108: Oxford Wine Cellar
No. 108 used to be a smaller shop in the middle of a terraced row, but when its immediate neighbours to the west, Nos. 109 and 110, were obliterated in 1873 to make room for King Edward Street, it was rebuilt as a large corner shop, designed by F. Codd. It has always been in the parish of St Mary-the-Virgin. It is owned by Oriel College.
The former building on this site
The early occupants of the original house on this site can be identified from Balliol College deeds relating to the house next door that made way for the road, as it names the adjoining neighbours to the east. Thus the old No. 108, a tenement of Oriel College, was occupied as follows:
- 28 June 1589: Garbrand Harkes
- 31 December 1618: Mrs Garbrand
- 31 December 1642 and 18 January 1667/8: Toby Garbrand alias Harkes
- 14 October 1702, 14 October 1712: William Pufford, coffeeman
- 12 November 1722: Widow Pufford
- 10 December 1790: William Jones, silversmith
- 11 January 1797: Blunt, breeches-maker
- 21 July 1804: Widow Jones
- 27 January 1820 and 31 January 1832: Thomas Slatter, tailor
By 1837 the premises were occupied by the ironmongers Edwards & Hewett, who also had No. 109 next door. At the time of the 1841 census shows the ironmonger John Hewett living over the former shop here with his wife Sarah, their three-year-old son John, plus two female servants, while in another part of the house were two lodgers: a student called Thomas Magdelli and a young peer of the realm called Lord Ward.
On 18 April 1846 George Hewett, who now had sole management, announced in Jackson's Oxford Journal that he was renouncing the ironmongery business here in favour of Henry Floyd. The 1851 census shows Floyd living over his shop with his wife, two apprentices, and a general servant, while George Hewett, described as a land surveyor, is listed as a separate household of one. Hewett was still here in 1861, when he was described as the employer of 15 men.
In about 1863 the ironmonger John Goundrey took over this shop. He is describe in the 1871 census as the employer of 13 men and four boys and was living here with his wife Elizabeth and their two daughters, plus a servant. On 1 June 1872 he was obviously making preparations to move out of his condemned shop as he advertised in that issue of Jackson's Oxford Journal that all his stock for sale at greatly reduced prices.
The old shop was demolished in 1873, and Jackson's Oxford Journal reported on 11 October that year on the new shop at 108 High Street:
Mr. Codd, architect, of this City, has designed, and Mr. Selby has built, at the north-east corner of this street, a substantial house for Messrs. Hitchcock and Sons, chemists. It has a frontage of 22 feet in the High-street, and 71 feet in King Edward-street. The front elevation of the house is in the Italian style, with tuck-pointed white brick facing, and Bath stone dressings to the upper part; and to the lower part stone piers and ashlaring to the level of the shop facia, which is surmounted by an ornamental iron railing. The building is beautified in several ways, and in the carving are represented several heads of Sovereigns and other benefactors to Oriel College (the owners of the property), the most prominent of which is the head of King Edward, taken from a painting in the possession of the College. The whole of the carving has been executed in the most satisfactory manner by Mr. S. Grafton, of Park End-street, in this City. The internal arrangements, too, are complete in every respect, and care has been taken to ensure efficient light and ventilation. The house cost about 3000l., and is already opened.
Meanwhile Goundrey moved to the brand new shop on the western corner of King Edward Street. .
The present building on this site
The first occupant of the new building in 1873 was the chemist Charles Garrard Hitchcock. This advertisement published in Jackson's Oxford Journal on 23 September 1876 shows that he also manufactured and sold soft drinks:
Hitchcock was living upstairs at the time of the 1881 census with his wife, two daughters, and two servants. At the time of the 1891 census two chemist's assistants lived upstairs, and in 1901 the unmarried chemist Henry Matthews (54) lived alone here. There was no listing for these premises in the 1911 census.
The 1921 census shows the widowed pharmaceutical chemist & mineral water manufacturer John Dolbear (63) living over his shop with his housekeeper, cook, and parlourmaid. Also living in separate premises over the shop was his business parter Horatio Charles Goodall with his wife Florence and his daughter, and his nephew Percy Mason Deed (15), who was his apprentice.
No. 108 remained a chemist shop for over a hundred years until Oddbins moved in in 1976.
Occupiers of 108 High Street | |
By 1837–1839 |
Edwards & Hewett, Ironmongers & Engineers (and at 109 High Street) |
1846–1860 1861 |
Henry Floyd, Ironmonger (with George Hewett, Land surveyor in 1851); died 1860 William Floyd, Ironmonger |
1863–1872 |
J. Goundrey, Ironmonger |
1873–1905 |
Hitchcock & Sons [later & Co.], Chemists |
1906–1937 |
Dolbear & Goodall, Chemists |
1939–1975 |
Savory & Moore Ltd, Chemists |
1976–2012 | Oddbins |
2012–2022 |
Sweaty Betty [moved to Westgate] |
2023 |
Oxford Wine Cellar |
