Heritage
With a long and varied history, Pearces the Jewellers remains one of the county's longest established jewellers, with history of trading in Leicestershire going back until 1883 and ultimately much further, having been founded in 1838.
The firm was started in 1838 by Mr. Henry Pearce, in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and with the help of his 4 sons opened further shops in Huddersfield, Leeds, and Leicester. The story in Leicestershire began in 1883, when Mr. William Pearce (son of Henry Pearce) opened premises in Gallowtree Gate, Leicester with a young assistant of 22, Mr. Charles Brook. Pearces the Jewellers in it's current form can trace it's lineage right back to this point, with one of the current owners being a direct descendent of Mr. Charles Brook.
Business flourished, and in 1911 the company expanded to another shop in York, with another of the original family, Mr. J. Pearce Junior taking the helm of the new venture.
Unfortunately the good times had to pause in 1914, when on 4th August, war was declared by the United Kingdom on Germany. All salaries of directors and employees had to be reduced, as by October that year trade had fallen by 50%. By the middle of 1915, things were improving, trade reductions were halted and the directors reinstated full salaries and generously even backdated the increase to September 1914!
War ended in 1918, and in 1919 the eldest son and namesake of Mr. Charles Brook was appointed as a director, quickly followed in 1921 by his second son, Mr. Harold Brook who was appointed to the Leeds shop, situated on the corner of Bond and Albion street.
In 1923 the Pearces as many of you know it came into being, when on the 19th of September, the Leicester branch purchased the old established jewellery business of Curtis & Horspool and relocated to their premises at 7&9 Market Place, a shop that would continue trading until the turn of the century.
In 1925, the York shop closed following the death of the director, Mr. J. Pearce Junior.
During the coming years, the Brook family began to gradually acquire the business from the Pearce family, and by 1933, with the closure of the Leeds shop, the business was restructured and fully owned by the Brook family.
After the second world war, the business expanded again, taking over the established jewellers of W. Mansell in Lincoln in 1947, and eventually the current Melton Mowbray premises on Sherrard Street in 1969, originally trading as W. Bowley & Co, who had been established on Market Place.
The shop in Melton Mowbray has remained until this day. Following the closure of the Lincoln branch in 1991 and the final closure of the Leicester branch in 2002, the current owners took the business over. Mr. T. K. Doubleday, the Manager, and Mr. A. J. Smith of the Brook family carry on the Pearces name, starting with the Melton Mowbray shop on it's own, before expanding to Oakham in 2008 and opening a 2nd shop focusing on branded jewellery in Melton Mowbray at 9-10 Cheapside in 2015.
The firm was started in 1838 by Mr. Henry Pearce, in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and with the help of his 4 sons opened further shops in Huddersfield, Leeds, and Leicester. The story in Leicestershire began in 1883, when Mr. William Pearce (son of Henry Pearce) opened premises in Gallowtree Gate, Leicester with a young assistant of 22, Mr. Charles Brook. Pearces the Jewellers in it's current form can trace it's lineage right back to this point, with one of the current owners being a direct descendent of Mr. Charles Brook.
Business flourished, and in 1911 the company expanded to another shop in York, with another of the original family, Mr. J. Pearce Junior taking the helm of the new venture.
Unfortunately the good times had to pause in 1914, when on 4th August, war was declared by the United Kingdom on Germany. All salaries of directors and employees had to be reduced, as by October that year trade had fallen by 50%. By the middle of 1915, things were improving, trade reductions were halted and the directors reinstated full salaries and generously even backdated the increase to September 1914!
War ended in 1918, and in 1919 the eldest son and namesake of Mr. Charles Brook was appointed as a director, quickly followed in 1921 by his second son, Mr. Harold Brook who was appointed to the Leeds shop, situated on the corner of Bond and Albion street.
In 1923 the Pearces as many of you know it came into being, when on the 19th of September, the Leicester branch purchased the old established jewellery business of Curtis & Horspool and relocated to their premises at 7&9 Market Place, a shop that would continue trading until the turn of the century.
In 1925, the York shop closed following the death of the director, Mr. J. Pearce Junior.
During the coming years, the Brook family began to gradually acquire the business from the Pearce family, and by 1933, with the closure of the Leeds shop, the business was restructured and fully owned by the Brook family.
After the second world war, the business expanded again, taking over the established jewellers of W. Mansell in Lincoln in 1947, and eventually the current Melton Mowbray premises on Sherrard Street in 1969, originally trading as W. Bowley & Co, who had been established on Market Place.
The shop in Melton Mowbray has remained until this day. Following the closure of the Lincoln branch in 1991 and the final closure of the Leicester branch in 2002, the current owners took the business over. Mr. T. K. Doubleday, the Manager, and Mr. A. J. Smith of the Brook family carry on the Pearces name, starting with the Melton Mowbray shop on it's own, before expanding to Oakham in 2008 and opening a 2nd shop focusing on branded jewellery in Melton Mowbray at 9-10 Cheapside in 2015.