2 - Staff Magazines

This series contains the 'Sparks' magazines, written by Marks & Spencer employees for employees. Subjects include articles concerning contemporary retail issues, sports and social club news, adverts, health and hygiene tips, cartoons, long service news, fictional stories, obituaries and letters. May contain outdated or offensive words, images or attitudes. The Archive does not condone these. Digitised versions of the magazine are unedited for historical integrity.

The magazine was first published to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the staff welfare scheme in June 1938. It was aimed at "Staff Manageresses and those interested in staff management; to give them an opportunity of exchanging their experiences and opinions on a larger scale than is possible at chance meetings" This publication was first produced in June 1938. Volume number 11 is a photocopy of the original. From Jun 1948 to November 1949 Staff Management News was published together with Training News Bulletin, see ref HO/3/2/2/5.

This series contains the Staff Management News & Training News Bulletin which was produced from February 1948 to November 1949. It also includes three original binding folders. Due to paper shortages, Bulletins No 1-10 were sent to Divisional staff only. Complete circulation to all stores was achieved from No 11. The last issue of Training News Bulletin was published in Nov 1949, Staff Management news continued until November 1960.

First published in June 1944, following the suspension of Staff Management News in June 1940. Its aim was to act "not as an additional circular but as a useful means of saving time, labour and paper, which would replace individual letters and odd circulars". Articles cover topics such as tills, coupons, ticketing, training materials and facilities, and events. From Jun 1948 to November 1949, Training News Bulletin was published together with Staff Management News, see ref HO/3/2/2/5, after which publication was stopped.

Bulletins and Weekly Bulletins gave advice to managers on best-selling lines and how to promote various products. Other subjects include operations instructions, merchandising over the Christmas period, staff matters, extracts from weekly reports, stock ordering, national health, pensions insurance and unemployment. The title of the publication changed from Weekly Bulletin to Bulletin and was published from 1927 to 21 Feb 1930.