Sometimes you turn a corner and see an old shop like this. It really can take you back in time – and often tell a fascinating story.
Cornelissen & Son is an art supplier. The shop on Great Russell Street near the British Museum was established in 1855.
This front on Snow Hill (just around the corner from the church of St. Sepulchre on Newgate) is unusual in that it is ceramic. It was built as the London office for John J. Royle of Manchester, a company founded in 1882. The company produced heat exchangers, water heaters, radiators, and evaporators for industrial and commercial use. Mr. Royle was a Victorian inventor who developed an interesting list of handy household tools – such as an egg beater, a timed egg boiler, smokeless fuel stoves & heaters and a smokeless fuel irons. However, he was best known for the self-pouring teapot that he patented in 1886.
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- I couldn’t figure out why this old-fashioned tailor’s shop on Lamb’s Conduit in Bloomsbury described itself as “American Specialite” – so I went in to ask.
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- The staff didn’t know either – but the inside was as old-fashioned as the out. This is definitely the kind of place where you want to take your hems to be taken up!
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- This is a company that has sold legal outfits for 324 years! Well, maybe not in this building – but the company has been in business that long. They have a number of shops in London, mostly near the Inns of Court, home to the barristers.
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- . Just the place to go for your gowns and wigs. The Judges are definitely the Big-Wigs.
You could also buy your wigs at The Wig Box on Carey Street, right behind the Royal Courts of Justice.
Hatchard’s on Piccadilly is a world-famous bookstore, but it has kept its traditional front and its traditional friendly and helpful staff. It is a wonderful place to visit if you like books. The Royal Coat of Arms above the door indicates that is it “BOOKSELLERS TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN”. Can’t beat that for a customer!
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- Heywood Hill on Curzon Street is another famous bookshop. Situated on two floors of a Georgian townhouse, Heywood Hill sells new, old and antiquarian books. The interior is old-fashioned and full of books, and the staff is very helpful if you are looking for something special.
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- The blue plaque by the entrance commemorates Nancy, eldest of the famous Mitford sisters, who worked here during the second half of World War Two.
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- I was very surprised to see this shop front on Beak Street in Soho. It seemed very strange to have a Gun-Maker and Rifle-Maker right in the middle of such a busy area. But it turns out that there is an interesting story behind this shop front. This business was founded in Birmingham in 1820 by Joseph Wilkes. His son Joseph junior left for the United States in the 1860s, looking for business in the aftermath of the Civil War, and never returned, leaving his three sons Joe, John and Tom to carry on. The brothers worked together for a while but in 1856 John, the youngest, moved to London where he had a hand in producing some of the best guns of the period. The family business moved to this shop on Beak Street in 1925 and carried on there for 78 years. In 2000 the decision was made to leave London and in 2003 the shop was vacated. The business continues from a workshop in Arundel. (The full story can be read at http://www.craigwhitseygunmakers.co.uk/html/john_wilkes.html)
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- This shop is even more amazing, and it’s still in business. It’s a tailors shop in Shepherd’s Market. They make Bespoke Military and Civilian outfits (that’s made to order).
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- They probably don’t sell too many of these outfits each year – but if you need it, now you know where to go.
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- This barber’s shop is on Carter’s Lane, just around the corner from St. Paul’s Cathedral.
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- The entire street looks like it could have 300 years ago.
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- The shop has moved location three times but has been at 53 New Oxford Street since the 1950s.
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- In 1830 James Smith founded his umbrella shop off Regent Street. The umbrella were made in the back of the shop and sold in the front. The family business has carried on for 180 years making and selling the best umbrellas available.
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- Berry Brothers and Rudd on St. James’s Street are legendary wine merchants. The shop was founded in 1698 when the area near St. James’s Palace was being developed after the enormous disaster of the Great Fire of London in 1666.
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- The shop started as coffee merchants, as shown by their shop sign.
Interestingly, the Republic of Texas had an office above Berry Brothers wine shop from 1842-45. They wanted to be close to the political and diplomatic centre of St. James’s Palace.
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- For many years this little statue of a Native American stood outside the cigar shop on St. James’s Street.
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- St. James’s is known as the men’s area of London – with men’s clubs, pubs, cigar merchants, shirt makers, yacht brokers, barbers and even gun sellers.
George Trumper is a Gentleman’s Hairdresser and Perfumer in St. James’s.
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- More shops in St. James’s
Whit
echapel Bell Foundry is an amazing survival – and still a thriving business.
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- Whitechapel Bell Foundry is the oldest operating manufacturing business in Great Britain.
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- The foundry has a small museum and interesting tours are available.
The company dates back to 1570. The present premises on Whitechapel Road and Plumbers Row dates from 1670 and was formerly a coaching inn called “The Artichoke” which ceased trading in 1738. The foundry moved into the site the next year and has been making bells ever since.
The foundry makes bells in the old-fashioned way. Whitechapel has made some of the most famous bells in the world. They made America’s iconic Liberty Bell in 1752; it was commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of William Penn’s 1701 Charter of Privileges, Pennsylvania’s original constitution, and today hang’s in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Big Ben was cast in 1858 and rung for the first time the following year. They also made bells for Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral and the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. (www.whitechapelbellfoundry.co.uk/)
I am really glad that so many of these old shop fronts have survived in London to reveal intriguing stories about life in the city.
All photos taken by Cathey Leitch @Cathey Leitch, 2015
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