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Hockliffe - Booksellers
78 and then 86-88 High Street

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The Hockliffe Family

Frederic Hockliffe was born on 6^th September 1833 and died on 13^th February 1914. He married Jane Elizabeth Rich. He was born in Bedford and educated at the Modern School. He trained as a printer with Forman and Lawrence before leaving Bedford to train as a printer with Austin & Sons in Hertford. He then worked for Simpkin Marshall in London before returning to Bedford and establishing his own business, founding Hockliffes booksellers in about 1870. He bought the second-hand book business of Mr Rolls in the 1870s. He was a connoisseur and keen collector of books, prints, historic documents, antique furniture and china and also had a collection of childrens books and straw-work made by French prisoners in the Napoleonic Wars. Eventually retiring to Pavenham, he died of heart failure on a visit to his son Ernest who was a master at Uppingham School. He was buried in Bedford Cemetery following a service in the chapel.

Frederic Richard Hockliffe, his son, was born in 1861 and died in 1929. His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1937. A keen cricketer in his youth, he was a JP and was connected with the Reform Party movement of 1901. He was elected to the Town Council in 1903 and served as Mayor in 1915, 1916 and 1918. In 1919 he became the first president of the newly founded Chamber of Trade and became an alderman in 1919. He was chairman of the Bedford War Tribunal and a member of the Bedford Club and also of the Bedford Arts Club of which he was president in 1914. He was also a governor of the Harpur Trust. He and his wife lived for many years at 64 Goldington Avenue before moving in 1916 to 27 Bushmead Avenue. He latterly retired to Pavenham, where his wife remained after his death. His funeral took place in St Pauls Church before the coffin was taken to Golders Green for cremation. The ashes were scattered on the grave of his parents at Bedford Cemetery. Business was suspended in the High Street as a mark of respect and the Borough flag flew at half mast over the Town Hall.

Elizabeth Hockliffe, his widow, was known for her war work during the First World War. She took an active interest in the business after her son Maurice left to work in London in 1935.

Maurice Frederic Richard Hockliffe (son of the younger Frederic) was born in 1900 and died in 1989. He attended Bedford School from 1910-1918, eventually becoming head boy. He passed an entrance examination into the Royal Navy and served as a cadet at Keyham but afterwards went into the Forest Service abroad and was stationed in Kenya for some time. After his fathers death, he returned to Bedford to manage the business but left again in 1935 to take up a post as librarian in London. He was a fine amateur actor and a member of Bedford Dramatic Club. His daughter donated a further collection of her grandfathers books to the University of Bedfordshire in 2010.

Timelines

Hockliffe's Bookshop Timeline

1870	Frederic Hockliffe set up shop in Bedford High Street premises (subsequently Sell and Willshaw's)
1870	64 St Loyes Street, Bedford
1871	32 St Loyes Street, Bedford
1878	78 High Street, Bedford
c.1885	86 and 88 High Street Bedford
1914	death of Frederic Hockliffe. Business continued by his son Frederic R. Hockliffe
1929	death of Frederic R. Hockliffe
1929-35	business managed by Maurice Hockliffe, Frederic's son. Second-hand bookshop at 8 Lime Street, Bedford until 1965
Late 1930s	business sold to W.H.Smith but continued to trade under the Hockliffe name

86-88 High Street, Bedford Timeline

18th C	Shop with bakery and yard at rear built
1840s	88 High Street acquired by Mary and William Pearson from the Malden family, at one time millers at Duck Mill
1870	J. E. Liller, printer (No.86) and Mary Pearson, Baker (No.88)
c. 1880	Holmes and Co., Fancy Goods and Toys (No.86) and Malden's Bakery (No.88)
1883-5	Nos. 86 and 88 rebuilt for Hockliffe, Bookseller, designed by Henry Young in the Queen Anne style. Described as mixed residential and commercial use. The Hockliffe family lived there for a time. Described by J. Hamson in Bedford Town and Townsmen thus: " The new and handsome shop of Mr F. Hockliffe is on the site of Malden's Bakery, which was quite an extensive concern. This Mr Malden was also proprietor of the Duck Mill. His business was taken by Mr Pearson, who was for years a member of the Town Council...".
Late 1930s	taken over by W.H. Smith but still traded under the Hockliffe name
1975	W.H. Smith
1982	Central Chambers Woodfine and Co., Solicitors
1986	Park Woodfine, Solicitors
1990	The Yorkshire Bank
2011	The Jeweller's Bench and The Skills Bank

Information from Sally Heard 2011

Sources

Bedford Local Studies Library and Heritage Library (HL)

