58: Harvey’s Sandwich Takeaway
No. 58 together with No. 59 (the western section of the Oxford Travel Agency) are the two halves of a fine Georgian house, which is Grade II listed (ref. 1485/400). The whole building was formerly numbered just 58, and was the boarding house of Magdalen College School from about the middle of the century until it moved across the road into new premises just to the east of Magdalen Bridge in 1894.
Soon after this move had taken place, in 1898, the former No. 58 was divided into Nos. 58 and 59, with the former shop at the corner, No. 59 being allocated the number 60. (Until this date, No. 60 had been the first number on the opposite side of the High Street.)
In his book Old Magdalen Days (1913) Lewis Tuckwell, the Precentor of Magdalen College choir, wrote,
"Hitherto Choristers whose homes were not in Oxford were lodged in small houses in Long Wall Street. This was not in any way a happy arrangment, and in 1849, at the suggestion of Mr Millard [the Revd James E. Millard, the new Master of Magdalen College School], a large house in the lower part of High Street, now known as No. 58, was bought by the College of a Mr Dickson, and there the Choristers were placed under the care of the new Master."
Thus the 1851 census shows James Millard living at No. 58 (now 58/59) with 23 boarders aged from 8 to 16, plus the school matron, the school cook, and two housemaids.
Similarly in 1881 the then Master, the Revd Harmer C. Ogle, lived here with his two spinster sisters Helen and Camilla, and 33 boarders aged from 12 to 18, plus the school matron, cook, and six domestic servants.
Kelly’s Directory for 1891 explains how on the west side of Longwall Street there is:
"the scholars’ entrance to the head master’s boarding house, together with a private chapel for the use of the boarders. The private residence of the head master faces the High street, and is distinguished by the arms of the college placed over the entrance."
| Occupiers of 58 (& 59) High Street | ||
| Date | Present 58 High Street | Present 59 High Street |
| 1846 | Henry
Dixon Civil engineer | |
| By 1852–1861+ | Revd James E. Millard Master of Magdalen College School | |
| 1866–1876 | Revd.
Richard Hill, DCL Master of Magdalen College School | |
| 1880–1887 | Revd
Harman Challoner Ogle, MA Master of Magdalen College School | |
| 1889–1894 | Revd
W. E. Sherwood, MA Headmaster of Magdalen College School | |
| 1895–1896 | A.
W. Brazier House valuer & furnisher | |
| 1898–1909 | James
Chamberlain Lodging house |
Mrs
Quarterman Lodging house |
| 1910–1916 | James Chamberlain Lodging house |
Henry George Chamberlain University Lodging house |
| 1919–1931 |
Mrs Selby-Smith Private Hotel |
|
| 1939–1954 | Victor Afia Antique textiles, oriental rugs (to 1954) | Halford Cycles (also No. 60) (to 1949) |
| 1956–1968 | Ronald
Carpenter Ltd Antique dealers |
Speedwell Cleaning Co. |
| 1956–1976+ | Part of Oxford Travel Centre (expanded into this shop from No. 60 in 1968) | |
| 1986–c.1995 | Parmenter's Delicatessen | |
| c.1995–2006 | Harvey’s on the High Sandwich takeaway | |
| 2006–present | Part of "Oxford" + The Letting Shop | |