I was informed that when builders took the Edgingtons sign down it exposed the old Bryce Grant Stores sign.
Did anyone get a photo of the event?
Edgingtons - Penge High Street
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mcleanmuir
- Posts: 93
- Joined: 31 Oct 2007 08:03
- Location: West Wickham
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mcleanmuir
- Posts: 93
- Joined: 31 Oct 2007 08:03
- Location: West Wickham
Born in Wellington, Shropshire in about 1836, Bryce Grant spent time with the cotton spinners in Manchester when he was young and on migrating to London, he worked for Mr Snellgrove, later of the firm Marshall and Snellgrove of Oxford St.
He came to Penge in 1870, when it was still mostly common land and furze, and started a business in premises opposite the Triangle.
Among his many public interests, he started the Conservative Working Men's Club in Maple Rd and supported the YMCA and Salvation Army. He was the founder of the Penge Habitation, a member of the Dulwich Central Council, concerned with the Voluntary Early Closing Association, laid the foundation stone of the Penge Tabernacle, was twice Chairman of the UDC and eventually a JP.
When he died suddenly in 1916, the roads to St John's church were lined with mourners from representatives from so many associations. He left two sons, Alexander and Percy, to carry on the business. The shop called Bryce Grant in the Central Exchange of Penge High St was started in about 1922 by Alexander Bryce Grant primarily selling materials for home dress making, millinery, corsetry, curtains and other drapery, continuing as a successful
business together with P D Rogers Ltd, the other department store on the same side of the road. When Alexander (Alec) Bryce Grant died in August 1943, the business had not been running as a family concern for about two years.
After the war, times were changing and the old drapers shops were not in demand by busy working mothers and fashions that no longer demanded a new winter coat and hat each year and hand made summer dresses
fitting corseted 26 inch waists. The store closed in the early 50s.
The shop was taken over by HE Olby for about 10 years, followed by Edingtons which in its turn has closed.
If you go here and select Crystal Palace and Penge, then image 28 you will see Brice Grant Stores http://www.beckenhamhistory.co.uk/gallery.html
He came to Penge in 1870, when it was still mostly common land and furze, and started a business in premises opposite the Triangle.
Among his many public interests, he started the Conservative Working Men's Club in Maple Rd and supported the YMCA and Salvation Army. He was the founder of the Penge Habitation, a member of the Dulwich Central Council, concerned with the Voluntary Early Closing Association, laid the foundation stone of the Penge Tabernacle, was twice Chairman of the UDC and eventually a JP.
When he died suddenly in 1916, the roads to St John's church were lined with mourners from representatives from so many associations. He left two sons, Alexander and Percy, to carry on the business. The shop called Bryce Grant in the Central Exchange of Penge High St was started in about 1922 by Alexander Bryce Grant primarily selling materials for home dress making, millinery, corsetry, curtains and other drapery, continuing as a successful
business together with P D Rogers Ltd, the other department store on the same side of the road. When Alexander (Alec) Bryce Grant died in August 1943, the business had not been running as a family concern for about two years.
After the war, times were changing and the old drapers shops were not in demand by busy working mothers and fashions that no longer demanded a new winter coat and hat each year and hand made summer dresses
fitting corseted 26 inch waists. The store closed in the early 50s.
The shop was taken over by HE Olby for about 10 years, followed by Edingtons which in its turn has closed.
If you go here and select Crystal Palace and Penge, then image 28 you will see Brice Grant Stores http://www.beckenhamhistory.co.uk/gallery.html
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Steve Grindlay
- Posts: 606
- Joined: 4 Oct 2004 05:07
- Location: Upper Sydenham
Very interesting... by co-incidence, there was a shop called "Brice Rogers" at 55a Dartmouth Road between 1913 and mid-1960s selling china and household goods. I'd assumed that was the owners name, but perhaps he decided to name it after two more prestigious, but sufficiently distant, department stores.
A brilliant website and resource.
Shops looked much better than, not because they were old but because the high street still had original shop fronts which matched the buildings above, things were less cluttered, better crafted and designed.
A lesson most shop owners in both Penge and Sydenham could learn from. Not even having a sign above your shop is unforgivable but our town centre manager is either powerless to do anything about it or isn't doing her job.
Anyway, great pics.
Shops looked much better than, not because they were old but because the high street still had original shop fronts which matched the buildings above, things were less cluttered, better crafted and designed.
A lesson most shop owners in both Penge and Sydenham could learn from. Not even having a sign above your shop is unforgivable but our town centre manager is either powerless to do anything about it or isn't doing her job.
Anyway, great pics.