Nos. 53–54: Part of Regent’s Park College
Nos. 53 and 54 St Giles are part of Regent’s Park College in Pusey Street. The front dates from about 1600, but the bays are eighteenth century. The pair of houses is Grade II* listed (Ref. 1485/518)
There is a passageway to the north of the right-hand house running down into what was Drewett’s Yard
In 1772 a survey of every house in the city was taken in consequence of the Mileways Act of 1771. The occupiers and frontage measurements of the two houses were then:
- No. 53: Mr Walton (4 yards 0 feet 9 inches)
- No. 54: Mrs Gingill (4 yards 1 foot 3 inches)
The 1851 census shows Francis Berry, a widowed tinplate worker and brazier aged 40, living at No. 53 with his four schoolgirl daughters and a servant. In the next ten years he had married again, had another three daughters, and lost a second wife, and the 1861 census shows him here with six of his daughters.
In 1861 No. 54 was occupied by the butcher William Andrews and his wife and baby daughter.
In about 1866 Francis Berry at No. 53 expanded into the house next door at 54, and since then the premises have been one property. At the time of the 1871 census Berry , at the age of 70, is still described as a tinplate worker (employing one man and one boy), and has three of his unmarried daughters living at home.
Right This picture shows the joined houses in about 1905, when they were a shop selling china and ironmongery
| Occupants listed in censuses and directories | ||
| Year | 53 St Giles | 54 St Giles |
| 1841, 1846 | Francis Berry Tinman & brazier |
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| 1851–2 | Thomas Busby Landed Proprietor |
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| 1861 | William H. Andrews, then Mary Anne Andrews |
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| 1866–90 | Francis Berry Ironmonger & tinplate worker (With the Misses/Miss Berry, dressmakers and registry office, at No. 54 from 1875) |
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| 1891–1929 | John Lisemore Ironmonger/China merchant (to 1909) E. & A. Lisemore Ironmonger (from 1910) Ernest Lisemore China warehouse (from 1922) |
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| 1932–1954 | Roland Bradley Bennett Jeweller |
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| 1956–present | Part of Regent’s Park College | |