Jarrold 250 Years: a History

A journey through the development of the Jarrold business from its retail beginnings in Woodbridge to its current position - this is the story of a business and the people who built it. This talk explores how and why the business moved locations, expanded into different sectors and withstood commercial and societal changes. Who were the people who built this business? Why is there so much more to this story than is often perceived? Given unfettered access to the Jarrold commercial and personal archives, our speaker – Pete Goodrum – has written the first account of the company’s history in over a century, and the most comprehensive account of the business ever. Pete Goodrum is a Norwich man. He has held senior positions in advertising agencies, working on national and international campaigns, and now works as a freelance advertising writer and consultant for a wide range of clients in both the public and private sectors. He is also a successful author; his book ‘Norwich in the 1950s’, topped the local best seller charts for almost three months, the sequel, 'Norwich in the 1960s', also reached the number one spot. In 2020 ‘Jarrold 250 Years: A History’, published to celebrate the company’s anniversary, went straight to number one, staying in the charts for the rest of the year. He has also contributed to the Society’s publication, ‘Aspects of Norwich’. Pete makes frequent appearances on BBC local radio, writes and presents TV documentaries and is a regular reader of his own work at live poetry sessions. Pete has a real passion for the history of Norwich and Norfolk.