York shop that helped snare serial killer Harold Shipman is to close

Michael and Andrea Lewandowski, who have run Signatures for 28 years - first in Back Swinegate and then in Fossgate - have decided to retire.

The couple have sold pens to hundreds of thousands of customers over the years, including – on November 26, 1997 - Dr Harold Shipman, who bought two pens and ink during a trip to York with his wife Primrose.

As police investigated allegations against the GP the following year, they found records at his surgery in Hyde showed that he had been working that day.

An entry dated November 26 referred to one of his victims, Kathleen Grundy, 82, whom he had falsely accused of being a drug addict.

But the credit card details of the transaction at Signatures and at another York shop proved he was in York on that day and therefore that the records were falsified.

This helped police to build up their case against the GP, who was convicted in 2000 of murdering 15 patients but is estimated to have killed as many as 250. He took his own life in prison in 2004.

Mrs Lewandowska said police were also interested in the type of ink Dr Shipman had bought from the shop, and sent a sample away for forensic testing, but that line of inquiry had not been successful.

She says she still remembers the GP's visit to their shop quite clearly.

“He was very arrogant,” she said. “He said 'I don’t expect you can help me' and Michael said 'well, tell us what you want and we’ll see if we can'.”

He then spent an exceptionally long time in the shop before eventually buying a Parker fountain pen, ink and a matching ballpoint pen with his credit card.

When Shipman had first appeared on the news following his arrest, they had immediately recognised him as their customer.

Greater Manchester Police later contacted them, and she and Michael had dug out their credit card records from the loft and given statements to detectives.

Michael had also been prepared to go to Preston Crown Court to give evidence in person, but was never called.

Mrs Lewandowska said their shop was due to close towards the end of this month, with a sale now on, and they would be renting the premises to Age UK, after the charity leaves its existing premises in Walmgate.

She said she and Michael were looking forward to being able to go away on holiday and travel after retiring, having only taken one holiday over the past 28 years so they could keep the shop open for six days a week, 52 weeks a year.

“The day after we retire we’re going to Scarborough,” she said.

She said the reaction of customers to their retirement had been touching.

“We have had a lot of people coming in to the shop and saying ‘we will miss you,’ and ‘we’re sad you are going',” she said.

“You realise how much you have become part of the fabric of York.

“We’d like to thank all our loyal customers for their support over the years.”