Dunns butchers shops

Butcher shops. My great grandfather Thomas Dunn had a butcher shop at 35 Cross Cheaping. I have discovered that there were three other butcher shops in Coventry, one in Butcher Row, which were all owned by men with the surname Dunn. This seems a strange coincidence. Does anyone know if they were all related?

Hi, welcome to the forum I've found references for Dunn butchers in the directories. In 1900, there is Abraham Dunn at 28 Trinity Churchyard. There's a James Dunn, 7 Castle Street in Hillfields. Thomas is there at 35 Cross Cheaping. There is a William at 7 Market Hall and 14 Smithford Street. Thomas is also in the 1921 directory and William S is just listed as at 7 Market Hall. By 1926 Thomas and William S are still there, though William S is listed as the Market Place and there is an H Dunn in Holbrook Lane and a W Dunn at 476 Stoney Stanton Road. By 1938 there is only H Dunn listed at 198 Holbrook Lane. There are other Dunns but not butchers. Checking earlier directories gets harder but Thomas is there at 35 Cross Cheaping in 1886 and there's a William Dunn at 39 Cross Cheaping. There's a John Dunn at 43 Vine Street. Abraham at that time was at 28, 29 Butcher Row. In 1874 Thomas is at 35 and William is at 39 Cross Cheaping. Abraham is at 28, 29 Butcher Row. And finally in 1828 a John and a Thomas Dunn are listed separately in Great Butcher Row. I'm guessing that these two are an earlier generation or two and it seems entirely possible that they may all be related somehow. Abraham might be the intermediate generation between these two and Thomas? Was William a brother to Thomas? I might be able to find more info but others may have some better leads now the dates are pinpointed.

I've been trying to determine where 28 and 29 Butcher Row was and it's harder than it should be. Unfortunately by the time there is anything with numbering on, 28 and 29 aren't designated at all but there are buildings that could have been 28 and 29 and a logical answer why they were later listed as 28 Trinity Churchyard. See on this map the little man on the corner, that was in later years called Trinity Churchyard. Opposite are the numbers 24, 25, 26 which would put the man at 27 and 28 next door. Numbering was sequential in those days rather than odds and evens. But 28 was originally 2 buildings when the area was still the Great Butcher Row, so 28 and 29. This would be a picture of 29 if I'm right. There was an article originally in the Telegraph of someone saying it was their relative but I can't find it. I can't read the sign. In earlier years this area was called the Spicerstoke (with various spellings).

Not really visible but think that would make it along this face, Helen.

Slightly better view?

That's it Neil The butcher shops were timber buildings and probably resembled the one on the corner originally, with bays further up the building. The corner building is the one mostly framed by the gates. The butchers were to the right. You can see them roughly in this picture too and that they were logically one building. All this supposes that I'm right that these were 28 and 29.

I'm sure you've seen this one, Helen, but this Frith image captures the Derby Lane corner.

I've found a lot of info on the butcher Dunns in the newspapers and fundamentally it looks like they are related. I got as far as Abraham's funeral. Those with access to Ancestry records might be able to find out more detail. I'll post anything useful later. The dates are all slightly approximate because they are gleaned from articles, not registers. My guess of family order, all in the same location - 28/29 Spicerstoke/Butcher Row/Holy Trinity Churchyard Thomas Dunn not heard of after 1828 John Dunn (b approx 1800 d 24/04/1860) = Ann Moor (m 20/11/1827) Abraham Dunn (b approx 1832 d approx 13/08/1903) = Elizabeth Wright (m 21/07/1857 d approx 1897) Abraham's children Mary Ann Dunn (d 02/12/1858) Shops other locations as listed earlier. John Dunn = Annie Dunn (d 27/03/1889) (possible son H) Brother to Abraham - William Dunn (possible son John) Nephew to Abraham - Thomas Dunn 13 Aug 1903 Funeral Abraham Dunn of Trinity Churchyard immediate relatives - Mr J Dunn, Mr T Dunn, Mr W Dunn, Miss Dunn, Mr and Mrs Woodward, Mr and Mrs Kemp, Mrs H Redding, Miss Redding, Mr L Walton. Buried in Coventry (London Road?) Cemetery. Service by Rev F M Brodie vicar of Christchurch Added, a better family list

The Dunns have various shops I think. William Dunn at 14 Smithford Street in 1907 has a butcher son Sydney Dunn working at 7 Castle Street.

1891 Census shows Abraham (butcher) and Elizabeth Dunn at 24 Butcher Row.

Hello, Anyone with access to a street directory might find it interesting to look at the high even numbers for St Paul's Road for Harry Dunn, his disabled son, plus his housekeeper, Mrs Mumford. He had several shops in Coventry, plus he owned a lot of property. Coincidence? Harry died around 1970ish. PS. The top end, I got that wrong. No.84 rings a bell. Ding dong!

There were a lot of Dunns in other professions including another Abraham K Dunn.

William and William S are not the same person - William S is William Sidney Dunn... prolific lot In 1863 Thomas Dunn puts 15, 16 High Street butcher shop + other buildings up for sale In 1883 Thomas Dunn buys 35 Cross Cheaping for £960 In 1917 there is a William Sidney Dunn butcher living at 78 Spencer Avenue In 1915 there is a Herbert Parham Dunn, butcher in Longford. He's at 404 Foleshill Road in 1932. In 1924 there is a Harold Stanley Dunn butcher at 3 Cheveral Avenue.

Harold Stanley Dunn was son of Thomas Dunn (butcher) and Eleanor Jane, at 19 Warwick Row in 1911.