2, 4, 6, 8 (1 ) Fitzroy Street

History of 2 - 8 Fitzroy Street

1906

Fitzroy Street 1906: on right Frank Evans, on left Edward Bunnett (©MoC)

Postcard version of the above photograph – Fitzroy Street (MoC 378a/54)

Fitzroy Street c.1906

1913 (1)

Bert Sharpe, furniture dealer
Mrs J Davis, greengrocer
Frank Evans, tailor, hatter, hosier and glover
Freeman Hardy and Willis, boot manufacturers, W J Davis manager

1937

(2) Herbert Baker, tobacconist
(4) Fraser R Fawkes, refreshment rooms
(6) Franks Evans, tailor
(8) Freeman Hardy and Willis, boot and shoe makers

1956

Following a fire the stretch of shops up to Eden Street Backway (numbers 2 to 20) was demolished and rebuilt as numbers 2 to 14 with Fine Fare taking the largest, central, shop.

The row was named Reston House after Dr John Reston, master of Jesus College in the 16th Century. A plaque detailed how this came about and reads:

RESTON HOUSE
AD 1957
JOHN RESTON DD
MASTER OF JESUS COLLEGE
FROM 1546-1551 BEQUEATHED TO IT
LAND IN ALDERMANBURY IN THE CITY
OF LONDON. THIS LAND WAS SOLD IN
1956 & THE SUM RECEIVED WAS USED
IN THE ERECTION OF THIS BUILDING

Sign on wall of 14 Fitzroy Street (SJM 2026)

Following the new rebuild in 2003 it was mounted around the corner in Eden Street Backway. It’s not known if this was its original location.

1970

(2) Rossendale newsagents
(4) Hong King Garden Chinese restaurant
(6) Freeman Hardy and Willis, boot mkrs
(8) Fine Fare, grocers
(10) F W Woolworth & Co

2 – 10 Fitzroy Street, July 1970 (MoC 149/70)

2003

Reston House was demolished in 2003 and rebuilt as numbers 2 to 14 which opened in April 2005 with tenants Argos, The Pier, Professional Cookware, Baker’s Oven, Mr and Mrs Lodhia and O’Briens.

See the article in the Jesus College magazine at https://collegecollections.jesus.cam.ac.uk/index.php/image-48 for more information.