Oxford Street Beavers
A common line often repeated for London (and plenty of other big cities) is that you’re always within 6ft of a rat. Whether that’s actually true, I’m far more interested in looking up at these furry creatures on Oxford Street.
Above 105-109 Oxford Street, crane your neck right to the figures at the top.
Which, on closer inspection, are beavers.
The reason for their presence can be found around the back of the building, on Hollen Street.
Henry Heath
This large building was the premises of Henry Heath’s Hat Factory. Established in the 1822 Heath’s hats were made with felted fur from beaver otters, rabbits, hares and musk rats. Apparently no small furry animal was safe.
Hat manufacturing was big business in the 19th century when English fashion dictated that everyone wore a hat. The type was also key to defining your social status; top hats for gentlemen, bowlers for the upwardly mobile industrialist and flat caps for lower class.
Advertisement from the British Library of Henry Heath’s hats c.1884.
With the change in fashion and decline of hat-wearing, Henry Heath’s went out of business around the 1930s. So now it’s only the sadly-doomed creatures which record the history of this once flourishing trade.
Look again at the middle rodent and you’ll see the initial ‘H’ on the shield he’s holding.
For more on the history of hat making in London (and why we have that phrase ‘Mad as a Hatter’) click here.
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Stewart Francis
What an interesting piece, Katie. I must try to seek out that item when I am in Oxford Street. Though I deplore many aspects of modern life — I left my youth behind ‘a few years ago’! — it is at least reassuring that, at least in England, such cruelty towards these poor creatures, and simply for hats, is abhorrent to most people. Not that we don’t still have a long way to go yet in our relationship towards the animal kingdom.
Katie Wignall
Enjoy looking up Stewart! Yes it’s nice to know that the beavers can sleep soundly, at least in terms of headwear!
Black Tulip
I’ve just acquired some Henry Heath hatboxes, and and an online search to find out more about the firm led me here. Thank you for such a fascinating post. When I can next visit London (whenever that may be) I’ll be sure to look out for the building.
Ian
Fscinating to read this. My mother is 87 (born 1934) and worked there when she was 15 as a junior book keeper. So, it was definitely still operating in 1949.