111 High Street

This property was researched by John Thurston. 

F. Tansley, Butchers 111 High Street c.1905 [BP65/52/64a]

The earliest records, property sales from 1799 in the Duke of Bedford's collection, indicate that a dwelling house was built on the site roughly corresponding to what is now numbers 109 and 111. The house consisted of three chambers, a parlour, kitchen, shop, washhouse and cellar with offices, a yard and garden with a granary on the south side of the yard. The lot  was occupied by a Mr Button, a butcher and Mr Eden, a farmer [R6/5/13/4].

There were also granaries and other buildings to the rear which were in the occupation of (Messrs), Malde, Wagstaffe, Whitehouse and others [R6/5/13/4].

No more is heard of the site until 1871 when Charles Tansley, a butcher, and his family are the occupants. It is likely the building was newly built at this time as the High Street expanded northwards.

The Tansley family, Charles and his son George,  remain onsite as butchers until at least 1915, with the premises being shared with Higgins and Son, Brewers, between 1892 and 1914.

In 1920 Barclays Bank acquire the premises and have remained on site until the present day. The former building was demolished, and the present building constructed c.1929 and designed by W E Stonebridge, architect of St John's Street, Bedford [BorBP7647] with later alterations made to the building in 1975 [BorBTP/75/1553]. From 1929 Barclays recorded their address as 109 – 11 High Street. (N.B. In 1963 the address reverts back to No 111 only.)    

Front elevation of new premises for Barclays Bank 109-111 High Street [BorBP7647]

Summary of Occupiers

1799: Mr Button, Butcher and Mr Eden, Farmer

1871 – 1915:Charles Tansley, Butcher and (Son) George Tansley, Butcher

1892 – 1914:Higgins and Son, Brewers

1920 – 2024:Barclays Bank Ltd 

For a more detailed list of occupiers see here.