The fortunes of Arnotts since its foundation in the 1840’s reflect the changing nature of modern Ireland. It is a microcosm of its evolving attitudes and mores as well as of its great political and social events.

In 1843, George Cannock and Ardrew White started trading in number 14 Henry Street DubIin – two years before the Famine. The city’s population was some 250,000 out of the eight million in the whole country.

Little is known of its early trading. In 1848, John Arnott invested £6,000 in the venture. He also bought the lease of 16 Henry Street.

Trading was concentrated in 13 and 14 under the name of ‘Cannock White and Co., General Traders’

in 1865, the business was renamed ‘Arnott, John & Co’. They described themselves as ‘general drapers and house furnishers’.

The ‘Dublin Evening Mail’ of 4 May 1894 carried the following story:

‘Destructive Fire.
Burning of Arnotts
This morning, about 20 minutes past one o’clock a fire, which eventually proved to be of an unusually disastrous character, broke out in Messers Arnotts & Co., large drapery and millinery emporium, 11 to 15 Henry Street…

The Brigade realised very soon after arrival that the building was doomed to de-struction… Every moment a fresh clattering of noise of falling slate, and portions of the interior fitting told how rapidly the large building was collapsing into a mere shell.’

Arnotts quickly recovered from the disaster and were trading in new temporary premises within a few days. They rebuilt and continued to expand in manufacturing, retailing, wholesaling and catering.

On the other hand, the 1916 rising – in contrast to virtually every other business premises around – left Arnotts almost unscathed. It is recalled how Patrick Pearse had called into Arnotts shortly before the rebellion to settle his account.

In its industrial relations history, the company often displays a Victorian authoritarianism. Thus, efforts were successfully made, in 1932, to get rid of a certain Miss Cahalan and Mrs Young who Were Trade Unionists.

Miss Cahalan was felt in particular to be ‘a very troublesome member of staff’.

A strike ensued. They were not reinstated, however, but the sacked women were given nine months redundancy pay instead of the proposed three months initially proposed for their striking efforts. Moreover, Arnotts agreed to this settlement only on the understanding that they would be able to ‘adjust staff’ in the future.

In the 1930’s, the economic policy of tariffs created problems for Arnotts. Clothing was generally subjected to a 60% tax. Before this policy, it was possible for Arnotts to order something in London and have it by next day. Government bureacracy made this efficency impossible.

The new State also saw complaints against displays of women’s underwear, particularly of corsets, in Arnotts’ windows.

“The Archbishop’s secretary will be very upset to hear about this”, many complaining letters from people concerned with public decency would run. On the other hand, one Co. Wexford priest went to the trouble of writing in to praise an advertisement using a photgraph of a young woman wearing a spotted summer dress. He called her “the best type of Irish woman”.

The ‘Irish Independent’ insisted that Arnotts cut off the legs of any figure of a woman wearing a corset in an advertisement, fearful that the legs would hurt the feelings of its respectable readers.
The Emergency led to a greater sense of corps d’esprit and to the involvement of the company in events like staff dances. Photographs show these to be rather formal, stiff occasions – offering little scope for headbangers.

The War also led to demands for savings on materials, with shorter skirts, fewer pleats.
Nonetheless, times were still good for some, such as the cattlemen who came to Arnotts to buy fur coats for their wives. And when any doubt about size arose, it was settled by ‘the cattlemen’s practised eye’ running over ‘ the saleswomen in the coat department’.

Arnotts has always been involved in manufacturing shirts, dresses, hats as well as retailing. Its idea of fashion was that an article of clothing ‘fit comfortably, look good and last well’.

One of their successes from 1944 to 1987 was Ballet International, which made lingerie and exported the greater quantity of it. When it was sold in 1981, its annual sales exceeded £50 million. It continues to this day.

The Grafton Street branch was opened in 1966 with a near-riot caused by the presence of the English model Jean Shrimpton, who had rocketed to fame wearing the first mini-skirt at races in Australia.

The enthusiasm of the crowd to gawk at Ms Shrimpton in her tiny dress was such that a glass counter was broken by the pressure; and staff, fearing injuries, had to take emergency measures to clear other counters to make space.

Miss Shrimpton was led to safety and a similarly-dressed, but older woman, was allowed leave by the back door, while the crowd were informed that this woman was the real thing: Miss Shrimpton.
The Crowd pursued the decoy into Wicklow.Street until they realised their mistake and, on recognising her as an Arnotts’ employee, began shouting: “it's only the ould wan”. Meanwhile, Miss Shrimpton, in the confusion, managed to escape safely with both her, person and mini-skirt intact.
In 1976, its manufacturing of children’s coats was sold and in 1987 Milne Models – its clothes manufacturing unit – was shut.

Arnotts in recent years has begun to concentrate an retailing to the exclusion of the manufacturing and wholesaling it also traditionally carried out. These rationalisations in the 80's – which were necessary for its survival and were partly caused by the national economic crisis of the time – led to redundancies, sometimes of the middle-aged caught between ‘the insouciance of youth and the security of a pension’. However, it also led to £4.2 million in profits in 1992 and to the survival of a national institution that is as old as modern Ireland.

Jean Shrimpton arriving at Dublin Airport in 1966 for her memorable visit to Arnotts.