Town Hall Shops, 5 to 23 High Street West.

As was mentioned in the articles on Bank Buildings, the 1871 census is the first which lists the property numbers for High Street West but we were able to use census and trade directory evidence to establish occupancy of some shops from as early as 1841.
The shops between the High Street West/Victoria Street junction and the Town Hall, plus number 13 on the western side of the Town Hall were built first (by about 1844), with numbers 15 to 23 following on later. A plan included in the conveyance for the railway station, dated December 1848, shows some building to the west of the Town Hall but the western corner properties are not on the plan. The book "Glossop, A Sketch from the Earliest Times" tells us that, in 1838, number 5 was built by Thomas Collier, Benjamin Greaves (a Blacksmith) built number 7, John Hampson built numbers 9 & 11 and James Hurst built number 13.

5 High Street West (Victoria House).

The 1841 census lists Thomas Collier as a shopkeeper in Howard's Town. The 1851 census and directories published between 1842 and 1857 describe him variously as a Grocer, Tea Dealer and Coffee Roaster. It is in the Post Office Directory of 1855 that the shop is first named as Victoria House, High Street. Thomas Collier's younger son was the famous artist (also named Thomas). See The Collier family of Howardtown for more information about the family.

Thomas Collier died on 1 July 1859, by which time the business had been taken over by his elder son, Charles. The fact that Charles had taken an advertisement in the first edition of the Glossop Record (published 2 July 1859) indicates that he was already running the shop. Charles added corn milling and the sale of wines and spirits to his range (as well as running another shop in Station Road in Hadfield). Kelly's Directory of 1881 described Charles Collier as a Grocer & Corn dealer and agent for W & A Gilbey Wine & spirit merchants.

Charles Collier advert 31 December 1859.

At some time before Charles Collier died (16 March 1885) the shop had ceased to be a grocery. William Swire moved his drapery business round the corner from 2 Victoria Street, though he still kept on the agency for W & A Gilbey.

William Swire advert from the 1901 Whitfield Church bazaar programme.

William Swire advert from the 1904 Sketch of Glossop.

William Swire died on 23 December 1901 and the business became a second outlet for Thomas P Hunter. It is listed in Kelly's Directories of 1908 and 1912 as Hunter & Sons, Hosiers. It then reverted to being a grocery. An advertisement of 21 March 1913 notes that Melia's Stores "has been removed to Victoria House, No 5 High Street, Glossop". The shop was under the proprietorship of William Ernest Steels in the directories of 1925 and 1928. Mr Steels' advertisement in the Mount Pleasant Bazaar programme of 1926 described his establishment as “Ye Olde Tea Shoppe”. Mr Steels was not there over long because Kelly's Directory of 1932 shows the shop being occupied by The Urban Electric Supply Company Ltd, Electrical engineers. That business was acquired by the Stalybridge, Hyde, Mossley & Duckinfield Transport & Electricity Board, under which name it is listed in Kelly's directory of 1941. The shop continued to be an electricity showroom, being renamed North Western Electricity Board and Norweb as the name of the undertaking changed.

Urban Electric Supply Company.

By 1994 number 5 had become a charity shop run by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, changing its name to Cancer Research UK in 2002 when that body was formed.

7 High Street West.

The first occupier of the shop, in 1840, was Thomas Peacock Wreaks, who was described in the 1841 census as a Druggist of Howard's Town. By the time of the Post Office Directory of 1855 he had also become agent to the Liverpool & London fire & life office. Thomas Wreaks died on 24 May 1869. It was during his time that the Ducal Warrant is thought to have been first placed above the shop doorway.

Following the death of Mr Wreaks, the business was taken over by Robert Proctor, who ran it until 1897. He was variously described in censuses and directories as a chemist, druggist, drysalter and seedsman.

The next chemist at number 7 was the splendidly named William John Arthur Wellesley Grace Moran. At least that is the name he was baptised with, the civil registration index says simply William John Grace Moran - which was the name he was known by through his relatively short life. He died, aged only 44, on 31 August 1912. Number 7 was William Moran's second shop as he already ran another chemist's at 15 Station Road in Hadfield.

