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Photocopy of Obituary Notice held by Rev. Philip Cook and David Walley.
Mayor of Crewe, Alderman of the Boro of Crewe; County Councillor for North ward crewe for 15 years; Solicitor; resided in Crewe.
Was something of a mountaineer, climbed Matterhorn.
Educated at Fairfield Academy, Manchester
Reputed to have "run off with a railwayman"!
Known to be age 37 at time of wedding in 1920
BIOGRAPHY: Written by Clifford Pedley:
Tom Pedley, the eldest son of George, obtained his MD at Charing Cross and was among the earliest to obtain the RCS diploma in dentistry. Tom started his career as a ship's doctor on the popular and busy P & 0 LINE of steamships plying to India. One day, when approaching the Port of Burma, Uncle Tom was stabbed in the neck by one of the passengers with delirium tremens. He recovered in hospital in Rangoon and stayed there to practise medicine for 44 years. He became Colonel-in-Chief of the Indian Medical Corps and was awarded the Kaiser-I-Hind medal. In 1925, at age 73, he died while having an after-lunch nap on his surgery couch. When I came to Johannesburg in 1936, I was invited to call on a local medical practitioner, Dr Peacock. When he had satisfied himself that I was indeed a nephew of the late Colonel Tom Pedley, he showed me a set of dental forceps Tom had given him when Dr Peacock served under him in the I.M. Corps. 1 happened to know that this was a gesture my uncle liked to make to young MO's who had pleased him. There were six or more forceps housed in a black leather folder.DEATH: From R. J. Wilkinson, Rangoon.
The following are the facts, as far as I can relate them, regarding Tom's death: -
On Friday evening last the 13th January, shortly after I had go home from office, I was called on the 'phone by Mr. Hood (I should say here that Tom had let his house when he went to England last year to Mr and Mrs Hood, and when he returned he asked them to stay on and live in the house with him.) Mr Hood said Dr Pedley was in a state of collapse, and I am afraid is dying. I immediately went down to Bridge House which is only 5 minutes away from Belmont. Mrs Hood met me in the portico and said that Dr Douglas had just arrived and was upstairs with Dr. Pedley. It would then be about 5:40 p.m., I think. Tom was lying on his bed on his back minus his coat and waistcoat, and with his shoes off. To me he seemed asleep but with his mouth wide open. I asked Dr Douglas what he though of him and he said "I am afraid he is already gone, but if so can only be just have gone within the last minute or two". I waited while Dr Douglas felt him in various ways but he soon turned to me and said that he was undoubtedly dead but the end must have come in sleep and absolutely painless.
The Revd. Drysdale come over from his house and I invited him to come up to the bedroom and we neither of us seemed to realize that he was actually and so very suddenly gone. Mrs Hood told me that Dr Pedley had had a very bad night on Thursday, telling her in the morning that he had had some heart seizure and scarcely slept all night so he did not go out before breakfast as usual, but lay in bed until 10:00 a.m. or so, sleeping. After that he felt better and got up and went to his consulting rooms in town seeing his patients there and then went his round visiting his patients. Mrs Hood said he came home about 3 p.m. which was earlier than customary, and told her he felt very tired and would go up to his room and get a little sleep. About 5 p.m. she went up to see him and asked if she could get him some tea, or did he fancy anything else. He asked for a cup of cocoa and this she brought him and left him. Some Burmese patient came to see him and he sent word down for him to come up to his bedroom as he was too tired to go down to his consulting room. The patient did so and left in a few minutes. At 5.20 p. m. Mrs Hood heard Dr. Pedley go along the corridor upstairs (probably to the bathroom) and return again to his room. She had when taking him the cocoa asked if she should call a Doctor and he said she might ring up for Dr Whitmore if she likes. She did this bet he was out and Mr Hood who had come then rang up in succession for Dr. Scott, Dr Kelsall, and Dr. Spence, but every one of these Doctors were out. He then rang up for Dr. Douglas and fortunately he was at home and came at once. . Mrs Hood went upstairs while her husband was telephoning and she thought Dr Pedley looked as if asleep but when Mr Hood cam e up he feared the worst and phoned for me. So far as the Hoods knew Dr. Pedley had never complained of heart trouble before the attack of Thursday but he had several times in recent weeks complained of slight asthmatic trouble and attributed it to the excessively dust laden atmosphere of the town at this time of year. In fact he had only a few days before mentioned it to me and remarked that a cold that I then had was due to dust more than anything else. Dr Douglas waited on the bedside for some time and eventually said "there is nothing more can be done but if I can be of any assistance