A Brief History of Churchill Dry Cleaners
1961 - The first dry cleaners appears at 69 Bell Street
Reigate has a rich history and Churchill Dry Cleaners is proud to be a part of it.
We have been on this site since 1961 although the name was originally J Bader.
Over half a century later we are still proudly serving the local community.
In 1961
What did it all cost?
It was a busy year
What was making headlines?
- 1 January – The farthing coin, used since the thirteenth century, ceases to be legal tender in the United Kingdom.
- 1 January – Betting and Gaming Act 1960 comes into force, permitting operation of commercial bingo halls.
- 7 January – The Avengers television series first screened on ITV.
- 9 January – British authorities announce that they have discovered a large Soviet spy ring in London.
- 5 February – The Sunday Telegraph newspaper first published.
- 13 March – Black and white £5 notes cease to be legal tender.
- 21 March – The Beatles perform at the legendary Cavern Club in Liverpool for the first time.
- 3 April – The Jaguar E-Type, a sports car capable of reaching speeds of 150mph, is launched.
- 17 April – Tottenham Hotspur win the Football League First Division for the second time, with a 2–1 win over Sheffield Wednesday.
- 27 April – Sierra Leone gains independence from the UK.
- 1 May – Betting shops become legal under terms of the Betting and Gaming Act 1960.
- 6 May – Tottenham Hotspur becomes the first English football team this century, and only the third in history, to win the double of the league title and FA Cup, with a 2–0 victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup Final.
- 8 May – George Blake is sentenced to 42 years imprisonment for spying, having been found guilty of being a double agent in the pay of the Soviet Union.
- 28 May – Peter Benenson’s article “The Forgotten Prisoners” is published in several internationally read newspapers. This will later be thought of as the founding of the human rights organisation Amnesty International.
- 8 June – Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, marries Katharine Worsley at York Minster.
- 14 June – The Government unveils new “panda” crossings with push button controls for pedestrians, due to concerns about the increasing volume of traffic.
- 19 June – The British protectorate ends in Kuwait and it becomes an emirate.
- 3 July – Suicide Act 1961 decriminalises acts of, or attempts at suicide in England and Wales.
- 4 July – Barclays open their “No. 1 Computer Centre” in Drummond Street, London, with an EMI mainframe computer, Britain’s first bank with an in-house computing centre.
- 10 August – The UK applies for membership of the EEC.
- 31 August – Premiere of the film Victim, notable as the first in English to use the word “homosexual”.
- 1 September – First Mothercare shop opens, as Mother-and-Child Centre in Kingston upon Thames.
- 4 September – James Pitman’s Initial Teaching Alphabet is tested in a number of schools.
- 14 September – Film A Taste of Honey, including themes of interracial relationship, unmarried pregnancy and homosexuality, is released.
- 16 September – Three people die and 35 are injured when a stand collapses during a Glasgow Rangers football match at Ibrox Park.
- 1 October – Acker Bilk’s Stranger on the Shore released.
- 1 October – Religious programme Songs of Praise first broadcast on BBC Television; it will still be running fifty years later.
- 10 October – A volcanic eruption on the South Atlantic British overseas territory of Tristan da Cunha causes the island’s entire population to be evacuated to Surrey, where they will remain until 1963.
- 25 October – The first edition of Private Eye, the satirical magazine, is published in London.
- 8 November – In a referendum on Sunday opening of public houses in Wales, the counties of Anglesey, Cardiganshire, Caernarfonshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Merionethshire, Montgomeryshire and Pembrokeshire all vote to stay “dry”, that is, opposed to the Sunday sale of alcohol.
- 9 November – At the Lyceum Theatre, London, Miss United Kingdom, Welsh-born Rosemarie Frankland, becomes the first British winner of the Miss World beauty pageant.
- 4 December – Birth control pills become available on the NHS after their availability is backed by Health Minister Enoch Powell.
2002 - Our New Machine Arrives
In 2002, our original dry cleaning machine was retired after 21 years of dutiful service and was replaced with a more environmentally friendly one.
This was no easy task as the whole front of the shop had to be removed in order to pull out the old machine on rollers. A large flatbed lorry and crane hoisted it away and then lifted the new machine into position.
A small army of guys used the same set of rollers to carefully manoeuvre the several ton machine into position for plumbing and testing.
2007- Churchill is born!
In 2007, Churchill Dry Cleaners was born and the whole shop received a makeover more in keeping with the new image.
Very rapidly the Churchill name became synonymous with profession dry cleaning in the area and along with our other specialist services, we became the go to place in Reigate for anything cleaning related when it came to your precious clothes and heirlooms.
Our process has always been one of constant improvement. In the past few weeks, Churchill has unveiled a new website which allows customers to schedule pickup and delivery. We will also be improving upon existing services and launching new ones in our endeavour to be the best.
We would be nothing without our customers and regard you feedback very highly as we use this information to continuously improve the service we offer. Feel free to let us know how you feel when you next use our free parking spaces and pop in or fill in the feedback form on this website.
Professional cleaning that is reliable with service that is impeccable
Churchill Dry Cleaners utilise the latest technology in washing and dry cleaning. Our services combine our expertise and experience that has been fine tuned over half a century to provide you with the best cleaning service you could wish for.
Churchill cleans it all
We Specialise In
Dry Cleaning
Oil stains are stubborn and may not be entirely possible to remove by water. Moreover, synthetic fibers like polyester respond well to only dry cleaning.
Laundry
Check out our special pricing for commercial laundry for hotels, hospitals and large factories and defense establishments.
Press Only
Dry Cleaning offers steam ironing using vacuum press tables. The temperature control iron boxes ensure different types of garments get appropriate heat for pressing.
Curtains & Drapes
The curtains and drapery come in different materials such as pure cotton lining, linen and cotton blend drapes in superior color and texture.
Leather & Suede
Often food, beverage stains and others like pen ink marks could mar your suede and silk handbags or jackets making an attractive fashion statement.
Stain Removal
Among the advantages of dry cleaning is its ability to dissolve grease and oils in a superior way that water can never match.
Alterations & Repairs
The curtains and drapery come in different materials such as pure cotton lining, linen and cotton blend drapes in superior color and texture.
Handbag Cleaning
Often food, beverage stains and others like pen ink marks could mar your suede and silk handbags or jackets making an attractive fashion statement.
Re-Proofing
Check out our special pricing for commercial laundry for hotels, hospitals and large factories and defense establishments.