The Hirst & Hirst story
Hirst & Hirst Living was an independent shop and online retailer based at 18 Church Street in Oakham. Between 2010 and 2013, we stocked a distinctive collection of contemporary gifts, home accessories, lighting, stationery, kitchenware and environmentally thoughtful products.
The shop has closed, but many of the products it sold remain interesting. Some have become collectable, some still appear on second-hand marketplaces and others deserve to be remembered as clever examples of British and international product design.
A shop with an eye for the unexpected
From an Oakham shop to a living design archive
Hirst & Hirst was never intended to be an ordinary gift shop. Its shelves brought together useful everyday objects, witty British designs, products made from recycled materials and unusual items that were difficult to find elsewhere.
This website preserves part of that collection. We are gradually creating individual pages for products formerly sold by the shop, recording their makers, original purpose, materials, design features and known archive prices wherever reliable information survives.
We also consider whether each product still has practical or decorative appeal and what somebody should check before buying a second-hand example.
The review archive
What our reviews examine
These are retrospective reviews. They are based on surviving shop records, original product descriptions, photographs, press material and identifiable manufacturer information.
Original purpose
What the product was designed to do and the type of customer it was intended for.
Design and materials
The appearance, construction, materials and details that made the item distinctive.
Lasting appeal
Whether the design still feels useful, attractive or relevant many years after it first appeared.
Buying one today
Availability, condition, authenticity and safety points to consider when looking for a second-hand example.
Clear and transparent
What this website is not
Hirst & Hirst is no longer an online shop. Products in the archive are not being offered for sale through this website unless a page expressly states otherwise.
A retrospective rating is an editorial opinion. It is not an aggregate customer score or a claim that a product has been newly tested in 2026. Where the available evidence is incomplete, we will say so.
If affiliate links, paid placements or supplied products are introduced in the future, they will be clearly identified on the relevant page.
Help us improve the archive
Do you remember one of these products?
If you designed, manufactured, stocked or owned an item featured on this website, we would be pleased to hear from you. We welcome corrections, additional product information and photographs that you own and have permission to share.
Email admin@hirstandhirst.co.ukExplore the collection