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16 Suffolk Parade (formerly 2 Suffolk Parade South)

Although it is difficult to be certain, since the house numbers changed during the construction of Suffolk Parade, this property was probably a butcher’s shop belonging to Joseph Kingham in 1830. In that year it became the home of Charles Salt, a surgeon, who later moved to Suffolk Lodge (now The Retreat).

Then in 1839 a bakery was established here by Mr James Tyler and his wife Sarah, thus beginning a trade that was to continue on this site (or next door) until about the late 1960s. James Tyler is recorded as having run the tuck shop at Cheltenham College, where he was particularly appreciated for his “twopennies”, a “small sort of raised pie, made of fruit, gooseberries, apples or plums, completely enclosed with pastry” and various other delicacies.

James Tyler died young in 1847 and the business passed to his relative Thomas Tyler, who was married to Hannah and by 1861 called himself a “master baker”, employing various assistant bakers, apprentices and servants.

The Tylers were at this property until about 1868, when they sold the bakery to Mr John Sims, who also acquired number 17 at or about the same time. John, who was born in Wotton Under Edge in 1830, was married to Matilda and lived here with their 5 children and various apprentices and servants. He not only baked bread but was also a corn factor, or dealer, perhaps continuing a family trade carried on by Thomas Sims at 5 Montpellier Retreat in 1830.