The building
Historic Environment Record: Mid-19th century shop which retains its historic character and some original features. Two-storey with attic, three bay. Front elevation: pitched slate roof with three original dormers, four-pane windows. Rendered chimney with heavy, dentilled cornice on west gable. Original cornice gutter tray. Walls rendered. Two wider windows in east and west bays have thick mullions with four-pane side lights.
Occupiers
The 1851 census shows No 44 occupied by Grocer Charles Nicolle and his wife Elizabeth, who had been there at least from 1834. In 1861 the property was unoccupied at the time of the census.
Bootmaker
In 1871 No 44 was occupied by bootmaker James Potter (1833- ) from New Brunswick, his Jersey-born wife Mary (1821- ), and children James (1856- ), Fred (1859- ), Lydia (1862- ), Florence (1864- ) and niece Emily Bailey (1855- ). Although the census shows the children as born in St Helier, there is no record of their being baptised there.
Eau de Cologne
By 1874, as indicated in the advertisement below, the business had been taken over by George Luce for his eau-de-cologne business, which would remain there until 1900, when the shop had become established next door at No 42.
By 1900 the premises were occupied by Thomas Couch (1841- ), a hosier from Cornwall, although the exact occupancy over several censuses and in almanac records is clouded by the appearance of a No 44½ King Street, which seemed to be devoted largely to residential accommodation.
No 44½
No 44½ is present in some records and absent in others, and seems to have been reabsorbed into No 44 in the 1920s. In 1920 it was shown to be occupied by Hipps Ltd, who were in Queen Street by 1930.
Le Poidevin
From 1903 to to about 1912, No 44 was occupied first by F Le Poidevin, hosier, and then by J Le Poidevin. We do not know the connection between these Le Poidevins, nor their relationship to father and son James, who were drapers across the street. The James Le Poidevin who came to Jersey from Guernsey and traded at Nos 43 and 49, had a father Frederick, but there is no record of his living and working in Jersey.
Chronology [1]
- 1834 - C Nicolle, grocer
- 1874, 80, 85 - Luce's Eau de Cologne
- 1890 - J Dupre Eau de Cologne manufacturer
- 1900 - T Couch
- 1903 - F Le Poidevin, hosier
- 1912 - J Le Poidevin
- 1915 - Vibert and Burnham
- 1930-1990 - Freeman, Hardy and Willis shoes
- 2000 - Miss Selfridge
- 2010 - Clinton cards
Looking towards the New Street junction. No 44 is on the far left of the picture, occupied in the early 1970s by Freeman, Hardy and Willis. The street is pedestrians-only but has yet to be paved
Le Poidevin advertising plate for their Jaegar outlet at 44 and 44½ King Street
1874 advertisement for Luce's Eau de Cologne
1910 advert
1915
Notes and references
- ↑ Many of the start and end dates given for businesses are approximate. As more business advertisements and other records are discovered the dates will be adjusted
