A historical record of shops and other businesses in Marlborough Street. Shops and businesses have flourished here for many generations and premises have changed ownership many times. Some have closed down permanently at some time and have subsequently been converted into private houses, especially those furthest from the town centre.
The photographs below were taken in the year 2000 by a group of local residents. Beneath each one is a simple historical list of known occupants up to the present time and the rough dates they were last known to be at the property. The number given for each property corresponds as accurately as possible to the postal address and is shown on the map.
Marlborough Street – odd numbers – heading south-west from the Corn Market:
#1. Post Office, built 1898 to replace Taylor’s (fishmonger) building; Bangkok Kitchen 2014
#1a. Caprinos Pizza 2017
#1b. Just Eat 2018#3. Bicester House. J.Carter & Son (grocery store) 1848
#5. Carters Café 1916-30; store/office 1983; wine dept 1987.
#3-5. Carter & Sons (supermarket) 1972-96; Budgens (supermarket) 1996-2018; Empty from 2018#7. Jack O’Newbry’s (dry cleaners) c1970; Part of Carters 1982 then Budgens 1996; Costa Coffee 2013#9. Meeting House built 1840; Congregational Church 1914; Roman Catholic Church 1974#11. The Manse for Congregational Church; South Bar Brokers (insurance) 1975-92+; Private House 2014#13. Sundridge House – private house#15. Critchleys; Poulton House – private house#17. Private House#19. Private House; Richmond House – Residential Flats 2014#21. Betterton House – Residential Flats 2014#23. Private House 1880’s; Hughes Sanitary Engineers; Billy Long (picture framing) 1903; Ford (grocers); Paddon’s Stores (grocers) 1949-53+; C&V Manners (grocers) 1966; R.F Gibbs (grocers) 1972; Pet shop 1980’s (D.P. Lindsay 1987 ?); second-hand shop 1995; empty 2000; Private Houses 23 & 23a.#2. Bromsgrove (front on Marlborough St). Marlborough House; private house; private girls’ school 1893; Fire Station 1943-61; Russell Spinage (building contractors) 1986?-93+; Walker and Jackson (Ford car showroom) 1995; Pianoforte (paintings and piano showroom) 2000; Andrew Townsend (architect) 2006; Faringdon Motorist Centre / Davis DIY 2015; Farcycles (bicycles) 2022.#25. Private House
#27. Private House#29. Ron Young (barber); A.E. Looker (hairdresser & umbrella maker) 1904; Smokey Joes Café 1950s; Brushwood Antiques 2000,2006; Private House 2014#31. Private House
#33. Private House once belonged to Mr Smith (professional photographer)#35. [William Scarcebrook (coach builder) 1863;]? H.N.Arthur (Coach & Harness Maker) 1880’s; [Dales F. & Co. (coach & carriage builders) 1895;]? Paynes (coach builder) 1914; Frank Lane (carpenter); Ambulance garage 1940-45; Reg Webb (car sales) 1961; Bob Marsh (car showroom); Auto (Commission) Sales 1972; Necessities (government surplus & office equipment) 1982,1989; Antique Centre 1993,2000; Piano Showroom; Majo Furniture 2013; The Rookery Coffee House to 2018; Three Crows 2019-20; Majo Furniture 2021. Upstairs – Celtic Magpie Hair Salon 2014; The Warehouse (online reclaimed office furniture) 2022.#37. Private House
Marlborough Street – even numbers – heading back north-east towards the Corn Market:
#34? Peek Freans (biscuits); Bernard Poole (garage); Anns Garage 1953; Pakemans (lorry garage). Demolished & rebuilt as Faringdon Garage, DJ Fish, est.1948, with Peugeot franchise <1972; Malvern Tyres 2022.#32?. Lionel Ann’s house; Dr Pullens House; Faringdon Garage (Peugeot) forecourt.#30a. Originally a large gated entrance through to back of shops; Webb’s Taxis 1977; Tien Hong Fish Bar 1990s,2006; Ming’s Takeaway 2012-20; vacant 2020; Hong Kong House 2024.#30. ‘Buffer’ Foard’s grocery shop 1902; E.T.Beavis (boots & shoe repair) 1953-1970; fish & chip shop 1972; Michael Bishop (watch & clock repairs) 1972-74+; M.Whalley Carpets 1990s; vacant 2014; Suzy’s Convenience Store 2023.#28. Part of E.T.Beavis Ltd (sewing machines & wool) 1953-69; JEMMARJ, (gifts, cards) 1984; Private House#22?. Entrance to gardens for houses in Marlborough St; Telephone Exchange (entirely automatic) opened May 1972#18-20. Fletcher sweet shop, Co-op, and J.E.Parker (corn store, tea rooms, baker & confectioner) 1895; Anns Garage 1920s/30s; Drew’s (butcher & fishmonger) 1952,1953; all demolished 1970s; Police Station 1976, closed 2019.#16. Private House; Bowerman’s (bookmaker); John Canning’s (bookmaker) 1982; Done (bookmaker) 2002,2006; Private House (now part of 14?). Foundry Lane (at side) – Curtains Plus 2006.#14. Private House#12. Private House#10b. Frank Lane & Co (engineering, cycles & repairs) 1902-1953+; The Vale Ironmongers 1966-74+; Wilsons Hardware 1982; Moynes (ironmongers) 1987-89+; The Barbers Shop; Central Electrical Services; Faringdon Cycles 1995; Absolute Interiors 2001; Betfred 2014#10a. Goulding & Co 1882; Goulding Goddards (drapers) 1928-1960s; 2nd hand clothes; Hitchman’s Fruit and Veg; Parkers Pine; Angies 1980s; AJ Clothing Co 2000; Country Care 2001; White Horse Bookshop 2011; Cotswold Volunteers 2014; Morton and Mead 2016; Faringdon Cobbler 2019; Salon 10A 2022; Serenity (hair salon) 2023.#8. Private House; E.Leverton & Sons (drapery & shoes) 1916-75; J.P.Larkin Television Centre (electrical) 1975-96; Reflections (crafts) 1997-2002; G & L Evans Funeral Service 2006-20; empty 2021.#6. Oxford House. Goulding drapers & launderette) 1894-1953+; Pet shop (Moody); Henry & Joyce Hicks (washeteria – left), (bakers – right) 1960/70s; Sally’s Coffee Shop & Bread Shop 1980s ; Faringdon Carvery & Restaurant 1989; Trevi (Italian restaurant) 1991; Classey Books 2000; White Horse Bookshop 2006; One Minute Food House Takeaway 2014; MK Chicken 2018; The Harbour (fish & chips) 2019#4. Private House; Faringdon Fruit & Veg 1984; Faringdon Café & Bistro 1995; Café Frances 1995,2000; Faringdon Flowers; The Barber Shop 2002,2006; Sweet Paradise 2014; Wow Dancer 2015; Private House 2018#2. International Stores 1871-1931; Leverton & Sons (outfitters & furniture) 1931-c1970s. Shop entrance moved – see #4 Corn Market.
A historical record of shops and other businesses in Marlborough Street. Shops and businesses have flourished here for many generations and premises have changed ownership many times. Some have closed down permanently at some time and have subsequently been converted into private houses, especially those furthest from the town centre.
