Village Squire, 1979-08, Page 5Harry Ten Shilling tea room and gift shop on the main street of Shakespeare.
A Shakespearean
deligh t
BY SUSANNE JONES
After a leisurely stroll along the banks of the Avon or an
afternoon with the Bard in Stratford, one can experience a
further glimpse of England by visiting Harry Ten Shilling Tea
Room and Gift Shop in the neighbouring village of Shakespeare.
Harry Ten Shilling is situated in a building which dates back to
around 1850 and was originally used as a coach stop along the old
Huron Trail. Today's traveller will have no difficulty in finding
the tea room, located right on Main Street at the corner of
Highways 7&8 and 59.
Before the present proprietors, Roxanne and Michael Jervis,
took over the building, it had served at various times as an
antique store, a gallery. a barber shop and even as a bootleg
hotel back in the 1930's. In keeping with the British tradition of
naming one's residence, the building is now called the Townsend
after Michael's maternal grandmother, a delightful old lady of 96
who still lives in England. In addition to Harry Ten Shilling, the
Townsend also houses the Shakespeare Cheese and Bake Shop
downstairs, and living quarters above.
The name Harry Ten Shilling was only decided on after many
hours of poring over glossaries of Shakesperian quotes. A Harry
ten shilling is actually a half -sovereign coin introduced in Britain
by Henry VIII, and named in deference to him. Reference is
made to the coin in Henry IV, Part II, which is one of the current
presentations at the Stratford Festival.
The atmosphere of the shop and tea room certainly live up to
the quaint charm of the name. The Jervises had had some
experience with remodelling from their days in an old converted
school house near Millbank, and in the extensive renovations to
August 1979, Village Squire a