Oxford History: The High

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This large white building is occupied by two shops, with the one on the left at No. 113 (The Varsity Shop) being part of Shepherd & Woodward) to the east. It was almost entirely rebuilt between 1932 and 1934, but some of the original features, such as two seventeenth-century fireplaces, remain. This building is Grade II listed (List Entry No. 1047254). It is owned by University College.

This building marks the start of the former parish of All Saints, but since 1971 it has been in the parish of St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church. As the main part of Shepherd & Woodward to the east is in St Mary-the-Virgin parish, it means that the current shop straddles two parishes.

In the mid-seventeenth century, the house on the site of Nos. 113/114 was owned by a draper called John Bowell, and the famous chemist Peter Stahl built a chemical laboratory behind the premises. Anthony Wood wrote:

About the beginning of 1663 Mr Sthael (the noted chemist) removed his school or elaboratory to a draper’s house called John Bowell, afterwards mayor of the citie of Oxon, situat and being in the parish of Allsaints, commonly called Allhallowes. He built his elaboratory in an old hall or refectory in the backside (for the house itself had been an ancient hostle).

John Bowell paid Hearth Tax for six hearths at this house, the first in All Saints parish, in 1665, and poll tax records show him there in 1667. He was elected Mayor of Oxford in 1680. His “farthing token” of 1657 is shown below (picture kindly supplied by Peter Bowell) .

On 30 July 1842 a notice of a forthcoming auction describes this pair of shops, which were both held under lease under Lincoln College by Anthony Ortelli:

Two valuable HOUSES of BUSINESS, in the High-street, Oxford, with extensive back Premises to the same; consisting [No. 113] of a large double-fronted modern shop, a convenient room behind, kitchen, pantry, and other conveniences on the ground floor, with back entrance to the same; good cellaring in the basement; dining room and two bed rooms on the first floor; and also a dining room and three bed rooms on the second floor, the whole conveniently fitted up with closets;–at the back of the same are large Warehouses, now used as auction rooms, with separate entrance; a spacious ground-floor Workshop and Cellaring; a Dwelling House, containing six rooms, with attic over, and small garden; a spacious yard with stabling and warehouse, pump with good water, and other conveniences, now in the occupation of Mr. Ortelli, except the warehouses and workshops, which are occupied by Messrs Richard and Rockall, containing a frontage, in the best part of the High-street, of 22 ft. by a depth of about 170 ft.

A very convenient HOUSE of BUSINESS adjoining the above, in the High-street [No. 114]; consisting of a good front shop and back parlour on the ground floor; kitchen and other domestic offices in the basement; a dining room and bed room on the first floor, and three bed rooms and attic over, with joint use of yard, and other conveniences, now in the occupation of Mr. Marshall.

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The former No. 113

At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford, No. 113, with a frontage of four yards and one foot, was occupied by a Mr Strange. His widow could have been the Mrs Winterbourne (late Mrs Strange) who announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 15 January 1785 that she was carrying on the china, glass, and earthenware business as usual in her shop in the High Street.

It appears that the shop was then occupied by the china & glass dealer William Crump, as on 12 September 1795 he announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he was handing over the business to William Strange, son of the late Mr Strange who had formerly kept the shop for many years.

Anthony Ortelli (a jeweller, silversmith, cutler, and artificial flower manufacturer) announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal of 8 September 1838 that he had moved here to 113 High Street from St Clement's and had a large stock of jewellery, looking glasses, silver, and cutlery for sale, and could make to order in artificial flowers and feathers and recolour and repaint old feathers. At the time of the 1841 census Ortelli lived over his shop with what are probably his four grown-up children, plus a lodger, a watchmaker and a flower maker who were probably employed in his shop, and a female servant.

On 28 May 1842 Ortelli advertised that his shop-cum-dwelling house would be available to let from the following Michaelmas.

There has been a tailor's shop on this site from at least 1851.

Samuel Evens was listed as the tailor and robe-maker here by 1851. At the time of the 1851 census he seems to be wrongly recorded as James Evens  (48) and was living here over his shop with his wife Jane and six children, plus a general servant. Samuel Evens died on 4 October 1856 at the age of 54 and a week later his widow Jane (d.1868) announced that she had made arrangements for carrying on the business. The 1861 census shows Jane Evens (59), described as a tailor, living here with her son George Samuel Evens (23), who was also described as a tailor, and her two daughters, plus a servant. She died at the age of 67 on 13 December 1868, and at the time of the 1871 census the shop was run by her son George Samuel Evens, who was living here with his wife Harriet and their four children, plus a servant. He and his wife were still listed here in the 1881 census. now with six children, and again in 1891. George Samuel Evens died near the beginning of 1901 and the living quarters upstairs were unoccupied at the time of the 1901 census, but the 1911 census shows his widow Harriett Emily Evens (69) living in the six rooms over this shop with her daughter Emily. The Evens tailor's shop survived here until 1931 when the premises were rebuilt..

The former No. 114

At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford, No. 114, with a frontage of seven yards and ten inches, was occupied by a Mr Mayow.

The grocer & tea dealer Thomas Medwin had this shop until 1842, but at the time of the 1841 census he lived over another of his shops on the Banbury Road in Summertown.

At the time of the 1851 census the auctioneer and valuer Charles Alexander Green (36), described as employing six men and one apprentice, lived at the former No. 114 with his wife Jane and daughter Julia, plus a general servant, and the annuitant, Dorothy Elder also lived in the same building with her spinster daughter.

The 1861 census shows Henry Wood (59), who was described a teacher of drawing, living upstairs over this shop with his wife Catherine, who ran a fancy repository here, and their seven children. In the 1871 census Henry (68) was described as a teacher of dancing, and is thereafter described thus in directories.

In 1875 the wine & spirit merchant William John Richards was the next occupier of this shop, but announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 16 September 1876 that he had disposed of his business to R. J. Holiday.

At the time of the 1891 census the umbrella maker Eli Buckingham (58) who had the shop downstairs lived here with his shop assistant Adelaide Williams and his domestic servant. In 1895 he married his shop assistant, and the 1901 census shows him living here with Adelaide and their 14-year-old housemaid. in the 1911 census he and his wife are shown still occupying the six rooms over the shop. Eli Buckingham died in 1912, but the umbrella shop survived until 1918.

The antique furniture dealer Edward Richard Greening was the occupant of this shop from 1919 to 1931, when it was rebuilt. .

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Present shops

No. 113

This reopened as Hookham & Co's tailor's shop in 1932. In about 1954 Shepherd & Woodward, who had been next door since the 1920s, expanded into this shop.

No. 114

This also became a tailor's shop in 1941.

In October 2019 Lincoln College obtained planning permission to change the first floor of these shops at No. 113 & 114, along with that of No. 115 next door, from retail to office use: 19/02284/LBC