Author Archives: Wade

George Parker Bidder Q.C. Grave and memorial

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His grave is at Kensal Green Cemetery, 673 Harrow Road, London NW10 5NU

This memorial is in the Mitcham Parish Church, Church Road, Mitcham CR4 3BP.

The epitaph common to grave and memorial is from Epilogue by Robert Browning.

GEORCE PARKER BIDDER Q.C.
OF RAVENSBURY PARK MITCHAM
BORN 18TH AUGUST 1836 DIED 1ST FEBRUARY I896
“ONE WHO NEVER TURNED HIS BACK BUT MARCHED BREAST FORWARD,
NEVER DOUBTED CLOUDS WOULD BREAK,
NEVER DREAMED, THOUGH RIGHT WERE WORSTED, WRONG WOULD TRIUMPH,
HELD WE FALL TO RISE, ARE BAFFLED TO FIGHT BETTER,
SLEEP TO WAKE.

The gravestone has in addition:

ALSO ANNA,
FOR 36 HAPPY YEARS HIS WIFE BORN DEC.22.1839. DIED JAN.7.1910
DAUGHTER OF J.R.McCLEAN.F.R.S.

ALSO OF ANNE BIDDER ELDEST DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE
BORN 14 APRIL 1861 DIED 27 NOVEMBER 1902

W. J. Emson – insurance broker

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Insurance agent W.J Emson & Co. had a shop in Mitcham for about 50 years, from around 1937 to 1987.

According to the 1921 census, William John Mulready EMSON, age 39, born in 1883, was a police sergeant at the Mitcham Police Station, and lived at the police quarters in Lower Green West (where Vine Cottages is now), with his wife Lilian Rose Emson, aged 38.

This and from 1932 shows him using all of his initials “W.J.M.” and the address as 21 Langdale Avenue, which was his home address as shown in the 1939 registry, with his wife Lillian R. Emson.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 21 January 1932

By 1937, his business was from a shop on the corner of Langdale Avenue and London Road at no. 251, as can be seen in this ad. Note that the third initial has been dropped.

1937 ad from Mitcham Cricket Club yearbook

He was listed as a subscriber to the cricket club’s yearbook in 1937, from which it is assumed he was a member of the club. These ads ran up to 1968.

The 1952 Chamber of Commerce guide lists W. J. Emson & Co., at 177 London Road, Mitcham, near the corner with Downe Road.

He passed away in September 1961, and his address on the probate record on Ancestry was 4 Glebe Court, Mitcham.

This ad from 1968 is from the Mitcham Cricket Club yearbook.

1968 ad

The business was listed in the 1971 phone book at 177 London Road, Mitcham, 01-648 9351.

Merton Memories has a c.1987 photo which shows the business at 35 Monarch Parade.