Nos. 9–10: Oxford Campus Stores
This shop at 10 Broad Street was originally numbered as 9 & 10, but were virtually rebuilt as one shop in 1863. The building is owned by Oxford City Council and is in St Michael-at-the-Northgate parish. .
The original pair houses on this site (to 1863)
At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford Nos. 9 & 10 were both occupied by Mrs Seely, with their combined frontage measured 6yd 2ft 1in. She is either the Lydia Seely, daughter of the chandler Edward Seeley and his wife Mary, who was baptised at St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church on 11 August 1748 and was still living in that parish at the time of her death in July 1800 at the age of around 54; or the Mrs Seely, widow of the Revd Robert Seeley, Rector of Appleton, Berkshire and niece of the Revd Thomas Jenner, President of Magdalen College, who died at her house in Broad Street in February 1804.
By 1817 William Fletcher held the lease of both 9 & 10 Broad Street under the City of Oxford, and they were occupied by the grocer John Reynolds, who traded here until 1837.
The two shops were then let separately as follows:
No. 9
At the time of the 1851 census the master tailor Thomas W. Martin lived in the former No. 9.
On 3 March 1855 H. F. Spiers announced that she had opened a tea & Italian warehouse here.
The 1861 census shows George Brooke, a solicitor's managing clerk, living over both 9 Broad Street as well as No. 8 to the right with his wife and three children.
No. 10
On 30 September 1837 Thomas James Bowell, who had married Elizabeth Saunders at St Michael's Church on 15 October 1835, announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he would open a grocery & tea warehouse here at No. 10 on the following Wednesday. He died at the age of 30 in January 1840. At the time of the 1851 census Elizabeth Bowell, a widow of 53 who described herself as a gentlewoman, lived here with her nephew and a servant, and let out part of the property to Henry John Stephen Smith (24), a Fellow of Balliol College who later became Professor of Geometry.
On 4 April 1857 Charles Taphouse opened his first piano and music shop at No. 10, but the following month his premises were partly destroyed by the big fire in Broad Street, and he moved out.
On 9 April 1859 Mrs Elizabeth Rose announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that after 28 years at 29 Cornmarket Street she was moving her Berlin warehouse to 10 Broad Street. The 1861 census shows the tailor George L. Castell living over No. 10 with his wife and their servant. Jackson's Oxford Journal of 15 August 1863 announced that Mrs Rose was obliged to remove in consequence of the house being about to be re-built.
The rebuilt 9 & 10, now one shop (from 1863)
In 1863 this pair of houses was virtually rebuilt by the architect William Wilkinson to form one shop. A new storey was added, as well as a new red-brick and timber-framed front. On 10 October 1863 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported:
The Street Committee reported that they had received a Memorial from residents in Broad-street, complaining of the encroachment caused by the erection of a new front to No. 10, the house late in the occupation of Mrs. Rose, and belonging to Mr. Carr. The Committee having viewed the premises were unanimously of opinion that the ground floor line had been improved, a greater space being given to the public than had been taken, and that there had been no encroachment on the first and second floors, as the bow windows did not project beyond the original ground line. As to the eaves of the gable, there was admitted to be a projection to the extent of seven inches, but the majority of the Committee did not think it expedient to take any steps in the matter.
On 17 October 1863 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported: “In Broad-street, the house No. 10 – lately occupied by Mrs. Rose, and now by Mr. Thornton, bookseller – has been refronted in the mediaeval style, Mr. Wilkinson being the architect – an alleged projection in which excited a warm discussion at a meeting of the Street Commissioners last week.”
The well known bookseller Joseph Thornton traded here from 1863 to the end of 1869, when he moved next door to No. 11. The Misses Last & Castell, milliners & French florists of 1 New College Lane, announced that they had moved here into Thornton's former shop on 24 December 1869. The 1871 census shows the tailor George Castell living over Nos. 9 & 10 with his wife Mary and their servant.
In 1874 the premises were further enlarged by the architect Frederick Codd to accommodate the famous photographer Henry Taunt: new waiting and dressing rooms, mounting rooms, and a gallery were built at a cost to Taunt of £1,000 (see Oxford University Herald of 24 October 1863).
Henry Taunt leased this shop from Alderman Carr from 1874 to 1894, and also ran a picture-framing manufactory in Boxall’s Yard behind. The 1881 census shows him living upstairs with his wife Miriam: he is described as an employer of eleven men, four women, and two boys.
Taunt was still here at the time of the 1891 census. He now described himself as an artist in water colours, photographer, author, designer, lecturer, lantern slide painter, picture frame maker, gold blocker & printer, publisher, mount cutter, ornamental card maker, entertainer, and gilder.
At the end of 1894 Taunt’s lease ran out and he was forced to leave these premises, He moved to 41 High Street.
Right: Back of a small photograph produced by Taunt, showing that even after being rebuilt the premises were still numbered both 9 and 10 Broad Street
Below: Drawing of Taunt's shop that featured in an advertisement
Below: Two scenes from 1880: workmen replacing stones in the street outside Taunt's shop (Historic England HT00122) and a horse waiting outside Taunt's shop (Historic England HT12769)
This was a cycle shop from 1894 to 1962. There was no one living over Nos. 9 & 10 Broad Street at the time of the 1901 or 1911 censuses.
The cycle shop was run by Edwin C. Armstead from 1907 to 1917, and the photograph below (Historic England HT00121) dates from this period
From about 1940 to 1960 this was Howes Cycles, which had a hobby shop upstairs.
In around 1961 Jack Howes abandoned cycles and his model shop moved downstairs. The upper floors were then occupied by Rosenthal's Antiquarian Books.
Howes Model Shop remained here until the late 1990s, when it moved to Kidlington.
Right: Howes Model shop
© Trevor Coppock Photography,
Auckland, New Zealand
The area behind the present Nos. 7, 8, and 9 was a market garden from at least 1830 to 1846, belonging to the nurseryman T. Fairbairn.
Occupants of 9 & 10 Broad Street listed in directories |
|||
Date |
No. 10 (left) & No. 9 (right) |
Upstairs |
|
1772–1800 |
Mrs Seeley |
||
To 1837 |
John Reynolds |
||
1837–1840 |
Thomas James Bowell Mrs Bowell (1857) |
Charles T. Hawkins |
|
1855 |
Ms H. F. Spiers |
||
1857 |
Charles Taphouse |
Thomas Harris |
|
1859–1863 |
Mrs Elizabeth Rose |
G. F. Druce |
|
REBUILT AS ONE SHOP |
|||
1863–1869 |
Joseph Thornton, Secondhand book dealer |
||
1869–1872 |
Last & Castell, Milliners |
||
1874–1894 |
Henry Taunt, Photographers, carvers, & gilders |
||
1896–1906 |
Coxeter & Sons Ltd, Cycle makers: Makers of the Abingdon cycle |
||
1907–1917 |
Edwin C. Armstead, Cycle maker |
||
1918–1939 |
Layton & Son, Cycle agents |
||
1941–1960 |
Howes Cycles Ltd (with model shop upstairs) |
||
c.1996–present |
Oxford Campus Stores Upstairs: Part of Buttery Hotel |
||