...............The
Digby Fishmongers at 86 Duke Street Chelmsford
Henry Digby is first recorded at this address on the
1871 census. The family remained here until shortly after 1902. The
two photos above show the section of Duke Street between Tindal Square
and The Golden Fleece Public House. The left hand photo dates from
1880's and shows the original Golden Fleece at 84 Duke Street. Using
the 1902 street Directory (below right) you can identify the various
properties with their occupants. On the extreme right of the photo
is probably Eliza Bull standing in the doorway of her shop at No
.82. Working to the left we next have the Golden Fleece Inn which
occupies two original properties at 83 and 84. Next door at 85 is
the only building which has survived to the present day. It was then
a saddle and harness makers shop. Henry Digby's Fishmongers shop
was next and can be seen as the first property pertruding on to the
pavement. Beyond this shop is a butchers, florists, and tobacconist
who also manufactured cricket bats.
The top righthand photo shows this part of Duke Street
present day. As mentioned above, the only building surviving is the
shop at 85 which is now an estate agents. To its right the Golden
Fleece has completely rebuilt with an extra floor and has been extended
to include the property at 82 which in later years became a branch
of
Macfisheries.
Henry Digby's family business was taken over by his
sons John and William following Henry's death age 65 in 1897. Shortly
after 1902 Chelmsford Council drafted a proposal to widen Duke Street.
This would entail demolishing all properties from Digby's shop to
Tindall Square. All the owners of these properties were financialy
compensated, and in John Digby's case he soon moved to London to
start a new career.
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