Tag Archives: 1913

C.E. Spence

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Newsagent and stationer who had a shop from around 1914 at number 5 the Broadway,
which was later renumbered as 323 London Road, as shown in this ad from the 1934 Official Guide to Mitcham:

Text of ad:

The Mitcham Circulating Library
Also SUBSCRIPTION LIBRARY

in connection with
MESSRS. W. H. SMITH & SON
2d. Volume – – No Deposit.

C. E. SPENCE

ARTISTIC PRINTER :: STATIONER
BOOKSELLER AND NEWSAGENT
BOOKBINDER :: PICTURE FRAMER
FANCY NEEDLEWORK :: TOYS

(Agent for Pullar’s Dye Works).

323 London Road, LOWER MITCHAM

In the 1913 directory, the newsagent is listed as John James KENYON. In the 1915 directory it is C.E. SPENCE.

From Ancestry:

In the 1939 register, Charles Edward SPENCE, stationer newsagent, born 1872, lived at 323 London Road with his wife Fanny E.M.B. SPENCE.

He died in 1941 and left £590 4s. to his widow Fanny Emma Mary Broadridge SPENCE.

From Norwood News – Friday 24 January 1941

NEWSAGENT FOR MANY YEARS

Mr. Charles Spence

THE death of Mr. Charles Edward Spence, well-known bookseller and newsagent, 323 London-road, Mitcham, has come as a great shock to his many friends and acquaintances.

Mr. Spence, who was 68 years of age, originally came to Mitcham from Cheam, where he had been associated with the Mitcham and Cheam Brewery.

For 26 years he was a prominent tradesman in Mitcham, and around him made a very large circle of friends and customers. He was a member of the Mitcham Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Spence being on the Social Committee.

Mr. Spence has been in the choir at St. Dunstan’s Church, Cheam, since boyhood, and it was in the graveyard of this church that the funeral took place.

Numerous floral tributes included one from the Tooting and Mitcham Newsagents’ Federation, of which he was an active member, testifying to the esteem in which he was held.

The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. Donald S. Drewett, Upper Green, Mitcham.

From a user on the Mitcham History Group on Facebook:

Gladys AYLING worked in C.E. Spence around 1929. She earned 5 shillings a week, started early and finished late. If she was let go early one day, she had to deliver the sample books to the customers on her way home – riding her bike with the books resting over the handlebars!

Her husband, Wilfred AYLING, worked in the old manor house gardens a few doors along from this shop.

Leonard Elphinston Brunel Homan

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From the Western Mail – Wednesday 08 November 1933

Mrs Leonard Homan from The Tatler – Wednesday 29 January 1913

From the Norwood News – Friday 30 September 1938

MR. L. E. B. HOMAN
Formerly a Keen Racing Man

Mr. Leonard Elphinstone Brunel Homan, a fellow director of Sir Abe Bailey in many South African mining companies, died on Wednesday at The Canons, Mitcham. Formerly a keen racing man, Mr. Homan was for many years judge of the Johannesburg Turf Club and raced in the Rand on an expensive scale.

He was a close friend of the late Sir Harry Mallaby Deeley, and a near neighbour.

He had taken little interest in Mitcham affairs, but at one time was associated with the old Mitcham Wanderers Athletic Club, of which he was president for a period. He was a fine figure of a man, standing over six feet. The funeral takes place to-day (Friday) at the Mitcham New Cemetery.

Staffordshire Sentinel – Tuesday 29 November 1938

£24,918 ESTATE

Mr. Leonard Elphinstone Brunel Homan, of The Canons, Mitcham (Surrey), formerly of Keelle (Staffordshire). who was associated with Sir Abe Bailey in numerous mining companies. Chairman of the Cam and Motor Gold Mining Company (1919) Ltd., Watende. Ltd.. and other companies, who died on September 28th last, left estate of the gross value of £24,918 16s. 2d., with net personalty £10,176 18s. 2d., upon which estate duty of £1,094 16s. 1d. has been paid.