to you in any way I shall be only too glad to help you." He remarked that to be thus cut off in full harness working up to the very last and dying painlessly after all was the best fort of death any man could desire and merely added that poor old Pedley has been overworking himself of late and certainly should have never attempted to work that day. I took advice from Douglas about the funeral and he said that in the ordinary course the funeral should take place next morning and I should phone to the undertakers at once also their place would be closed for the night. I asked Dr Douglas if a Post Mortem would be necessary and he said "Not at all. I can write out the Death Certificate certifying the death as from Heart Failure" and this he did. I asked him about the proper laying out of the body and he said the undertakers would see to that, but I said I new the relatives would like it more reverently done so he kindly promised to do his best and get a Minto nurse to com and went of at once and returning very soon after, bringing the senior Minto matron and a nurse back in his car with him, and these two ladies shortly after performed the necessary offices whilst Mrs Hood kindly got them what they wanted.
After this and consulting with the Revd., Drysdale, who was anxious to help in every way, I found that there would be little chance of securing burial in the Cantonment Cemetery (now closed to all save Military and Government Officials) if the funeral had to be in the morning, so I appealed to Dr. Douglas again and he said I might safely defer it to the afternoon. Mrs Drysdale then undertook to see the Chaplain of the Cemetery and urge from him permission for a grave to be allocated near that of Minnie, and also to say that Dr Pedley had surely some claim to that Cemetery as he was a Volunteer Officer for 40 years standing. This seen to, I sent of a cablegram to Croydon, and a telegram to Allahabad, and then phoned the local newspapers to get the announcement of his death and the time and place of the funeral inserted in the Saturday morning issues. After this I went upstairs to see Tom, and the face was now quite set and the features more peaceful looking. I remained on at Bridge House answering telephone calls and personal callers until 10 p.m. The Revd. Drysdale had come in again at about 9 p.m. saying the Cantonment Chaplain would meet me in the cemetery at 7:30 in the morning. I returned to Bridge House soon after 6 a.m. on Saturday and at 7.15 am Mr Drysdale and I went to the cemetery and me Chaplain Thursfield. I took them to Minnies Grave, and although there was no vacant space on either side there was room for 3 graves in front, but on consulting the register it was found two of them were secured by right to relatives of the adjoining graves. Eventually after scanning plans and sided by the memory of the Native Curator, we found we could get the plot almost in front of Minnie's, and without any intervening grave. The Curator then asked who the grave was for, and on being told Dr Pedley, the poor man burst into tears, and said he had known him for over 20 years. All Saturday morning was spent answering verbal and telephone enquiries, etc., I had phoned on Friday night to the officer commanding the Port Defence Force, and their Adjutant came to see me in the morning and said they hoped to arrange a Military Funeral and he would try to get the Royal Scots to provide a Band and Firing party. He did his best but at 4 p.m. had to let me know it could not be managed as it being Saturday afternoon the Volunteers could not be so hurriedly got together, ad the Royal Scots unfortunately where booked elsewhere. The St. John Ambulance Brigade asked if they might attend in uniform and be allowed to carry the coffin from the cemetery gates to the grave, and this was readily granted, and I told them I knew their section would be appreciated by Dr Pedley's relatives. Knowing that Minnie, Ray, Charles and Jack were all Church of England, I asked Chaplain Thursfield to take the Service, but said I would appreciate it, and I believed you all would too, if the Revd. Drysdale was allowed to take some part as he was such a close personal friend of the Doctor. The Chaplain said he felt sure this could be arranged. Later the Bishop 'phoned saying he was most anxious to pay his respect himself, and be allowed to pronounce the Benediction and he said he fully approved of Mr Drysdale reading the Lesson. So far as could be done, notice of the funeral was circulate generally throughout the town, but indeed it scarcely needed this as the news had spread to most quarters on Friday night. Troops of friends of all races came to Bridge House all day Saturday and were allowed to see the body, but about 1 p.m. after I had, in company with Mr Drysdale see the corpse, carefully and reverently placed in the coffin, we both thought it wiser to have it closed. Beautiful Wreaths kept coming in all day from all sorts of people and people themselves continued coming all afternoon, both European and Eurasian as well as members of Burmese and other races.