William Moran advert from the 1901 Whitfield Church bazaar programme.

William Moran advert from the 1904 Sketch of Glossop.

After William Moran there started a period of 96 years of the shop being run by three generations of the same family - Finlay McKinlay, his daughter & son in law Edith and Noel Oliver and his granddaughter Fay Hartley (author of the book A Glossop Apothecary which tells the story of the shop) – before being sold to Cohen's Chemist Group in 2006.

Number 7 trading under the name of Finlay McKinley.

Cohen's stayed only a few years before moving up the road to 77 High Street East. The shop was then empty for a while before being occupied by a branch of William Hill, Bookmaker, in 2014. That business also lasted only a few years before the shop once again became a chemist's. After another period of the shop being vacant, Well Pharmacy moved from Norfolk Street when the Co-op was replaced by B&M towards the end of 2018.

9 & 11 High Street West (The Bee Hive).

In an 1882 advertisement, Thomas Pearson Hunter claimed that his business was the “Oldest Family Mourning, House Furnishing and General Drapery Business in Glossop” and that it had been established in 1834 – but where the business traded from and who ran it at that time is not recorded.

T P Hunter advert from Hadfield Wesleyan Bazaar programme 1882.

Numbers 9 & 11 were built in 1838 by John Hampson and he, with his brother Joseph, is identified as a Grocer in the 1841 census and Pigot's Directory of 1842. The following two censuses and further directory records (up to1862) list John alone. Whether they ran the two shops as one at first is not recorded but we know from the 1851 census that John Atkinson was a draper at number 11. That he had been there for some time is indicated by the fact that he is also recorded in Slater's directory of 1850. The latest directory entry we have for John Atkinson (as a Linen & Wool Draper) is in White's Directory of 1862 but it is likely that he remained in business for the majority of that decade as the next occupants of number 11 (Potts Brothers) opened their drapery business on 18 November 1870, describing the shop as “the original Bee Hive”.

T P Hunter advert from 6 February1869.

Potts Brothers advert from 31 December 1870.

By that time both shops were being used as drapery businesses because Thomas Pearson Hunter had taken over the number 9 during the 1860s. The first record we have is from 6 February 1869 when Hunter advertised that he sold Wheeler & Wilson's World-renowned Sewing Machines from “The Bee Hive, Town Hall Buildings”.

Potts Brothers remained at number 11 (as Drapers, Silk mercers & Hosiers) until the 1880s, the last record we have of them being the entry for John in the 1881 census. It was then the turn of number 11 to become a grocer's shop when it was taken over by Daniel Melia & Co, Grocers & Tea Dealers. Melia advertised in the programme for the bazaar at Mount Pleasant Church in February 1911 but then seems to have sold up shortly afterwards as the 1911 census (taken on 2 April) records William Ernest Steels as being in occupation. The shop still had Melia's sign on 22 June 1911, when the Town Hall was decorated for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary and Kelly's Directory of 1912 still listed Daniel Melia & Co Lim, Wine & spirit merchants, at number 11, as did an advertisement published on 3 January 1913.

Melia's advert from Mount Pleasant Bazaar programme 1911.

It then appears that Hunter and Steels swapped premises. Lack of available records means that we can't say exactly when but Kelly's Directory of 1925 lists Thomas Pearson Hunter, Hosier, at both numbers 9 & 11 (as we saw above, Steels was in business at number 5 by then). Thomas Pearson Hunter died in June 1925 but the business was carried on in his name (possibly by his sons) until 1932.

Numbers 9 & 11 were then taken over by F W Woolworth & Co, the shop opening on 29 October 1932 and being listed in directories subsequently simply as Bazaar, High Street West. The Woolworths store closed on 30 December 2008 when the company failed. It was empty for a few months but opened again as Cooltrader (frozen food retailer) on 18 June 2009. The shop was rebranded as Heron Foods when that company bought Cooltrader from Iceland in September 2012.

