Before there was Rams Walk, there was 13 The Square, a timber-framed house that was built around 1690.

During its time, number 13 would house many residents and businesses – including an Austen bank, run by Jane Austen’s brother Henry and his partners.

But today, Petersfield Museum will be focusing on Henry Lee and his hairdressing and barber business, which would occupy the building for more than seven decades.

It was in late 1918, shortly after the end of the First World War, that Henry Lee moved his hairdressing and barber’s business from 6 High Street to 13 The Square.

Upon entering the new shop, Henry’s customers would have found themselves in a reception room, from which they could buy new umbrellas and have their damaged ones repaired.

The men’s barber’s salon could be found behind a partition, just off the reception area.

The Lee family’s living quarters were also on the ground floor.

They included a sitting room and a dining room, with a kitchen being added to the domestic facilities at a later date.

In the sitting room, which bordered the barber’s salon, there was a large chimney stack which had fireplaces on each side.

Behind the back of the shop there was a small courtyard.

During the 1920s, ladies’ hairdressing was added to the business. A separate salon was established in the large front room on the first floor to accommodate this new venture.

The children of the Lee family slept on the second floor.

A very cautious Henry decided to fix a long escape rope to one of his children’s beds.

He must have feared a repeat of a terrible fire that had occurred at 2 High Street, where Mint Velvet is now, in 1908.

This blaze had burnt so furiously that a number of wax models displayed in the shop window had melted.

All the Lee family decided to train as hairdressers, and after Henry’s death in 1930 the business became known as Lee Bros as it was now managed by brothers Bill and Jack Lee.

Like they were for many others, the Second World War years were a difficult time for the Lee family.

Mr Fleetwood, a long-standing employee who had assisted since 1928, was called up in 1940, while Jack and Bill were called up in 1941 and 1942 respectively.

Bill’s daughter Barbara left school to help cut men’s hair and was soon joined by Jack’s wife Doris.

Frank, Bill’s son, did National Service after the war.

Following training he joined the business and continued it after the deaths of his father and uncle in 1967 and 1977.

In 1976 Bailey’s bought the ground floor and transformed it into a flower shop by removing the big chimney stack and incorporating the kitchen and part of the courtyard into a large shop area.

The gentlemen’s hair salon moved upstairs, and the business was continued there by Frank Lee until it closed in December 1990.

Despite being 300 years old and a building worthy of merit, 13 The Square was not listed.

It was demolished in the early 1990s to make way for Rams Walk.

Do you remember having your hair cut at Lee Bros?

If so, we would love to hear your memories.

Please contact us using the details at the top of the page.