Showmen and Shopgirls: Behind Those Famous London Department Stores

Presented by Tessa Boase

Mr Gamage, Mr Selfridge & co created palaces for the coming generation. We look at the colourful human stories behind those famous facades, from the powerful men at the top to the humble shop assistants sleeping like sardines in the attics. Behind the facades of some of London’s best-known ‘houses’, life’s dramas are playing out. There are arson attacks, sackings, strikes, marriage proposals – even murders. From Harrods’ amateur dramatics society to the Channel Islands department store that served the Nazis, this is social history at its most colourful and engaging. We’ll end with the modern heroes bringing these archaic buildings back to life, including Afghani immigrant Mr Khan of Peckham.

Dates and Locations

Thursday 20 August 2026 Molonglo Plains (ACT / NSW)

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