Town Hall Arcade.

The original plan for the Town Hall envisaged an open arcade in which an informal, weekly market could be held. The need for that space was removed by the construction of the Market Hall at the rear of the Town Hall and permanent shops were eventually built into the frontage.

The 1841 census lists James Coe, a Hatter, and Matthew Holroyd, a Brush Maker, after the entry for John & Joseph Hampson but it is not clear whether they were using shops in the arcade. The first two shopkeepers in the arcade who we have definite records of are Albert Barber, a Watch & Clock Maker and Richard Rodgers, a Working Cutler & Tobacconist who lived at 25 Milltown - they are listed in Morris's Directory of 1878. The directory gives no indication of which shop unit each occupied. Only Albert Barber (by that time a Watchmaker and Dentist) is listed in Kelly's Directory of 1881, Richard Rodgers having moved up to High Street East. Barber must have lived in the shop as he is listed in the 1881 census.

Things had changed somewhat by 1888 when the shop units were occupied by Geo. Eversden, Hatter, and the Consumers' Tea Co. (Ollerenshaw & Co. proprietors), Grocers & Tea dealers. We know, from photographic evidence, which business occupied which unit. Both businesses remained in place for several years though George Ollerenshaw (later a councillor and donor of Whitfield recreation ground and library) changed the name of his business to Hunters The Tea Men in 1897 (despite that the Consumers' Tea Co sign stayed in place for some years). Eversden was still there in 1904 as he advertised in the publication A Sketch Of Glossop.

Eversden's shop at the Town Hall entrance.

This rare photograph shows the Consumers' Tea Co. It must be from the early 1890s as it also shows Josiah Tyler as in business at number 15.

By the time of Kelly's Directory of 1908 both shops had changed hands, being run by Mrs Martha Kennington (later Kennington & Son), Hosier & tobacconist, and Maypole Dairy Co Ltd, Dairymen (which had moved there by 1906, see below). Both were to be long standing tenants, lasting until the arcade was redeveloped at the end of the 1960s.

Maypole Dairys shop at the Town Hall entrance. The poster to the right of the shop boy is advertising the council elections on 1 November 1906.

The Town Hall decorated for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary on 22 June 1911.

13 High Street West.

James Hurst (who is listed as a Draper in the 1841 census) reputedly built number 13, starting in 1838. By 1850 though (Slater's Directory) Levi Pennington was in business there as a Pawnbroker. He was there until the late 1870s, the last listing we have for him being in the Post Office Directory of 1876. Morris's Directory of 1878 lists the business as having been taken over by Joseph Buckley, described as a Pawnbroker, Silversmith & Jeweller. When he died, on 3 June 1894, he was succeeded by his son, James Henry Buckley. James is shown in subsequent census records and directories up to Kelly's Directory of 1912 but by the time the 1925 directory was published he had moved his business to 38 High Street East.

James Buckley's advertisement in the Whitfield Church bazaar programme 1901.

There are no entries for number 13 in the directories of 1925, 1928 or 1932 but in Kelly's Directory of 1936 it is listed as a branch of Glossop & District Co-operative Society Ltd, which used the shop for its Boot & Shoe department. It has not been possible to establish exactly when the shop next changed hands but we know from the photograph below that number 13 was occupied by Wiseway Cleaners by the mid 1960s.


By 1994 it was Hornby Bros., Glossop's Decorating Centre; in 2004 Thornton's confectioners; in 2007 a branch of Ladbrokes bookmakers and subsequently Betfred bookmakers.

15 High Street West (The Mart and Bon Marche).

The first record we have for number 15 is in Slater's Directory of 1850, which lists Charles Wood as a Grocer & Corn dealer. He is also recorded in the 1851 census and subsequent directories but the 1861 census and White's Directory of 1862 lists Thomas Robinson as running the grocery business.

