A blind piano tuner once worked out of a shop that is now occupied by an opticians, research has revealed.

The Watford Observer reported at the weekend how Watford resident Andy Platt had spotted a sign for ‘Naturewise Health Store’ while work was being carried out at the Vicarage Road shop now occupied by WildEyes Vision Clinic Ltd.

We contacted our friends at Watford Museum to ask for their help in finding out more about the history of the property and research carried out by volunteer archivist Christine Orchard has found the previous occupants included a blind piano tuner and a decorating business.

The first occupant of Number 20 Vicarage Road was C. Claridge, who had moved to what was known as The Promenade from Market Street by November 1900.

Watford Observer: The advert for Claridge Music and Stationery DepotThe advert for Claridge Music and Stationery Depot (Image: Watford Museum)

An advert in the Watford Observer from April 27, 1901 records the premises as occupied by Claridge Music and Stationery Depot, and the census for that year describes Mr Claridge as a pianoforte tuner who was recorded as being blind.

Charles Claridge, piano tuner and dealer, is still listed at 20 Vicarage Road in the 1921 census, but it is thought he gave up the business soon after. By 1939 he had moved to Whitstable, in Kent, and died in 1950.

Watford Observer: This 1906 image shows Number 20 on the left-hand side with the awning stretched over the pavement.This 1906 image shows Number 20 on the left-hand side with the awning stretched over the pavement. (Image: Warren)

Christine’s research has found that by 1922, Kelly’s Directory of Watford lists the new occupant of the shop as W. G. Langrish, decorating materials. Walter G. Langrish was born in 1872 and he was married to Frances, who was born two years later.

Kelly’s Directory shows that by 1949 the business was now named Langrish (Watford) Ltd – decorators’ merchants, but the following year Walter and Frances died just three days apart from each other.

The business continued though, and it was still operating in 1974 when the last Kelly’s Directory was published.

Watford Observer: The Naturewise Health Store sign with the five-digit phone number.The Naturewise Health Store sign with the five-digit phone number. (Image: Andy Platt)

The date when Number 20 was taken over by Naturewise Health Store is not known but it would have been by the early 1980s. This was when five-digit local telephone numbers – as shown on Andy’s picture – became six digits.

The picture at the top of this page, thought to date from the early 1990s, shows J. B. Richards Opticians when it was located at Number 28 Vicarage Road before moving to Number 20. The shop is now occupied by WildEyes Vision.