3 and 3a George Street Luton

George Street in 1901 - for a larger version please click on the image

The history of 3 George Street is somewhat confusing, principally because The Crown public house is listed as 3 George Street in directories fro 1894 to 1936 whereas today it is 1 George Street.

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 Streettook place in 1928.

The rating valuation officer's map clearly places The Crown as 1 George Street. Number 3 George Street was described as being owned by Walter White and leased to cleaners and dyers M. Smith & Company, who were paying £45 per annum in rent but whose agreement expired in that year [DV1/R7/30]. Kelly's Directory for 1928 puts them at 3a George Street, where they had been since at least 1910.

The frontage of the lock-up shop was 13 feet 9 inches and the shop measured 13 feet by 12 feet 9 inches with a back room measuring 8 feet 6 inches by 9 feet 9 inches.

From 1931 Kelly's Directory also put General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Limited at 3 George Street; stayed there until the last Kelly's for Luton in 1975. Other issues of Kelly's put the Post Office telephones sales office at 3 George Street from at least 1936 until at least 1939, Halifax Building Society was there from at least 1960 until at least 1975, Cann, Polus and Company, certified accountants were there in 1960 and Muscatt, Nelson and company, solicitors from at least 1965 until at least 1968. In 1975 Oldhill Insurance Brokers were listed at 3 George Street.

3 to 5 George Street June 2010