99-109 High Street

  • 107 High Street. Post office and shop
  • 107 High Street. Post office and shop
  • 1998. Post office and shop, 107 High Street
  • 2018. 107 High Street
  • 2018. 109 High Street
Archive Notes:

107 High Street was built in the second half of the 18th century when it was thatched and was built on the bedrock which was at the surface in this part of the High Street. The original house has since been extended by excavating the bedrock which rises rapidly as the site goes backwards as can be seen from the alleyway to the right of the house from the second door onto the High Street. It was a private house until 1926 and one of the the sons of William Avery, the founder of Avery sawmills, lived here until 1926.

Post Office business was carried on in the White Hart from 1650 or so until 1788 when it was transferred to the Crown Inn until 1847, when it then moved to 48 High Street. Dorothy Avery remembered living here until she was about 6. Mr & Mrs Slatter bought it, moving the Post Office from 48 High Street at the bottom of Station Road in 1926. They were there until at least 1946, but it was followed by Mr Coleman in the early 1950s until the 1960s, Mr. McGowan in September 1967 to September 1982, then Mr. Adams until 1987 when Neil MacCormack (the current postmaster in 2018) took it on. It stayed here until 2017 when MacCormack moved it to 93 High Street adjacent Merry Bells.

Mr Huxter lived at 109 High Street (then thatched). he was a carrier using a horse and cart and also a van. He kept his cart and also the van beside the house or in the garage. He drove into Oxford to collect Chelsea buns.

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