards here – Sunday Empire News – (SUN-180) Famous Footballers of Today by Mickey Durling (02)

• Watford Gold: 1952 Original Caricature of Frank Mitchell by Mickey Durling

This original 1952 pen and ink caricature of Frank Mitchell was drawn by famous cartoonist Mickey Durling for publication in newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Mail

• Speedway Caricatures Card Set 23 – art set attributed to Mickey Durling

• Speedway Caricatures Card Set 24 – art set attributed to Mickey Durling

• Huddersfield Town Memorabilia – includes cards by Mickey Durling and mention some were initially published in Sport Magazine

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