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252 Bath Road (formerly Robert Young’s)

This last property on the east side of Bath Road retained the same name for the whole of the twentieth century. The name over the door was Robert Young but it was his father, Henry, who started the business.

Henry Thomas Young was born in Cheltenham in the mid- 1800s and lived here (then called Naunton House) with his wife, Mary and their three sons, Arthur, Robert and Henry. Their middle son, Robert, was born in 1886 and it was during that year that Henry established his business as a florist and nurseryman. He bought Naunton Nurseries from Henry Hart and steadily built up a thriving business. A very well known horticulturist, Henry Young was for many years connected with the Root, Fruit and Grain Society in Cheltenham.

By the start of the 1914-1918 conflict, the business had become H.T. Young and Sons. Henry was an active Christian worker and for the majority of his life was an ardent member of the church at Regent Hall. This was the non-conformist chapel at the High Street end of Regent Street. Henry Young died on April 26th 1922 at the age of 69.

Most of the flowers that Robert sold, he grew in large paraffin-heated greenhouses in the grounds of Naunton House. Mr Young was in his seventies when he sold the business to the Artus family in 1962. He remained living in the house until his death at the age of 81, in January 1968.

Mr Hubert Artus and his son John continued the business under the name of Robert Young. They joined Interflora, the international organisation for flower delivery and built up a good reputation for their floral exhibits mostly created by Sue Artus, John’s wife. Sue produced displays and arrangements for Royalty and her work earned her many top awards.

See our Local Memories page for this property.