Tuesday 4 August 2015

No. 2 Market Place, Hitchin, Hertfordshire

No. 2 Market Place, is a beautiful listed building, that is now (2015) the residence of Toni & Guys Hairdresser.  It’s said that upstairs in one of the rooms there is Tudor Rose on the wall about the fireplace.   A lovely picture of the building as it is today can be found HERE

It has a long history, and in 1851 it was the home of George Beaver, a retired basket maker and his family. 

In 1859 alterations took place for a new post office (the post office had previously been in Bucklersbury.)     The post office remained in the Market Place, until it was moved to Brand Street.
Photo from Hitchin Past and Present by Pat Gadd

The first postmaster was John Beaver, who stayed in his post for forty years.  He also ran a grocery shop on the same premises.  John would watch the Salvation Army Band playing in the Market Place, and when the band asked the crowd for a penny to play another tune, he would throw enough money on the drum to make the band start over again.

From 1908 – 2002 the building was Briggs & Co, later Peter Briggs (book maker, later a shoe shop – which I remember very well.)