No. 21 High Street

No. 21 High Street is a three storey building with a modern shopfront at ground floor and relatively modern brickwork to the upper floors with a hopper head dated to 1902.

In 1860 the shop was occupied by Charles Brett, furnishing and general ironmonger. A valuation book held at Wisbech and Fenland Museum reveals the shop was still an ironmongers occupied by Charles Brett but owned by Arthur Ely. Charles Brett still occupies No 21 by the time of the 1871 census where he lives with his wife Charlotte, daughter, two servants and a housekeeper and apprentice.

By 1883 the shop was still listed as an ironmongers in the trade directory, but at this time owned by Richard and Samuel Bodger. The Bodger name stays with No 21 until the mid 1990s, over 110 years. A photograph dated to the 1960s shows Bodger Bros shop at the time of the Rose Fair in the town.

Images held within files of Fenland District Councils Planning Department reveal how the shop looked in 1989 and later when it was occupied by WatNots in 2001. It is now an international food store.

 

No. 21 High Street

Comments about this page

  • What a wonderful site filled with fascinating information, thank you. William Shepherd Bodger is one of ‘the Missing’ commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres, Belgium. He was 325579 Sgt or the 1/1st Cambridgeshire Regiment and was killed in action on July 31 1917. He was the son of Grace Shepherd Bodger and the late Richard Bodger and his address was given as 21 High Street, Wisbech, the shop his parents ran. He grew up at “Hatchwood” on Queen’s Road. William was just 21 when he made the ultimate sacrifice. His death was announced in the Eastern Daily Press on Monday September 10, 1917.

    By Stacia (09/08/2022)
  • Brett (Furnishing & Agricultural Ironmonger) disposes of the business to Alfred Addison Loose by January 1874. Both advertise this change in the Wisbech Chronicle 3 January 1874.

    By G Minger (02/10/2021)
  • I would suggest that in 1902 this was conceived as very a la mode in Wisbech,although old hat in more metropolitan eyes! The architectural style might be called forced Queen Anne revival and the glass rather heavy art (not so) nouveau but still a most interesting building.

    By Roger Powell (15/06/2017)

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