Cutlacks and the JH Adams timeline
'A general and furnishing ironmongers, a modern emporium unrivalled in the district' 1893
With thanks to Roger Rudderham of the Littleport Society for the original research.
.The Adams Family Tree
John Henry Adams
John Henry Adams was born in 1841, in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, the son of Elizabeth and Henry Adams, a carpenter.
John Henry the eldest had brothers and sisters: Sarah 1843, Josh 1849, Thirza 1851, Thomas 1851, Rosannah 1855, Alice 1860 and Alfred Frederick 1865.
After leaving school John became an apprentice to Thomas Hancock an ironmonger in his home town of Sturminster Newton and moved in to lodge with Thomas and his wife Mary.
John moved onto a job as an ironmonger’s assistant in Maldon, Essex. He married Elizabeth Morris of Poole in 1866.
H & J Cutlacks
John became an assistant ironmonger to H & J Cutlack in Ely.
John and Elizabeth moved to Ely and rented a house in Downham Road and Alice Jane, was born 20 July 1871
In about 1871 John was promoted to branch manager of Cutlack’s second shop in High St Littleport.
In Littleport they rented a house in Wellington Street then moved to live either over or behind the shop in High Street.
More children were added to the family Lizzie Eva 1872, Joseph Henry 1874, Edwin Percy 1878, Alfred Monckton 1880 and Olive Morris 1882. At this time Alfred Frederick Adams John’s youngest brother comes to live with them as an apprentice ironmonger.
Building of the Ironmongers
In 1893 H & J Cutlack, extremely successful ironmongers, commissioned and moved their business to a new purpose built shop in Main Street next to their family home, closing the High Street shop. The building very architecturally advanced for its time was built by a local builder from Southery. It was constructed using a steel frame structure with vertical steel columns, bricked in between, the interior clad in pine. It is worth noting the first steel framed buildings were developed in America and the UK in the 1880s.
Described as a General and Furnishing Ironmongers this new modern emporium was considered unrivalled in the district.
They advertised the ‘best possible discounts for cash'
John Henry Adams takes over
The Adams family moved into the former Cutlack house next to the shop. John’s eldest son Joseph Henry joined the business as an apprentice ironmonger.
In 1900 John H Adams succeeded Mr Cheeseright as postmaster and moved the post office to the front room of his house. His daughters Alice and Lizzie took on the day to day running of the post office.
In 1901 John Henry bought the ironmongers business from H & J Cutlack and began trading as J H Adams and Sons. The buildings, shop and house however remained the property of Miss Ruth Cutlack who had inherited them from her brother Henry Cutlack.
Ruth Cutlack
When Ruth Cutlack died in 1912 she instructed in her will that the net rents and income from the property should be divided between her three sisters and that after the death of the last survivor the premises should be sold by auction.
Doris Elizabeth Adams
John Henry Adams died on 27 January 1915. His eldest son Joseph Henry took over the business.
Prior to this Joseph after serving his apprenticeship with his father had moved to London to become an assistant ironmonger in Islington. Joseph became a travelling salesman and was to meet Amy Wright daughter of a boot and shoe shop owner in Goole Yorkshire. They married in 1901 moving to Wanstead where their daughter Doris Elizabeth was born in 1903.
Alfred Dewey
Joseph was assisted in the running of the shop by his brother in law Alfred Dewey. Alfred Dewey had come to Littleport sometime after 1911 as an assistant and married Joseph’s sister Olive in 1913. Joseph did not succeed his father as postmaster. The Post Office was moved to newly built premises further along the street and was run by a Mrs Brown.
In 1920 Joseph purchased from James Smart the champion skater from Welney the agency for the import of Hagen skates.
The Auction
In 1923 the last of the Cutlack sisters died and the trustees of the estate put the shop and house up for auction. At the auction held at the Crown Inn on the 26 June 1923 at 7.00 the property was sold to Joseph Adams. Joseph died in 1956 the business was then continued by his daughter Doris Elizabeth and her uncle Alfred Dewey assisted by his son Philip.
The shop became one of the most prominent in the area claiming to
‘serve all classes of domestic and builder’s ironmongery’
Today
In 1982 Doris Adams and Philip Dewey retired and sold the business to David and Susan Porter. They ran the business until their own retirement in 2010.
The new owner of the premises Peter Audus undertook renovations to the interior, fitted a new kitchen area, rewiring, central heating and a disabled access toilet. The shop was then leased as a heritage centre to preserve the Victorian interior, its fixtures fittings and historic contents.
Adams Heritage Centre is now overseen by a group of volunteer trustees.
Recent Articles
Contact Details
17 Main Street
Littleport
CB6 1PH
COPYRIGHT © 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED