The last family link with one of Wantage's oldest trading firms has finally come to an end.

John Arbery, who retired in 1997, passed away in The Stirlings home in Charlton Road. He was aged 88.

The last remaining owner of one of the town's longest traders, Arbery's in the Market Place, he handed over the premises to new businesses in 2002.

The Arbery family opened its millinery and drapery business in the 400-year-old building in 1884, and continued to trade there until 1997.

The building was then bought by Cedarstar Ltd in 2001, and underwent extensive refurbishment.

It was later occupied by 45 individual antique traders while retaining the family's well-known name.

But the venture foundered, and the building was left unoccupied until two years ago when it was converted into a cafe-bar, again with the family name.

Irene Hancock, a historian with the Vale and Downland Museum in Church Street, whose galleries recall the Arbery trading influence in the town, said: "His grandfather took over the business in 1894, and his father served in the Royal Flying Corps and took over in the 1920s.

"John was a pupil at Alton House, a private school in the town, and then King Alfred's.

"His sister, Eileen used to work in the shop. People really missed it when it closed."