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IT’S 15 years since Kay’s, one of Worcester’s biggest employers, finally closed its doors after more than a century in business in the city.
Many, if not most, families in the city will have known someone who worked there at one time or another, so there’s a fair chance you might recognise one or two of the faces in the pictures from down the years.
Did you work at Kay’s? Have you got any pictures of your time there with your colleagues? Why not go to our We grew up in Worcester page on Facebook and share your memories there?
The Kays hot air balloon during one of its test flights on a chilly January morning in 1986
Kay’s took over Elgar House in the late 1960s
Photographers and their tricks… the Royal Mail’s ‘parcel-on-wheels’ visited the Kay’s warehouse in Bromyard Road in August 1983 to mark a century of parcel post. Jane Sampson is the Kay’s employee with an incredibly strong
A gent’s single-breasted Chesterfield, for sale in the Kay’s catalogue (13th edition)
By the time of the 15th edition of the catalogue, “talking machines” were for sale, if you had the necessary £2 to buy one
What the well-dressed people were wearing about town in 1937
An example of high-quality craftsmanship from Victorian times – a watch produced by Kay & Co
That’s a lot of shelving – the Kay’s warehouse pictured at the end of 1986
All mod cons – the computer room at Kay’s in November 1968
The ninth annual Kay’s sports day and fete took place in June 1965. Youngsters try their luck at the treasure hunt
How times have changed… members of the Kay’s sewing party putting together costumes in December 1968 for the Kay’s Theatre Group production of Mother Goose
The computer input department with the festive packages they had put together in 1979 for the residents at St Oswald’s Hospital
Tracey Handley is pictured in 1989 with the Kays clock
Not everyone was happy with the arrival of the Kay’s warheouse at the bottom of their gardens in St John’s. Householders who said they were misled about the size of the structure are pictured in March 1985
Jim Silk, the Kay’s catalogue photographer, pictured in November 1985
February 1985 and Kay’s sweepstake winner Janet Rumbold is presented with her prize – £11,500 and a ticket to New York – by Crossroads star Tony Adams (Adam Chance, for those of a certain vintage)
W Kilbourne Kay in his office at the turn of the 20th century. Important enough to have two desks and two secretaries
You can have any colour you want as long as it’s black or brown. Ladies shoes from the 13th edition of the catalogue
The very latest football boots, complete with “mock toe” form an early Kay’s catalogue. Love to see Ronaldo trying to dip a free-kick over the wall while wearing these…
In the very early days, Kays employed more than 40 typists, all using Underwood machines
Hard at work preparing the new season’s catalogue in March 1986
The catalogues on their way for distribution in August 1996
Christmas in 1986. Tinsel and busy-ness
June 1981 saw Diana Dors the star attraction at the annual Kay’s sports day and fete. She is crowning Karen Heard as Kay’s Sports Queen, watched by runner-up Carol Turner, left, and Adyna Jones, who was third
It’s October 1969 and two Worcester teenagers, Gail Gunnell, 15, left, and Lesley Cole, 16, members of the Kay’s Ladies team were getting ready to travel to Italy after being chosen to represent England in an international tournament
Everybody out – the fire brigade were called in September 1976
