Nos. 45–46: St John’s College Research Centre
This pair of houses, with an iron balcony over the two central front doorways, dates from the early nineteenth century. It is a Grade II listed building (List Entry No. 1047146) and lie in St Giles' parish.
No. 45
It is hard to identify this house in the 1841 census.
At the time of the 1851 census the solicitor Charles Law lived here with his wife Sarah and baby son Charles, plus three house servants.
By 1854 the homeopathic surgeon Thomas Battye had his surgery here. The 1861 census shows him living here at the age of 65 with his wife and five grown-up children (the eldest son, William, was also a surgeon), plus their two servants. He moved out in 1862, and a forthcoming auction if his collection of oil paintings, including works by Gainsborough and Stubbs, was advertised on 23 August 1862.
Mrs Louisa Elvey, the widow of Stephen Elvey, was the next occupant, but she died here on 26 July 1868.
Henry Purdue, Esq. was in residence here by 1869, but he died here at the age of 68 on 22 December that year. The house was advertised to let on 19 February 1870, and on 12 March there was a notice of a forthcoming auction of Purdue's effects.
The physician Edward Benjamin Gray lived here by the time of the 1871 census with his wife Stephana and their three servants (a page boy, cook, and housemaid).
By 1876 the Vicar of St Michael-at-the-Northgate Church and Fellow of Lincoln College, Frederick Metcalfe lived at No. 45. The 1881 census shows him here as a widower of 65, lived here with his daughters Rosamund (21) and Frances (20) and their two servants. He died on 24 August 1885, and his two daughters continued to live at No. 45 and can be seen listed there with their servants in the 1891, 1901, 1911, and 1921 censuses. They remained here until 1937.
No. 46
The householder listed immediately before the Eagle & Child in the 1841 census was the upholsterer Thomas East, but it is unclear whether he lived here.
Miss Eliza Hargreave lived here from 1866, and the 1871 census shows her here with her friend, plus their cook and housemaid. Miss Hargreave died at the age of 80 on 29 June 1872, and on 10 August the forthcoming auction of her furniture and other property was advertised in Jackson's Oxford Journal.
At the time of the 1881 census this house was occupied by William W. Robinson (64), an unmarried solicitor who was Coroner for the central district of Oxford, plus his two servants. He was still here at the time of the 1891 and 1901 censuses.
The 1911 census shows the physician Alexander George Gibson (35) living here with his wife Constance and their two children, plus three servants (a cook, child's nurse, and nursemaid).
This house was occupied by the dental surgeon Herbert James Pegler from c.1919 to 1939. The 1921 census shows him at the age of 31 living here with his wife Edith (26) and their daughter Barbara (5), plus their servant
Occupants of 45 & 46 St Giles' Street listed in censuses and directories |
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Date |
45 St Giles |
46 St Giles |
1846 |
Rev. Stephen John Rigaud |
|
1851–1852 |
Charles James Law |
|
1854–1862 |
Thomas Battye |
|
1866 |
Rev. W. Acworth, M.A. |
Miss Eliza Hargreave |
1868 |
Mrs Louisa Elvey |
|
| 1869 | Henry Purdue |
|
1871 |
Edward Benjamin Gray, M.D. |
|
1875 |
William Wharton Robinson |
|
1876–1905 |
Revd Frederick Metcalfe (Misses Metcalfe 1887–1937) |
|
1907–1915 |
Alexander George Gibson |
|
1919–1937 |
Herbert James Pegler |
|
1939 |
City Typewriter Co. |
|
1941–1945 |
Commissioners of Church |
|
1947–1954 |
Herbert James Pegler |
|
1956–1962 |
Hunts (Oxford) Ltd |
|
1964–1973 |
Eckersley School of English |
Cunningham & Gibaud Edmund R. Gibbs & Co. |
1975–1976 |
— | |
1994–1999 |
Oxford Centre for Hebrew |
|
2001–present |
St John’s Research Centre |
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