This part of the first phase of the Indian Institute was designed by Basil Champneys and built in1893–1896. It replaced four houses at 41, 42, 43, and 44 Holywell Street as well as a number facing Broad Street. Because only its side faces Holywell Street, the Indian Institute was deemed to be in St Peter-in-the-East rather than Holywell parish and given the address of Broad Street.
Here is a brief history of the Indian Institute building. It is Grade II listed (1369355).
The four former houses on this site (41, 42, 43, & 44 Holywell Street)
Photograph of the pub at No. 44 and 43 and 42 to the east before their demolition in 1882
No. 41
This was part of the coffee house that stood on the corner until it closed in the mid-1870s. The widow Mrs Baggs who lived here in 1772 was then running it.
No. 42
This was the Dolphin pub until 1841.
No. 43
Parson Woodforde wrote on 16 February 1763: “I took Wallington in Holiwell this Morning for my Taylor”, and the 1772 Survey of Oxford shows that No. 43 was the home of a man of that name.
No. 44
This
was the Coach & Horses pub. The Creed family were landlords for a long period in the nineteenth century. James Creed was described as a helper or servant at the King’s Arms when his children were baptised at Holywell Church between 1813 and 1828, but by 1841 he had his own pub here. His widow Hannah kept the pub after his death, and then their married daughter Elizabeth Gilbert. The latter took over the Dog & Partridge on the corner of Broad Street and Parks Road in 1882 when the Coach & Horses was due to be demolished along with its three neighbours to the east and another three buildings at the top of Catte Street, to make way for the first phase of the Indian Institute. She took the inn sign with her and renamed her new pub the Coach & Horses.
There were billiard rooms behind this group of shops. On 29 September 1866 the forthcoming auction of that building, which was held on lease from the Warden and Scholars of Merton College for forty years from Lady Day 1852, was advertised thus in Jackson's Oxford Journal:
TWO capital BILLIARD ROOMS, with Slate Tables, nearly new (by Burroughes and Watts), with Cues, Balls, Marking Boards, &c.; Marker's Room, Cottage, and small Garden, with entrance from Holywell Street, in the occupation of Mrs Rockall.
The extract below from the 1876 OS map shows how large the side of the corner coffee house at No. 41 was. Nos. 42 and 43 were much smaller buildings, and then came the Coach & Horses at No. 44.
The map shows the entrance to the billiard rooms between Nos. 44 and 45.
On 20 May 1882 Jackson's Oxford Journal advertised the forthcoming sale of the building materials of 41–44 Holywell Street (and 33 & 34 Broad Street):
The MATERIALS comprise slates, lead, stone and bricks, roof and other timbers, floors and joists, doors, staircases and handrailing, sashes and frames, shutters, cupboards, panelling, bells, marble and other chimney pieces, kitchen ranges and grates, w.c. apparatus and cisterns, force and lead pumps, lead piping, and other effects.
The whole will be Sold, by order of Messrs. G. Wyatt and Son, builders, Oxford, without reserve, and the site must be cleared by Saturday, June 3rd, 1882.
On 14 October 1882 it was reported that Messrs Wyatt & Son had pulled down six old houses and were laying the foundations of the Indian Institute, and that the builders Messrs. J. R. Symm & Co. had commenced operations.
Below: Basil Champneys’ drawing of the Holywell frontage, from the British Architect of 22 May 1885:
41–44 Holywell Street in the censuses
1841
The 1841 census for Holywell does not give house numbers, but it is possible to deduce where people listed that year lived by examining directory entries between 1839 and 1842 and later censuses
No. 41
No separate listing for the Holywell side of the coffee shop on the corner, numbered 34 Broad Street.No. 42
Thomas Barnes (50), a publican, lived here at the Dolphin with Ann (70) and Elizabeth (4). Another family lived in the house: Thomas Vize (25), who was a post boy, and Maria (20) and Eliza (8).No. 43
Charles Pike (43), a tailor, lived here with Harriett (20) and Charles (1). Also living in the house was a 15-year-old apprentice and a lady of 45.No. 44
James Creed (50), the publican of the Coach & Horses, lived here with his wife Hannah (50) and Sarah (15). They had three lodgers.
