Hockliffe's

Hockliffes Booksellers
78 High Street, Bedford then later at 86 & 88 High Street, Bedford

Hockliffe's was a family run bookshop from around 1870 until the 1930's when the business was sold to WH Smith, however, even after 1930 the bookshop continued to trade under the Hockliffe name throughout the 20th Century.

The Cecil Higgins Art Gallery & Bedford Museum is lucky to hold a letter from William Hale White to Frederick Hockliffe dated 1902.

The letter begins with an enquiry about some plates that William Hale White planned to purchase, but goes on in an informal, (even gossipy) way 'I wonder who will be Dr. Brown's successor. A man of a different type from Hillyard (sp?) and Bull of Newport Pagnel, I suppose..'

The letter gives an insight into the personal, and friendly service Hockliffe afforded his customers. William Halewhite is better known in Bedford as Mark Rutherford (1831 - 1913) who was a writer. George Orwell  'described Mark Rutherford's Deliverance as 'one of the best novels written in English'

Below is an interview with Mr Philip Hills, who worked at Hockliffe's during the 1950's an 60's. He began at the shop straight after leaving school. He describes how large the shop was at that time, with about 10 departments and 70 staff.