98 High Town Road Luton

98 to 100 High Town Road June 2011

98 High Town Road has had a number of very different uses in its life. At the time of writing [2011] the shop is vacant.

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 98 High Town Road has not survived. Nevertheless, an assessment of the whole of High Town Road [DV1/T38] shows that both these premises and 94, 96 and 100 High Town Road were owned by the trustees of William Farmer. The property was occupied by Elizabeth Brockbank who, directories tell us, was a confectioner.

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.

• 1885: John Buckley, tailor;
• 1890: Thomas Poney, greengrocer;
• 1894: Thomas Poney, greengrocer; William Wilson, greengrocer;
• 1898: Mrs. Annie Horton, milliner;
• 1903: Mrs. Annie Horton, milliner;
• 1906: Mrs. Annie Horton, milliner;
• 1910: Mrs. Annie Horton, milliner;
• 1914: British Argentine Meat Company Limited, butchers;
• 1920: Miss Kathleen Alborne, confectioner;
• 1924: Mrs. Elizabeth Brockbank, confectioner;
• 1928: Mrs. Elizabeth Brockbank, confectioner;
• 1931: Mrs. Elizabeth Brockbank, confectioner;
• 1936: Miss Elizabeth A. Brockbank, confectioner;
• 1939: Tailwaggers, (Miss E. Brockbank);
• 1940: Miss Elizabeth A. Brockbank, dog breeder;
• 1950: Tailwaggers;
• 1960: E. Williamson, shopkeeper;
• 1965: HighTown Pet Stores;
• 1968: HighTown Pet Stores;
• 1972: Fish and Fishing, fishing tackle dealers; High Town Pets, Fish and Fishing, pet stores; Colin Williamson;
• 1974: High Town Pets, Fish and Fishing, pet stores;
• 1975: High Town Pets, Fish and Fishing, pet stores;
• 2011: vacant.