Walter Daniel, the founder of W J Daniel & Co Ltd, rented his first shop in Ealing in 1901 at a cost of 50, selling drapery and fashions. He lived with his family in the accommodation above the shop. Unfortunately business was so slow that he was unable to pay the rent and offered to hand the keys back to the landlord, but the landlord told them to persevere, and they did.

They had four children, three of them joined the family business. Charles, Mabel and Douglas. The family continued living over the shop, which was open until 9.00pm at night and all family members helped out.

Charles Daniel left school at 15 and had many years of happy apprenticeships with Derry and Toms, Bearmans, Selbys and Gorringes before he returned to the business at his fathers request.

In 1918 Charles purchased a shop for his sister Mabel to run in Windsor. He paid 150 a year rent for No. 120 Peascod Street and called it W J Daniel. He also purchased a shop for his brother Douglas to run in Newbury.

Charles Daniel and his wife Irene had two children, Peter and Michael.

In 1924 Charles and his father wished to extend the stores. A shop came up for sale next to the Windsor store, and then three more shops adjoining shops, which they purchased. However, in order to pay for these, the family had to sell their Slough, Reading and Marlow stores.

6 very old small cottages were purchased behind the Windsor store and as they became empty they were knocked down. Temporarily the area was used as a car park until the Council decided to build King Edward Court precinct in Windsor. The company took this opportunity to build an empty shell on the site until they were able to refurbish the current store.

In later years Daniel added stores at Ebbw Vale and Cardiff, but the Cardiff store was sold in 1999.