13 Cross Street
About the Building | Recent History | Previous Occupiers | Other Information
| Address: | 13 Cross Street |
| Present Occupier: | Alison Tod (also at 52 across street) |
| Present Owner: | |
| Ground Floor: | |
| Other Floors: | Couture Milliner |
| Date when first used by present occupier: | 2013 ? |
About the Building
From Abergavenny Local History Survey 1980 :
Building early 18th century. Two storeys, two windows stucco. First and second floor framed by corner pilasters supporting an elegant pediment. Windows set in moulded architraves with glazing bars intact. Pediment has details and in tympanum is a lunette window with Gothic tracery. Shop front : this is undoubtedly one of the most distinguished bulidings in Cross Street. (information from Welsh Office).
The shop, at least since it belonged to Sidney George, had a long passage entrance with plate glass windows either side, as Fussells is now (in 1983).
Recent History
Part of Alison Tod couture shop (also at no. 14) since ??? July 2022 : no.52 across street was refurbished and Alison Tod took this over as an additional retail space selling occasion wear
Occupied by Sidney George Ltd from the 1930s. At time of Local History Survey 1980, the part of Sidney George situated at No. 13 Cross Street was selling ladies underwear on the ground floor, ladies clothes and haberdashery on other floors.
Previous Occupiers
| Year | Name | Detail | Source |
| 1970 | Sidney George Ltd | (also at nos.12&14) Ladies clothes /haberdashers (from early 1930s) | Kelly |
| 1937 | Sidney George Ltd | Drapers (& no.14) | Kelly |
| 1934 | Sidney George Ltd | Drapers (& no.14) | Kelly |
| 1930 | Sidney George Ltd | Drapers (& no.14) | Car/Npt & Dis |
| 1928 | Sidney George Ltd | Drapers (& no.14) | Kelly |
| 1927 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1923 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1920 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1914 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1910 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1906 | W H Smith | Stationers | Kelly |
| 1901 | Fricker, Charles James (Manager Evans Harrison) | Stationer & Bookseller | Kelly |
| 1893 | Evans Harrison | Stationer & Bookseller & Athenaeum Library | Kelly |
| 1891 | Seargents Bros | Printer, booksellers & newsagents | Kelly |
| 1884 | Seargents Bros | Printer, booksellers & newsagents | Kelly |
| 1879 | Seargents Bros | Printer, booksellers & newsagents | Thacker |
| 1877 | Henry Seargent | Printer, bookseller & stamp office | Owen |
| 1875 | Seargents | Stamp office | Mer & Croc |
| 1871 | Seargents | Stamp office | Kelly |
| 1866 | J S Meredith | Bookseller, printer, music & patent medicines | Webster |
| 1862 | J S Meredith | Bookseller, printer, music & patent medicines | Morris & Co |
| 1858-59 | Charles Denton | Agent to the Black Ball line of Australian Packet, Stamp office | Slater |
| 1851 | Richard Rees (1842-1852) | Master printer, bookbinder, stamp office | Slater |
| 1844 | Richard Rees | Master printer, bookbinder, stamp office | Pigot |
| 1835 | Watkins & Son | Bookseller etc and Post Office | Pigot |
| 1829 | John Cheese Watkins | Printer, bookseller and Post Office | Heath’s Guide to Raglan |
Other Information
All following information from Abergavenny Local History Survey 1980
From Local History Survey 1980 : quote by Mr Salter : Sir Sydney George would not allow his errand boys to have a bicycle. They had to walk, even when carrying his suitcase to the station.
In 1866, the property was also occupied by Rees & Son, Stamp office
From 1874-1879 : Henry Seargeant : Printer until 1901 and Stamp Office (Receipt A/4641-0 a-r)
From 1890 : Seargeants moved to works in Queen Street
A photograph of the property at the time of occupancy by J S Meredith (in 1860s) is shown in the 1902-3 Guide to Abergavenny. (Receipt A/157-1979)
A print showing Seargeants is in the Whites Guide to Abergavenny c.1870
Sale contract of building Seargeant Bros to W Harrison 1891 A/19-1987
For more details of the shop in 1893, see cutting the Museum copy of Abergavenny Local History Survey 1980. Mr Harrison in “Ports of the Bristol Channel! 1893, states that the business was founded two centuries earlier, i.e. circa 1700
Census records show that Richard Rees (1842-1852) employed 11 men and 11 boys
In 1835, when John Cheese Watkins was Postmaster, postal times were :
Letters from London : arrive 2.10pm, despatched 11.30am. Letters from Milford & Caernarvon : arrive 11.30am, despatched 11.35am. Letters from Newport, Bristol & West : arrive 5.30pm, despatched 8.00am. Letters from Merthyr Tydfil : arrive 11am, despatched 2.40pm
From Abergavenny Chronicle adverts
Sidney George Ltd (at various times occupying nos.12, 13 and 14 Cross Street) advertised their sales etc, most weeks from the mid 1950s onwards. In 1960, they were looking for “lady required for making loose covers, experience essential”. In 1969, advert for “lady sales assistants in lingerie and corsetry department.
If you have any further information about this property please email alhsresearch@email.com