Watchmaker and jeweller who had a shop in The Parade, and afterwards the Central Market.

Text of ad:

J.B. ROMPEL, watchmaker, jeweller, and optician,
3, Central Market, London Rd., Mitcham
(opposite old address)
AN ENTIRELY NEW & UP-TO-DATE STOCK now showing.

JOIN OUR CLUB. Full particulars in application.

The Central Market was opposite the Parade, between Raleigh Gardens and Tom Francis’s shop London House.

He was listed in the 1915 commercial directory as a watch maker in the ‘high street’, London Road. The full name was given in the 1911 commercial directory. He is listed in the 1925 street directory as watchmaker at 3 Central Market. In electoral register of autumn 1926, this address was changed to 278 London Road, when that road was renumbered. His last entry at this address was in the 1934 electoral register. See also his ad in 1929 Where to shop in Mitcham.

From Ancestry:

He was born in Hessen Nassau, Prussia (Germany) on 13th September 1872, as Johannes Baptiste Rompel. His parents were Johann and Barbara Rompel. He was naturalised as a UK citizen in 1911.

He married Nellie Louise Court on 8th March, 1903, at the parish church. His wife was born in Oxford, and she lived at 12 High Street. Her father was William Court, confectioner. His father, deceased, Johann Carl Rompel, was a veterinary surgeon. John Rompel was living at 42 Kings Road, Mitcham, when he married.

John Rompel died on 26th December, 1935, aged 63, at Kingston hospital. His home address was 4 Melrose Avenue. He left £1,563 1s 9d. to his wife. Adjusted for inflation, this is equivalent to £100,000 in 2018.

His wife died on 19th March 1954, aged 74. She left £1,813 in her will, which is around £50,000 in 2018 values. Her probate record shows she was living at 4 Melrose Avenue, Mitcham, and died at Grange Nursing Home, Morden. She left her money to Cecil Howard Mason, departmental head.

Mitcham Advertiser – Thursday 02 January 1936

MITCHAM DEATHS. MR. J. B. ROMPEL. Mr. John Baptist Rompel. jeweller and watchmaker, in London-road, Mitcham, for many years, died in Kingston Hospital, on Boxing Day, at the age of sixty-three.

The body was cremated. according to his expressed wish, at West Norwood Crematorium, on Tuesday.

Mr. Rompel was one of the best known tradesmen in the borough, He came from Germany in his early days, and after a period elsewhere, settled in Mitcham. His business premises on The Parade, first on the eastern side and later on the western side, were the Mecca of sportsmen, in pursuit of cups and medals, for years. For a period before the War he acted as timekeeper at most of the local sports. He was a member of the old Mitcham Rifle Club and a first-class shot. At that time. too, he was an active member of the Roman Cathollc Church and helped in many of the social gatherings. His health declined rapidly in the past year or so, and his business was recently taken over by Messrs. Russell and Son. Mr. and Mrs. Rompel went to live at 4. Melrose-avenue, North Mitcham, Mrs, Rompel, for whom general sympathy is felt, is a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. W, Court, of Graham-avenue, greatly esteemed traders in Mitcham for oer a quarter of a century.

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In 1915, his shop was approached by an angry crowd protesting at the sinking of the Lusitania.

ANTI-GERMAN DEMONSTRATIONS AT MITCHAM

Early last evening a crowd, which gradually swelled until about 8 o’clock, when it
numbered several hundred persons, assembled at the Fair Green for the purpose of
expressing indignation at the recent murders on the high seas.

Proceeding in the direction of the Parade, the crowd halted in front of the jeweller’s
shop tenanted by Mr. J. B. Rompel, a naturalised German.

Their attitude was distinctly menacing, and but for the presence of a large force of
Special Constabulary they would, no doubt, have vented their feelings in no unmistakable manner. After some jeering and hooting the police dispersed the crowd.

With the exception of one man, whose head was cut with a stone, no damage or
injury took place.

Source: Mitcham & Tooting Mercury, 14th May, 1915.

The report in the Mitcham Advertiser, on the same day, gave more information about Mr Rompel:

The special police were summoned to the police station about six o’clock on Thursday and before long their services were required. Early in the evening a crowd assembled at Fair Green, and by eight o’clock there were several hundreds on the Green. After expressing indignation at the recent conduct of the Germans and the sinking of the “Lusitania” the crowd moved along London-road until they came to the shop of Mr. J. B. Rompel, jeweller. Mr. Rompel, who is a naturalised Englishman, is well known in the parish. He was an original member of the old Town Guard, but resigned when the new regulations came into existence. He is a prominent member of the Rifle Club and is one of the best shots in the club. Only on Wednesday night he put up a good performance in the second stage of the shoot for the Queen Alexandra Cup. Mr. Rompel is also connected with the Horticultural Society, and has always taken great interest in local affairs. His wife is a Mitcham lady. The attitude of the crowd was decidedly menacing, but the “specials” were present in large numbers and exercised a restraining influence. They contented themselves with jeering and hooting, and were after a time dispersed. There was a little stone throwing, but no damage to property was done. One man received a cut on the head with a stone. For to-night (Friday) the “specials” have been summoned to report themselves at five o’clock.