Phorpres House

The impressive looking four storied square building that stands on the corner of what was once called Mile End Road but is now called St Margarets Road and  London Road in Fletton, is called Phorpres House. It was built  in 1896 for a John  Cathles  Hill. Hill, a developer-architect was at that time the owner of the London Brick Company. It's history has been very difficult to research and I'm sure it would more to say if I could only locate the records. 
I don't believe it was built as a home as, after an unsuccessful application for an alcohol license in August 1899 it became known as The Coffee palace an was a Gentleman's Coffee House. The layout of rooms inside do not lend themselves to a great house  that it would have been considering the size of the building.

John Cathles Hill

The Coffee Palace 1909

In 1917 the building was sold to Peerless Foods and was used as offices and goods depot. By 1928 it had been repurchased by the London Brick Company given the name Phorpres House (after the Phorpres brick) and used as their District Offices.

The trade-name Phorpres came about because Fletton Bricks, made from the local Oxford clay, are pressed twice in each direction so that they are literally 'four pressed' if the phrase is pronounced quickly it becomes Phorpres!

Phorpres House with its rather grand entrance.

 The building stood empty and neglected for years until sometime in the 1980's an enterprising property developer converted it into flats. This is now where Grandson Number 1 resides. In a spacious one bedroom flat on the third floor with its own kitchen and a full bathroom. A much improved residence to the rather down market one room in a shared house that was his previous residence.

The view from London Road