Nos. 22–23: St John’s College accommodation
Nos. 22 and 23 date from the early seventeenth century, but have nineteenth-century stuccoed fronts and are considerably restored. They are jointly Grade II listed (List Entry No. 1065714), and belonged to Christ Church until about 1999, when they were bought by St John’s College. They lie in St Giles' parish.
The detail on the left from an old postcard shows No. 23 with a bow window added downstairs: the card probably dates from the 1920s, when it was a tea-room. The very high building to the left was demolished in the 1960s to make way for the Mathematical Institute
No. 22
When the 1772 Survey of Oxford was taken, No. 22 (with its frontage measured as 6 yards and 5 inches) was occupied by a Mr Smith.
The 1841 census shows Miss Deborah Brain living here with one servant. At the time of the 1851 census, she was described as a landed proprietor aged 47 and was living here with Mrs Elizabeth Smallbones, who was described as blind and was the relict of the wool dealer Richard Smallbones, Esq. of Hordley, and her younger sister Frances J. Brain. The Misses Deborah and Frances Brain were still here with a servant in 1861.
In 1864 Miss Sarah Storer, daughter of the late James Storer of Islington, appears to have been the occupant, as she died here at the age of 81 on 11 October 1864.
The 1871 census shows No. 22 occupied by the rate collector Richard Berry Hobbs (33), who was the son of the occupier of No. 23 next door, and his wife and their two sons, plus their servant girl. .
By the time of the 1881 census No. 22 was occupied by George Shorey (37). a college servant, and his wife Ellen and their four children and his wife's sister Mary Mott, plus a student boarder.
In 1891 this house was occupied by Arthur J. Adams (33), who was a decorator, and his wife Emma and their four children.
From 195 to 1932 Mrs Martha Paterson ran a lodging house here. The 1901 census shows Paterson (56) living here with her son and just one boarder. She was still here in 1911 and in 1921 with just her servant.
Gertrude Alder ran a lodging house here from 1935 to 1954, and the 1939 Register shows her living here with three lodgers (a research lecturer in oriental languages, a research student in medieval languages, and a surgeon).
No. 23
At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford, No. 23 (with its frontage measured as 5 yards 1 foot 9 inches) was occupied by a Mr Fowle.
In 1841 this private house was occupied by William Richard Hobbs, then an attorney's clerk and later an accountant, who lived there with his wife and two children and a servant. By the time of the 1851 census there were five children. In 1871 he and his wife were here alone with their servant girl, but in 1881 there were three children and two servants living with them . Hobbs died here at the age of 70 on 28 May 1882.
In 1891 the house was described as unoccupied.
At the time of the 1901 census the builder & decorator Arthur J. Adams (43) lived here with his wife Emma and their six children.
No. 23 was a shop from 1903. The 1911 census shows the milliner Miss Emily Robson (37) living here with her servant.
The 1921 census shows Hubert Desramaux Butler (22), a “student for schoolmastership” at The Queen's College, living here with his wife Jessie (23).
The coal merchants William Simmonds & Son were here from 1928 to 1968, but rooms were obviously let out, as the 1939 Register shows Janet Mannooch and Alice Holt-Kentwell living here.
Change of use to residential and college accommodation
In 1967 these two houses were still owned by Christ Church, and they were granted planning permission for “conversion of shop and residential to wholly residential”: 67/18771/AA_H
The building was then bought by St John’s College, who extended it at the rear in 1999 and used it as college accommodation.
Subsequent planning applications by St John's College:
- In 2019 planning permission was approved for: “Sub-division of existing dwelling to create a 1 x 2-bed and 1 x 3-bed dwelling (Use Class C3). Erection of a single-storey rear extension and formation of new fence to east elevation”: 19/00696/LBC
- In November 2024 planning permission was approved for “Change of use of from dwellinghouse (Use Class C3) to residential institution (Use Class C2) to provide College accommodation. Demolition of existing rear extension. Alterations to fenestration and render. Provision of cycle storage” (24/02236/FUL).
