76 High Town Road Luton

76 High Town Road August 2011

76 High Town Road was an ironmonger's shop for much of the 20th century. At the time of writing [2011] it is a butcher's shop.

The Rating and Valuation Act 1925 specified that every building and piece of land in the country was to be assessed to determine its rateable value. Sadly, a detailed inspection of 76 High Town Road has not survived. Nevertheless, an assessment of the whole of High Town Road [DV1/T38] shows that 76 and 78 High Town Road were both owned by Joseph W. Shackleton. 76 High Town Road was occupied by George Hammett who, directories tell us, was an ironmonger and had been there since at least 1910.

Directories for Bedfordshire were published every few years from 1839, for example, the beginning of the 20th century has directories for 1903, 1906, 1910 and 1914. Countywide directories ceased to be published during the Second World War, the last for Bedfordshire being in 1940. Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has directories just for Luton for 1939, 1950, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1974 and 1975. The first street numbers in High Town Road begin to appear in directories in 1885.

• 1903: George Emmerson, ham and beef warehouse;
• 1906: George Emmerson, ham and beef warehouse;
• 1910: George Hannett, ironmonger;
• 1914: George Alfred Hammett, ironmonger;
• 1920: George Alfred Hammett, ironmonger;
• 1924: George Alfred Hammett, ironmonger;
• 1928: George Alfred Hammett, ironmonger;
• 1931: Leslie George Hammett, ironmonger;
• 1936: Eric Prime, ironmonger;
• 1939: Eric Prime;
• 1940: Eric Prime, ironmonger;
• 1950: E. Prime;
• 1960: Eric Prime, tool dealer and ironmonger;
• 1965: E. Prime, ironmonger;
• 1968: E. Prime, ironmonger;
• 1972: The Tool Shop, ironmongers;
• 1974: Ryan Martin;
• 1975: vacant;
• 2011: Zim-Sa Extra Value Butchers