Work is well underway on the re-development of our Victorian street, Kirkgate, which is being changed and expanded to reflect the lives of real shopkeepers from York, writes Gwendolen Whitaker, Curator of History.
Epworth's shop window in Kirkgate
The first shop to have received its facelift is Epworth’s Jewellers, which has had its window decorated and redesigned.
The Epworth’s family business began as a pawnbrokers, jewellers and silversmiths in 1831 in Precentor’s Court near York Minster. It was run by husband and wife Charles from Lancashire and Rachel fromDevon.
By 1851 they had six children and four years later had bought another business in High Petergate.
Detail from Epworth's shop window
When Charles died, Rachel ran the business with the help of her children before remarrying. Rachel and her new husband sold their High Petergate business to local pawnbroker Henry Hardcastle.
In 1874 the youngest Epworth daughter, Elizabeth, opened up a jewellery and silversmith business at 79 Low Petergate and four years later moved to Spurriergate.
She ran the shop with her niece and Mrs Emma Owen, a widow and lady of ‘independent means’. Elizabeth traded for 27 years retiring in 1905.
Epworth's Martinmas sale advert
This lovely advert was printed to co-incide with the annual Martinmas Fair, which was a big event in York and took place on November 22.
It started traditionally as a ‘hiring fair’, where workers would go to find work with employers, but grew to become a pleasure fair with stall and exhibitions.
More shops will be completed as work progresses over the next few months. Regular visitors will see some shops close – then open again – as we install new displays and tell the stories of York’s Victorian traders.
Another detail from Epworth's window
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