Monument record 1572500000 - Between 23 and 24 High Street, West Wycombe

In 1853 Benjamin North established a furnture-making business in an old malthouse on the south side of the High Street in West Wycombe village. In January 1870 the factory was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt, re-opening in September 1870. In 1870 the factory had 150 employees, in 1881 there were 200, and in 1892 there were over 350 employees. The firm had a timber store at West Wycombe station and a London showroom at 42 City Road. In September 1903 the business moved to new premises at Piddington [see CASS 09905] and the West Wycombe factory was used by Abbotts and Stone to manufacture furniture until at least the 1920s (B1).