Soham Roots - Butchers Store, Tailors and Drapers, High Street, Soham.

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SOHAM PARISH
Genealogy and Local History, East Cambridgeshire

Butchers Store
Established in 1818
Master Tailors, Drapers & Milliners
Churchgate Street and the High Street

Butchers Store in the early 1900's.

Butchers store was established in 1818 in premises in Churchgate Street, by Mr Butcher, it was later taken over by his Cousin Mr Francis Butcher and his Wife Maria nee Andrews, the family appear to have come to Soham from South Elmham in Suffolk, where their Son James was born on the 11th November 1796, and took over the business from his Father. The Butchers were Master Taylors, Drapers and Milliners and were a long established business here, and who were still advertising their business as late as the 1940's. At a later time they had moved their business into the High Street, where they had two Shops.

Butchers Store in 1914.

The photo shown on the Left shows Butchers store in the High Street in about 1914 which is now Blockbusters Video Store, the photo on the right shows their store on the opposite side of the road, which is now a Fish and Chip Shop, both shops still retain their original frontage today.
The business seems to have passed from Father to Son. We do not know when the first Francis Butcher died, but it appears that by 1830 the business was being run by his Son James Butcher. James continued to run the family business and in c.1864 it had become known as Butcher & Co and this is when we can probably assume that his Son and Heir Francis Butcher came into the business.

Butchers Store in 1914.

Butchers Store now the Fish & Chip Shop.

Butchers Store at a later date in the High Street.

James died in 1876 at the age of 79 years and is buried in the Fordham Road Cemetery in Soham with his Wife Adelaide who had predeceased him by 8 years. After his Fathers death Francis Butcher carried on the business. Francis died in 1924 aged 85 years and is also buried in Soham Cemetery with his Wife Harriet who died in 1881 aged 38 years. It seems likely that the business remained in the family until at sometime before 1945 it passed on to a Mr C. Court, and then in 1945 to Walter & Penistons Ltd. and in 1952 to the United Drapery Stores, and then in 1954 to Mr Robinson, who still traded under the Butcher name.

Francis Butcher
Woollen and Linen Draper
Silk Mercer, Hosier and Tailor
High Street, Soham
Superior London Hats. Importer of Irish Linen. Family Mourning. Funerals Furnished.
Advert dated to 1914.

The Directory listings for Butchers of Soham are as follows:

1830.....James Butcher, Taylor & Draper, Churchgate Street.
1839.....James Butcher, Taylor & Draper, also Grocer & Tea Dealer, Churchgate Street.
1847.....James Butcher, Taylor & Draper & Agent for Crown Life Ass Co., High Street.
1850.....James Butcher, Taylor & Draper, High Street.
1864.....James Butcher & Co., Taylor & Draper & Agent for Crown Life Ass Co., High Street.
1875.....James Butcher & Co., Taylor & Draper & Agent for Crown Life Ass Co., High Street.
1883.....Francis Butcher, Taylor & Draper, High Street.
1896.....Francis Butcher, Taylor & Draper, High Street.
1900.....Francis Butcher, Taylor & Draper, High Street.

It appears that Jame's Son Francis took over the business in c.1883, although he probably joined his Father in 1864 when the Company is shown as James Butcher & Co.

From the cradle stage throughout life there is always a Horrockses
fabric for every hour and every need - day or sleep wear.
Horrockses Durable Fabrics.
For Value and Quality in Drapery go to ...
Francis Butchers
Soham
Agent for the ''Marmet'' Baby Carriage.
Advert dated to 1935.

Butchers - Soham
Is a familiar name
We have supplied the district with household goods since 1818
Departments
General Drapers, House Furniture, Tailoring, Ladies & Gents Outfitters
Consult us for requirements for wear on the football field.
Butchers Soham Ltd
Advert dated to 1958.

Butchers on the census.

1841 census
Churchgate Street Soham.
James Butcher, aged 40, Draper, Born Suffolk
Adelaide Butcher, aged 32, Born Middlesex.
Francis Butcher, aged 2, Born Soham.
Adelaide Butcher, aged 6mths, Born Soham.
Hannah Warren, aged 28, Shopwoman.
Thomas Spalding, aged 24, Shopman.
George Cricket, aged 23, Shopman.
Henry Martin, aged 17, Drapers Apprentice.
William Household, aged 15, Drapers Apprentice.
George Westgate, aged 20, Male Servant.
Susan Clark, aged 20, Servant.
Mary Petley, aged 24, Servant.

1851 census
Churchgate St, (next to the White Hart Hotel)
James Butcher, Head, aged 54, Draper & Master Taylor, Employing 16, Born St James Suffolk.
Adelaide Butcher, Wife, aged 43, Born Kensington Middlesex.
Francis Butcher, Son, aged 11, Scholar, Born Soham.
Henry Butcher, Son, aged 7, Scholar, Born Soham.
Rose Butcher, Daughter, aged 4, Scholar, Born Soham.
Jane Magule, Servant, aged 20, Drapers Ass, Born Southwold Suffolk.
William Rickard, Servant, aged 30, Drapers Ass, Born Fowlemere, Cambs.
Joseph Bentley, Servant, aged 17, Drapers Ass, Born Norwich.
Sophia Tabner, Servant, aged 26, House Servant, Born Worlington Suffolk.
James also had another Daughter Adelaide who was born in 1840 in Soham. 
Adelaide was the 2nd Wife of Alfred Clark one of the founders of Clark and Butchers Mill,
the other founder being her brother Henry.

1881census
High St Soham
Francis Butcher, Head, aged 41, Draper, Born Soham.
Harriet Butcher, Wife,aged 37, Born Soham.
Francis Butcher, Son, aged 3, Born Soham.
James H Butcher, Son, aged 2, Born Soham.
Arthur M Butcher, Son, aged 11mths, Born Soham.
Charles John Sudbury, Assistant, aged 24, Shopman Draper, Born Halstead Essex.
Harriet Adcock, Assistant, aged 20, Drapers Assistant, Born, Watton Norfolk.
Mary Ann Speller, Assistant, aged 18, Milliners Assistant, Born St Ives Huntingdonshire.
Eliza Houghton, aged 19, General Servant Domestic, Born Soham.
Elizabeth Palmer, aged 19, Nursery Maid, Born Soham.

Soham Cemetery Inscriptions.

This Record of the Monumental Inscriptions at the Fordham Road Cemetery, Soham, was made by Tim and Julie Webb of Soham between 2004 and 2010 as time permitted. This electronic version comprises the full text of the transcript, with the addition of photographs of the graves as well as purchase and burial details taken from the original purchase and burial registers.

Safe for all ages.

Quakers of Cambridgeshire
and the Isle of Ely.

This is a very interesting book that we have extracted the Cambridgeshire part from, the full title of the book is, A Collection of the Sufferings of the People called Quakers, and was published in 1753, but gives accounts as far back as 1653, has many names from this area and details of what became of them including their punishments because of their Faith, is an absolutely fascinating read.

Cambridgeshire and
Huntingdonshire Leaders.

A great resource for anyone with interest in the political and social history of both Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire

Cures for Beasts.

This is a little handwritten book dated 1817 in our possession, that once belonged to a local Live Stock Farmer, it is unique and is a book of recipes of old fashioned Cures for all manner of disorders in Cattle, Sheep and Horses, you can read how they cured these things with local ingredients, some sound pretty hair raising. Only available from us.

CREDITS

Copyright © 2011 Soham Roots * Tim & Julie Webb creators of Soham Roots
* Theme by and Webmaster Tim Webb * Thanks goes to all those people who have contributed to this website and to the Soham Roots collection.