75 and 77 High Town Road Luton

75 and 77 High Town Road June 2011

75 and 77 High Town Road were originally separate properties but were merged into one when occupied by the Luton Industrial Co-operative Society in the mid 20th century. At the time of writing [2011] they are, again, separate units, one being a bookmaker's the other a hair and beauty shop.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. The valuer visiting 75 and 77 High Town Road found it owned and occupied by Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited [DV1/R59/24-26].

The ground floor of Number 75 comprised a shop measuring 17 feet by 26 feet, a washroom measuring 17 feet by 13 feet, a living room and a scullery. Upstairs lay a reception room, a bathroom and two bedrooms. Outside lay a covered yard measuring 10 feet by 30 feet and a fish smoking room measuring 11 feet by 9 feet.

Number 77 comprised a ground floor shop divided into two areas measuring, respectively, 14 feet 6 inches by 15 feet and 14 feet 6 inches by 11 feet. Living accommodation comprised a living room, kitchen and scullery downstairs with four bedrooms above. Outside stood two brick and slate barns measuring 9 feet by 6 feet and 18 feet by 8 feet respectively.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has a Borough of Luton Public Health Department Shops Act 1934 Section 10 inspection book [BorL/EH/14/1]. This book reveals that on 16th November 1936  Number 75 had an open front with a roll shutter. Hearing was provided by a gas radiator in the cashier’s office but there was none in the shop itself. A men’s toilet lay on the mezzanine floor and a women’s in the yard of Number 77a (“joint use with confectionary department at No. 77a”). Natural lighting was very good and electric light was provided. Staff had a heated messroom on the first floor “entered from yard”. Staff at this time comprised four men, one woman, one girl and two boys under eighteen.

77 High Town Road was subject of a separate report made on the same day. This shop had three electric radiators. The inspector reported: “Most meals off premises. Messroom in yard if required. Not heated”. The messroom did contain an “unsanitary stone sink”. Staff comprised three women and two girls aged under eighteen.

Directories for Bedfordshire were published every few years from 1839, for example, the beginning of the 20th century has directories for 1903, 1906, 1910 and 1914. Countywide directories ceased to be published during the Second World War, the last for Bedfordshire being in 1940. Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has directories just for Luton for 1939, 1950, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974 and 1975. The first street numbers in High Town Road begin to appear in directories in 1885 but it looks as if there was some renumbering of properties on the odd side of the road between 1890 and 1894.

• 1894: 75 – Isaac Martin, insurance agent; 77 - Mrs. Minnie Bonner, straw hat manufacturer;
• 1898: 75 – David Cain, hairdresser and tobacconist; 77 – George Roast, clothier;
• 1903: 75 - David Cain, hairdresser and tobacconist; 77 – George Roast, clothier and post office;
• 1906: 75 – David Cain, hairdresser and tobacconist; 77 – George Roast, clothier and post office;
• 1910: 75 – David Cain, hairdresser and tobacconist; 77 – Herbert James Hinds, clothier;
• 1914: 75 – David Cain, hairdresser and tobacconist; 77 – Herbert James Hinds, draper;
• 1920: 77 – Herbert James Hinds, draper;
• 1924: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited;
• 1928: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited;
• 1931: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited;
• 1936: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited;
• 1939: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited; 77a – Thomas H. George;
• 1950: Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited; 77a – Thomas A. George;
• 1960: 75 - Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, fishmongers; 75a – R. Woodall; 77 - Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, confectioners; 77a – Thomas A. George;
• 1965: 75 - Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, fishmongers; 75a – R. Woodall; 77 – vacant; 77a – Thomas A. George;
• 1968: 75 - Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, fishmongers; 75a – R. Woodall; 77 – Luton Industrial Co-operative Society Limited, dry cleaners; 77a – Thomas A. George;
• 1972: 75 – Luton Industrial Co-operative Sociey Limited, butchers; 75a – R. Woodhall;
• 1974: 75 - Paris Fashions, ladies’ fashions; 77 – Factory Footwear Shop, shoe retailers;
• 1975: 75 – Paris Fashions, ladies’ fashions; 75a Rt. W. Woodhall; 75b vacant; 77 – Factory Footwear Shop, shoe retailers; 77a – K. George;
• 2011: 75 – Coral, bookmakers; 77 – Zoeen, hair and beauty shop.