125 High Street

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Summary:

Earliest information: <1470
Original estate: Hungerford Engleford
Listed? No
Common Rights? Yes (Total Frontage with 124 High Street: 37ft; each 1 horse or 2 cows)
Date of current building:

Thumbnail History:

Hungerford Engleford (Harry Baylyf -> Richard, Duke of Gloucester) -> Thomas -> Gray -> Harris -> Fairthorne -> King (cordwainer, shoemaker) -> carpenter, upholsterer -> Chemist (Bingham -> Clemow -> Betts -> Packwoods (Haddrell) -> Boots).

Description of property:

Survey by HHA Buildings group 1980s: 2½ storeyed gabled brick building with Flemish bond and brick platband. Jettying with iron supports. Some outside stucco rendering, horizontal weather boarding. Slate tiles, no chimneys. King post in front roof space. Some lathe and plaster partition walls, 4-panelled internal doors upstairs with mouldings. Windows of several shapes.

Photo Gallery:

img_0875

p3030942

LHS-118

LHS-116 Jan 1980

LHS-124 Jul 1981

LHS-125 Jul 1981

LHS-137

19881200 Christmas Carols outside 125 High St [Ivor Speed]

- The Pharmacy (N. Packwood Ltd), January 1980.

- The Pharmacy (N. Packwood Ltd), January 1980.

- The Pharmacy (N. Packwood Ltd) with the new shopfront, July 1981.

- The Pharmacy (N. Packwood Ltd) with the new shopfront, July 1981.

- The Pharmacy and Wyatt's, c.1981.

- The Pharmacy, Barnaby's and Inklings, January 1987.

- Christmas Carols outside 125 High Street, December 1988 [Ivor Speed].

- Boots, 125 High Street, February 2007.

- Boots, 125 High Street, May 2010.

Timeline:

<1470 (NH) ?Harry Baylyf (see c.1470 entry below)

c.1470 (NH) In c.1470 the manor had been granted to Richard, Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III), and this property, with those adjoining it, were part of the manor – probably the ½ burgage which had formerly belonged to Harry Baylyf.

<1525 (NH) Thomas Grey (see 1525 entry below)

1525 (NH) A Court Roll dated 1525 (SC2/208/65-80) had Robert Haris admitted to a tenement formerly that of Thomas Grey, which seems to correspond with that in the 1552 and 1573 town surveys below.

1552 (NH) In 1552 the lease was described as "late Gray's".

1573 (NH) In 1573 it is recorded in the town survey of that year as consisting of a messuage, garden or backside, with which went 2 acres of arable land in the Breach. The tenancy was held by John Fairthorne, but it was in the occupation of Peter Sands, a carpenter (who died in 1588).

1583 (NH) In a 1583 (WRO 442/1) survey of the manorial holdings, John Fairthorne was said to have a copyhold lease dated from 1577 for the three lives of himself and his two daughters Joan and Edith. The backside amounted to 1 rod; the two acres in the Breach field adjoined on the east side that of (Thomas) Watkins.

When John Fairthorne died in 1600, he left two daughters, Joan (born 1568) and Edith (born 1577) to whom the lease passed.

1609 (NH) Although their marriages are not entered in the Hungerford parish register, it is known (WRO 442/2) that Joan married James King, and in the 1609 town survey it is James King who holds the tenement, a new lease of three lives having been granted earlier that year to James King and to Thomas ..?.. and Isaac (born 1605) his son. The rent was then stated to be 10s 8d. On the ?..? of the new lease there was an acknowledgment by James King that his brother had given £6 to the end that James should not surrender or put away his copyhold from his children (WRO 490/1540).
Simon Fairthorne kindly contacted the Virtual Museum Feb 2013 to add "Joan Fairthorne married James King at Reading St Giles 4 Feb 1599, her sister possibly married Isacke Black (she was called Eedy in the register) at Reading St Mary's 6 August 1607

1634 (NH) In 1634 James King, now an old man, surrendered the lease in favour of a new one made out to his son Thomas.

1636 (NH) However, a further lease was made in 1636 in which Isaac King (who had possession of a portion of the premises and who was Thomas' brother) and Thomas King, surrendered this lease, too, for one in favour of Thomas and his son, Thomas junior.

The reason for these changes was no doubt Thomas's marriage in 1631 to Elizabeth Cannon and the birth next year of a son and heir, promptly named Thomas.

During Thomas senior's lifetime, two entries in the Court Baron book identify the position of the house. First, in 1652 (WRO 490/1452), it is presented that "the eaves of Mr. Mills' house next to Thomas Kinge's house is gone aside and is a great annoyance to Thomas Kinge." Mr. Mills house was the house once known as The Swan or the manor house now 121 High Street. (not to be confused with the Three Swans a little further up the street).