The funeral left the house at 4.30 p. m. the coffin and the hearse being covered with wreaths. It was followed first by the St. Johns Ambulance Squad, then by me in company with the Rev. Drysdale and Mr Hood. After many motors and carriages and a crowd on foot. It reached the cemetery at 4.50 where a very large crowd, mostly Eurasians were awaiting it. Immediately the ambulance men shouldered the coffin the chaplain preceded, reciting the usual verses, and then Mr Drysdale. Arrived at the graveside Mr Drysdale read the lesson, and then the Bishop took the whole of the commitment Service and finally pronounced the Benediction.
Of the Doctors present I saw Colonel Dee, Colonel Lalor, Colonel Penny, Major Kelsall, Major Scott, Major Parakh Whitmore, Dr Parakh, Dr. Murray and Dr Spence. There was a goodly few military Officers in Uniform, including the Station Staff Officer and some Gunner Officers. There were many government officials, and very many of the Mercantile Community, but the most notable feature was the variety of different communities represented. I felt that in everything had been done as far as it was possible for me, in the way Tom's absent relatives would have wished.
At the close of the Rev. J. A. Drysdales sermon at the Scots Kirk, Rangoon on Sunday evening 15th Jan, he said as follows:-
“Very suddenly on Friday evening we lost from the Company of the Church Militant a dear friend, neighbour, and fellow worshipper - Thomas Franklin Pedley - I do not trust myself at this time to speak many words of one who honoured me with his friendship, and to whom I owe many and great kindnesses. But I am only one of many who desire to pay to his memory a tribute of affection and of esteem. Born sixty seven years ago last Christmas Eve, DR Pedley gave forty two years of a vigorous, active, many sided Christian life to this city of Rangoon and to this land of Burma, which he loved. We need not praise him. His own life, his deeds, his memory are eloquent with high service and generous purpose.
When last evening the great company of all ranks and classes of the community cam to lay to rest in the Cantonment Cemetery what was mortal of him, we all knew we had lost one who's place will not be filled in our life and hearts.
There is given to the great profession of which Dr. Pedley was an honoured member - more perhaps than to any other - a certainly in a wider and more general way - a key to the hearts of men. That is the key of close personal interest, and of sympathy, of help, of friendship. This key to many hearts Dr Pedley had. It is an encouragement to us to remember, at a time when so many of our Burmese and Indian fellow subjects disbelieve in our concern for them and their welfare, we had one of our number in who all those who met him and knew him could not disbelieve. He was a Christian gentleman, who, because of his own Christian faith, was enabled to maintain these long years - and more especially these later years shadowed by death and the absence of his loved ones - a deep and patient sympathy with the afflicted of all races and creeds.
If it is not possible to believe that this full, active, kindly life is at an end, any more than to believe that the great river ceases to flow when it passes over a fall in its course. WE give thanks to the Awful Disposer of Life and Death for this gift to us of a strong, brave, triumphant life, and we surrender back to Him what he lent to us for a season. We mourn one who was dear to us. We give our sympathy to his bereaved daughter and sons, to his family, and to the wide circle of his friends. We ask for them the consolations of God. We have no need to sorrow as those who have no hope.