The 1871 census records William Hurst as a General dealer at number 15. He was described in Morris's Directory of 1878 as a General dealer, Furniture dealer & broker. The shop was then occupied by George Robinson, a Draper, who is shown by the 1881 census to have been born in Market Rasen. Intriguingly, an advertisement placed by George Robinson in the Hadfield Wesleyan Church bazaar programme, in January 1882, mentions both The Mart and The Old Shop at the east end of the Town Hall. It is not known which premises were “The Old Shop”.

George Robinson's advertisement of January 1882.

Kelly's Directory of 1888 also lists George Robinson at number 15 but that of 1891 does not mention the property and there is no entry in the 1891 census so, presumably, it was empty. The next information we have comes from 1895 directories but is conflicting. Bulmer's Directory lists Josiah Tyler, Boot & shoe factor (Richard Brown manager) and Kelly's Directory lists Walter Shreeve, Butcher. We also have advertisements by Walter Shreeve from 5 July and 27 December 1895. We know, from the photograph showing the Consumers' Tea Co above, that Tyler was there long enough to have a sign board painted. It is likely, therefore, that he took the shop after the 1891 census but that the research for Bulmer's directory was done before he sold the shop to Shreeve in 1895.

Walter Shreeve's advertisement of 5 July 1895.

By the time Kelly's Directory was published in 1889, Walter Shreeve had swapped shops with Thomas Hadfield, Draper & Outfitter. This was the time when The Mart became Bon Marche. Thomas was one of the most famous Glossop traders, having founded his business at 29 High Street West in 1864, and it was there that Walter Shreeve was shown as being in business in the 1889 Directory. In addition to selling clothes (and other goods as shown in his advertisements below), Thomas Hadfield manufactured shirts and other clothing – he was a pioneer of mass production in an era of hand made clothing - and it was his “rumbustious” advertising of them which earned him the nickname “Shirty Hadfield”. Thomas Hadfield died at the age of 79 in September 1912 but his family maintained the business – still always knows as “Shirty's” for another 41 years, finally closing in September 1953.

Thomas Hadfield's advertisement in A Sketch of Glossop 1904.

Thomas Hadfield's advertisement in Mount Pleasant bazaar programme 1926.

That was the end of number 15 as a locally owned shop because it then became a branch of the national chain, Curry's – at that time still a major retailer of bicycles. The chain was already selling toys, radios &c but it was not until the 1960s that the emphasis changed to televisions and white goods.

Following the decision of Dixons (which had bought Curry's in 1984) to move out of town centre shops, number 15 became a branch of the Birthdays greeting card company and, subsequently, Card Factory.

17 High Street West (The Exchange).

Joseph Hawksworth, Ironmonger, is listed as the occupant of number 17 in Slater's Directory of 1850 and the 1851 census but how long he stayed is not known as there are no entries for the shop in either the Post Office Directory of 1855 or White's Directory of 1857. We know exactly when George Woffenden, Linen & Woolen Draper, was in business at number 17, though, because he advertised both this move there (from Bernard Street) and leaving the premises. He opened the business on 28 April 1860 and left in 1871. The 1871 census indicates that Ruth Woffenden (George's sister) was running the business for him at that time; George is listed (with his family) as a draper at Westgate in Dewsbury.

George Woffenden's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 21 April 1860.

George Woffenden's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 28 January 1871.

On 16 December 1871 Mrs Thomas Higginbottom advertised that she had succeeded to the business and that it would be managed by her son, John Samuel Higginbottom who had been working for George Woffenden for 6 years. The business, which the Higginbottoms named The Exchange, was also to be expanded to include millinery, run by one of Mrs Higginbottom's daughters. Thus started another long running association of a single family with Town Hall Buildings, lasting as The Exchange for over 100 years before Boots extended into number 17.

Mrs Higginbottom's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 6 December 1871.

