Situated on what was known as 'Holy Corner', the junction of Lord Street, Paradise Street, Church Street and Whitechapel, No.1 Church Street was the address of the iconic corner building Bunney's. Arthur Henry Bunney married Sarah Edwards in 1875 and had started his business at 5 Church Street in 1881, in addition renting No.3 Church Street in 1884. In 1884 their home was 61 Mulgrave St, at a time when No.5 Church Street is listed as 'hardware merchant & dealer in fancy goods'. Then in 1885, No's 3 & 5 Church St W, are listed as a 'toy and fancy goods dealer'. Records show Sarah dying on the 22nd of December 1890 at an address at Wellbrow House, 10 Mere Lane. In the years following, Arthur then rented No.7 Church Street in 1894.
Bunney's became a Limited company in 1896, with the object of raising money to buy these previously rented properties and to acquire No.1 Church Street and No's 2 & 4 Whitechapel (Church Buildings), then occupied by Barber & Co., tea importers. Church Buildings had been newly erected in March 1864 as "new and extensive showrooms" for J F Price, an ironmonger. The now impressive store, 'a cathedral of consumption', dominated the corner of Church Street and Whitechapel with its two large towers overlooking the shoppers below. It even had an oriental emporium which would sell such things as the blue and white china which were the collectables of women of the time.
Arthur seems to have been very active in local business and politics and sat as Liberal Candidate in the 1896 Municipal Elections for the South Walton ward, narrowly losing to his Conservative opponent.
When Queen Victoria came to Liverpool to open the 'International Exhibition of Navigation' on Edge Lane Estate on the 11th of May 1886, it would appear that Arthur Bunney was an active participant. 'Bunney's Juvenile Shipperies' would have been part of this International Shipperies Exhibition held in Wavertree Park ( Botanic Park). The Liverpool Mercury, on the 17th of June 1886 reported, "Bunney's Juvenile Shipparies increase in popularity, and fresh attractions are being added daily. The innovative Lamson's cash railway system has been adopted here for conveying cash from purchasers to the cash desk without the assistants leaving their prescribed positions. Over a thousand purchases were made in the building on Monday, the cash and bills for which passed over the railway with marvellous precision. Those who have not seen this clever contrivance in operation should examine it at Bunney's Shipperies." adding, "At Messrs. Bunney's Limited .. the cash railway system also facilitates the conduct of the business."
Reports from the 1890s say that Bunney's Whitechapel store were 'Specialists in oriental goods and novelties' housed within an elegant baroque Edwardian building, a style inspired by Sir Christopher Wren along with the extravagent 18th century architecture of France and were well known for their Christmas Fairs.
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| Cycling past Bunney's store on Whitechapel and Church Street in 1908 |
Arthur Henry Bunney died on the 2nd day of March, 1936, late of Norway Lodge, Prenton, Birkenhead.
Bunney's store continued to operate until March 1956 when it was taken over by Greenwoods of Bradford.
This image from 1948 shows the scale of bomb damage to Liverpool city centre during World War II. A whole row of Lord Street has been cleared and the Bunney's department store is visible. The building, together with Higson's 'The Temple' pub on the corner of Leigh St, was demolished in 1957/8 to be replaced by the Barratts / NEMS building. Razed to the ground will be the offices in which The Beatles in 1961 struck a five-year management contract that would ultimately pave the way for their world domination. This building was demolished in 2012 to make way for a Forever 21 store in 2014 which has since closed down. The site in the foreground is now part of the Liverpool One development.
see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/11/remembering-liverpool-structures-st.html
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