Come away: for life and thought
Here no longer dwell
But in a City glorious
A great and distant city and have bought
A mansion incorruptible
Would they could have stayed with us!DEATH: Amen”
The whole of this was delivered by the Minister with deep emotion which his voice betrayed.
The service closed with the beautiful hymn beginning -
"How Bright those glorious spirits shine."
The following are the facts, as far as I can relate them, regarding Tom's death: -On Friday evening last the 13th January, shortly after I had go home from office, I was called on the 'phone by Mr. Hood (I should say here that Tom had let his house when he went to England last year to Mr and Mrs Hood, and when he returned he asked them to stay on and live in the house with him.) Mr Hood said Dr Pedley was in a state of collapse, and I am afraid is dying. I immediately went down to Bridge House which is only 5 minutes away from Belmont. Mrs Hood met me in the portico and said that Dr Douglas had just arrived and was upstairs with Dr. Pedley. It would then be about 5:40 p.m., I think. Tom was lying on his bed on his back minus his coat and waistcoat, and with his shoes off. To me he seemed asleep but with his mouth wide open. I asked Dr Douglas what he though of him and he said "I am afraid he is already gone, but if so can only be just have gone within the last minute or two". I waited while Dr Douglas felt him in various ways but he soon turned to me and said that he was undoubtedly dead but the end must have come in sleep and absolutely painless.
The Revd. Drysdale come over from his house and I invited him to come up to the bedroom and we neither of us seemed to realize that he was actually and so very suddenly gone. Mrs Hood told me that Dr Pedley had had a very bad night on Thursday, telling her in the morning that he had had some heart seizure and scarcely slept all night so he did not go out before breakfast as usual, but lay in bed until 10:00 a.m. or so, sleeping. After that he felt better and got up and went to his consulting rooms in town seeing his patients there and then went his round visiting his patients. Mrs Hood said he came home about 3 p.m. which was earlier than customary, and told her he felt very tired and would go up to his room and get a little sleep. About 5 p.m. she went up to see him and asked if she could get him some tea, or did he fancy anything else. He asked for a cup of cocoa and this she brought him and left him. Some Burmese patient came to see him and he sent word down for him to come up to his bedroom as he was too tired to go down to his consulting room. The patient did so and left in a few minutes. At 5.20 p. m. Mrs Hood heard Dr. Pedley go along the corridor upstairs (probably to the bathroom) and return again to his room. She had when taking him the cocoa asked if she should call a Doctor and he said she might ring up for Dr Whitmore if she likes. She did this bet he was out and Mr Hood who had come then rang up in succession for Dr. Scott, Dr Kelsall, and Dr. Spence, but every one of these Doctors were out. He then rang up for Dr. Douglas and fortunately he was at home and came at once. . Mrs Hood went upstairs while her husband was telephoning and she thought Dr Pedley looked as if asleep but when Mr Hood cam e up he feared the worst and phoned for me. So far as the Hoods knew Dr. Pedley had never complained of heart trouble before the attack of Thursday but he had several times in recent weeks complained of slight asthmatic trouble and attributed it to the excessively dust laden atmosphere of the town at this time of year. In fact he had only a few days before mentioned it to me and remarked that a cold that I then had was due to dust more than anything else. Dr Douglas waited on the bedside for some time and eventually said "there is nothing more can be done but if I can be of any assistance to you in any way I shall be only too glad to help you." He remarked that to be thus cut off in full harness working up to the very last and dying painlessly after all was the best fort of death any man could desire and merely added that poor old Pedley has been overworking himself of late and certainly should have never attempted to work that day. I took advice from Douglas about the funeral and he said that in the ordinary course the funeral should take place next morning and I should phone to the undertakers at once also their place would be closed for the night. I asked Dr Douglas if a Post Mortem would be necessary and he said "Not at all. I can write out the Death Certificate certifying the death as from Heart Failure" and this he did. I asked him about the proper laying out of the body and he said the undertakers would see to that, but I said I new the relatives would like it more reverently done so he kindly promised to do his best and get a Minto nurse to com and went of at once and returning very soon after, bringing the senior Minto matron and a nurse back in his car with him, and these two ladies shortly after performed the necessary offices whilst Mrs Hood kindly got them what they wanted.