19 High Street West.

Slater's Directory of 1850 and the 1851 census both list George Platt, Butcher, as the occupant of number 19. Ten years later, in the 1861 census and White's Directory of 1862, William Tomlinson is listed as Chemist & Postmaster. It would appear that Tomlinson had moved in at least a couple of years previously as John Hall's advertisement in the first edition of the Glossop Record (2 July 1859) said he was located “Next door to the post office”. Both the Post Office Directory of 1855 and White's Directory of 1857 list both George Platt, Butcher, and William Tomlinson, Chemist, as being in business simply in High Street, without giving definite identification of the premises occupied.

The next tenant, Crosby Leighton, seems to have had an eventful life. A native of Liverpool, where he became a grocer, he was declared bankrupt on 26 May 1854. He moved to London but by 1864 he was in Glossop where he was employed by Thomas Handford at his grocery business at 1 Norfolk Square. Just after moving to 23 High Street West, Thomas Handford advertised (17 November 1866) that Crosby Leighton had left his employ and then we find (1 December 1866) that Crosby Leighton was opening his own business on the other side of Market Street at London House (25 High Street West). He was soon on the move because he advertised on 25 April 1868 that he was in business “Next door to Mr George Woffenden's” (the previous week he was still advertising his premises as the corner of High Street and Market Street). Leighton didn't last long because an advertisement in the London Gazette of 16 October 1868 gave notice of his bankruptcy and the shop was advertised for sale on 21 November 1868.

Thomas Handford's advertisement of 17 November 1866.

Crosby Leighton's advertisement of 1 December 1866.

Crosby Leighton's advertisement of 25 April 1868.

By the time of the 1871 census the post office had moved to Norfolk Square and it appears as though number 19 was being used as a private residence because it is recorded as being occupied by Hugh Higginbottom, Cotton Dresser, and his family (no indication of any relationship to the family of Mrs Thomas Higginbottom). The property is not mentioned in the Post Office Directory of 1876 although it does mention a Jas. Kelly, Tailor & Draper in High Street West and Morris's Directory of 1878 lists number 19 as being occupied by James Kelly, Tailor, Woollen Draper and General Outfitter. The same entry as 1876 is found for Jas. Kelly in Kelly's Directories of 1881 and 1888.

An article in the Glossopdale Chronicle dated 6 August 1887 reported that number 19, described as "now in the occupation of of Mr James Kelly, collier (sic) etc." was auctioned and eventually sold to for £920 to Mr Sheppard, farmer, of the Ashes, Glossop. The premises were leasehold for a term of 99 years from the 29th of September 1838 subject only to the payment of 2s 6d. per annum (without chief rent) and the reporter believed that the last owner gave £1,300 for it.

Neither Kelly's Directory of 1891 nor the 1891 census contains an entry for number 19. Perhaps James Sheppard was using the premises for storage for the furniture removal business which the directory lists him as running along with the farm at Ashes.

The next definite mention of number 19 is the entry for Boots Ltd, Chemists, in the Trades Directory of 1903, the company being listed merely as trading in High Street West in Kelly's Directories of 1899 and 1900. There is a somewhat strange entry in Kelly's Directory of 1895, which lists the occupant as James Percival Boote, Manager of Manchester & County Bank. One has to wonder whether this was an error and that Boots were already trading from the premises. Boots is still in the premises to this day, having also expanded into number 17 as noted above.

21 High Street West.

The 1851 census records 21 High Street West as being occupied by Elias Loyd (sic), a retired carpenter, his daughters Elizabeth & Eliza and a granddaughter, Betty. Slater's Directory of 1850 lists Elizabeth & Eliza Lloyd as Milliners & Dressmakers in Howard's Town.

The property had changed hands by the time the Post Office Directory of 1855 was published; it listed John Hall, Tailor & Draper, as the occupant. As with some of his neighbours, this was the start of a long occupation of the shop as John Hall and his descendants were in business at number 21 until it was taken over by Montague Burton (The Tailors of Taste) in the early 1930s. A report in the Chronicle's Watchman column of 10 October 1958 mentions that there was comment (not criticism) at the expensive reconstruction of the frontage of number 21 by Burtons, especially when it was remembered that the late Mr Hall was one of Lord Howard's tailors.

