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112–114 London Road (Foxbury & Wonderklip)


112-114 London Road

Nos. 112 and 114 London Road were built as a pair of semi-detached houses in about 1908: their pointed gables can be seen behind the tree in the above detail from a postcard of c.1910. The building to the left of the detail is the Co-op (now Buckell & Ballard) on the other side of the London Road. There are a pair of semi-detached houses next-door to the west (now replaced by the Londis block), and another pair of large semi-detached houses to the east (demolished along with their detached neighbour on the Kennett Road corner to make way for the Iceland block).

The 1911 census shows George Church (49), the manager of the Co-op on the north-east corner of London Road, living in “Foxbury” on the left with his wife Sarah (47). On the right in “Wonderklip” was the Post Office telegraph clerk Frederic Palmer Brown (42) with his wife Mary (39) and their five children.

These houses are the only older buildings that have survived on the south side of the London Road between Windmill Road and Kennett Road. The photograph below (taken in July 2007) shows how their front gardens, which used to slope down to the pavement, have been turned into steps.

112 and 114 London Road

These houses were originally numbered 38 and 40, but the whole of London Road was renumbered in the early 1930s and they are now Nos. 112 and 114. They were both private houses until 1956, and the following planning applications were approved between 1956 and 1962:

  • No. 112 (right):
    3 April 1956: “Change of use of ground floor to shop and new shop front and alterations” (56/05292/A_H)
    14 August 1956: “Workshop and store” (56/05591/A_H)
    11 October 1960: “New shop front” (60/09961/A_H)
    27 February 1962: “Extension to form offices” (62/11948/A_H)
  • No. 114 (left):
    31 May 1960: “New shop front” (60/09677/A_H)
    25 June 1960: “Change of use from residential to shop, repair shop, and self-contained flat (60/09190/AA_H)
    28 November 1961: “Extension to workshop and storage” (61/11512/A_H)
    30 January 1962: “Change of use of flat on 1st floor to storage for shop use” (62/11651/A_H)

Brief history of this pair of shops

112 London Road (formerly “Foxbury”, numbered 38 until the 1930s)

Dates

Private and commercial occupants of right-hand house

1909–1929

George Church (Manager of Co-op)

1930–1935

James Wilkin Berry

1936–1949

Mrs Miller

1952–1954

George James Lovett

1956–1967

Leech & Hainge, Electrical, radio & telephone dealers: Photograph
(Planning application 56/05292/A_H by J.W.A Hainge for change of use of ground floor to shop was approved in 1956)

1968–1993+

Rumbelow’s Ltd, Television

By 2001–2013

Trade Exchange pawn shop

2013–2016

Vacant

2016–present

Savers Health & Beauty

114 London Road (formerly “Wonderklip”, numbered 40 until the 1930s)

Dates

Private and commercial occupants of the left-hand house

1911–1949

Frederick Palmer Brown (Mrs Brown in 1949)

1952

Mrs Venables

1954–1958

Kenneth Overbury

1960–1964

No listings in Kelly’s Directory, but occupied by Senior Radio Service

1966–1968

Top Rank Home & Leisure Services Ltd, Radio & telephone engineers

1969–1980+

Rediffusion Television rentals

By 1990s–present

Cancer Research UK Charity Shop

© Stephanie Jenkins

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