Hong Kong House/Curry With Love

In 1845 these premises and the next two were part of one block owned by Thomas Randall and occupied by Robert Feltman and another, neither of whom can yet be traced. However, in 1841 and 1851 a Thomas Randall was a butcher and farmer here. He died in 1861 by which time the block was split into three shops.

In 1861 the first building was occupied by William Wharton, a perfumier and hairdresser, but by 1871 he appears to have moved to the other side of the Marketplace at no.93.

This image from about 1904 shows draper and tailor George Pharez Daborn at what is now Hong Kong House.

In his place came John Chatton, a cabinet maker, who had left Swaffham by 1907.

At some time after the death of Henry Plowright in 1898 the company Plowright, Pratt & Harbage was formed, trading here in ironmongery.

As shops became vacant along this stretch so the business expanded in 1937 to include nos.11-13. The company closed in 1982.

The lease was taken over by Colin Dickerson who continued to trade in ironmongery (C D & H) until about 1984, when the site was split into three different units again.

There has been a Chinese take-away here since around that time.

This is the second of the block of three owned and occupied by Thomas Randall until around 1860 and later taken over by Plowright, Pratt and Harbage

A branch of the Swaffham Plowright family moved to King’s Lynn in the late 18th century as bakers.

Eventually an ironmongery was set up there by Henry B.Plowright in 1822. At the same time in Swaffham Henry Plowright added a foundry and gasworks to his own ironmongery business.

After Henry B. died 1883 his son Henry (junior) joined John H.Pratt, his nephew, in a partnership. Henry junior died in 1898 and John Pratt invited Thomas Harbage to be his new partner.

The name agreed was Plowright, Pratt & Harbage (PPH).
The company moved into Swaffham in about 1937. It closed in 1982.

Between about 1984 to 1999 Peter Bell ran a men’s outfitters here.

Curry with Love opened but the business fell victim to the COVID lockdowns and closed in the early 2020s, taking their customers online.

Currently it is waiting for the opening of The Nail Bar.