No. 42: Dental Practice
The front of No. 42 St Giles dates from the nineteenth century. It is a Grade II listed building (List Entry No. 1068618) and lies in St Giles' parish.
This house appears to have no doorway. In fact the door on the left (which looks as though it belongs to No. 43 to the south) leads here.
At the time of the 1772 Survey of Oxford, No. 42 was occupied by Miss Wheeler, and its frontage measured 7 yards 1 foot 9 inches.
In the 1841 and 1851 censuses this house was occupied by the widow Ann Stevens, who was described as a proprietor of houses, and her servants.
The 1871 census shows the annuitant Sarah Bridgewater, the widow of Andrew Bridgewater, living here with her three servants (a housekeeper, cook, and housemaid). She died here at the age of 78 on 14 September 1872.
The house was advertised to let on 12 October 1872, and was described as a “comfortable Residence, containing dining room, drawing room, 4 bed rooms and dressing room, and 2 kitchens, with large Gardens at the back”.
By 1875 No. 42 was occupied by the Revd Thomas Cooper Browne, a clergyman without cure of souls. The 1881 census shows him living here with his wife Ellin and his cousin Frances Blackburn, plus four servants. Ellin died here at the age of 65 on 11 May 1882, and Thomas at the age of 74 on 14 February 1888. .
In 1891 the house was occupied by the dentist William Geekie (43) and his wife Susan Ellen and their four sons, plus their servant girl. In 1901 he was here with his wife Susan Ellen and their four sons and two daughters, and In 1911 their son Alexander and daughters Dorothy and Margery were still at home. Geekie was still listed as a dental surgeon here at the age of 73 in the 1921 census and was here with his wife, his daughter Margery, a forestry student who boarded with them, and a and a housemaid. He died at the age of 76 in 1924, and Mrs Geekie remained here until her own death near the beginning of 1932.
No. 42 remained a dentist's surgery run by Miss Dorothy Smith from 1934 to 1955. The 1939 Register shows her living here with her female surgery attendant and her servant.
In 1946 No. 42 had been purchased by Henry Tregelles Gillett, who passed it to the Berks & Oxon Quaker Meeting. The Quakers had just acquired the property next door at No. 43, and a combined meeting house designed by Thomas Rayson was erected in the back garden of both properties in 1954/5 (planning applications 51/01835/A_H and A1835B/4236). The Quakers remained in No. 43, and initially let this property out.
In 1955 the Registration Office for Births, Marriages, and Deaths moved to No. 42 from across the road at No. 13, and within months, on 23 April 1956, C.S. Lewis married Joy Davidman here. The office remained here until it moved to the original Westgate Centre on 1 December 1975.
This building was then used by the Quakers as their shop to 2007. They then let out again. The University of Oxford and a Catholic College called St Bede’s Hall had very brief tenancies, and since 2011 it has been a dental surgery again.
Occupants of 42 St Giles’ Street listed in censuses and directories |
|
1841–1846 |
Mrs Ann Stevens |
1861–1872 |
Mrs Sarah Bridgewater |
1875–1888 |
Rev. Thomas Cooper Browne |
1889 |
Colonel A’Court |
1890–1932 |
William Geekie |
1934–1955 |
Miss Dorothy Smith |
1955–1975 |
Registration Office for Births, Deaths, & Marriages |
By 1980–2007 |
Oxford Quaker Shop |
2008–2009 |
University of Oxford departments: |
2009–2010 |
St Bede’s Hall |
2011–present |
Alastair Nash BDS and Wendy Nash BDS FDSRCS (Eng) |