Looking for Mr. David Purdon of The Edge Lane Bowling and Tennis Club in 1908

Now, I thought it would be relatively easy to track down Mr. David Purdon, who in 1908 was a member  of the Edge Lane Bowling Club.

The search began after Graham Walker sent me this picture, adding that it is "a cutlery box awarded to an Edge Lane bowls player, I intend to sell the box however, if the family of the winner are located then it would be nice to return it to them”.

And that seemed a very nice gesture.

The club has long interested me, and it has turned up on the blog over the years.*

The Edge Lane Bowling and Tennis Club,  dated back to the 1860s, and in 1886 boasted 80 shareholders and 40 subscribers, and according to our historian Thomas Ellwood, “the club grounds comprise something over two statute acres, and on this land there has been formed a bowling green, gymnasium, children’s playground, croquet and quoiting grounds, and four lawn tennis courts, besides a large and spacious billiard pavilion, and other apartments for club purposes. 

All are well kept, and interest in the various games is stimulated by a system of prizes.  In the past years opportunities have been afforded also for members, their families and friends, to participate in and enjoying garden and other parties, thus giving increased attraction and interest, and tending in no small degree to the welfare and success of the club.”**

And as you do I assumed it would be easy to place Mr. Purdon at the club in 1908, using all the usual collection of historical records, starting with the census returns, and directories, and then trawling over newspaper reports of the club’s fixtures.

 But  alas he has remained an enigma, and so far has not appeared on any documents, which is a bit of a mystery and an obstacle in fulfilling Graham’s hopes of reuniting the box with a family member.

So far, the only newspaper I have trawled is the Manchester Guardian, and he may be that one of the local papers carried a story, but that will involve a trip into town and a visit to Central Ref, which at present is a difficult.

Which just leaves me to thank Graham and hope that some will have a connection to Mr. Purdon and come forward with chapter and verse.

And perhaps they will also fill us  in on how the box travelled across to the other side of the country, because as an after thought I asked Graham how he had come to own it

To which he replied, "We've been clearing my late mothers house in Willerby, Nr Hull and came across it. 

There isn't any link to the original owner that I'm aware of, nor were my parents bowlers so I can't provide any illumination. 

I know they very occasionally purchased items from antique shops. 

It looks as though the interior has been re-felted with the cutlery slots removed".

I await developments.

Pictures, cutlery box awarded to Mr. David Purdon, 1908, 2020, from the collection of Graham Walker, the Edge Lane Bowling and Tennis Club, from the OS map of South Lancashire, 1893, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/

 *That old bowling green and tennis club on Edge Lane and a mystery, https://chorltonhistory.blogspot.com/2019/05/that-old-bowling-green-and-tennis-club.html

** T. L. Ellwood, Bowling Greens, History of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, number 26, South Manchester Gazette, May 15, 1886