Ripon Street

Image: © Jo and Steve Turner Taken: 23 Oct 2011

Co-operative No 4 Branch opened in Ripon street early in 1878 at 43 on the opposite corner, with No.41 here the Co-op butchers in housing built by Joseph Crosby and Sons. The January 1900 Co-op directors report said, “We have purchased property in Ripon Street, adjoining the Butchery Branch, and when the plans for converting the whole of the site into a large General Store are passed by the City Corporation, the work will be immediately begun”. This new shop in the current building, No.37-41 Ripon Street, opened on 13th Dec 1900 built by the co-op's own building department replacing the houses. The May 1947 Co-op report tells of the floods that includes flooding of this branch along with 3,000 houses in Lincoln. Despite a search of directors reports from 1960 it is not clear when the Co-op moved out, Ripon Street only being mentioned in 1962-1963 as far as I could tell but in 1973 they reported they had closed the butchers in Ripon Street (before 31st March). R Reid (Electrical Distributors) Ltd were incorporated in December 1987 and occupied the building after that date for a number of years until July 1999. I think it stood empty for a while but planning approved change of use in June 1999 for conversion to 3 x 6 bedroomed student accommodation units. However the one door carries the number 39. Note the vending machine on the Cross street wall that has never been removed. See Image for the same picture in 1989.

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