A Little Piece of 21 Trinity Street History

Every day at Cafe 21 in Colchester, we serve coffee, English breakfasts, and relaxed lunches in our cosy little spot on Trinity Street – but this building has been “home” to many people long before it became a café. A while ago, a lovely lady called Iris sent us a photo of her in-laws sitting in what is now our garden, back when 21 Trinity Street was their family home. Recently, Iris kindly took the time to write down some of her memories for us.

Here is Iris’s letter, shared with her permission:

"History of 21 Trinity Street as far as I know; The last family who lived there were Mr & Mrs Cole and their two children. They started renting the house in the 40s/50s from the Wile family. Wiles were a printers established in 1869 whose premises were next to No 21. Maybe where Trinity Works is now, as my husband as a child remembers sitting on the garden wall and looking into the premises. They rented for a number of years before being able to buy it from the Wiles sisters who I imagine were the last descendents. By this time the printers had relocated to Ipswich Road. No. 21 was a happy family home where everyone was welcome to drop in when in town, when work started in the town to create Red Lion and later Culver Square, living in the town was increasingly difficult (at the time they had to phone the police as coming back home late they were unable to get to No.21 because of the town closure/building works) My husband has fond memories of visiting his Aunt, Uncle and cousins there and staying over in the attic bedroom, but he often felt the ghostly presence, which I believe is still there."

We’re so grateful to Iris for sharing this slice of Colchester history with us. Knowing that 21 Trinity Street was once a warm, welcoming family home makes it feel even more special that it’s now a place where people meet for coffee in Colchester, enjoy an English breakfast, or stop by for a relaxed lunch. Next time you’re in Cafe 21, maybe you’ll feel a little of that history too – hopefully without the ghostly presence!