John Hall's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 2 July 1859.

Burtons, of course, moved out to take over the site of The Corner Shop in 1938. We have no records of who occupied the shop for some years afterwards, the next definite mention found being an advertisement for Peak Radio & Relay Services on 12 October 1951. The shop had the same sort of use for several years, eventually becoming a branch of Granada TV Rental (which changed to Box Clever) before becoming a Marie Curie charity shop then, in 2013, a branch of Hallmark Card Cabin before that, too, closed.

23 High Street West.

Being on the corner, number 23 is identified in some records as number 1 Market Street, or simply Market Street. The first owner of the shop premises was Edward Sykes, a Grocer, who appears in Slater's Directory of 1850 and in the 1851 census but the upstairs offices were used by Thomas Ellison, Agent to the Duke of Norfolk. In White's Directory of 1862 Edward Sykes is recorded as being a Grocer in High Street and having a Beerhouse in Market Street.

Thomas Handford's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 29 September 1866.

Charles Gladish's advertisement in the Glossop Record, 2 May 1868.

The latter half of the 1860s saw the business change ownership three times. On 29 September 1866, Thomas Handford advertised that he was moving from 1 Norfolk Square on 6 October and on 2 May 1868 a further advertisement announced that Charles Gladish was taking over from Handford. Gladish did not last longer either for on 22 October 1870 Edward Sykes (who had obviously not actually sold the shop) advertised the shop to let. The following week, Gladish's fixtures were advertised for auction.


In the event, Edward Sykes decided to open up again himself. The 1871 census shows number 23 as a Lock up shop with Edward Sykes listed as a Commission Agent at 1 Market Street. According to the Post Office Directory of 1876 he was still in business as a Grocer & Tallow Chandler at number 23 but Mark Bradbury was listed as a Beer Retailer & collector of rents at Market Street.

Two years later Mark Bradbury was still a Beer Retailer at 1 Market Street but there appears to have been two businesses operating out of number 23. According to Morris's Directory of 1878, Moses Lowe was a Boot & shoe maker and William Henry Stafford was a grocer & tea dealer.

Kelly's Directory of 1881 showed number 23 as the Yorkshire Boot Co (Edward Cooper manager) with Thomas Bramhall having taken over as a Beer retailer at Market Street. Thomas is recorded in the 1881 census as a Publican at 1 Market Street (Market Vaults). Thomas Bramhall would stay for several years, using number 23 for a confectionery business whilst continuing to run the Market Vaults.

The next change came in the late 1890s, John Green Hudson being first recorded in Kelly's Directory of 1899 as having taken over both businesses before they went to Benjamin Goddard (who advertised in the Sketch of Glossop in 1904). The lease was taken over by Groves & Whitnall, Brewers of Salford, in 1906, their first manager being Walter Carr (recorded in Kelly's Directory of 1908 and the 1911 census).

Benjamin Goddard's advertisement in A Sketch of Glossop 1904.

John Hyde Hadfield's advertisement in the Whitfield Church bazaar programme 1928.

The business was run by a father and son, both named John Hyde Hadfield, for about 25 years. John Hyde Hadfield senior became manager in 1917 and under his management the confectionery business was converted into refreshment/dining rooms. He retired in 1935 and handed over to his son, John Hyde Hadfield junior, who stayed until he joined the RAF in 1942. By that time (listing in Kelly's Directory 1941) 23 High Street & 1 Market Street had been combined as the Market Vaults P.H. (Groves & Whitnall). See The family of John Hyde Hadfield for more information about the family.

The pub was renamed the Newmarket Hotel in 1952 but closed in 1984 when the building became a branch of Dewhurst butchers. They were succeeded by Ritz Video Rental and then by Dollond & Aitchison opticians (subsequently taken over by Boots opticians).

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Last updated: 16 January 2021