No 80b High Street - Rutland House
 

The quite grand building which today comprises Nos 80, 80a and 80b High Street was built by Joseph Berry Edwards as Southwold's first purpose-built bank, a fact which is remembered in the name of the passageway which runs through to Victoria Street on its left hand side - 'Bank Alley'. James Maggs records that the first brick was laid by Mr Edwards on July 24 1832 and the second laid by Maggs himself. By the 1st July the following year it was ready for business. Joseph Edwards was widowed in 1841 but married the Vicar of Reydon's daughter (his deceased wife's sister-in-law) the following year and the couple moved to Saxmundham Bank that same year. The Southwold bank agency was taken over by Mr T W Thompson, a town Bailiff. However, it seems to have closed soon after and the building began a new life as the home and practice of a succession of surgeons. The first of these was Mr Miles Willis Rudland, who arrived in 1843 and whose surname is reflected in the current name: 'Rutland House'. Rudland's affairs were soon in trouble, however, and Maggs records his insolvency in 1847 with rental liabilities of £274. His effects are sold and he moves to Wangford. Other surgeons followed as tenants. At some date before 1896, it became Southwold Post Office.

1833
Joseph Berry Edwards - Bank Agent (M)

1842
Mr T W Thompson - Bank Agent (M)

1843
Mr Miles Willis Rudland - Surgeon. Declared insolvent in 1847 (M) and is followed by other surgeons.

1896
Eaton Womack Moore - House Agent and Auctioneer. (K1896). It is clear from the photograph (right) that he is also running a post office. Indeed, in the 1881 Census, Eaton Moore and his family (then in the Market Place) is described as 'Grocer, Draper, Auctioneer and Sub-postmaster). He is mayor of Southwold between 1899 and 1902.


 
1911
Eaton Womack Moore - The 1911 Census describes him as 'retired auctioneer' although he certainly conducts at least one charity auction during the war. Presumably his shop and postoffice activities have ceased.
 
1927
Eaton Womack Moore - dies in January this year.
 

1933
Mrs Eaton Moore - Private Residence (K1933) check this

1937
By this date the whole ground floor has been converted into three units - 80, 80a and 80b. The occupant of 80b is:

London Central Meat Company - Butcher. (K1937), Ronnie Waters worked for LCM as a Butcher's Boy and remembers that the company , run by Messrs Lee & Baxter, prided itself as a high-class butcher selling top-grade New Zealand Lamb.

1939
London Central Meat Company closes in 1939 at the start of meat rationing but Messrs Lee & Baxter retain the lease. It reopens under the same ownership but trading as Baxters (SRB1939)



Lee & Baxter - trading as Baxters.

 

Baxters - Butchers

Baxters - Butchers

 

Baxters - Butchers. The shop had, by now extended into No 80a High Street

 
Some time during the 80s, Baxters is taken over by Dewhurst Co Ltd, a nationwide chain of butchers shops owned by the Vestey Group.
 

1992
Malcolm Southam - Southams, Private Family Butcher (SLHR1992) Also occupies the unit next door at No 80a



 
 

2003
Malcolm Southam - Southams, Private Family Butcher - closes in November this year.

2004
Tracey Brown - Black Olive Delicatessen. Also occupies the unit next door at No 80a Tracey Brown also runs 'Crab Apple' at No 21 Market Place

 

   

Do you have any memories or records about this address? Can you correct any of our information or fill in any of our blanks? If so, please email Barry Tolfree
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SOURCES:
BSD - Bernard Segrave-Daly
BCS = Bygones & Characters of Southwold by Barrett Jenkins
C = Census
CP = Cinema Programme 1958
CSP = Coronation Souvenir Programme 1953
G = Gales Trade Directory
GRO = General Register Office
K = Kelly's Directory
LM = Local memory
M = James Maggs' Southwold Diary 1818-1876
MCG = Methodist Church Guide 1930
NA = National Archives
PP = Pantomime Programme 1933
PLR = Petrol Licence Records

POD = Post Office Directory
PPP = Pier Pavilion Programme 1924, 1926
RCE = Rotary Club Exhibition 1969
SCM = Southwold Catholic Magazine 1923
SCTG = Southwold Corporation Tourist Guide
SER = Southwold Electoral Register
SFP = Southwold Scouts Fete Programme 1947
SG = Southwold Guide
SGCH = Southwold Golf Club Handbook
SLHR = Southwold Local History Recorder 1980s 1990s (Mrs R. McDermot)
SMHS = Southwold Museum & Historical Society

SN = Southwold & Neighbourhood 1903
SPM = Southwold Parish Magazine 1895 -1954
SR = Southwold Recorder 1927, 1932, 1934, 1935
SRB = Southwold Rate Book
SRT = Southwold Railway Timetable 1915
SSAS = Southwold Sea Angling Society Handbook 1909
SST = Southwold Summer Theatre Programmes
SSW = Southwold Shopping Week Programme, June/July 1922
STG = Southwold Town Guide 1930
SVL = Southwold Visitors List 1907, 1930
SVCP = Southwold Victory Celebration Programme 1946
SWCG = Southwold Wesleyan Church Guide

TTR = 'The Town Revisited' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 2000
TTT = ''To The Town' - Portraits of Southwold by Stephen Wolfenden 1988
W = White’s History, Gazetteer and Directory of Suffolk 1874

 
Note on dates
Unless otherwise stated, dates given do not indicate the years in which the business started or finished but those for which there is firm evidence that it was trading at this address. Sources in brackets; key at bottom of page.


Banker's Licence, permitting Norwich Crown Bank (Harveys & Hudsons) to trade in Southwold. The licence, which is preserved in Southwold Museum archive, is dated 1825, eight years before opening at No 80 High Street. We do not yet know where (or if) the bank carried on its business in the town between 1825 and 1833.

Image courtesy of Southwold Museum

Click image to enlarge

 



No 80 High Street probably in the final years of the 19th century. The Post Office is run by Eaton Moore and the rest of the building is his family residence.
(Southwold Museum P1474)
Click the picture to enlarge.

No 80 High Street in 1977

With thanks to Graham Gilbert for sourcing this photo.
Click the image to enlarge

Advert in Purdy's Town Map, early 1990s

Image courtesy of Peter Parke

Southams in approx 1998

Photo courtesy of David Weight