76 George Street Luton
George Street in 1901 - to see a larger version, please click on the image
76 George Street was not listed in any directory until 1939. THis suggests that in the 19th and early 20th centuries it may have been a private house. 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 Street took place in 1928.
The valuer discovered that 76 George Street was owned By J. Sainsbury Limited, which had a shop next-door at 74 George Street, and leased to Reginald Milton on a 21 year lease from 1924 for £400 per annum rent. The deep show window measured 18 feet 3 inches. The shop had three areas measuring 14 feet by 15 feet, 14 feet by 35 feet and 14 feet by 4 feet 6 inches "lighted at rear".
The valuer commented: "Rent very high = £440 + window. New Building does not affect value of shop" and "Good window".
Sainsbury is given as the occupier in directories from 1939. At some point, however, Boots the Chemists became the tenants. They previously had a shop at 27 George Street but by 1965 they had left it and moved to 76 George Street where they were listed at the time of the last Kelly's Directory for Luton of 1975.