Oxford Cafe Commemorates Centenary, Founder’s Unique Character Highlighted

The 100th anniversary of a market cafe is being observed, despite a recent discovery that the establishment actually commenced operations four years earlier than initially believed. Browns Café, located in Oxford’s covered market, was established in 1920 by Catherine Brown, whom a local historian has described as “quite a character”. Miss Brown, one of 10 children, launched the business independently and managed it until the early 1960s. In the subsequent years, the venue has been operated by merely four individuals. Despite conflicting information displayed on its windows, it was recently revealed that the cafe was not, in fact, founded in 1924, as had been previously understood. An exhibition commemorating the cafe’s 100th year is currently running at the Westgate Library in Oxford, and it will continue until 21 December. Sarah Allen, Miss Brown’s great niece, informed BBC Radio Oxford: “It’s been an absolutely fascinating year for me and my family because we found out lots of things that we either didn’t know or had forgotten about.” “It’s just been a delight to rediscover and remember lots of these things about Catherine Brown – Auntie Katie to us.” Liz Woolley, who assisted in curating the exhibition, stated: “By the 1920s, women were starting to set up their own businesses, single women mostly, but nonetheless it was quite unusual.” Ms Woolley further noted that Miss Brown was “reasonably young” and “very, very successful”. At that time, Oxford had few dining establishments that offered home-cooked favourites at a more modest price. Ms Allen mentioned she remembered her great aunt being “very eccentric but fun”. She commented: “It seemed like she was some kind of glamorous person who people found irresistible.” Miss Brown retired around 1964 and passed away 13 years later, at the age of 91. The cafe was acquired by two Portuguese entrepreneurs in 1977, initiating an Iberian influence on the establishment that continues to this day. Humberto Freitas, the current owner, remarked: “It’s very special – there’s actually only been four different owners, or partnerships, in that time, which is incredible and just speaks to the longevity of it.” Mr Freitas has been involved in operating the cafe since the age of 13, assisting his parents who took over the lease in the early 1990s. Ms Allen stated: “The fact that the cafe is still called Brown’s is amazing because so many things change hands and change names.” The cafe’s centenary coincides with the 250th anniversary of the covered market, which was celebrated in September. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.