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

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

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

But the venture foundered after a couple of years, and the building was left unoccupied until two years ago when it was converted into a caf-bar, which still retains the family name.

Irene Hancock, a historian with the Vale and Downland Museum in Church Street, whose galleries recall the Abery trading influence in the town, said: "John was a pupil at Alton House, a private school in the town, and then went on to King Alfred's."