No.89-95 High Street

Shop History

Notes

• The history of York Buildings is closely tied-in with the palaces of King James I and Charles I, and it was originally the site of the Prince's Lodging House - further details about this can be found on the page for the palace.
  
  York buildings was built in 1832 (there's a plaque on the front wall stating this). As can be seen in the history list above over the years the internal make-up of the building has changed. The assumption in the numbering scheme shown above is that No.89 is the rear entrance and what was the house above the shop(s).
  
  The ordnance survey map of 1886 clearly shows that the building was subdivided into three sections and the numbering scheme above assumes that as you move along the High Street from left to right that No.91 is adjacent to Kingston Passage, No.93 is the central section and No.95 is that closest to the Jockey Club.
  
  If anyone can confirm or further explain this numbering scheme please E-MAIL me.
  

• William Vince

• William Vince was the son of William and Pheobe Vince, born in Little Thurlow in 1821 and baptised there on 29th April 1821. His wife was Annie Marie Ward. The first record of him as a draper in York Buildings is in 1851, in both Gardner's Directory and on the census. As the history above shows he wasn't the only occupant in York Buildings, but he did outstay most of his co-occupiers.
  
  His time as a draper could have come to an early end; as on 17th March 1868 he was declared bankrupt, but circumstances must have changed fairly rapidly as the bankruptcy was discharged on 29th June 1868. William was still listed here in the Post Office Directory in 1879, his last record here, by then he'd been joined by a better known draper at this address - Henry Bullman.
  
  
  
  

• Henry Bullman & Harpers Music Saloon

• Henry was born in Mildenhall in 1849 and he married Jane Bates at Luton St. Mary on 4th September 1879.
  
  Henry's presence in York Buildings is fairly well known; as he created what was called Henry Bullman's Drapery Emporium. He stayed here until his death in 1914, though in 1901 he was living at the Grove in Falmouth Avenue, but was back here in the High Street by the 1911 census.
  
  By 1904 he'd been joined by another well known Newmarket business - Harper & Co., piano warehouse. It's known that they occupied the right hand unit - No.95. Harper's eventually moved to their even better known location at No.16 High Street, though it's not when this happened.
  
  

• Ashfords

• Manning Ashford had been a competitor draper to Henry Bullman at No.72 High Street, on the corner of Market Street. Following his death on 4th January 1911 the business was taken over by his son Walter Ernest Ashford.
  
  Walter married Dulcie Balls in Mutford in 1914.
  By Kelly's Directory of 1916 Walter had started his own drapery shop in York Buildings, alongside butcher Frederick Winton-Smith and Harper's Music Saloon. This trio of shops stayed here until at least after 1936, until eventually Ashfords took over the whole of York Buildings and their name became synonymous with the building.
  
  It can be seen by the public announcement below that following Manning's death originally his drapery business had continued as a family partnership, but on 20th February 1918 this was dissolved and Walter took over as sole owner.
  
  
  
  Walter died in Dec 1971 in Newmarket. Walter's son David Manning Ashford (born 22nd December 1921), continued the business until his death in March 1991.
  
  

• Palmers Department Store

• Palmers to close Newmarket store - 28th March 2007
  http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/news/latest-news/palmers-to-close-newmarket-store-1-544197
  
  

• Hughes Electrical

• Hughes now open for business - 10th October 2007
  http://www.newmarketjournal.co.uk/news/latest-news/hughes-now-open-for-business-1-545328
  
  

• English Heritage Listed Building Details:-
  http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-275678-ashfords-york-buildings-newmarket-suffol
  
  

Ashfords (York Buildings), Newmarket Grade:II Date Listed: 26 June 1984 English Heritage Building ID: 275678




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• Building Changes

• Suffolk Record Office, Bury St Edmunds Branch
  Newmarket Urban District Council Records
  Reference EF 506 
• Shop front, High St, for Henry Bullman (H.W. Roberts) EF 506/6/1/2/56 May 1891
• Substitution of pavement lights, and removal of old steps, York House, for H. Bullman (H.W. Roberts) EF 506/6/1/2/63 Jun 1897
• Alterations to rear of shop, High St, for H. Bullman (H.W. Roberts) EF 506/6/1/2/76 Oct 1897
• Alterations, York Buildings, High St, for executors of H. Golding EF 506/6/1/16/540 Dec 1919
• Bay window, York Buildings, All Saints' Passage, Off High St, for the executors of H. Golding EF 506/6/1/18/604 Mar 1922
  
  
• Reference F/87/773/LB
  Application Received Fri 09 Oct 1987
  Address Ashfords 89 95 High Street Newmarket Suffolk
  Proposal New shopfront and illuminated projecting and fascia signs as amended by letter and drawings received 10/11/87
  
  
• Reference F/93/050
  Application Received Fri 19 Feb 1993
  Address Former Ashfords Department Store 89 95 High Street Newmarket Suffolk
  Proposal Alterations to shopfront and fascia as amended by plans received 13/04/93
  
  
• Reference F/2008/0550/FUL
  Application Received Wed 30 Jul 2008
  Address 91 - 95 High Street Newmarket
  Proposal Conversion of building above existing shop to 8 no. flats and erection of a three storey rear extension, following demolition of existing two storey building
  Status Refuse
  
  
• Reference F/2009/0645/FUL
  Application Received Mon 09 Nov 2009
  Address 91-95 High Street Newmarket
  Proposal Resubmission of F/2008/0550/FUL - conversion of building above existing shop to 5 flats, including erection of a three storey rear extension (demolition of existing two storey extension)
  
  
• Reference F/2012/0597/EOT
  Application Received Fri 28 Sep 2012
  Address 91-95 High Street Newmarket
  Proposal Extension of time limit for application F/2009/0645/FUL - Resubmission of F/2008/0550/FUL - conversion of building above existing shop to 5 flats, including erection of a three storey rear extension (demolition of existing two storey extension)
  Status Application Withdrawn
  
  
• Reference DC/13/0103/FUL
  Application Received Mon 19 Aug 2013
  Address 89-95 High Street Newmarket Suffolk CB8 8JN
  Proposal Erection of rear extension to house new staircase from ground to first floor level (Development affecting the setting of a Listed Building)
  
  

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• Photo Ashfords c.1985 by kind permission of the Newmarket Journal and the Newmarket Memories Facebook page.
  
  
• Many thanks to 'Old Newmarket' for the photo Ashfords c.1900