Memories | Sainsbury Archive

We want to hear from you:

Many photographs, documents and objects have been generously donated to the Sainsbury Archive by customers and former colleagues.

We would like to gather and record your experiences of working (and shopping!) at stores, offices and depots to add a personal touch to the records.

Have a memory of an item in the catalogue, or a specific branch?

Connect your memories to the archive, start from an object or a store.

Explore the catalogue Find your store

SA/BRA/5/11/8 - Photograph of children pushing trolley with 'all the best from Sainsbury's' bag inside

This is me. The girl is called Tessa.

Daniel Clayden, Unknown, Circa 1975

London: Hendon (Unit 4, Hyde Estate Road)

I started at the meat and fish counter then went to shop floor as Provisions...

Mr Veli Joshua Dlamini, Hendon, NW9 6JX, 12/07/2002-18/07/2003

London: Holloway (368/72 Holloway Road)

I started as a student in the Holloway branch and became a trainee manager...

Tony Kelly, Holloway, 1978 to 1980

One of these people was my great grandfather. His surname was Shelley and he...

Laurence Baker, London, Late 1800's ?

Jennie - I remember on one Christmas Eve we had to close the doors early for...

Sainsbury's Veterans, Purley, 1980s

Derrick - I remember shaking hands with Margaret Thatcher over the meat counter...

Sainsbury's Veterans, Nine Elms, 1982

Jennie - I remember meeting Robert Powell outside the Mitcham branch after he...

Sainsbury's Veterans, Mitcham, c. 1977

SA/REG/OFF/4/1/5 - Photograph of Norwich House, Streatham offices - people around a computer printer

John Cleaverly – I am 2nd from the left and centre is Mr J P Griffin. He was...

Sainsbury's Veterans, Norwich House, Steatham, early 1970s

'The Store' Croydon Bar opened in South End Croydon has kept the original tiles...

Enikoe Jerrard , South Croydon , 8/10/2019

Watford (19/21 The Parade, High Street)

My father, Ernest, spoke about working at this store on the cold meats...

John Langdon, Watford, approx 1908

Advertising images

My mother appeared in the 1978 TV and newspaper campaign "Discount 78". The...

David Brooks, East Grinstead, 1978

SA/MARK/ADV/1/1/1/1/1/9/78 - 'You must shop at Sainsbury's in Lordship Lane' provisions, groceries and meat advert, c.1920s-1930s

"I REMEMBER SAINSBURY'S IN LORDSHIP LANE, TOTTENHAM, IN THE 1950s. AS A CHILD...

ann stokes, tottenham, 10/10/19.

My Father Richard Gordon Ackrill known as Rick by his colleagues at work I...

Michael ackrill, Blackfriars ?, 1960s

Did anyone else have the great fortune of spending time working in Shaw's in the...

Jon Hartland , Shaw's New Hampshire , August 1993

Who remembers the Sava-Centre Birthday events? They ran for two weeks, leading...

Jon Hartland , Sava-Centre Oldbury , October 1986

Market Harborough branch files

I am currently researching a bit more about the store I work at, Market...

Hilary Bradford, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, 12/09/19

Nuneaton branch images

Photo of Sainsburys, Church Street, Nuneaton

Mark Palmer, Nuneaton, Not known

SA/SC/JSJ/66/5 - 'Sainsbury's Journal' September- October 2012

Was happy to be chosen with a group of colleagues at our store to go along to...

Pauline Cooper, Marshall Lake West Midlands, 2003-2013

Chester (Caldy Valley Road, Boughton Heath) branch images

This is the team from Sainsbury's Caly Valley store,Chester. We entered the Raft...

Brian Pritchard, Chester , 1984

I began my JS life at 20 years of age in Bacon Buying under R J Williams. The...

Robert Murray, Head office, Blackfriars, April 1967 to April 1992