Chapter Four - The Sale Rooms, Lime Street, Bedford

Summary

The first sale at Lime Street

Peacocks took over sale rooms in Lime Street, Bedford, for regular weekly sales of antique and modern furniture in 1903. The premises had previously been occupied as an auction sale room by Mr Herbert J. Rayment.

Following an advertisement in The Bedfordshire Times and Independent on 23 March 1903, the first sale was held on 3 April 1903. Furniture had been removed from ‘Goldington Avenue, Waterloo Road and other residences in Bedford’. The ‘Splendid Household Furniture’ included:

A handsome French Dining Room Suite comprising large sideboard, dinner wagon, 10ft. dining table and 6 chairs. Cottage pianoforte in rosewood frame, pine writing table, bamboo, mahogany and other occasional tables, brass kerbs and fire implements, coal hods, Persian rugs, Brussels and Axminster carpets, Indian matting, linoleum and stair carpeting, oak bookcase, carved oak, cane seat, wicker and other occasional chairs; a quantity of books and ornaments; Bedroom appointments consisting of brass rail and iron bedsteads and French spring mattresses, wool mattresses and excellent bedding; mahogany, pine and painted chests of drawers, cane seat chairs, pitch pine wardrobes with plate glass doors, large linen chest, box ottoman, toilet glasses, marble top washstands and commodes; tapestry, plush and other curtains, and numerous effects.

Management and organisation of the sales

Sales were held on Fridays with the exception of Good Friday and Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year's Day, when these occurred on a Friday. The sale room was approached down a wide passageway, which opened out into the main room where a broad table stood in the centre with the auctioneer's rostrum at the rear. A staircase led up to the first floor sale room. Furniture for sale was placed all-round the sides of the room and passageway with further items upstairs. Glassware, china, silver plate and silver were displayed on the large table, which would be surrounded by dining chairs for sale.

The building became a hive of activity on Mondays and Tuesdays as furniture and other items were brought in. Only the better items were accepted for sale at Lime Street, the remainder being sent down to the Horne Lane sale yard for the Saturday sale. By Wednesday morning chaos was turned into order; the items for sale were duly lotted up and numbered ready for the catalogue.