Emporium
Look up in Evesham High Street and you see this extraordinary bit of late-19th century facade above a modern shop front. Four very large plate-glass windows separated by columns in cast iron, surmounted by an ornate cornice emblazoned with the building’s name – Anchor House – and a balustrade, complete with urn finials and ornate decorations with palmetto leaves and scrolls that derive from ancient originals known as acroteria. As so often with the buildings I single out for comment, we’re not in the realm of great architecture here. The columns between the big windows are almost laughably slender; the lettering of the name is rather workaday; and as for the modern shopfront, I’ll restrain myself and not comment.
And yet it’s a striking frontage. It must originally have been quite an impressive shop. Quite a few late-19th century emporia had upper showrooms with big windows, letting in lots of light and even, should the objects on sale be large, the opportunity for a display that could be seen from the street. Dealers in furniture, for example, could take advantage of that kind of display, and late-Victorian department stores (which had commonly evolved from businesses such as drapers) often had lots of glass at the front, to light the deep interior and shed the best light on the goods within. Now, alas, the panes are blank and the upper floor, presumably, is given over to storage. But Anchor House still makes its mark.
One of my readers, whose family comes from the Evesham area, notes that this building once belonged to a department store called Hamilton and Bell, which also occupied several of the adjoining buildings. This snippet of information is an example of the kind of thing that makes blogging worthwhile – I give me readers a little information and the pay me back in kind. My hunch that this could have been a department store is confirmed. I'm most grateful and have included the information here because not everyone reads the comments pages of blogs.
10 comments:
O yes it was giveing such a grand picture from you discription then you what it likes now and everything evaporated. I see places like that and find it very sad.
My family come from Evesham and the surrounds and the building used to be a large department store called Hamilton & Bells. At one point it took up about 5 of the neighbouring buildings also! I have seen some old photographs and it was quite impressive with its original shop frontage.
Bill: Yes, it's a shame when things go downhill. But at least something has survived.
Matthew: Thanks so much for that information. That's really interesting.
Evesham is a great little place!
It was a big department store, had a cafe at the top also a cigarette shop.
Hello my father was the manager until 1973,or so Joseph brown,brought in from Debenhams bournemoth in 1964 or so to update and improve these stores,including Witney branch.
Sorry as he has now passed away and I was very young I cannot be sure of the dates.
Nicholas j Brown
Coming late into this thread! Have just found my grandmother on the 1921 census and she was 18 and a house maid at Anchor House, Evesham. She lived in and her employer was Charles Hamilton (single aged 54). He was born in London (105 Strand) and his occupation was 'Draper, Clothier and House Furnisher'. He had 9 people working for him (and living in) - 6 shop workers, a housekeeper, a parlourmaid and my grandmother.
Thank you so much for this comment, which I've only just seen. Fascinating to read about Charles Hamilton – and your grandmother. Living in was not unusual in large shops in the 19th and early-20th centruries.
It was where all Estée Lauder ladies trained before they went to work at larger and grander establishments such as Cavendish House
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