Nos. 32 to 36 are in Chapel Yard, the passageway leading to the Baptist Chapel next to the King’s Arms. The Old Warehouse had belonged to the chemists. There is still a pulley for hoisting sacks to the top floor. In about 1860 Nathan Smith took over the Chemist’s shop and the warehouse was added with a chemical laboratory on the middle floor. He was an Agricultural Chemist and Mineral Water Manufacturer. (See a bottle of his bronchial remedy below). He had a 2 ton crane on the top floor and hoisted sacks of fertiliser and other agricultural products up there. He was also famous for the production of Dandelion Coffee.
No 38 was Haddon’s the Chemists, run by Albert Haddon and then later by his son, Laurie. Laurie Haddon was also an optician and his optical instruments are now in the Museum (see picture below). MPS stood for Member of the Pharmaceutical Society, The Pharmaceutical Society didn’t adopt the title “Royal” until 1988, although the royal charter was granted much earlier.
The shop was later called Liz Quilter and is now Orvis, but the original chemist’s drawers have been retained and the Haddon name can still be seen on the front step. (For more information about the history, see an article about the Old Pharmacy.)
In the 18th century this was the house of Richard Morris which was registered as a meeting house for the Baptists and the “Lower Meeting“ was built on his land behind the house.
See below the photo gallery for more details of the people who lived or worked at this house.
Click on any of the photographs below to enlarge it and to see the description. Then click on forward or back arrows at the foot of each photograph. To close the pictures, just click on one.
People and dates for no. 38
1738 Joshua Parsons and Henry Hobbs rented “a house called Struckells late Thomas Charsleys”
1759 Burial of Joshua Parsons carrier
1765 Window Tax: Widow Parsons
1777 House of Richard Morris in Amersham registered as a meeting house
1783 Fund opened to erect “a more commodious building” on part of Richard Morris’s “Great Yard”
1816 Rental by Richard Morris “for a house in the High Street formerly Henry Hobbs”
1817 Death of Richard Morris
1839 Tithe Award: William Morten: William Bovingdon, House & Garden
1841 Census: Thomas Morton (20) chemist
1844 Directory: Thomas Morton chemist
1851 Census: Thomas H Morton (30) chemist
1861 Census: Thomas H Morton (40) Landed Proprieter, Merchant & Chemist
1871 Census: Samuel R Pike (30) Registered Chemist
1881 Census: Nathan Smith (27) chemist
1883 Directory Smith, Nathan Chemist & Dentist
1887 Directory Smith, Nathan Chemist, Surgeon Dentist, Horse, Cattle & Patent Medicine Manfacturer
1891 Census: Alfred F Heald (26) chemist
1891 Directory: Alfred Francis Heald chemist
1895 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1899 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1901 Census: Albert H Haddon (37) Dispensing Chemist Open Shop
1903 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1907 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1910 Valuation: Haddon, A B House & shop
1911 Census: Albert Henry Haddon (47) Pharmacist Stationer Optician
1911 Directory Haddon, Albert Henry, Chemist
1915 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1924 Directory: Albert Henry Haddon chemist
1928 Directory: Albt Hy Haddon MPS chemist
1935 Directory Albert Hy Haddon,Chemist
1952 Directory Haddon, L.A,Chemist
1961 Directory Laurence A Haddon