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65 George Street Luton

George Street in 1901
George Street in 1901 - to see a larger version, please click on the image

65 George Street was first listed in Kelly's Directory for 1894 when it was in the occupation of George Warren, straw hat manufacturer. He was listed at an undisclosed number in George Street in 1890 and at 5 Bute Street in 1885. He was last listed in 1920.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every piece of land and building in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. Most of Bedfordshire was valued in 1927. Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service is lucky in having the valuer's notebook covering most of George Street. Evidence in the book shows that the survey of George Street took place in 1928.

77 (nearest the camera) to 61 George Street about 1910 [Z1306/75]
77 (nearest the camera) to 61 George Street about 1910 [Z1306/75]

Charles Mares, outfitter, owned and occupied 65 George Street in 1928. he also owned number 67. The frontage was 27 feet 9 inches. The basement under the shop was not used. The shop was divided into three areas measuring 29 feet by 8 feet  3 inches, 14 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 9 inches and 16 feet 9 inches by 19 feet 9 inches respectively. An office measured 11 feet 9 inches by 12 feet 3 inches. A back store measured 21 feet by 31 feet and there was a lavatory.

The first floor was let to J. W. Garrard & Company, straw hat manufacturer (whose main business premises was at 67 George Street) and contained stores measuring 22 feet by 33 feet and 10 feet 6 inches by 25 feet. The valuer commented: "Bad", also "Trimming" and "was old Factory". Another part of the floor was let to Carl G. Caspers as his hairdressing saloon. He paid £75 rent for a 6½ year lease dating from 1924. His two rooms measured 10 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 6 inches and 14 feet 6 inches by 25 feet. A first floor front office was vacant but a later hand has noted that it was later let to on a weekly rent of £1, it measured 14 feet 6 inches by 18 feet and the valuer commented: "Very good front office". A further back office on the first floor measuring 14 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 6 inches was vacant.

The second floor was not used, though a later hand has annotated "Thos Squires" and "rotten". The third floor attic measured 22 feet by 33 feet and was in "very bad repair not used".

Charles Mares Carl G. Caspers is last listed in 1950. Kelly's Directory for 1960 contains a listing for Caspers of Luton (proprietor C. M. Lamport). The final Kelly's Directory for Luton, 1975, still has listings for Caspers and Charles Mares at 65 George Street. Other listings are as follows:

  • The Blackburn Philanthropic Assurance Company Limited: 1931 and 1936;
  • The Dunstable School of Dancing: 1931;
  • Schwartz and Abrahams Limited, manufacturing agents: 1931 and 1936;
  • Harlequin Coffee Bar: 1960 and 1975;
  • V. Dimambo, cafe: 1965 to 1972.

65 to 67 George Street June 2010
65 to 67 George Street June 2010