62 – 69 Burleigh Street, Co-operative Society’s Stores

History of 69 Burleigh Street

1868

In the words of Enid Porter: “It was in February 1868 that the first meeting of the Cambridge provident Industrial Society was held, largely through the enthusiasm of a group of the many shoemakers who earned a living in Cambridge at that time, making hand-sewn boots for undergraduates. the meeting was held at no.2 City Road, the home of Charles Nightingale, bootmaker, and in June of that year a president, committee, auditors and trustees were formally elected. By December, 33 people had taken £1 shares in the society. This number increased to 50 early in 1869, when co-operative trading began in a room rented at no.8 City Road.”

In the first year sales totalled more than £1,000 and business grew so quickly that in 1871 no. 11 Fitzroy Street, next to the former Eden Baptist Chapel, was taken as a store and the society joined the Co-operative Wholesale Society.

In 1882 the society made its first move into Burleigh Street by buying the John Barleycorn.

1881

(65)

Charles Allen, 38, umbrella and caneworks manager, b Cambridge

Ann, 37, b Suffolk

1886

File of Cambridge Charity Organisation Society on Annie Allen of  65 Burleigh Street

1886

Home of Florence Cecile Jane Smith (1870-1945), born at 15 Clarendon Street.

1898

The Co-operative Society acquired stores and an assembly room at numbers 62-68 where a row of small shops had been.

1913 (62-69)

Co-operative Society’s Stores, W T Charter, secretary

1936, Blue Book

Co-operative Store, Burleigh Street c.1978

During the building of the Grand Arcade in the 2010s John Lewis relocated there temporarily.

In 2025 the building is occupied by Primark.