The 'original' use of the Chancellors office

Sat 1 Aug 2009, 20:37

Dont know John, only ever knew it at Market Street. Think in those days banks only opened 10am-3pm, what a change.

Sat 1 Aug 2009, 12:42

Ray
did the midland bank used to be in sheep st, before moving to market st.
i thought it was in the old rdc offices at one stage

Mon 27 Jul 2009, 21:34

I knew i'd forget one, there was the shop in Sheep St which was converted into two shops, Goodgames and Corbett TV which used to be the Chipping Norton RDC offices with Mr Bendell in charge who lived in Enstone Road

Mon 27 Jul 2009, 11:57

Ok then heres the shops i can remember,In Thames St:- The Talbot (sunday papers) Georges Shoe shop, F M Stevens grocerys, White Hart, Brice and Price Garage. Station Hill:-Sweet Shop, Jack Philips Undertakers, Dr Chapmans, Widows Garage. Market St.:-Brice and Price workshop, Dr Julers, Mrs Manners bakery, Post Office, Vick Brackenberrys clock shop and behind George Brackenberrys blacksmiths, Miss Vincent's, Midland Bank, Howse shoe shop, Fish and Chip shop, Morrisons garage, Chemist, Barclays Bank, Hairdressers, Longshaws grocery shop, Rose and Crown. Church St:-Brooks ironmonger, Chapman butcher, Barnards butcher, The Bell, Baileys grocers, Jeffs radio shop, Victory Hall war time cinema, Frank Kitchens ice cream shop, Town Hall Cinema, Marlborough Arms Pub. Sheep St:- The Bull, Mrs Lay's grocery, Cowleys newsagent, Prices bakery, Mrs Prices shoe shop, Wessex Elecricity shop, Balwins drapers, Mrs Marsh's sunday papers up lane by Baldwins, Keate's grocery shop. Hixet Wood:- Parsons garage, Hixet Wood grocery store. Probably missed some out but there was a busy town centre in those days.

Mon 27 Jul 2009, 06:28

Hello Pearl. David Walton (ex Nine Acres Lane) from Sydney Australia here to add a couple more pieces of nostalga!I used to work for one of the Butchers you mentioned. The name as I remember it was "Barnards". Amongst many other duties I delivered the meat around the town, polished the old brass weights,made sausages out the back and cleaned up the sawdust from the floor(which soaked up the blood from the chopped up meat!)
I also worked at the Chemist, which used to be next to the Bank, which in turn was next to Longshaws.I worked with Mary Longshaw and later Sonia Crawley. Again, I delivered around the Town,prescriptions and wine and spirits,condoms and cough medicine!! I used to hate going to Lord Blandfords place to deliver the Chateau Neuf de Pape, because the dogs would always chase me as I left!! I met Christina Onassis there a few times, naturally as a young girl! I always remember the dark rings under her eyes!
I had many a bottle of Tizer at "Manners" shop too, with Roger Bishop.
Those were the days Pearl!! Footloose and fancy free!!
I could tell you a few more things but I might get a few people into trouble!!! Including myself!!
Take care.

Those were the days Pearl.

Wed 8 Jul 2009, 19:31

i like to hear about the old charlbury my mum is always talking about different things in charlbury i remember the white heart mrs lays and the hardware shop. and my gramp and dad worked in the gardens which is opposite what was the marlbourgh arms but now has houses on it that upset my gramp when they buit on the gardens.

Wed 8 Jul 2009, 10:23

Oh dear my brain has been to active overnight and yet more shops have come to mind - Church Street Baileys wine and food, 2 Butchers opposite sides of road, you will probably still recall Chapmans. Market Street a Fish and Chip shop opposite the Chemist, Vincents toy shop now a book shop, Corner Sweet shop as you turn to go down to Station, Price and Brices Garage on opposite corner. We also had two Dr's one in Market Street Dr.Juler, and Dr.Chapman opposite Church Lane.There was also a shop down Thames Street.
I hope I can get some sleep tonight or wish i could just create a picture of how it used to be that would probably be more interesting

Tue 7 Jul 2009, 13:01

Sorry my first info.and missed the 'g' out should read Longshaws. Whilst I'm here I may as well mention 'Baldwins' clothes shop, 'VG' grocers.'Prices' shoe shop all in Sheep Street. Vic Brackenbury's Clock and Watch shop {his Mum was one of my Teachers at School).Market Street and of course there was The School which took up the whole length of the Playing Close where the private retirement homes are now built. There's still more ... just letting the new residents of Charlbury no what they have missed!

