59 High Street
This property was researched by John Thurston
While the Bedford Heritage Gazetteer indicates that 59 High Street was constructed around 1860, the site appears to have been in use since at least 1750. In fact Ironmongers and Iron Foundries have been located here for more than 170 years, from c.1750 – 1923.
The current building retains much of its original features, with an archway that led into the Ironworks.The first known owner was Richard Leach , an ironmonger, who was certainly on site in 1785 and possibly started his business as early as 1750. He was joined by a partner, Thomas Green, who took over the enterprise before 1823.From 1827 – 1857 the firm was operated by John Sanders and William Williams, with the latter in sole charge when the business was dissolved around 1850.
In 1857 the Beds Times carried an advert stating that Edward Page, a former apprentice of Sanders and Williams, was taking over the foundry, which would then be renamed “Victoria Ironworks”. When Edward Page died in 1870, the running of the business was taken over by Henry Cameron. In 1889 the foundry which had previously been on the site was rebuilt [ref: BorBP2034].
Front elevation for rebuilding of 59-61 High Street, 1889 [ref: BorBP2034]
Around 1897 the Ironworks came under the control of James Osborn Palmer and Henry A Smith and operated under their names as well as Page and Co over the next 13 years. The 1911 Bedford directory gives the names as “Page and Co, Late Palmer and Smith” and reverts back to the Page and Co name up until 1923.
The foundry must have closed around this date (1923/4) and subsequently 59 High Street was sub divided into a number of business units i.e. in 1925 No 59 was ran as the Black Boy Chocolate Co while No 59A was the Ware Shoe Company.
From this date until 1973/74 up to 5 separate units operated on the site at any one time with no less than 14 different types of business eventually being sited here – i.e. Confectioners, Solicitors, Dental Surgeons, Chartered Accountants, Typists, Motor Instructors, Beds Welfare Department, Builders, Estate Agents, Turf Accountants, Tailors , Shoe Shops, Ladies Hairdressers and a Bicycle shop.
In recent times (2008 – 2023) the building has reverted back to a single owner and is presently a Café (Café Crema).
See here for a more detailed list of owners and occupiers
59 High Street (Lavells Ltd, confectioners), 24 May 1972, [ref: BorBPH3/109]
Acknowledgements :
1) Alan Cox’s Pamphlet 'Edward Page & Company Ironfounders, Ironmongers and Engineers, Brick, Tile and Pipe-Making Machinery Manufacturers' (2004, Pamph168) has been of invaluable assistance in determining the early history of the Iron Foundry at No.59 High Street.
2) “Beds Times”, Sat Sept 12, 1857 Advert placed by Edward Page.
List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives:
- BorBP2034: Plans for re-building 59 & 61, High Street, Bedford, 1889