9 High Town Road Luton

9 High Town Road June 2011

9 High Town Road has had a number of different uses. At the time of writing [2011] the property 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. The valuer visiting 9 High Town Road [DV1/R59/9] found it owned by Frederick J. Redrup and occupied by his firm, Redrup and Starkings Limited. The firm also ran a hardware business at 1 High Town Road and a bakery at 17 High Town Road. Redrup charged the firm £60 per annum in rent for the whole premises.

9 High Town Road was a grocery. A cellar measured 13 feet by 25 feet. The ground floor contained two shop areas measuring 14 feet by 15 feet and 12 feet 6 inches by 10 feet respectively. A five stall stables lay outside as did a cart shed measuring 26 feet by 13 feet. The stables are shown as measuring 17 feet by 15 feet though this seems rather small. The valuer has not recorded any rooms on the first floor and it may be that the 17 feet by 15 feet measurement applies to a room there. Another room, again it is not stated where, measured 11 feet by 13 feet. A loft measured 17 feet by 15 feet.

Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service has a Borough of Luton Public Health Department Shops Act 1934 Section 10 inspection book [BorL/EH/14/1]. This book reveals that on 7th October 1937 the premises was heated by a single electric radiator. A staff used the toilet and urinal in the café which stood over the hardware department. Natural lighting was very good but electric lighting was also provided. The shop closed for staff dinners.

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 but it looks as if there was a renumbering of properties on the odd side of the road between 1890 and 1894.

• 1894: Samuel Cripps, baker;
• 1898: Frederick Jabez Redrup, baker;
• 1903: Frederick Jabez Redrup, baker;
• 1914: Mrs. Annie Dowson, milliner;
• 1920: Mrs. Ada Rayner, milliner;
• 1924: Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers;
• 1928: Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers;
• 1931: Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers;
• 1936: Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers;
• 1939: Redrup & Starkings Limited;
• 1940: Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers;
• 1950: Redrup & Starkings Limited;
• 1960: 9 - Redrup & Starkings Limited, grocers; 9a – Sidney Wills;
• 1965: 9 - Snowwis, bakers; 9a – Sidney Wills;
• 1968: Hire Technicians Company, plant hire; 9a – Sydney Wills;
• 1972: Hire Technicians Company, electric tool and plant hire; sale – hire – repairs – spare parts – accessories; 9a – Sidney Wills;
• 1974: 9 – Hire Technicians Company, plant hire; 9a – Sydney H. Wills;
• 1975: 9 – Hire Technicians Company, plant hire; 9a – Sydney H. Wills;
• 2011: vacant.