- In November 2024 planning permission was approved for “Internal works to existing building to include; structural repairs and strengthening, replacement of windows and installation of secondary glazing. Demolition of single-storey rear extension and reinstatement of rear elevation, internal alterations including opening up of existing walls, formation of studwork walls, lifting and reinstatement of floorboards, new doors, repairs to existing cornices and fittings, works to install insulation an associated works”
Occupants of 22 & 23 St Giles' Street listed in censuses and directories |
||
Date |
22 St Giles |
23 St Giles |
1841–1864 |
Miss Deborah Brain |
William Richard
Hobbs By 1837 |
1864 |
Miss Sarah Storer |
|
1866–1872 |
Richard Berry Hobbs |
|
1875–1882 |
George Shorey |
|
1884–1887 |
Joseph A. Partridge |
Adams & Son |
1889–1894 |
Adams & Son |
|
1895–1901 |
Mrs Martha Paterson |
Adams & Son Arthur John Adams |
1903–1904 |
Mrs H. Smith |
|
1905–1908 |
Mrs Berrill & Hobbs Miss Berrill |
|
1909–1925 |
Miss E. H. Robson Miss E. H. Robson |
|
1928–1932 |
William Simmonds
& Son Coal merchants |
|
1935–1954 |
Miss Gertrude Alder |
|
1956–1968 |
Handel Davies |
|
| 1968–1987 | Handel Davies |
|
1987–c.1999 |
Continued as Christ Church accommodation |
|
c.1999–present |
St John’s College accommodation |
|
These houses were originally known as “St Giles 1st Tenement” and “St Giles 2nd Tenement”. Christ Church lessees (who were not necessarily the occupiers) included the following:
22 St Giles (1st Tenement): Leases
- 1612: Henry Page of the Inner Temple (with St Giles 2nd Tenement)
- 1626: William Chillingworth of St Ebbe’s, maltster, of this “garden ground (whereuppon a messuage is builded, now in th’occupacon partly of Jane Boseley, widow and partly of Thomas Browne, husbandman)
- 1650: Mercy Penne of St Giles
- 1669: Renewal of lease of Mercy Penne, also of her son Mathew Penne, baker
- 1683: Henry Page of Oxford, ale-brewer, and Edward Prince, gent.
- 1687/8: William Langford of the University of Oxford, cook
- 1714: Renewal of lease of Mary Langford (widow of William)
- 1728/9: Mary Sherwin of Oxford, widow, executrix of Mary Langford
- 1744: William Evans of St Giles, rag merchant
- 1758: Timothy Evans of the University of Oxford, hat maker, and Robert Hobbins of St. Duke’s, London, coal merchant
- 1782: Edward Jennings Wise of Oxford, poulterer
- 1795: James Costar of Oxford, grocer (trustee for John Wise, son of E.J. Wise)
- 1800: Purchase of lease by James Costar for £600 from Edward Bigg of Benson, Oxon., farmer, executor of E.J. Wise
- 1823: Thomas Brain of St. Peter-in-the-Bailey, butcher
23 St Giles (2nd Tenement): Leases
- 1612: Henry Page of the Inner Temple (with St Giles 1st Tenement)
- 1626: Henry Hutchinson of London, mercer
- 1650: Silvester Hutchinson, daughter of William Hutchinson of Yate, Glos.
- 1672: Thomas Rowney of the University of Oxford, gent.
- 1704: Thomas Rowney the younger of Oxford, esq. [built St Giles House at No. 16 in 1702, died 1759)
- 1734/5: Thomas Rowney [the son of Thomas Rowney the younger]
- 1763: The Hon. Robert Lee of Lee Place, Oxford
- 1799: Sale to the Duke of Marlborough for £105, reserving rent.
22 & 23 St Giles (1st & 2nd Tenements)
- 1842: Richard Smallbones of Oxford, gent., and Elizabeth his wife, and to Deborah Brain, spinster, for £55 consideration – now two tenements occupied by Deborah Brain [22] and by William Hobbes [23], with the Windmill [24 St Giles] to the north and Joseph Parker, esq. [21 St Giles], to the south.
- 1862: Draft licence to Deborah Brain to assign (Elizabeth Smallbones having died on 10 October 1858)