After this and consulting with the Revd., Drysdale, who was anxious to help in every way, I found that there would be little chance of securing burial in the Cantonment Cemetery (now closed to all save Military and Government Officials) if the funeral had to be in the morning, so I appealed to Dr. Douglas again and he said I might safely defer it to the afternoon. Mrs Drysdale then undertook to see the Chaplain of the Cemetery and urge from him permission for a grave to be allocated near that of Minnie, and also to say that Dr Pedley had surely some claim to that Cemetery as he was a Volunteer Officer for 40 years standing. This seen to, I sent of a cablegram to Croydon, and a telegram to Allahabad, and then phoned the local newspapers to get the announcement of his death and the time and place of the funeral inserted in the Saturday morning issues. After this I went upstairs to see Tom, and the face was now quite set and the features more peaceful looking. I remained on at Bridge House answering telephone calls and personal callers until 10 p.m. The Revd. Drysdale had come in again at about 9 p.m. saying the Cantonment Chaplain would meet me in the cemetery at 7:30 in the morning. I returned to Bridge House soon after 6 a.m. on Saturday and at 7.15 am Mr Drysdale and I went to the cemetery and me Chaplain Thursfield. I took them to Minnies Grave, and although there was no vacant space on either side there was room for 3 graves in front, but on consulting the register it was found two of them were secured by right to relatives of the adjoining graves. Eventually after scanning plans and sided by the memory of the Native Curator, we found we could get the plot almost in front of Minnie's, and without any intervening grave. The Curator then asked who the grave was for, and on being told Dr Pedley, the poor man burst into tears, and said he had known him for over 20 years. All Saturday morning was spent answering verbal and telephone enquiries, etc., I had phoned on Friday night to the officer commanding the Port Defence Force, and their Adjutant came to see me in the morning and said they hoped to arrange a Military Funeral and he would try to get the Royal Scots to provide a Band and Firing party. He did his best but at 4 p.m. had to let me know it could not be managed as it being Saturday afternoon the Volunteers could not be so hurriedly got together, ad the Royal Scots unfortunately where booked elsewhere. The St. John Ambulance Brigade asked if they might attend in uniform and be allowed to carry the coffin from the cemetery gates to the grave, and this was readily granted, and I told them I knew their section would be appreciated by Dr Pedley's relatives. Knowing that Minnie, Ray, Charles and Jack were all Church of England, I asked Chaplain Thursfield to take the Service, but said I would appreciate it, and I believed you all would too, if the Revd. Drysdale was allowed to take some part as he was such a close personal friend of the Doctor. The Chaplain said he felt sure this could be arranged. Later the Bishop 'phoned saying he was most anxious to pay his respect himself, and be allowed to pronounce the Benediction and he said he fully approved of Mr Drysdale reading the Lesson. So far as could be done, notice of the funeral was circulate generally throughout the town, but indeed it scarcely needed this as the news had spread to most quarters on Friday night. Troops of friends of all races came to Bridge House all day Saturday and were allowed to see the body, but about 1 p.m. after I had, in company with Mr Drysdale see the corpse, carefully and reverently placed in the coffin, we both thought it wiser to have it closed. Beautiful Wreaths kept coming in all day from all sorts of people and people themselves continued coming all afternoon, both European and Eurasian as well as members of Burmese and other races.
