The company continued to expand and in the late 1930's has seven small outlets throughout Sheffield. However, in 1939 world events led to regression for 'Barkers Furniture'. The advent of the Second World War had begun and the country was throwing all its resources into the defence of the nation. During this period Ernest William Barker went to fight for his country and things became very tight on the home front. The company van was commandeered by the Ministry of Defence and it was a time of consolidation for the firm.

In 1945 after the allies had won the war prospects were still bleak as the economy slowly began to pick up. However with three small shops at the time Barkers was still doing relatively well and people still needed to buy furniture.

The 1950's experience highs and lows and Ernest William Barker and his father continued to work together, with the help of a small team, running the two shops in Hillsborough and the shop at Firth Park.

In the late 1960's Ernest Stuart Barker joined the firm. During this period and early 1970's the furniture industry was changing as the vast increase in private transport became available. The demand diminished for furniture retailers to have several small outlets scattered around a cities, which could be easily reached by public transport. The trend of large furniture stores was now on the increase.

By the early 1970's one vast site was purchased consisting of two large buildings on Trickett Road and Dodd Street. The small independent shops were sold and Barkers Furniture opened the present super store on Trickett Road.

Ernest Stuart Barker designed and built the showrooms as room sets which was a very innovative method of displaying furniture at that time. Having finished the Trickett Road showrooms the work on Dodd Street was undertaken and by the early 1980s both building became fully operational.

In 1982 Sheila Barker, wife of Ernest Stuart Barker, joined the firm with a wealth of knowledge in accounting, administration and organisational skills, having worked at some of Sheffield's largest firms. The strength and good structuring in this key area has allowed development to continue.

In September 1999 Neil Stuart Barker came into the business and is presently the 4th generation of the Barker family to be a director at the store. Shortly after, in March 2000 the warehouse and bedroom centre site was purchased. The site which is three minutes walk from Dodd Street has helped expand the company further as more space has been allocated to display at Dodd Street and a wider selection of bedroom furniture was displayed.

In September 2003 the expansion work on the bedroom centre and warehouse was completed doubling the size of the bedroom centre and increasing the size of the warehouse. We now have the largest dedicated specialist bedroom centre in Sheffield.

To be continued…...