In 1654 it was presented that Thomas King, with his paths and his rails (or railings) has encroached upon the garden ground of Tobias Pollerne "in two several places at least a foot in breadth and 5 lugs in length" (WRO 490/1542). The site of Tobias Pollerne's house and garden is identifiable with present day 126HS.

Thomas King senior died in 1662 and his widow Elizabeth was admitted to the manor court in his place. He left no will.

His brother Isaac made a will in 1661; we do not know the date of his death, but probate was granted in 1665. The will leaves to Isaac's son John "all that part of a dwelling house in Hungerford now in his occupation, being one shop and one other room called the hall, and the loft over the hall and the little (?)cuttinge thereunto adjoining called the buttery, and so much of the backside and garden as extendeth from the said dwelling house unto the first elm tree there eastwards from the said dwelling, leaving a sufficient cartway to and from the house as it hath formerly been, with full and free liberty of ingress and egress for all occasions into and from the said house in and by the close or orchard there next to the Everlong."

What was Isaac's shop? Isaac King was a cordwainer, or worker in (Cordovan) leather, especially footwear.

His brother Thomas who used the same house and probably had his own shop, was a tailor.

Thomas's widow Elizabeth, who had taken her husband's place in the court, preferred to surrender her rights to her son Thomas (born 1632), and in 1663 he was granted a lease of three lives for himself and his two sons Hugh and John. Elizabeth was excused the customary payment of a heriot (a tribute, service or chattel rendered to a feudal lord on the death of a tenant). The rent remained at 10s 8d (the 8d probably representing quit rent).

1663-75 (NH) Thomas Kinge continued to hold the property through the years 1663-1675 during the period for which the manorial court rolls are extant. Thomas was married (date unknown, but by 1654) to Elizabeth Kent, daughter of Hugh Kent (Court baron 2 Oct 1654); he was then said to be a shoemaker. He is probably the Thomas King who was buried in 1695, his wife Elizabeth dying in 1681.

Manorial Court Rolls cease after 1675. Because the properties are leasehold, changes of lease are not recorded, as are changes of freehold, in the Hocktide Court books; and because the quit rents on the properties were payable to the lord of the manor and so were not collected by the borough officials on behalf of the crown, they are not recorded on the quit rent rolls. This means that there exists no continuous record of any of these manorial properties or of their occupiers after 1675.

1781 (CL)

1819 (EA) Un-named

George Martin, Carpenter, c1840-c1865:

1841 (CS) George Martin (55) - sawyer.
1844 (PD) George Martin (carpenter) HS.
1847 (CL) George Martin (owner) - Mrs Hincks & George Martin (occupiers).
1851 (CS) George Martin (39), carpenter employing 2 men.
1861 (CS) George Martin (49) - carpenter emp 5 men + 2 boys
1861 (CL) George Martin (owner); Miss Hidden & himself (occupants)
1864 (BD) George Martin -

1869 (PD) No Chadwick entry.

George Chadwick, upholsterer, c1870-c1904:

1871 (CS) George Chadwick (40) - upholsterer.
1881 (CS) George Chidwick (50) - upholsterer & cabinet-maker

1890 (*1) George Hidden & George Taylor sold to Ann Gibbons.
1891 (KD) George Chidwick - upholsterer and undertaker.
1896 (CL) Anne Gibbons (owner) - George Chidwick (occ).
1902 (T&M Register) Anne Gibbons (owner)
1903 (T&M Register) George Chidwick (occupier until ?1904)
1903 (KD) George Chidwick - upholsterer and undertaker.

Tom Hazelby, chemist, c1904-1908:

1905 (T&M Register) W Tom Hazelby (occupier until 1908)

1909 (T&M Register) Arthur Heanes Bingham (owner, & occupier until ?1936))

19?? (*2) Hazleby - chemist before Bingham

Bingham's Chemist, c1908-1936:

1914 (CL) Anne Gibbons (owner) - Arthur Heanes Bingham - chemist (occupant).
1920 (KD) Arthur Bingham - chemist.
1925 (*1) Gibbons sold to Bingham.

Clemow's Chemist, 1936-1941:

1937 (T&M Register) Stanley George Clemow (occupier until ?1941)
1939 (Blacket's) S.G. Clemow, chemist and photography
1939 (KD) Stanley George Clemow - chemist.
Charles Jones kindly contacted the Virtual Museum (Oct 2013) mostly about 33 High Street and Denford Mill. However, he also mentioned memories of his first visit to Hungerford just after D-Day 1940 - when the American Troops were on the Common (Aug 1940). He recalled that "Clemow the Chemist wasn't a pharmacist and so could only sell the likes of toothpaste and hot water bottles"!

