1875 - 1996 Freeman Hardy Willis

Back to Tonbridge High St scene of charity shops, coffee shops and empty shops. This name, revealed by a recent shop closure, bought back memories. The dates above mark the period during which Freeman Hardy and Willis started by a Russian shoe maker in 1875 was selling shoes. At its height it had a shop in very town. It became part of the huge British Shoe Corporation empire that also owned Dolcis, Manfield, Lilley & Skinner , Saxone, Curtis, Trueform - names that tried to cater for every pocket. In the early 1990s in an attempt to revive its falling sales, 50% of the 540 FHW branches were converted to Hush Puppies stores. These failed. 44 stores were sold to Stead and Simpson who I think still exist. The British Shoe Corporation finally disappeared in 1998.
With thanks to Wikipedia.- any errors are theirs.