CAHS Snapshots of Local History: Coffee Shops? Nothing new in Cirencester’s past

With contributions from Cirencester Archaeological & Historical Society, members & friends

Coffee Shops? Nothing new in Cirencester’s past

– the story of James Hawker (1843-1905)

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There are too many coffee shops in Cirencester! It’s a familiar remark often heard and does seem to reflect current trends, but this isn’t just a factor of modern town life. Coffee shops come and go, and good location is everything, much as it would have been during the later 1800s in Cirencester town centre.

This is the story of one such business from that time. Very much a Ciren man, James Hawker was an active trader throughout his working life, engaged in activities which we’d still recognise, but in others which seem now to be essentially Victorian. As ever when researching an individual or a business, the principal sources include Census Returns and notices in the Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard newspaper, which proved very helpful in tracking Hawker’s career. In August 1878 he was first commended for ‘his useful tea and coffee stall’ set up at the Cirencester Horticultural & Dog Shows. So, his trade was in the world of refreshments (then) or catering (now).

There’s another strand too, as coffee shops, whilst still being called taverns, were promoted for working men as a strong alternative to pubs and inns, and so were flying the flag for the temperance movement. Hawker became part of this and in January 1879 was praised when he staffed the Church of England Temperance Society Coffee and Cocoa Barrow, providing hot drinks for the ice skaters in Cirencester Park, an event well worthy of a newspaper report.

By September 1880, in his thirties and living with his wife Mary at No. 83 Castle Street, he had become the proprietor of the British Workman Coffee Tavern in Castle Street. We don’t know who ran it before Hawker’s time (perhaps he set it up?), but in Dec 1881 he advertised its purpose in the Standard and “respectfully informs the Gentry, Farmers, Tradesmen, and others, that he supplies his Penny Refreshment Checks for distribution at the rate of Thirteen for One Shilling. Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa, Bread-and-butter, and Refreshments of all kinds, From Five o’clock in the morning until Ten o’clock at night” No mean feat!

Hawker ran the business until February 1889 ‘when he disposed of his Coffee Tavern Business to Mr James W. Wells, of Rodmarton.’  Sometime in the 1880s the business was moved across the street from the south to the north side, into premises directly opposite at No.3 Castle Street. By 1891 the Hawkers were living at No. 5 Silver Street; with Elizabeth Cosburn as manager of the coffee tavern living at No. 3 Castle Street. So, a very close association throughout with this central street in the town. In later years, James Hawker continued to supply the town with hot drinks and potatoes, working from a mobile van. He has had a good many successors in that role!

To fix these locations with present-day business activities, we’d need to look at R. Scott & Co. and Concordfotos at what has since been re-numbered as 3-7 Castle Street, whilst remembering that much of this run of buildings has been rebuilt.  But it is still recognisable, whereas the move across the street was into premises once part of the extensive and historic Ram Inn, by then very much reduced. The whole of this street frontage was demolished and rebuilt during the mid-1890s in one single development by London architect John Birch including road widening, all still very apparent today.

The last entry for the Original British Workman Coffee Tavern was 14 April 1894, when it was announced the business was to be disposed of, ‘leaving through ill health’. The contact at that time was Mrs Wootten, 3 Castle Street, so it only lasted a few years after Hawker’s time, the business disappearing with everything else not long after. Opening in 1896-7, the new street frontage provided a Post Office, municipal offices for Cirencester Urban District Council, and shops.

The story of the British Workman Coffee Tavern offers another twist, with a recent enquiry from The Token Corresponding Society, whose specialist interests include coffee tavern tokens, a form of substitute coinage very popular in its day. The Cirencester token reads GOOD FOR ONE PENNYWORTH OF REFRESHMENT AT THE BRITISH WORKMAN COFFEE TAVERN CIRENCESTER. Such tokens are prized amongst collectors, especially if they are fairly rare examples. Apparently, the Cirencester example was not previously recorded, but thanks are due to the Society for ensuring that it takes its rightful place in the records as a ‘period-piece’ of Cirencester history.

Many thanks to David Smith; see www.https://thetokensociety.org.uk/

Linda & David Viner

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