Of the Doctors present I saw Colonel Dee, Colonel Lalor, Colonel Penny, Major Kelsall, Major Scott, Major Parakh Whitmore, Dr Parakh, Dr. Murray and Dr Spence. There was a goodly few military Officers in Uniform, including the Station Staff Officer and some Gunner Officers. There were many government officials, and very many of the Mercantile Community, but the most notable feature was the variety of different communities represented. I felt that in everything had been done as far as it was possible for me, in the way Tom's absent relatives would have wished.
At the close of the Rev. J. A. Drysdales sermon at the Scots Kirk, Rangoon on Sunday evening 15th Jan, he said as follows:-
Very suddenly on Friday evening we lost from the Company of the Church Militant a dear friend, neighbour, and fellow worshipper - Thomas Franklin Pedley - I do not trust myself at this time to speak many words of one who honoured me with his friendship, and to whom I owe many and great kindnesses. But I am only one of many who desire to pay to his memory a tribute of affection and of esteem. Born sixty seven years ago last Christmas Eve, DR Pedley gave forty two years of a vigorous, active, many sided Christian life to this city of Rangoon and to this land of Burma, which he loved. We need not praise him. His own life, his deeds, his memory are eloquent with high service and generous purpose.
BIOGRAPHY: By Cliffor Pedley:
George's second son, Richard Denison Pedley, like my father qualified in medicine at Guy's and dentistry at Charing Cross. He went on to obtain the FRCS of Edinburgh.
Denison Pedley joined his father George at Railway Approach, where he practised for the rest of his days. He died, aged 73, in 1931. In the 1890's he wrote a book which he illustrated himself and which was published in England and America, titled THE HYGIENE OF THE MOUTH -A guide to the prevention and control of Dental Diseases. Full of wisdom and sound advice, the book also exposed the appalling state of "the lower orders" of society of those days.
231. Kenneth Pedley
MARRIAGE: Married, no children
BIOGRAPHY: By Clifford Pedley: Kenneth's education was sponsored by Denison Pedley, who sent him to Guy's, where he was my contemporary in studies, although not in age. He had seen war service as a pilot in the RAF.
232. David Pedley
DEATH: Died in infancy
BIOGRAPHY:
A SHORT RESUME of my LIFE 1877 to 1935
S. E. PEDLEY, M.R.C.S., etc.I AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL 1879.
After passing the Preliminary Medical Examination of the Royal College of Surgeons at sixteen years of age, I left Boarding School at Margate and was in my father's Dental Laboratory for three years and nine months. I then entered the Royal Dental Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital and obtained my L.D.S. R.C.S. in 1885, qualifying as a Dental Surgeon.
In order to be near Railway Approach, London Bridge, and to assist in my father's practice, I joined Guy's Hospital, working for him whenever I could. In October 1888, I obtained my Medical and Surgical qualifications, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S.
Earlier in that year my eldest sister, Mrs. Fenoulhet, returned from New Zealand, a widow, with three young children. I offered my parents to take the house next door, which was vacant, to provide a home for her so that she might be near her old home. On completing my examinations I started practice. My sister resided with me for some
eighteen months; leaving me to live at Seaford in the year 1890 for the benefit of the sea air to her children and herself. My second sister, Sissie, then came to live with me, but owing to attacks of asthma in the London fogs, she had to winter at Bournemouth with a relative.
My mother's health, with her increasing years, was not good. Dr. Taylor, Physician of Guy's Hospital, on being consulted, advised residing out of London. Sutton was chosen, where my parents lived to ripe old age: my father to his eightieth year, and my mother to her ninetieth.
As my practice was increasing, finding the house rather small, I purchased 18, Peckham Road, next door, on the other side of our old home. Previous to this, when I had reached the age of about 29 years, my thoughts turned to Medical Missionary work, in China.
In several spare afternoons and evenings a week I took up post-graduate work in Medical and Surgical courses, and later offered my services to the Baptist Missionary Society. I was accepted and designated for the city of Sian-fu, in the province of Shensi, but first to spend two years with my friend, Dr. T. C. Paterson, at his hospital at Tsing-chow-fu
in Shantumg, for acquaintance with the medical work and study of the language.