Tue 7 Jul 2009, 09:14

Hi there, I remember Lonshaws shop and many other shops and Pubs in Charlbury having lived here most of my life. Who recalls my parents shop down Market Street which was called 'Jeffs Bakery' where my Mum & Dad baked the most delicious bread and cakes you would be hard to find nowadays. The speciality was Lardy Cake which was a secret recipe and remains so. The shop nextdoor was the Post Office in those days and I remember as a child being called on to deliver Telegrams on my bicycle and I used to go places like Chilson, Spelsbury etc.and get paid a few pence.
We also had a Cinema in Charlbury at the bottom of Church Street which is now a residential buiding and the Cinema was situated at the back up a turning to the left.There were also more Pubs including the Rooks Nest, White Hart and Marlborugh Arms. The main Garage was 'Morrisons' opposite where the Post Office now is, an Iron mongers on the corner which is now Estate Agents, opposite was Mrs Lays Veg.flowers and Confectionery shop. Oh dear, there was so much more to Charlbury, they were the good old days. I forgot to mention the Railway Station with the DOUBLE track and steam trains.I must stop now or readers will be bored!

Tue 26 May 2009, 05:49

Mrs prices shoe shop was next to the good food shop going down sheep street at that time ,and mrs price lived in the adjoining house.

Tue 26 May 2009, 04:06

The original use off CHANCELLORS OFFICE.
MRS PRICE ( SHOE SHOP ) LATE 50 s 60 s

Mon 18 May 2009, 15:57

The problem for any retail business is that you are now not only competing with other larger businesses locally, but also the internet. For many small retail outlets the margins are just not there. I think a more realistic use is some service based enterprise.

Mon 18 May 2009, 12:33

In answer to Dave Wells' query as to what sort of shop would we like in charlbury, what do people think about a shop catering for campers, walkers, hikers and bikers? Now that Charlbury railstation is, hopefully, going to be even more popular, the bus services are running well, and that we are trying to encourage tourists to the area, a sort of mini-Milletts might be an idea? This might then impact favourably on other shops in the town, as visitors seek out food and drink and sandwiches.

Fri 8 May 2009, 12:06

There are photos in the Gallery of Longshaws.

Thu 7 May 2009, 23:15

Longshaws used to have a shop where chancellors is now ,they used to sell groceries and fruit and veg.The post office was where the ladies hairdressers is now for many years when i was a lad and thats fifty years ago.

Thu 7 May 2009, 22:54

Going back further through the old postcards, Chancellors was the 'Charlbury Post Office'.
Then going back even further a postcard postmarked '08 there is a different building where Chancellors is now, constructed of different building materials and having different window placement. There is no shop where chancellors is in this card.

Thu 7 May 2009, 22:37

Have been looking through some old postcards that we have of Charlbury and one postmarked 1969 shows Chancellors as a shop named 'ROSES'. There is another sign on the front of the shop but at the mo I can't read the writing, will have to find the magnifying glass!!

Thu 7 May 2009, 21:31

I appreciate that it is unlikely that Chancellors' offices will become a shop in the near future, but in the unlikely event that it does, what types of new shops would people like to see and what would we support ?

Tue 5 May 2009, 20:59

Would it be fair to give it chance to be used as a shop ,as it has been one since 1906 instead of changing it to residential .It will just be another nail in Charlbury coffin if its allowed to become a house ,not forgetting the residents above the shop who would have to vacate if it became a house.

Tue 5 May 2009, 14:43

In the current economic climate, it is hardly surprising that Chancellors want to be rid of the agency in Charlbury. As for it's future use, I think we need to accept the reality that Charlbury is unlikely to be able to support any new retail outlet either now or in the near future.
Question - would we rather see another obviously unoccupied commercial premises or an occupied residential one?

Tue 5 May 2009, 10:42

It was recorded at the Town Council last Wednesday that this premises had been a retail unit from at least 1906!

Mon 4 May 2009, 23:23

Jon ,that has been a shop since as long as i can remember and thats a long time .I will ask my wife as she was brought up in what is now browns lane ,so she was in the area whilst growing up and remembers better than me who ran the shop.

Mon 4 May 2009, 20:16

In their planning application (see the news item on this site), Chancellors argue that converting their building in Market Street into a single residence, from the present usage of office below and flat above, would restore the 'original' use of the building. Looking at its fascia board, it looks to me as if it was a shop before it was an office: what was it before it became an estate agency? How far back can people remember?