Waterstones exterior

Tessa Boase in conversation at Waterstones Piccadilly

Join acclaimed writer Tessa Boase at Waterstones Piccadilly, formerly the iconic Simpson’s department store, as she delves into the world of London’s Lost Department Stores.

Event Info

Date & Time

June 19

6:30pm - 7:30pm

Location

Waterstones, Piccadilly, London, UK

Tickets & Prices

In this discussion, Tessa explores the rapidly vanishing species of the grand department store.

Tessa will guide you through a bygone era, celebrating these magnificent establishments—from the Baroque Revival Debenham & Freebody on Wigmore Street to the Art Deco Derry & Toms in Kensington (later Biba) with its famed roof garden, and the sleek Moderne lines of Holdrons at Peckham Rye (now Mr Khan's Discount).

You'll also discover the delights of Gamages' unmatched toy department and Swears & Wells' luxurious furs. Packed with original research, rich anecdotes, and stunning period photographs, this unique book vividly brings to life an era of confidence and style now lost to time.

Tessa Boase, an acclaimed writer for the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, and other publications, is renowned for her engaging talks and lectures. Her previous works, "The Housekeeper’s Tale" and "Etta Lemon" (published in hardback as "Mrs Pankhurst’s Purple Feather"), have been both critically acclaimed and commercially successful.

Experience the magic of London’s lost department stores through Tessa's expert storytelling.

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Waterstones

Waterstones Piccadilly

Retail

London's largest bookshop, and a contender for the title of Europe's largest bookshop too, is the magnificent Waterstones Piccadilly.

Spread over six floors, with more than eight miles of shelves and more than 200,000 titles.

Read more about Waterstones Piccadilly