henry aldridge – devizine.com

Family run premier auctioneers of antiques and collector’s items, Henry Aldridge and Son announced a move into The Old Town Hall on Wine Street, Devizes; a move which will see them return to their roots…..

Alan Aldridge started Henry Aldridge and Son from the first floor of The Old Town Hall thirty-five years ago. They’re delighted to be coming home having completed the freehold purchase of the property. “It means so much to us as a family,” Chrissie Aldridge told us.

“The Old Town Hall, a stunning Grade II* neoclassical property will serve as the principal location for the collation of our Titanic, Liner and iconic memorabilia auctions. We will also host weekly free valuation days on Thursday market days.”

“The first stage of our move will take place next month with our main operation relocating to the Old Emporium in October.”

Henry Aldridge and Son host free valuations in Devizes every Friday with their Head of Valuations, TV’s Paul Martin. Paul, who hosted BBC’s Flog It for nearly twenty years is available to cast his expert eye over your prize possessions.

The Old Town Hall dates to 1752, first commissioned as a market hall, the ground floor was the town’s cheese market. By 1785 the first floor was an arsenal for the Royal Wiltshire Militia, and has also been the mess hall of the Devizes Loyal Volunteers, and a Sunday school.

Why is it called Wine Street? By 1836 the building was leased for commercial use, acquired by wine merchants, Messrs Cunnington, who used the basement and the vaults below for storage. The building has also been the museum, library and reading rooms of the literary and scientific institution. But many will remember its use by TSB, Hen House and the Wine Street Gallery.

Renowned Devizes auctioneers and valuers, Henry Aldridge and Son announced today they are relocating their auction rooms to The Old Emporium, a Grade II listed property that backs onto the iconic 16th Century St John’s Alley, which, as a long-running gift shop, sadly closed last month…..

In 2024 the company sold the two highest-priced items at auction outside of London. Andrew Aldridge, Managing Director commented, “We feel moving to the centre of Devizes shows our commitment to the community and hope that our international reputation will bring a number of new visitors to the town.”

Henry Aldridge and Son has a global reputation for selling iconic historical memorabilia, from a watch from the Titanic for $2m to the World’s First Christmas Card, and in moving to the Old Emporium, they will be selling history within a unique setting which they believe will be one of if not the oldest Auction Room in the UK.

Looking for the right property for two years, Henry Aldridge and Son say that the old Emporium is “perfect.” Its location dates from the early 16th Century, before Henry VIII came to the throne and over 150 years before the English Civil War. The opportunity to move to this unique location in the centre of Devizes, a town described by Poet Laureate John Betjeman as having the ‘Perfect Market Place’, was “one we had to grab with both hands. We will remain at our present Bath Road site until later this year, and the first auction in our new premises will be Titanic and Iconic Memorabilia in the autumn of 2025. Once our renovation is complete we will be running free jewellery and collectibles valuation days on Market Day at The Old Emporium, giving clients access to our specialist valuers.”