116–120 London Road
Left: The south-west corner of the central Headington crossroads in 1982, just before demolition
(photo: Margaret Self)
No. 116 is the private house on the right, and 118–120 the pair of shops on the left
Photograph of the former shops here in 1957
On 23 March 1982 permission was granted for “Demolition of existing buildings and erection of two-storey and mansard building, with shops on ground floor, offices on first floor and mansard floor and three bedroomed flat on mansard floor” (80/00694/NF)
Right: After demolition, with the side of Simon House in Windmill Road exposed
(photo: Margaret Self)
Below: Victory House (one large and two small shops, with offices above), built on the site in 1982/3
History of the site
This prime corner site was undeveloped until 1915. Prior to that date, apart from the Co-op which was built on the site of the old toll house in 1892, there were very few shops on the London Road, as each of the three Headington villages (Old Headington, New Headington, and Quarry) had its own high street for shopping.
Right: This detail from a postcard of c.1908 shows the corner site immediately to the west of Windmill Road: the private house at No. 116 (shown in 1982 in the picture at the top of this page) had already been built, and the corner site is likely to have been part of its garden.
The building on the left of this picture is the old Headington Co‑op on the opposite (eastern) corner of Windmill Road, and this building still exists. The semi-detached pair of houses to the right with the two pointed gables have survived, and were converted into the shops now situated at
112 and 114 London Road.
In 1915 the double-fronted commercial building on the site of 118–120 Windmill Road was built on the corner next to the private house and became Headington's first central Post Office. The first photograph shown below was taken soon after it was erected. The second picture is later, but although there is a newer design of telegraph pole outside, there is still the pump on the corner of the pavement, as few people in Headington had their own water supply:
Brief history of this group of buildings prior to demolition in 1982
The house was originally numbered 42 London Road and the double-fronted commercial property to the left 44, but when the whole London Road was renumbered in the early 1930s the house became 116 London Road and the other building, which was split into two shops after the Post Office moved, became 118 and 120 London Road. For clarity, only the present numbering system is used below.
The old post office building (1915–1982) |
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Dates |
120 London Road |
118a London Road (upstairs) |
118 London Road |
1915–1930 |
Headington's main Post Office |
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1933 |
Sydney H. Wiggins |
John C. Sharpe, Dentist |
No listing |
1934 |
A. D. Felbridge |
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1935 |
Eric A. Hodges |
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1936 |
The Tuck Shop |
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1938 |
Quick Service Boot Repairs |
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1943 |
William Henry Rolls |
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1945–1949 |
Bert Joseph Collier |
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1952–1954 |
Hector Morris (+ Leech & Haines electrical, radio, & television engineers and record dealers; Gwyn Morgan & Son turf accountants; and Miss J. N. Whittaker chiropodist in 1956) |
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1956 |
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1958 |
Simpson & Co Turf Accountants, Spanish Guitar Centre, and East Oxford School of Motoring |
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1960–1964 |
Spanish Guitar Centre; |
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1966–1967 |
Spanish Guitar Centre |
Vacant |
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1968–1973 |
Oxford United Club Shop |
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1976 |
A. A. Shakespeare, television |
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To 1982 |
? |
? |
Arcadia |
The private house at 116 London Road (c.1908–1982)Unlike most of the houses in central Headington, this remained a private house until the end. It is difficult to discover who lived here before 1921, as prior to that date the London Road had no numbers, and unfortunately the first known occupant (Clara Mobbs) had been living at Stone Rise in New High Street immediately prior to the numbering. It was originally numbered 42. From 1921 to 1976 (the last year that Kelly's Directory was published), it had the following occupants:
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Below are the occupants of the new block from 1983 to the present:
The shops in the new building at 116–120 London Road (Victory House) since 1983 |
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Dates |
120 London Road |
118 London Road |
116 London Road |
From 1983 |
Car parts shop |
Oxford Keyboard Centre* |
Abbey National which became the Santander Bank |
By 1993–1999+ |
7–11 convenience store |
Reynold's Blinds |
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2003–2007 |
B2 (Budgen's Express) |
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2007–2008 |
Londis |
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2008–2010 |
Unoccupied |
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2010–2014 |
Gregg's Bakers |
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2014–2021 |
Caffè Nero |
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2021 |
Costa Coffee |
Vacant |
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* Deduced to have been here in the 1980s, as the sign below was revealed when Greggs was refitted in January 2017 The first and second floor of Victory HouseThese two floors with an entrance in Windmill Road were originally offices. They were unoccupied from November 2010. Abacus College successfully applied for change of use from use class B1 (offices) to use class D1 (educational) in 2012 and moved in early in 2013. Anytime Fitness applied for another change of use and opened in October 2019. |