Owing to an unexpected outbreak of mental illness in three members of the family, I had reluctantly to withdraw my offer and face home duties. To help my dear parents, my youngest brother resided with me After several illnesses, he recovered: qualified as a Dental surgeon, taking L.D.S. of Edinburgh where, unable to go myself, I sent him with a friend. Happily he passed, and afterwards married and engaged in practice for some twenty years at Tunbridge Wells.
My youngest sister did not recover, and my brother Stephen was never mentally strong again.
When I reached the age of 35, my thoughts turned to marriage, and a short resume of my married life to Miss Ada E. Wolsey I now record.
II
MARRIED LIFE
On March lst, 1899, I was married; my income was about £1,000 a year. I was living and practising at 18, Peckham Road, Camberwell, in a large old-fashioned house of about seventeen rooms, five of which (one partly) were used for professional purposes.
The house was comfortably furnished, and there was a pleasant garden at the back with lawn and summer house. It lay well back from the main road in front; with grass approaches, and shrubs on either side of the main pathway.
We went for a month's honeymoon to Torquay and later in the year vie had a trip to Scotland for three weeks.
On January 1st, 1900, Eric was born. In the summer I sent his mother with him for two months to Broadstairs.
On January 7th, 1901, Victor was born. On the approach of summer I sent the two children, with their mother and nurse, to Crowborough for two or three months, I travelling to and fro most days of the week.
The following year, 1902, I procured rooms at a small farmhouse near Dorking, where the mother and children, with nurse, stayed two or three months.
The following year, 1903, I rented roams at a small farmhouse at Hunters Forstal, near the Reculvers, Herne Bay, where the two children stayed with their mother and Nurse.
Clifford was born in July of that year and later formed one of the party with his mother and nurse.
I am mentioning these particulars as to summer changes as I found the winters told very badly upon my wife's health; she suffering severe attacks of neuralgic headaches, following influenza or catarrhal colds each winter.
In 1904, I rented a furnished house at Westcott, near Dorking, where my wife, with the three children, stayed, I travelling to and fro from Camberwell.
In January 1905, Cecil was born; for the health of their mother and the children, I rented and furnished a seaside house at Whitstable, where they lived three or four months each summer for four years. Gordon was born at Whitstable in 1906.
With the five young boys and their mother not strong, I decided to get them out of London and live in the country.
During the spring and summer of 1907, at a cost of £1,000, I had the Camberwell house made into flats (four), reserving one for the carrying on of the practice. By this I was able to rent a house at Goddington Lane, Orpington, where we resided for six and a half years; giving up the Whitstable house on entering our new home.
The Railway service to Camberwell was not good under the old S. E. & London, Chatham & Dover Railway, and involved some three hours a day travelling to and fro, with an extra walk of one mile from Orpington Station, often after a hard day's work. Here our two daughters, Dorothea and Rachel, were born in 1907 and 1911.
In the spring of 1914 we moved to Hayesford, Hayes Lane, Bromley: for the better facilities of education, the boys going to the County School and later, to Dulwich College. Here we lived some eleven years.
The house was an old farmhouse with a 1arge garden of some two acres, with orchard, kitchen and flower gardens, and tennis lawns. For country surroundings so near to London, the position was ideal. During the years 1912 and 1918, I gradually transferred my practice to the West End, as Camberwell was changing so much from the residential to an industrial area. This entailed a great deal of strain and extra travelling.
For the sacrifice of living out of London, I was rewarded in the better health of my wife and in the children developing healthy and good physiques, though, through an attack of malignant endo-carditis, we were bereaved of our beloved little Rachel, in her tenth year.
Eric joined me in the practice in 1923. Having purchased the necessary apparatus, I induced him to take up Dental Radiography to occupy his time end gradually introduce him to my patients. In October 1924, my health not being good, I consulted Dr. Young; Senior physician to Middlesex Hospital. He warned me that I was over-working, that I should take more time off end live nearer to my practice. Acting partly on Dr. Young's advice, I found some benefit by sleeping several nights a week at Welbeck Street instead of travelling home to Bromley.
