We were very recently given this postcard.
A Society walk in Market Lavington High Street in the early 20th century
We already had a copy of the image, but this had been trimmed and some of the more interesting information is on the edge which had been lost in the copy.
The picture was taken, we believe, prior to 1904 and shows a society walk through Market Lavington. We believe the society was connected with the Oddfellows.
We are looking up High Street from outside the Market Place. The building on the left – which is where the chemist’s shop now stands, has two visible letters – CE. That’s enough for us to know that it was then the village Post Office.
The Green Dragon is clear with its porch right across the pavement.
The Green Dragon – still a thriving hostelry
In the middle is a large banner.
The banner appears to carry an Oddfellows motto
This carries the Latin motto Amicitia, Amor et Veritas – friendship, love and truth. This does appear to be connected with Oddfellows.
But it is the extreme right which really interests us. This shows the butcher’s shop, not so different now from how it was more than 100 years ago.
Outside butcher George Kidner’s shop
We can see that the pavement is cobbled which must have given a bumpy ride for the baby in the pram. The longish exposure time for the photo is revealed by the totally blurred child. We can see carcasses hanging outside the shop which would be deemed very unhygienic these days. And we can see that the butcher’s name was Kidner for it is written above the door.
George Kidner came from south London to Market Lavington in the 1870s. He had been a butcher all his working life and would have been approaching 60 when he moved to Market Lavington. His wife, Harriet (perhaps Hariot) died in 1894 but George, over 80, was described as a butcher working at home on the 1901 census. His daughter Alethea was with him.
We wonder whether it might be George on the extreme right, the elderly looking man with a stick.
George died in 1904 and his age was given as 89.
Does anybody know any more about him?
Tags: butcher, early 20th century, Oddfellows, post office, pub
Market Lavington Museum 
June 5, 2016 at 6:00 pm |
I was researching for the Oddfellows in south London and came across this post. I spent a few minutes on Ancestry’s site and came up with the following about George Kidner. I’m afraid that I didn’t have time to double check name spellings, however:
GEORGE KIDNER
Baptised 19 June 1814 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey in Surrey, now London SE16.
His parents were Samuel (a butcher) and Alethea Kidner of Millbridge Street, Bermondsey
First wife married 28 October 1835 at St Katherine Cree, City of London: Cealia Abell, died 1845
Children:
George Kidner, 1836 to 1879
Henry Kidner 1838 to
Cealia Kidner 1840 to 1882
Thomas Kidner 1842 to
Altheana Kidner 1844 to
Second wife married 23 November 1847 in Greenwich: Caroline Elizabeth Elderton (1820 to 1849)
Third wife married 25 June 1850: Harriett Elderton 1815 to 1894
George was a Butcher living in Brixton Road and his father was Samuel Kidner
Harriett was a spinster living in Greenwich, whose father, Edward Roach Elderton was deceased
Children:
Edith Caroline Kidner 1856 to
1851 Census
10 Woodall Place, Stockwell, Surrey (now London)
George Kidner, aged 35, Butcher, born Bermondsey
Harriett Kidner aged 35, born Bermondsey
George, son aged 14, Assistant, born Brixton
Ciclia, aged 11, daughter, at home, born Brixton
Thomas, aged 9, son, scholar, born Brixton
1861 Census
10 Woodall Place, Stockwell, Surrey (now London)
George Kidner, aged 46, Butcher, born Bermondsey
Harriett Kidner aged 46, born Bermondsey
George, son aged 24, Cowkeeper, born Brixton
Cralia(?) Kidner, aged 21, born Brixton
Thomas aged 19, single, Butcher, born Brixton
Edith C, aged 4, daughter, born Brixton
1871 Census
10 Woodall Place, Stockwell, Surrey (now London)
George Kidner, aged 55, Butcher, born Bermondsey
Harriett Kidner aged 54, born Bermondsey
Alethea Kidner aged 27, unmarried, born Brixton
1881 Census
High Street, Market Lavington, Devizes
George Kidner, aged 67, Butcher, born Bermondsey
Wife Harriott aged 66 born Bermondsey
Daughter Alethea Kidner aged 37, single, born Brixton
Grandaughter Ada Mann aged 19, single, born Brixton
1891 Census
High Street, Market Lavington, Devizes
George Kidner, aged 76, Butcher, born Bermondsey
Wife Harriott aged 75 born Bermondsey
Daughter Alasther Kidner aged 47, single, born Brixton
Grandaughter Mary Mann aged 24, single, born Brixton
Died 1904 in Devizes, Wiltshire
I have some information about his father too, which I shall post later.
Paul
Orpington
June 5, 2016 at 6:48 pm |
Fantastic information. Thanks so much. We do appreciate these near random acts of kindness.
Rog
Curator