Looking Back
through
40+ years . . .
Margaret Elliott (right) had been the force behind SALLY TWINKLE throughout its first 40 years.
Sadly, Margaret died on February 15th 2007 in John Eastwood Hospice after a short illness and therefore was not able to see
the business celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Below is a brief account of the growth of SALLY TWINKLE
under the guidance of Margaret. From small beginnings, because of the
dedication of Margaret and her loyal staff, the high reputation of the shop has grown far
beyond the boundaries of Mansfield or even Nottinghamshire.
Read on . . .
In 1967, 30 year old Margaret Elliott worked for Farmer's Department Store in Nottingham. She caused quite a stir
when she announced to her colleagues she was about to open a shop in Mansfield named . . . SALLY TWINKLE!
They laughed and said the shop would not last a year. How wrong they were! SALLY TWINKLE is still with us over
forty years on, much larger and better stocked than Margaret the creator could ever have imagined in 1967.
Registering the business and gaining premises was an exciting but daunting task. But on Saturday 5th August 1967
at 9am
SALLY TWINKLE first opened her doors in numbers 4 & 6 Handley Arcade, later moving to number 1 and then
into 3 & 5 as well.
Through the hard work and enthusiasm of Margaret, supported by her loyal staff, SALLY TWINKLE
went from strength to strength, though not without setbacks.
In July 1979, a savage fire hit the Handley Arcade. In the months before the Arcade was repaired, SALLY TWINKLE
and the other businesses lost much trade.
About five years later, a sports car smashed through the shop
window! For sometime the boarded up window declared: "SALLY TWINKLE OPEN AS
USUAL. PLEASE COME IN - BUT NOT IN A CAR!"
When Margaret became ill, the staff (aka the TWINKLE GIRLS!)
had to take on many extra responsibilities to keep the business running, with the additional worry
following Margaret's death of what was going to happen to SALLY TWINKLE.
It was a great relief to hear the news that Margaret's friend, David Marriott, had bought the shop.
In the pictures below, in a get-together in the shop to mark both the 40th
anniversary of SALLY TWINKLE and its takeover by
David Marriott, two former TWINKLE GIRLS, Doris (aged
94) and Audrey, are presented with gifts surrounded by other
TWINKLE GIRLS and David.
Since 2007, David has refurbished the shop and modernised procedures. Some of the familiar faces of the
TWINKLE GIRLS have retired and new staff have taken their places. David has given up his job in the building trade and now
works full time in the shop.
Most important of all, the spirit of SALLY TWINKLE following the inspiration of founder Margaret Elliott lives on!