Editing Sainsbury's (section)

===Origin and growth (1869–1955)===
[[File:Drurylan.jpg|thumb|right|Sainsbury's first shop in Drury Lane c. 1919]]
Sainsbury's was established as a partnership in 1869, when [[John James Sainsbury]] and his wife [[Mary Ann Sainsbury|Mary Ann]] opened a shop at 173 Drury Lane in Covent Garden, London.<ref>{{cite web|title=London Roots|publisher=Museum in Docklands|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Londonroots.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121160918/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Londonroots.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref> Sainsbury started as a retailer of fresh foods and later expanded into packaged groceries such as tea and sugar. His trading philosophy, as stated on a sign outside his first shop was: "Quality perfect, prices lower".<ref>{{cite web|title=Islington|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Islington.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121090703/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Islington.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

Shops started to look similar, so a high cast-iron 'J. SAINSBURY' sign featured on every London shop so that it could be recognised from a distance,<ref>{{cite web|title=Shopfronts|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Design/prodfronts.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121113021/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Design/prodfronts.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref> and round-the-back deliveries started to add extra convenience and not upset rivals due to Sainsbury's popularity.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stepney|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Stepney.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121160408/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Stepney.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

In 1922, J Sainsbury was incorporated as the private company 'J. Sainsbury Limited'.<ref>{{cite web|title=Redhill|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Redhill.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121125136/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Redhill.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

Groceries were introduced in 1903, when John James purchased a grocer's branch at 12 Kingsland High Street, [[Dalston]]. Every shop offered home delivery, as there were fewer cars in those days. Sites were carefully chosen, with a central position in a parade selected in preference to a corner shop. This allowed a larger display of products, which could be kept cooler in summer, which was important as there was no refrigeration.<ref>{{cite web|title=Counter Service Layout|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Design/archcounter.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121101922/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Design/archcounter.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

By the time John James Sainsbury died in 1928, there were over 128 shops. He was replaced by his eldest son, [[John Benjamin Sainsbury]], who had gone into partnership with his father in 1915.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Founders: John James Sainsbury|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006150036/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/|archive-date=6 October 2008}}</ref>

During the 1930s and 1940s, the company continued to refine its product offerings and maintain its leadership in terms of shop design, convenience, and cleanliness.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Design Journal 1966|publisher=Vads|url=http://vads.ahds.ac.uk/diad/article.php?year=1966&title=211&article=d.211.34|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211232717/http://vads.ahds.ac.uk/diad/article.php?year=1966&title=211&article=d.211.34|archive-date=11 December 2013}}</ref> The company acquired the Midlands-based Thoroughgood chain in 1936.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Bantons and expansion into the Midlands|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Bantonsandthemidlands.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121123304/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/Places/Expansion/Bantonsandthemidlands.htm|archive-date=21 November 2008}}</ref>

The founder's grandsons [[Alan Sainsbury, Baron Sainsbury|Alan Sainsbury]] (later Lord Sainsbury) and [[Sir Robert Sainsbury]] became joint managing directors in 1938, after their father, John Benjamin Sainsbury, had a minor heart attack.<ref name="The Third Generation">{{cite web|title=The Third Generation|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/Thirdgeneration.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110200930/http://www.museumindocklands.org.uk/English/Collections/CollectionsOnline/SainsburyArchive/Themes/People/Sainsburys/Thirdgeneration.htm|archive-date=10 January 2010}}</ref>
In the [[Second World War]], many of the men who worked for Sainsbury's were called to perform National Service and were replaced by women. The war was a difficult time for Sainsbury's, as most of its shops were trading in the London area and were bombed or damaged. Turnover fell to half the prewar level. Food was rationed, and one particular shop in [[East Grinstead]] was so badly damaged on Friday 9 July 1943 that it had to move to the local church, temporarily, while a new one was built. This shop was not completed until 1951.<ref>{{cite web|title=East Grinstead Case Study|publisher=Sainsbury Archive|url=http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/museum/case_study.htm|access-date=11 November 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050307201513/http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/museum/case_study.htm|archive-date=7 March 2005}}</ref>