George Henry Lee and the original staircase(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)

21 moments at George Henry Lee store before it closed its doors

by · Liverpool Echo

From how the store looked to the faces who worked here

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Liverpool has been home to numerous famous department stores through the decades - and George Henry Lee was without a doubt one of them. It was way back in 1853 when George Henry Lee opened his first store on Basnett Street in the city centre, going on to become one of the most popular and well-known names in Liverpool.

A family-run business, the building began as a bonnet warehouse before it became a shopping destination generations of customers came to know and love. Later becoming part of the John Lewis group, many will also remember the commercial space was merged with the Bon Marche store next door, which faced onto Church Street.

In 2002, the famous name was dropped and became John Lewis for six years, before it moved to its new home in Liverpool ONE. As for the building today, last month, the ECHO reported how the lack of progress over the former department store has become “concerning,” according to the head of the organisation representing the city’s business community.

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Fears emerged earlier this year that a £25m plan to convert the former George Henry Lee building in Liverpool city centre could fall through after the firm behind them entered financial difficulty. We recently shared moments from when the historic site closed its doors for good - but we've since rediscovered more brilliant images from our archive of day to day life inside George Henry Lee.

Here, you can see the site as it looked in its latter years, from stock to customers and a number of staff members from different departments. Take a trip back in time with our gallery of 21 images below.

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  1. Jenny Hill who works in the children's schoolwear department at George Henry Lee
    1 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  2. ECHO competition winner Karen Drury and husband Peter as they look at a new computer at George Henry Lee
    2 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  3. Staff at George Henry Lee wrap a Christmas present
    3 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  4. Teresa Smith, aged 58, from Bootle, a fashion advisor at George Henry Lee in Liverpool
    4 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  5. Shoppers stand in the rain outside George Henry Lee swimming costume window display
    5 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  1. Patrick Lewis, great-grandson of John Lewis, who has started his new job as the manager of the Liverpool store George Henry Lee
    6 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  2. Natalie Marl wrapping a Christmas present at George Henry Lee
    7 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  3. Outside the George Henry Lee shop in Liverpool
    8 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  4. Dawn Collinson makes some purchases at George Henry Lees
    9 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  1. Carmel Blackwell and Dawn Duffy, who both work on the perfume counter at George Henry Lee
    10 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  2. Goods on display at George Henry Lee
    11 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  3. Gerard Fennell, catering manager at George Henry Lee
    12 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  4. Rob Ellis, from Heswall, shopping at George Henry Lee
    13 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  1. Natalie Marl inside George Henry Lee
    14 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  2. George Henry Lee and the original staircase
    15 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  3. Theresa Smith, Carmel Blackwell and Michelle Stewart model hats at George Henry Lee
    16 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  4. Natalie Marl of the George Henry Lee gift wrapping service demonstrates how to wrap the perfect parcel
    17 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  1. Inside the George Henry Lee department store
    18 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  2. Dorothy Howard, department manager at George Henry Lee
    19 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  3. Christine Carscaden, head of the perfume department at George Henry Lee
    20 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)
  4. George Henry Lee site as it became John Lewis. Pictured Ken Risley. who has worked at the store for 44 years
    21 of 21(Image: Trinity Mirror Copyright/Reach Content Archive)