Butcher's Shop, The Waits, St Ives

Harry Anderson Jnr's butcher's shop

In the 1800s, three-quarters of food was adulterated. Traders included nasty additives, such as alum and chalk in bread. Bugs, human and animal hair and other content found its way into food by accident. The Government appointed food inspectors from 1872. Food poisoning became a public health issue in the 1880s.

Most cases of food poisoning arose from animal products. Butchers and fishmongers had to take particular care. They found tiling easy to clean down after a busy day. Some shop owners extended tiling beyond the functional, decorating the front of their shop and advertising their wares.

12 & 13 The Waits, St Ives

A fine example is at 12 & 13 The Waits, St Ives. What was once Harry Anderson Junior's butcher's shop is a splendid example of the art of commercial tiling. A grade II listed building from the 1700s, the tiling on what was the shop front features pictorial tiles of a sheep, bull and pig, a decorative surround, and Harry's name as a column by the main shop door. Who was Harry Anderson Junior?

Born in St Ives in 1900, Harry Joshua Anderson was the second eldest of 13 children. His father, Henry (Harry) Anderson, farmed Westwood Farm. Harry's mother was Sarah Jane Worts, daughter of Wallis Worts, higler and publican of the Dun Horse. Harry's extended family was in farming and butchering. Edward Anderson Senior farmed Hill Farm, (once located at the junction of Hill Rise and Ansley Way). It's probable livestock from Westwood Farm and Hill Farm supplied butchers Thomas Anderson in Bridge Street, and Edward Anderson Junior on The Waits.

The shop was possibly owned by the family from the 1870s. John Anderson occupied the premises from the 1880s. When John died in 1889, his brother, Edward, took over. The shop then passed to Edward's son, Edward Hume Anderson.

Harry Junior probably started working in the shop in 1915, when he left school. Edward Hume Anderson died in 1918. Harry Junior most likely took over the butcher's shop after a brief few months in the RAF from July to December 1918. He married Dorothea Chambers or Shepperson (the records are unclear which) from Ramsey in 1921. Dorothea's father was a butcher and farmer. The household included a servant. Daughters Nina and Dorothea followed in 1922 and 1924.

Harry taking delivery of milk, The Waits flooded, 1940.
Dorothea looking out from an upstairs window.

Harry was still trading from his shop on The Waits in 1939. In 1954, aged 54 years, Harry gave up the butcher's shop and moved to North Walsham, Norfolk. There he became licensee of the Buck Inn. Dorothea took over the licence for a short period on Harry's death in 1961.