Oxford History: The High

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The group of five shops numbered 19–23 High Street dates from the late eighteenth century, and the upstairs rooms were converted to Brasenose College accommodation around 1930. They were in the parish of All Saints until that church closed in 1971. They are now in the parish of St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church.

No. 21 is a Grade II listed building (List Entry No. 1047273). It belongs to Brasenose College.

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. 21 was already in the occupation of a Mr Sheard, and its frontage measured 5 yards 0 feet 7 inches.

At the time of the 1841 census Thomas Sheard, the grocer here, was living over his shop with his wife Hester and their five children, plus three or four servants and two students in a separate household with their own servant. Thomas died at the age of 43 in July 1845 and on 11 October that year his brother William Sheard announced that he would take over the business for the benefit of his widowed sister-in-law. The 1851 census shows Hester Sheard (48) living over this shop with her daughter and her sons Thomas (her assistant) and Arthur (a hosier’s apprentice). They had one servant. Hester was still described as the grocer & tea dealer here at the time of the 1861 census, and died here in March 1869.

The 1871 census shows that Thomas John Walker Sheard (42) had taken over his mother's shop and was living here with his wife Anna Maria and their daughter, plus two servants. His wife died at the age of 28 near the beginning of 1874, and the 1881 census shows him as a widower of 52 living here with his three children (all at school) and his sister, plus a servant, and a lodger who lived separately on the premises. He was described as a grocer & wine merchant in the 1891 census and was still living here with his sister Mary and his son Arthur (23), who was a student, and his daughter Hester (21). Thomas John Walker Sheard retired from business in 1893 and moved with his sister and daughter to 18 Park Crescent (now 19 Park Town) and died at the age of 86 in 1915.

In 1894 his shop was taken over by Shepperd Brothers, robe makers, who did not live on the premises and the upstairs became a lodging house:

• At the time of the 1901 census the accommodation above this shop had been linked to that above No. 20 next door to form a lodging house, run by Thomas Taylor (52), who lived here with his wife, daughter, housemaid niece, a kitchenmaid, and page.
• The 1911 census shows David Rowe (32) and his wife occupying the eighteen rooms above 20 and 21 High Street and continuing to run a boarding house here.

Shepperd Brothers remained here until 1952.