Arthur Shepherd was established at its present address in the historic heart of the University City of Cambridge in 1902. It has always been a family business selling good quality clothing.
Arthur Shepherd opened his shop at 62 Cornmarket Street, Oxford in 1877. Later, his son, Ernest Shepherd took the business over and in 1902 opened a branch in Cambridge at 32 Trinity Street and sent Mr A F Smith, an employee, to run the shop in Cambridge. Over the years, Fred Smith bought out the interest which Ernest Shepherd had in the business and in 1946, having successfully traded through two World Wars and the Great Depression, handed the shop on to his son Geoffry, just home from War Service in Italy with the Royal Signals. In 1979, he was joined by his daughter Julia and her husband Kenneth Wheatcroft, who now run the business.
Our shop front must be the most photographed in Cambridge. The flowers come from the Harvey stall on Cambridge Market.
Drawing by Richard Tuck