Books

Wildman, Richard, Bedford Past and Present, Paul Hooley, 1975. BED/WIL
Photographs of 86 and 88 in 1870 and 1975
Photographs of Lime Street showing Hockliffe and W. and H. Peacock in 1885 and 1975
Wildman, Richard, Bygone Bedford, White Crescent Press, 1974.BED/WIL
Photograph of the view South down the High Street in the 1870s showing previous buildings at 86 and 88
Wildman, Richard, Bedford, a Pictorial History, Phillimore. 1991. BED/WIL
Photograph of Maldens Bakery c. 1880
Photograph of eight mayors, including F.R. Hockliffe bowling at the Bedford Club in 1925 (Gearey print)
Hamson, J. Bedford Town and Townsmen 18454-1895: a record of the local history of Bedford during the last half century, Bedfordshire Times Office, 1896. HL 942.561
Where to Buy at Bedford: an illustrated local review, 1891 p. 50. HL BED/WHE
Image of 86 and 88 High Street shortly after construction in 1883
Bedford Local Directories HL
High Street Historical Gazetteer, Bedford Borough Council, 2008. HL
Photos old and modern and brief timeline (architect wrongly attributed, see plans at BLARS dated 1883 which state the architect to be Henry Young, not Usher and Anthony).

Articles

Bedford and County Record

17^th February1914 (p.1) Frederic Hockliffe obituary
30^th April 1929 (p.9) Frederic R. Hockliffe obituary

Bedfordshire On Sunday

26^th June2005 p.29 Kids books go online

Bedfordshire Times

20^th February 1914 p.8 Frederic Hockliffe obituary
26^th April 1929 p.11 Frederic R. Hockliffe obituary
3^rd May 1929 p.10 Frederic R. Hockliffe obituary
9^th April 1937 p.9 Elizabeth Hockliffe obituary
26^th May 1944 p.7 Ernest Hockliffe obituary
22^nd October 1976 W.H. Smith takes over the business but keeps the Hockliffe name

The Eagle

Obituary of F.R. Hockliffe vol. 17 no. 5 July 1929 pp.373-374

Transactions of the Bibliographical Society

vol xiii no:3, Dec 1932 (advertisement for the business recently published, catalogue 59)

University of Bedfordshire

Hockliffe Project at the University of Bedfordshire a collection of early childrens books.

BLARS (Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service)

Hockliffe billheads various dates
28^th September 1883: Plan of business premises, High Street, Bedford for Mr F. Hockliffe by Henry Young, Architect.
1883: notice of intention to commence works by Samuel Foster, builder.
2^nd September 1884: application to connect drains with public sewer
Plans for alterations to 86-88 High Street on 5^th October 1904 (removal of chimneys and new stairs, addition of WC and window to 2^nd floor).
1925: three applications for alterations to shop in Lime Street and a letter from George P. Allen FRIBA, 81 High Street Bedford on 22^nd June of that year, asking to commence work as soon as possible. I herewith enclose your plan showing proposed alterations for my client Mr F. R. Hockliffe and he has asked me if you would be so kind as to go through the plans as soon as possible so they can have the approval of the Building Committee as he wishes to start at once. The plans were agreed on 23^rd June so he got his wish!
1925 plan from George Allen for proposed alterations with a plan of elevation.
February 1926: application from E. Hopkins, builder of 54 Tavistock Street for addition of shed.
24^th April 1929: another application from E. Hopkins for alterations to drains.
6^th July 1930: application to erect a bicycle shed.
21^st April 1932: another application for alterations to drains.

Information from Census Returns

1871 Census: residents at 32 St Loyes Street, Bedford
Frederic Hockliffe, bookseller
Jane Elizabeth Hockliffe, wife
Elizabeth Rich, widow
Frederic R., Ernest H., Beatrice Mary and Maurice Fraser Hockliffe, children
Mary Ann Dickins, servant
1881 Census: residents at 62 St Loyes Street, Bedford
Frederic Hockliffe, bookseller
Jane Elizabeth Hockliffe, wife
Frederick R. Hockliffe, son, booksellers assistant
Ernest Hockliffe, son
Clara Burgess, servant
1891Census: residents at 88 High Street, Bedford
Frederic Hockliffe
Jane Ellizabeth Hockliffe, wife
Beatrice Hockliffe, daughter, Governess
Mary Webb, servant
1891 Census: residents at 124 Foster Hill Road, Bedford
Frederic R Hockliffe, bookseller
Elizabeth Hockliffe, wife
1901 Census: residents at 64 Goldington Avenue, Bedford
Frederic R Hockliffe, bookseller
Elizabeth Hockliffe, wife
Kathleen and Maurice Hockliffe, children
Esther Freeman, servant