ROW
SIXTY THREE - POST OFFICE ROW.*1
Post
Office Row (1800)*2
Bond
the Druggist's Row (1835)*2
Sloman
the Printer's Row*2
Nall's
the Printer's Row*2
This old Post Office was on Hall
Quay and is NOT the one of Row 63!
Pigott's Directory of 1830 announced: "The Post Office,
King Street". At that time it was
at the east end of this row, and at that time the Seaman family were Postmasters
?from 1783. Relatives still reside in the town (see old post office row
No. 107). The Quaker cemetery is at the west entrance (to the row).*2
Row 63, from Howard Street to the market Place, has been
long known as Post Office Row, because a house on the north side, towards the east end (the property of the Seaman family), was used as a
post office for many years
previous to the removal of the business to the quay in 1840.*1
It was in the reign of Edward Ist. that horses were hired at
fixed posts along a route to convey
the King's mails. After a while
it was found more convenient to change the rider as well, and so the mail
was passed from one post?man to another.
The Seaman family held the office of Postmaster. Samuel
Seaman died in 1783 aged 86. His son and grandson, both named Thomas, in turn carried on as Postmaster, and the
latter grandson died in 1823 aged 65.
His daughters thereafter carried out the duties until the removal of the
business to the quay.
At the west end of Row 63,
at the back of the house and
liquor shop fronting Howard Street,
there was a house (rebuilt by Joseph Tomlinson, who died aged in 1867 aged 72)
facing east towards a large
garden, long the
residence of Robert Woolmer, solicitor, who died unmarried aged 96 in
1807 leaving a considerable fortune to the
Cory family to whom he was not
related. It was afterwards occupied by Mrs.Ruxby, widow of Thomas Ruxby, wine
merchant, who died in 1796.
In 1851 some malthouses were erected here, and in digging
the foundation there was found at a depth of six feet a portion of a very
massive wall running from north to south with some remains of stone and
woodwork, and some fragments of pottery. A drawing was made of this by Winter,
and the dimensions ascertained. This wall and associated ruins were uncovered
again by bombing in the last war, and photographed and recorded by Phillip
Rumbelow.
The Occupants, Row Sixty Three, 1886
( from King Street to Howard Street)
1. Nall's steam printing works
2. Kerridge's store
3. Sunman, A.W., bricklayer
4. Simms, Mrs.
5. Coleman, J.E.
6. Seaman, A., greengrocer
7. Partridge, Mrs., lodging house keeper
Grimmer, S., and
co., office.
malthouses
The Occupants, Row Sixty Three, 1913
( from King Street to Howard Street South)
North side
Ulph, Mrs.
Nichols, Henry
Willoughby, Miss
Deuce, Walter
Partridge, Arthur
Tubby, Arthur John Emmanuel
Brooks, Miss
South side
Cossey, James
Newman, Emlington
Ruffold, Thomas
Ward, William
Moore, Henry James
The Occupants, Row Sixty Three, 1927
( from King Street to Howard Street South)
North side
3. Ferrow, Mrs.
4. Willoughby, Mrs.
5. Deuce, Walter
6. Partridge, Mrs.
8. Tubby, Arthur John Emanuel
9. Alcock, Cecil Thomas
South side
11. Simmons, Mrs.
12. Newman, Hamilton
13. Ruffold, Mrs.
14. Pearce, Walter
15. Hudson, John
The Occupants, Row Sixty Three and a Half, 1936
( from 18 Howard
Street South)
no occupants listed