1851
No. 41
No separate listing for the Holywell side of the former coffee shop (now a private house) on the corner, numbered 34 Broad Street, but under his listing at the latter address the surgeon John Freeman Wood is described as “living also no. 41 in Holywell Street”.No. 42
Thomas Allsopp (33), a porter at a coach office, lived here with his wife Caroline (31) and their children Thomas (6), Elizabeth (3), and Noah (5 months), as well as his unmarried sister-in-law Jane Grant (24) who was a dressmaker. They had an undergraduate lodger, and one servant.No. 43
John W. Parker (27), a turner and pianoforte tuner, lived here with his wife Margaret (32), who was a dressmaker, and their daughter Emily (2). A dressmaker’s apprentice aged 13 also lived with them.No. 44
James Creed (66), the publican, lived here at the Coach & Horses with his wife Hannah (61) and their daughter Eliza (22) and a lodger.
1861
No. 41
Mary Rockall (a widow of 66), the proprietor of the Billiard Rooms, is listed as living at No. 41 with her married daughter Frances Mucklow (36), her granddaughter Fanny Mucklow (15), her nice Mary Rockall (33), plus a resident nurse. In fact, however, this is probably a property behind Holywell.No. 42
Thomas Allsop (43), a porter and coal agent, lived here with his wife Caroline (49) and his children Benjamin (19), Elizabeth (12), Ada (9), Caroline (7), George (2), and Florence (2 months).No. 43
Elizabeth Masslin (50), a widowed shopkeeper, lived here with her son George (13), and two lodgers (an undergraduate and a butcher).No. 44 (Coach & Horses)
Hannah Creed (a widow of 70), a victualler, lived here with her married daughter Elizabeth Gilbert (39) and her grandchildren Ann (11), Elizabeth (8), Sarah (4), and James Gilbert (2). They had a carpenter boarding with them.
1871
No. 41
Not listed: side of the property at 34 Broad Street.No. 42
Mary Walklett (46), a widowed lodging-house keeper, lived here with her sons George (13) and Walter (11).No. 43
Eliza Masslin (59) still lived here with her son George (23), who was a photographer, and a lodger.No. 44 (Coach & Horses)
Elizabeth Gilbert (49), a widow, kept the public house and lived here with her children Ann (22), who was a dressmaker, and James (12). They had a 17-year-old servant girl.
1881
No. 41
Not listed: side of the property at 34 Broad Street.No. 42
Mary Walklett (51) was still a lodging-house keeper, living here with her sons John (21), an unemployed bookseller, and Walter (21), a gilder. A clergyman lodged with them.No. 43
Eliza Masslin (74), a lodging-house keeper, still lived here with her son George (33), who was an unemployed photographer and her son’s wife Emma (29). They had a boarder who was an unemployed sick nurse, and a lodger who was an upholsterer.No. 44 (Coach & Horses)
Elizabeth Gilbert (59), described as a licensed victualler, still lived here with her son James (22), who was a compositor.
Houses then demolished: henceforth part of Indian Institute
1891
Francis Lambert (51), the head porter, lived in the porter’s accommodation at the very top of the building with his wife Emma (44), who was a cook and their son Herbert (20), who was a pupil teacher, plus Emma's father Henry Keene (81), described as a shopkeeper.
Also living in the building in a separate “household” was the resident keeper Ernest Sibree, Librarian and Tutor in Sanskrit.
1901
Francis Lambert (62) is still listed as Porter & Caretaker at the Indian Institute. with his wife Emma (54) who was a cook.
Also living in the building as a separate “household” was the Assistant Keeper and librarian (32), who was born in Ceylon and whose name is recorded as Martius de S. Wickremasinge.
1911
No listing.
1921
William Henry Rodgers (34), the caretaker & porter of the Indian Institute, and his wife Beatrice (31), the Institute's charwoman, lived here.
Occupants of 41–44 Holywell Street listed in directories etc. |
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No. 44 |
No. 43 |
No. 42 |
No. 41 |
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1772 |
Mr Pritchard |
Mrs Adams |
Mr Wallington |
Mrs Baggs |
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Frontage: |
Frontage: |
Frontage: |
Frontage: |
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1839 |
Coach & Horses Some landlords: James Creed Hannah Creed, Mrs Elizabeth Gilbert |
Charles Pike |
The Dolphin: |
Sarah Partridge |
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1841 |
Thomas Barnes |
The number 41 John Wood, GP (1851) Professor Donkin Mrs Donkin (1872) Vacant in 1876 |
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1846 |
Caroline Elizabeth Mrs Allsop (1861) Thomas Allsop |
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1851–1852 |
John Parker |
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1861–1866 |
Mrs Maslin (1861) E. Masslen Mrs Eliza Masslen or Masslin |
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1871–1881 |
Mrs Walklett |
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From 1884 |
No listing: Side of Indian Institute which was built to face Broad Street | ||||
Present |
Side of Old Indian Institute building |
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