Oxford History: The High

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Nos. 86 and 87 are on the site of the former Bostar Hall and the Saracen’s Head. The present building is an early seventeenth-century timber-framed house, with the upper storeys jutting out beyond the lower ones. A new front with seven Doric columns was added at ground-floor level in about the 1820s.

It is a Grade II* listed building (List Entry No. 1047248). It was in St Peter-in-the East parish until that parish was united with St Cross parish in 1957. It was acquired by University College from Magdalen College in the nineteenth century.

Its appearance is very different in this engraving of 1755.

They have formed one dwelling for much of their history. In 1772 a survey of every house in the city was taken in consequence of the Mileways Act of 1771, and Nos. 86 & 87 were then in the occupation of Mr Hacker, and their joint frontage measured 14 yards 1 foot 9 inches.

From the 1840s to c.1861 they were split into two properties

No. 86 (left)

The 1841 census appears to show the stationer Thomas Munday in this property with the Talboys family and their servants upstairs.

At the time of the 1851 census No. 86 was divided into two private properties: downstairs lived Charles Daman, a clergyman and Tutor in Classics at Oriel College,with his wife Emily and their two sons, plus three servants; and upstairs was Thomas Bradshaw, a funded proprietor, with his wife Frances and their two sons, his mother-in-law (the Dowager Viscountess of Hereford), and five servants.

The 1861 census shows the architect Charles Buckeridge (27) living at No. 86 with his wife Annie and their two children and Annie's sister Emma Burlison, plus two servants

No. 87 (right)

The 1841 census shows Ann Bridges, an elderly independent lady, living at No. 87 with her daughter Caroline, while her lodger, the builder Samuel White, lived in a separate part of the house with his wife Ann. (The inquest held in July 1845 when White died of apoplexy confirms that he was at No. 87).) They had two female servants. There were also four young men, all described as independent, living here.

At the time of the 1851 census No.  87 was occupied by William Castle (65), the Manciple of Magdalen College, together with his wife, three servants, and five student lodgers from Brasenose and University Colleges.

Only servants (a footman, cook, and housemaid) were at home on census night in 1861.

Nos. 86 & 87 united again

The 1871 census shows the lodging-house keeper Walter G. Faulkes living at 86 High Street with three servants, and it appears that he also occupied No. 87.

In 1876 Walford & Son, antique dealers, took over these two houses and turned them into a single shop. From 1886 they were Walford & Spokes, jewellers & furnishers. They remained here until 1939, and were latterly decorators & cabinet makers.

At the time of the 1881 census, George Spokes (23), who was then the manager/commercial traveller of Walford & Son and later a partner, was living over No. 86 with an errand boy of 14, while No. 87 was described as unoccupied.

In 1891 the jeweller's assistant George Owen (31) was living over No. 86 with his wife and son and their lodger. There is no listing for No. 87, suggesting that it may have become part of the shop downstairs.

The 1901 census shows the caretaker William Wilcox (64) living over Nos. 88 & 89 with his wife Adelaide and their servant.

At the time of the 1911 census Thomas Stilgoe (31), an attendant at the University Examination Schools, lived in four rooms over No. 86 with his wife, and again No. 87 was not listed.

In 1921 the widow Ellen Sarah Goodgame (58), the caretaker of Walford & Spokes downstairs, lived here with her sons James (27) who was a porter for that firm and Richard (23) who was the boots at the Eastgate Hotel.

Walford & Spokes closed down in 1939 when their lease expired, and on 19 June that year E. J. Brooks held an auction of hard woods and decorators' & cabinet makers' plant at the rear of the premises. The auction catalogue whose cover is reproduced on the right has the prices that were realized pencilled in: examples include nine 9in x 1in American oak planks that fetched £3, a four-panelled oak door and frame 15/-, a pair of 5ft decorators' trestles 12/6, a rubber-tyred hand truck £3 5/-, a carpenter's bench 2/-, sundry brass door handles and key plates and a quantity of locks & keys 13/-, a Frister & Rossman sewing machine £1 6/-, an old Barlock typewriter & cover 5/-, and a Royal typewriter £5 5s. From outside, three antique cannons and a wall sun dial fetched 10/-, and a grindstone 14/-.

From about 1940 to 1956 the antique dealer Cecil A. Halliday occupied the shop at 86 & 87 High Street. In 1946 during his tenure, University College converted the upstairs rooms into student accommodation.

• 86 & 87 High Street in 1949. when occupied by Hallidays

From 1960 to 2009 there were three different banks at Nos. 86 & 87:

• 86 & 87 High Street in the late 1950s, when occupied by the District Bank

Since 2009 Nos. 86 & 87 have been a retail shop.