News

# Debenhams archive saved by collaboration

Individuals and organisations working together has secured the future of the
historic Debenhams archive.

Published 23 March 2026

![A large room full of men and women working at benches wearing white aprons](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/media/images/Debenhams_wo.45fd1d68.fill-1800x720.format-jpeg.jpegquality-60.bgcolor-fff.jpg) 

About this image 

Courtesy of Janice Tullock Associates, Westminster Archives and Debenhams

When department store chain Debenhams went into administration in 2020, the
Crisis Management Team (CMT) for Business Archives moved quickly to safeguard
its archives – an important record of more than 200 years of retail history.

The collection includes early company diaries, advertisements, store
photographs, staff records, and even examples of staff uniforms and own-brand
products.

Founded in 1778 as a single shop in London, at its peak Debenhams had department
stores in 178 locations worldwide. Its brand and website are now owned by
Boohoo.

Debenhams’ archives were saved by an extraordinary cooperative effort across
several sectors, including from the Business Archives Council, Geoff Rowley and
Alastair Massey (the Administrators) of FRP Advisory and their agents at Hilco.

Collections information was provided by Janice Tullock Associates. Emergency
storage for the collection was provided by the South West Heritage Trust,
supported by a Records at Risk grant from The National Archives. The collection
has now been permanently rehoused at the City of Westminster Archives Centre.

Two case studies detailing the collaborative rescue operation and showcasing
highlights from the collection are now published on the Managing Business
Archives website. City of Westminster Archives Centre is working towards
cataloguing the collection so it can be accessible to researchers.

managingbusinessarchives.co.uk

## [Bringing the Debenhams Archive to The Nation: Collection Highlights and Future Plans](https://managingbusinessarchives.co.uk/debenhams-archive-highlights-future)

Highlights and future plans

Case Studies:

## [Collaborating across sectors: saving the Debenhams archive](https://managingbusinessarchives.co.uk/saving-the-debenhams-archive)

How the Debenhams archive was saved

> We’re delighted that Debenhams history has been saved. This successful
> collaboration between heritage and insolvency sectors is sending a clear
> message: keep archives of businesses for future generations, so they are not
> lost forever.

Dr Michael Anson, Chair of the Business Archives Council

> Household brands like Debenhams are an important part of our cultural and
> economic history, so we’re happy to have played a part in preserving this
> historic material. We hope it will offer lasting value to researchers,
> historians and the wider public.

The Administrators

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