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William McIlroy was a group of department stores started in Swindon in 1875 and finally closed in 1998. ==History== William McIlroy was an Irish draper who came to England and in 1875 opened his first store on Regent Street, Swindon.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Swindon's 160 greatest headline makers...part 7 - The Argus published 12 July 2014 )〕 The store was purpose built as a department store with a grand clock and plate glass frontage.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=In Pictures: England's Department Stores - BBC Website )〕 The business grew, with William's brother-in-law James Wheeler and son Ewart joining the business, and 22 branches were opened up across England and Wales amongst them Bristol, East Grinstead, Kirkby in Ashfield, Minehead, Stroud and most famously Oxford Street in Reading.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=REWIND: When a big Mac reigned supreme - Bournemouth Echo )〕 The Oxford Street store was opened in 1903, and was known as the ''Crystal Palace of Reading''〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=New apartments in store for old building - Reading Post 29 Nov 2005 )〕 because of its 2000 feet of plate glass windows, and employed over 1000 people.〔Revealing Reading Hidden History - Take a closer look at YOUR local heritage .... Oxford Road - Reading Museum Handout〕 The McIlroy family had strong connections with Reading, with William McIlroy being the Mayor as well as donating land to form McIlroy Park.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=McIlroy Park - Exploring the Thames Wilderness )〕 During the First World War, McIlroys were given an order by the War Office for 45,000 beds. During the 1930s the grand ball room was added to the Swindon store, with the chandeliers and panelling coming from the cruise liner Mauritania. Stars who performed there included Diana Dors and The Beatles (1962).〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=England's Department Stores - BBC Website )〕 In the 1950s the business started to struggle and changed hands. Stores were closed including the Reading store in 1955.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=New apartments in store for old building - Reading Post 29 Nov 2005 )〕 The Swindon store however continued to operate. The famous clock tower was removed in the 1960s for safety reasons and replaced with a smaller less ornate clock front.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Good time in store at McIlroys reunion - Swindon Advertiser 16 May 2008 )〕 In 1975 a grand sale took place to celebrate 100 years.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=REWIND: When a big Mac reigned supreme - Bournemouth Echo )〕 The business owned by textile giant Courtaulds was sold to Mackays Stores in the early 1990s. However, on 13 January 1998, the store was closed by its owners Mackays, citing that it could not compete with rivals Debenhams, House of Fraser and the Designer Outlet Centre. This confused many as in 1997 a report claimed McIlroys to be the UK's eighth most profitable department store.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Good time in store at McIlroys reunion - Swindon Advertiser 16 May 2008 )〕 The store was demolished and is now home to a branch of H&M.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=England's Department Stores - BBC Website )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「William McIlroy (department store)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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