The shop now home to Break charity has had a variety of uses, but for many years it was a saddlery. Initially John Butler ran his business here, but in the 1840s Henry Laxen joined him. The family is notable thanks to Richard Arthur Laxen who emigrated to Canada and was one of the founding members of Aylsham in Saskatchewan. He was born in Aylsham Norfolk in 1887 to parents Horace and Sara Laxen bakers of Red Lion Street. The Laxen family ran this shop as a Saddle and Harness Makers until the early 1920s.

In 1913 at the age of 25 Richard decided to emigrate to Canada. Settlers from all over Europe & Scandinavia began arriving in the area from around the early 1900s clearing ground firstly by the river & then elsewhere. The land was very wet and full of scrub and trees which was generally cleared by hand with limited machinery.

Together with his wife Helen, he set about setting up a farm and home. He staked his claim for soldiers grant land, which happened to be next to the land claimed by his friend Sid Thirkettle. It is said that they staked out their land by starting at one point walking for a mile then turning right or left, walking another mile then turned right or left again for a further mile then returning to the starting point. There they set about setting up a farm and home and, once built, placed a sign over the front door proclaiming “AYLSHAM”.

Over the following years they built up the farm and buildings and raised a family of 1 girl and 3 boys. From 1921 many plots were taken and slowly a community was formed. The community, which still exists today, was called Aylsham thanks to the name Richard had given his farm. The family had interests in a number of businesses in the town-They had a baker’s in Red Lion Street, Annie Laxen was landlady of the Stonemasons, and Edwin Laxen was landlord of the Unicorn.