33 High Street

This property was researched by John Thurston 

A Grade II Listed building along with no’s 27 – 43. The site shows Saxon and Late Medieval industrial occupation and activity. The buildings were refaced and refurbished in the 19th Century.

First known occupier was William Brimley, a Grocer, and his family in 1841. He stayed until at least the early 1850’s.

The 1861 Census shows James Cooke, a Grocers Assistant, and Daniel Hammond, a Grocers Apprentice, as living there. They were probably working for Robert Graves, a Grocer, who is shown on an 1861 Directory. The Graves family (including Robert, son Thomas and an unnamed brother) are then shown as occupiers on subsequent Directories until 1887.

Around 1890 the new owner is George Dudeney, also a Grocer who is in occupation until 1893. In 1894 the business becomes Dudeney and Johnston who trade until 1936.

(N.B. in 1901 the Census shows their housekeeper, Sara Hodges, and various Grocers Assistants and Apprentices as being the actual occupants.

Also, from 1920 – 1936 named individuals, probably tenants, are also shown in occupation, see below.

A final curiosity is that in 1929, a business card (Beds Archives P1/2/31) for F N Farrar, Bedford Leaded Light Works, is shown as being at No.33).

In 1938 a change of business takes place with Hugh Cross, a Photographer, trading until 1947. From 1949- 1961 the site becomes a Restaurant, Paulos, owned by Milo’s Restaurants Ltd. In 1963 this becomes Banquets of Oxford Ltd until 1965 and then Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen from 1966 – 1973 and Sweet Fanny Adams from 1973 – 1976.

In latter times Kingston Windows (1985) and finally Wilkinson/Wilko, Hardware Stores.(c.1995 – 2023), have been the occupants.

The site is now currently empty after the demise of Wilko. 

Summary of occupiers

Saxon/Medieval: Site shows industrial activity and occupation

c.16th/17th Century: Group of buildings (No’s 27 – 43) erected

1841 – 1850’s: William Brimley, Grocer and Tea Dealer

1861: James Cooke & Daniel Hammond, Grocers Assistant & Apprentice

1861 – 1876: Robert Graves, Grocer

1881: Thomas Graves, Grocer

1885: Graves Brothers, Grocers

1887: Thomas Graves, Grocer

1890 – 1893: George Dudeney, Grocer

1894 – 1936: Dudeney and Johnston, Grocers

1901: Sarah Hodges, Housekeeper + Grocers Assistants/Apprentices probably employed by Dudeney and Johnston

1920/21 – 1923, 1925: Robert Charles Hunter, ? Tenant

1926: Horace Williams, James Williams, ? Tenants

1929: F N Farrar, Bedford Leaded Light Works

1929, 1932 – 1936: Mrs Amy Elizabeth Thompson, ? Tenant

1938 – 1947: Hugh Cross, Photographer and Photographic Dealer

1949 – 1961: Paulos (Milo's Restaurants Ltd, Proprietors)

1963 – 1965: Banquets of Oxford Ltd

1966 – 1973: Aunt Jemima's Kitchen

1973 – 1976: Sweet Fanny Adams

1985: Kingston Windows, Windows Manufacturer

c.1995 – 2023: Wilkinson/Wilko, Hardware Stores

2024: Empty