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Shop changes:
1973 and 2008

This building originally comprised three separate shops and probably dates from the fifteenth century, but was altered in the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries. It has always been in the parish of St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church and now belongs to Jesus College.

No. 26 is on the right of the group and No. 27 is in the middle, and they are jointly Grade II listed (list entry 1047325). The shop on the corner to the left, No. 28, is also a listed building, but under a different reference, and it is dealt with separately here.

In 1772 a survey of every house in the city was taken in consequence of the Mileways Act of 1771. According to H. E. Salter, No. 26 Cornmarket was then in the occupation of Mr Wootten and No. 27 of Mr Townsend, and each had a frontage of exactly 4 yards.

These shops were extensively restored in the 1980s (planning application 85/00271/L). Compare the photograph below (Historic England CC72/00791) taken in 1885:

No. 26 (on right of group of three)

On 8 November 1828 Robert Wharton advertised in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he was opening a “Foreign Fruit & Fish Sauce Warehouse” at 26 Cornmarket Street, and described himself as having been a shopman for many years to Mr Stevens.

At the time of the 1841 census Robert Wharton described himself as a fruiterer, and lived here at his shop with his assistant and much younger brother Frederick Wharton and their servant.

No. 26 was advertised thus for auction in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 19 March 1853:

Lot 3.—All those desirable FREEHOLD BUSINESS PREMISES, known as No. 26 Corn Market-street, Oxford, where for many years the business of a fruiterer has been extensively carried on by Mr. Wharton, the present occupier; comprising a front shop and sitting room attached on the ground floor (with private entrance thereto from the Anchor yard, and use of the pump therein), large sitting room and bed room on the first floor, and two bed rooms over, with excellent cellarage in the basement, and other conveniences…. Lot 3 is subject to a Land Tax of £1 10s. 9d. per annum.

On 11 August 1866 it was advertised for auction again, under the will of the late Richard Bullock: :

No. 26, Corn Market Street, Oxford,
where the business of a fruiterer has been most successfully carried out for the past thirty years by the present occupier, Mr. Robert Wharton. The House comprises on the ground floor an Attractive Front Shop and sitting room behind, together extending a depth of about 50ft. from the street, front and back sitting rooms and w.c. on the first floor, 2 bed rooms over the same, and numerous useful closets and cupboards throughout the house, good cellarage and warehouse in the basement, with side entrance from the Blue Anchor yard, pump and well of excellent water, and the use of the way or yard leading to the Blue Anchor Inn, as far as the premises extend, and other conveniences. This property is subject to a Land Tax of £1 10a. 9d. per annum. Possession may be had at Midsummer next.

On 14 February 1861 at South Hinksey Church, Robert Wharton (57) married Marianne Smith. He was described as having been “for 48 years a highly respected tradesman of this city” when he died at his residence over this shop at the age of 70 on 27 January 1876. His widow Marianne Wharton took over the business, and on 20 April 1878 advertised in Jackson's Oxford Journal that as well as running a foreign fruit and Italian warehouse here she supplied “Luncheons, Teas &c., to Ladies and Gentlemen visiting Oxford”, providing chops, cutlets, soups, tea, coffee, and cocoa at the shortest notice. Jackson's Oxford Journal reported on 1 October 1881 of the refusal to grant her a licence to sell beer and sweets.

On 10 March 1883 a forthcoming auction relating to No. 26 was advertised in Jackson's Oxford Journal:

The LIFE INTEREST of a LADY, now aged 53 years, in the HOUSE and PREMISES, Number 26, CORN MARKET STREET, OXFORD. The House contains good front and back shops, sitting room, on the ground floor; a large front sitting room, small closet, bed room, and w.c., on the first floor; three bed rooms on the second floor, with two cellars in the basement. The Land Tax is £2 per annum, £1 per year; there are side and back entrances thereto and early possession may be had.

Also a POLICY OF INSURANCE effected with the Economic Life Office for securing £1,200 on the death of the present Tenant for Life, now aged 53. Annual premium £54 11s., which premium will be paid by the vendor up till March, 1881.

The house and shop at No. 26 were advertised to let on 16 June 1883 with immediate possession, and on 21 July 1883 Messrs Galpin announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that they had moved their offices here. He paid a nominal rent. On 5 July 1884 the auction was advertised of the absolute reversion of this house and shop upon the life of a 65-year-old lady.

No. 27 (in middle of group of three)

At the time of the 1841 census the tailor Robert Couling lived here at No. 27 with his wife Elizabeth and their three daughters.

In the 1860s John Piper had a bar on these premises known as the Oxford Beer Stores or the Edinburgh Beer Stores. On 29 June 1867 Jackson's Oxford Journal reported that “Inspector Savage laid an information against John Piper for keeping open his beer-house and harbouring prostitutes, on the morning of the 24th. Fined 5s. and 5s. costs in each case.”

On 16 November 1867 the following advertisement appeared in Jackson's Oxford Journal:

TO BREWERS AND OTHERS.
To be LET or for SALE, with immediate possession,—The HOUSE No. 27, Corn Market Street, Oxford, in full trade as a Bar, or adapted for any other Business.

On 18 February 1868 this shop was put up for auction, described as follows:

All that FREEHOLD DWELLING HOUSE, with shop, sitting room, cellar, and bed rooms, being No. 27, Corn Market-street, Oxford, known as the “Edinburgh Beer Stores”.

Abraham Zacharias (who in the 1850s had been a silversmith, jeweller, and watch & clock maker at 2 Cornmarket and 95 High Street) bought No. 27 and ran a china and glass warehouse here.

By 1880 his son Joel Zacharias was running the china business, and when his father retired In 1884 Joel also started to sell waterproof clothing here, and he also opened a branch in Manchester, the home of his wife Rebecca Frankenstein, whom he had married on 16 August 1882.

Nos. 26 & 27 combined as one shop

In the late 1880s Joel Zacharias expanded into No. 26 to the south, and the two shops have been one since that date. By about 1896 he stopped selling china and glass altogether and concentrated on the waterproof clothing for which he became famous.

When Joel Zacharias died in 1905, the business was taken over by Henry Osborn King of Wolvercote, who was succeeded by his son Cecil. They retained the old name of Zacharias, and the business closed in 1983.

• For extracts from an interesting early catalogue of Zacharias & Co, see Michael L. Turner and David Vaisey, Oxford Shops and Shopping, pp. 44–5
• Julian Munby: “Zacharias's: a 14th-century Oxford New Inn and the origins of the medieval urban inn” Oxoniensia (1992)

The photograph above shows Zacharias's shop in the 1920s, advertising Wet Off coats. It looks very different today, as Jesus College extensively restored Nos. 26 & 27 in 1986–7 (planning application 85/00270/NFH and see photograph).