Page 78 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Life and Times of Heaphys

One of the oldest shops in Redditch is Heaphys Men’s &, Boy’s Wear which is still surviving
and going from strength to strength. The 1871 census describes George Heaphy as having
been born between England and Scotland on the sea. The shop is still thriving in Church
Green West in Redditch with branches in several other midlands towns.

Thomas Snr, Thomas Jnr. & George Heaphy

Heaphys began in trouble-torn Ireland more than 200 years ago. The Heaphy family lived
in the Waterford area of Ireland, but because of the troubles they moved to England and
settled in Plymtree, in Devon, where Thomas was born in 1787.

Thomas worked as a

packman. His eldest son, also

Thomas, was born in 1808

and George followed four

years later. Thomas Senior

died when he was only 42.

but his two sons carried on

with the business. The

womenfolk made woollen

under garments, cotton shirts

and shifts, and during the

summer months the two

brothers walked northwards

with their donkey, selling

these goods, together with

ribbons, bobbins, cottons,

needles etc. From Plymtree

they would go through

Taunton, Bridgewater,

Glastonbury, Bath, the

Costwolds, Nailsworth,

Stroud, Cheltenham,

Evesham and Alcester to

Redditch, buying needles at

Alcester.

An early Heaphys Advert. In 1830, tragedy struck at
Redditch. They were going
'up the stones' (as the bottom
of Mount Pleasant was called
in those days) when their
faithful donkey dropped dead
from a heart attack.
Unfortunately this was their
most northerly port of call.
The two brothers decided to
split the stock, and Thomas
returned to Devon while
George settled in Redditch.

Page: 78 © RLHS 2015