1941 Mr S G Clemow died: Oct 1941: "It is with great regret that his friends in the locality learned of the news of the passing of Mr Stanley George Clemow, of High Street. His death, at the early age of 42, removes a popular figure from the neighbourhood. A native of London, Mr Clemow came to Hungerford five years ago, where he carried on the business of chemist. He served in the last war, and was taken prisoner-of-war. He was also badly wounded, and this affected his health in after life. Of necessity, Mr Clemow led a more or less retired life and was not often to be seen in the street. Though unable to take any prominent part in public affairs he was a member of the Chamber of Commerce. His was a charming personality and a genial disposition won for him many friends. A cultured man, Mr Clemow's interests lay in reading and in amateur theatricals; it was only recently that he had taken part in a Shakespearean performance at the Corn Exchange and was preparing to appear in another. Much sympathy has been extended to his widow in her sorrow. The funeral service was performed by the Vicar (the Rev H Wardley King) at the Parish Church. There was a representative congregation in attendance at the service. The deceased was cremated on Wednesday at reading. A large number of wreaths were sent, and, in accordance with his wish, the flowers were sent to Reading Hospital."

1942 (T&M Register) Mrs Margery Clemow (occupier)

1947 (CL) Mrs Phyllis Margery Clemow.

1952 (CL) Mrs Phyllis Margery Brindley deleted Mr John Robert Brindley.
1956 (CL) John Robert Brindley.

Betts, Chemist, 1962-1972:

1962 (*1) Clemow sold to Betts.
1963 (CL) Margaret Doreen Sidney (sister of Mr. Betts).
<1968 (T&M Register) Maria Louisa Betts (owner until 1969)
<1968 (T&M Register) Margaret Doreen Sidney (occupier until 1972)
1968 (CL) Margaret Doreen Sidney
1970 (CL) Margaret Doreen Sidney
1970 (T&M Register) ?Pension representative of Maria Louisa Betts (owner until 1973)

Packwood Chemists, 1972-1993:

1972 (*1) Betts sold to N Packwood (Chemists) Ltd, ie Keith Haddrell.
1974 (T&M Register) N Packwood (Chemists) Ltd (owners)
1976 (CL) Void – chemists
1978 Packwood - chemist
1983 (CL) Void - chemists
1984 (CL) Void
1985 (CL) Void

Boots the Chemist, 1993-present:

Sep 1993 Packwood Pharmacy changed to Boots (The Chemist)
2000 (CL) Void
2005 (CL) Void
2011 (CL) Void
2016 (CL) Void

Key to abbreviations:

*1 = Mr.K.Haddrell
*2 = Mrs. May Marks
BD = Billing's Directory
CL = Comoners' Lists
CS = Census
EA = Enclosure Award Map, 1819
KD = Kelly's Directory
NH = Norman Hidden's papers
PD = Pigot's Directory
PO = Post Office Directory

Notes by ?Michael Blakeway, early 1980s:

These two properties can be considered as one building. No doubt they have always been two dwellings, with a central flag-stone alley dividing them as can be seen today.

The boundaries of this building which lies on the east side of the High Street are: the Post Office drive and building to the north, and the abutting shop and dwelling (late Aldridges green-grocers) to the south. Behind it to the east is the old laundry yard and building (now Loheat engineering Ltd).

The two and a half storied building has a front facade of late 18th century showing Flemish bond. The roof is of slate and gabled, the windows are of vertical sliding sash type with 16 panes.

The ground floor has been developed as a 20th century chemist shop (Packwoods) on the north, and as a bread shop, and confectioners (Peter Wyatt) on the south. The north side can be roughly divided in to three sections (from front to back), and this division is echoed on each floor above. The central section appears to have been infilled to join the older front and rear parts. This is most evident on the top (third) floor. Today this is reached by an outside 20th century staircase to the central portion, but in bygone days there was a straight staircase with a turn at the top in the front section. This has been enclosed but the balustrade and newel sockets are still visible.

From the central section one can see the roof line of the original outside stuccoed wall of the front section. Also there has been an hessian infill of a window on that wall.

Two garretts face the High Street, but without dormers, only a single eight-paned and sashed window looks onto the post-office. Access is gained by three steps and a four plank door. A small aperture allows one to peer into the roof where 19th century alterations can be seen. It has been re-timbered sometime reusing some of the old timbers. The roof has a shallow pitch.

The middle floor of the rear section, when viewed from the alley, shows a large hinged doorway, which is now bricked in in its lower half. This might have been an entrance to an old workshop when upholstery and coffin—making was carried out in these premises during the latter half of the 19th century.

The function of a small arched recess on this outside wall two feet from the ground (cf Church piscina) is not apparent.

Other outside features to mention include the absence now of chimneys; side walls clad with slate tiles; eaves; a brick platband; a small area of flint walling and timber framing of the lining wall of the alley; and a form of jettying at the rear with iron supports.