No. 20: Broad Canvas
No. 20 on the left is part of the same building as No. 19 on the right, and they are jointly Grade II listed (List Entry No. 1185358). They date from about 1700, but have been remodelled.
This building is owned by Oxford City Council and is in St Michael-at-the-Northgate parish.
At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford Nos. 19 & 20 formed one house occupied by a Mrs Baggs, with its frontage measuring seven yards exactly.
The 1841 census appears to show William Brown, a confectioner, living at No. 20 with his wife Sarah and his son William (8).
The 1851 census shows the printseller John Shrimpton living at No. 20 with his wife, four young children, and a house servant.
In Jackson's Oxford Journal of 5 April 1856 J. S. Austin, an architect, surveyor, and estate agent, announced that he had taken over the premises at 20 Broad Street lately occupied by T. and G. Shrimpton.
At the time of the 1861 census the building was occupied by William Benjamin Cunningham senior (described as a “manufacturer of fancy goods in wood”), his wife, and his son of the same name (described as a pianoforte tuner, stationer, & fancy warehouseman”), and their servant. Cunningham senior died here aged 66 after a long and painful illness on 2 June 1869.
The house was then let out to William Clarke, and his wife died here on 16 October 1870. The 1871 census shows Clarke, described as a frame maker living here alone.
On 12 April 1879 W. B Cunningham junior, who was now living at 21 Beaumont Buildings, advertised both 19 & 20 Broad Street (two separate houses with shops) for sale.
By 17 November 1879, when his daughter was born at No. 20, the shop downstairs was occupied by the printer & stationer James Coles. The 1881 census shows him living here with his wife and two little children and a general servant, and states that he employed two boys.
The florist Joseph Thomas Filsell then had a shop here from 1884 to 1918. He was the eldest son of Louisa Filsell, who had inherited the Park Nursery at the south end of the Banbury Road. He does not appear to have lived here, and the premises upstairs were occupied by William & Ruth Collett from at least 1888 to 1900. The 1891 census shows William Collett (32), described as a coachman, living here with his wife and their three children. The Colletts are still shown here in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, when they occupied five rooms with their three grown-up daughters.
From 1919 to 1964 No. 21 was occupied by the fruiterer & florist S. West & Sons, and since 1868 it has sold artists' materials.
Photograph of 20 Broad Street in the 1980s
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Occupants of 20 Broad Street listed in directories |
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1841 |
William Brown, Confectioner |
1852–1856 |
John Shrimpton, Carver & gilder and manufacturer of church furniture &c. |
1856 |
J. S. Austin, Architect, surveyor, and estate agent |
1859–1866 |
William Benjamin Cunningham, Fancy stationer |
1869–1876 |
William Clarke, Fancy repository |
1879–1882 |
James Coles, General printer & stationer |
1884–1918 |
Joseph Thomas Filsell, Florist |
1919–1964 |
S. West & Sons, Fruiterers & florists |
1968–1969 |
Art & Stationery Co. Ltd, Picture frame makers |
1970–c.1978 |
Brush & Compass (Hunt’s),
Artists’ materials makers |
c.1978–present |
Broad Canvas, Artist’s materials |