House of Reeves
Encyclopedia
House of Reeves is a family-run furniture retailer in Croydon
, south London, England.
The store was founded in 1867 as Ye Olde Curiositie Shoppe on Church Street — opposite Croydon Parish Church — by Edwin Reeves, a barrel maker from Sherborne, Dorset. He passed the business to his son, William. The store's name was changed after World War II to E. Reeves Ltd., and was passed to William Jr., then to Maurice Reeves, the company chairman as of 2011. The business is run by Maurice's sons, Trevor and Graham, and another director, David Barnes. Another of Edwin Reeves' great-great-grandsons is Marc Reeves, former editor of the Birmingham Post
.
The store became known as the House of Reeves, and in the late 1970s the corner on which it is located was named "Reeves Corner". It is served by Reeves Corner tram stop
. According to The Daily Telegraph, the building was one of the few in Croydon to survive The Blitz
during World War II
.
One of the company's two adjacent stores was razed to the ground by an arson
attack on 8 August 2011 during the 2011 England riots
. Firefighters arrived too late to save the buildings because police had been unable to guarantee their safety. Time magazine wrote that the destruction of House of Reeves came to symbolize the violence that spread across England during the three days of rioting. Trevor Reeves said that the company, which employs 15 people, would remain in business. A group was set up on the Internet offering donations to help the store rebuild. Police arrested a 21-year-old man two days after the fire on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and later a 15-year-old and another 25-year-old male. On 14 August 2011 police charged Gordon Thompson, a 33-year-old local man, with starting the fire.
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, south London, England.
The store was founded in 1867 as Ye Olde Curiositie Shoppe on Church Street — opposite Croydon Parish Church — by Edwin Reeves, a barrel maker from Sherborne, Dorset. He passed the business to his son, William. The store's name was changed after World War II to E. Reeves Ltd., and was passed to William Jr., then to Maurice Reeves, the company chairman as of 2011. The business is run by Maurice's sons, Trevor and Graham, and another director, David Barnes. Another of Edwin Reeves' great-great-grandsons is Marc Reeves, former editor of the Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
The Birmingham Post newspaper was originally published under the name Daily Post in Birmingham, England, in 1857 by John Frederick Feeney. It was the largest selling broadsheet in the West Midlands, though it faced little if any competition in this category. It changed to tabloid size in 2008...
.
The store became known as the House of Reeves, and in the late 1970s the corner on which it is located was named "Reeves Corner". It is served by Reeves Corner tram stop
Reeves Corner tram stop
Reeves Corner tram stop is a halt on the Tramlink service in central Croydon.It is normally only served by trams coming from Wimbledon to Croydon; trams going in the opposite direction pass the station on the other side of the road without stopping....
. According to The Daily Telegraph, the building was one of the few in Croydon to survive The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
One of the company's two adjacent stores was razed to the ground by an arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
attack on 8 August 2011 during the 2011 England riots
2011 England riots
Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread rioting, looting and arson....
. Firefighters arrived too late to save the buildings because police had been unable to guarantee their safety. Time magazine wrote that the destruction of House of Reeves came to symbolize the violence that spread across England during the three days of rioting. Trevor Reeves said that the company, which employs 15 people, would remain in business. A group was set up on the Internet offering donations to help the store rebuild. Police arrested a 21-year-old man two days after the fire on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life, and later a 15-year-old and another 25-year-old male. On 14 August 2011 police charged Gordon Thompson, a 33-year-old local man, with starting the fire.
External links
- House of Reeves
- Video of attack on House of Reeves, fire starts at 01:40 mins, courtesy of YouTube, accessed 10 August 2011.
- Fire takes hold, from 0:56 mins, courtesy of YouTube, accessed 10 August 2011.
- "Croydon's House of Reeves furniture store demolished", footage of the fire and subsequent demolition, BBC News, 10 August 2011.