In December 1924, I consulted Mr. Eric Pearce Gould, a Surgeon on the staff of Middlesex Hospital. As a result of this consultation he informed me, after expert chemical examination of my blood, that I was on the edge of a precipice and that a surgical operation was desirable without much delay.
In February, 1925, I underwent a severe operation from which I made a good recovery, being away from my practice for three months; my son, Eric, with the aid of' a qualified assistant, carrying it on.
It took another six months to complete restoration, though I was able to attend patients. At the time none of the other boys were qualified, Victor passing his final L.D.S. later that year.
In September 1925, we removed from Bromley to the north west to London Bushey, Herts., to save railway travelling, and to motor to and from 43, Welbeck Street. In the winter months, the thirty miles motoring to and fro, in the foggy weather, I found rather trying and often stayed in town.
I was able to purchase the freehold of the Poplars, Clay Hill, Bushey, where we resided some eight years. Here Clifford. Gordon and Cecil attended their London Hospitals until qualified, Cecil joining Middlesex Hospital Medical School in 1926. Dorothea also received additional education in cooking, dressmaking, piano, singing and organ tuition.
I must here record the assistance given by my own family when the three children, Gordon, Dorothea and Rachel were very young. My mother received Clifford and Cecil for some six months at Sutton; my sister. Nellie, with Miss Thomas's aid, gave them every care and attention. Here they attended school for two terms; (the two elder boys I sent to boarding school at Whitstable, and afterwards, as weekly boarders to Eltham College) before our removal to Bromley, thus giving relief to their mother at a time when it was most needed.
I am not unmindful of the attention given by Mrs. and Miss Wolsey, before or about that time when I took the Whitstable house, when my wife's headaches were very severe.
In 1933, having reached the age of 70, and with all the boys qualified. I felt I ought to reduce my expenses and if possible, live nearer my practice. Not being able to sell the Poplars, I let it for three years. Elm Cottage, in Watford (four miles further out) was chosen, I deciding to live several nights in town.
Unfortunately, due to my past arduous life, with the extra travelling, I developed angina. In May, 1934, after seeing a patient, I had a severe heart seizure a clot forming in my heart muscle, and six weeks later one formed in my right lung from which I have made a partial recovery though my life was given up at the time.
Thus, my active working days have ended, but not before four of the boys had qualified as Dental Surgeons, the fifth as a Medical Practitioner, and my daughter happily married.
After nearly fifty years of active practice, had I my time over again, I would endeavour to attend the meetings of the British Dental Association more. Unfortunately, practising in South London for same eighteen years, and the full duties of family life, seemed to prevent my doing so, though I have endeavoured to keep abreast of the times by reading and discussions with fellow practitioners, and since 1923 my sons, attending the Dental Hospitals have freshened me up.
III
EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES DURING MY MARRIED LIFE
Added to my family affairs, I became Co-Executor and Trustee to three estates: my dear father's, my father-in-law's Mr. J. Wolsey -and my brother's, Dr. T. F. Pedley, Who died suddenly in Rangoon. The latter did not entail much of my time as my brother-in-law, Mr. R. J. Wilkinson, was in Rangoon at the time of his decease and I had only the administrative part at home to do in relation to his daughter and two sons.
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My father died in December 1909; I and my brothers, Richard and George, were the Trustees . The latter died suddenly , in April, 1911, leaving his widow and four children with little provision for the future.
Though not an Executor, I promised my brother George that I would do all I could to help, when he told me a few weeks before he died, how ill he was, and how small his finances were I was able, after considerable thought and much negotiation, with the consent of his widow, to buy out of my brother's small estate, his partner, who, being somewhat involved, could not provide the necessary capita1 to purchase the goodwill etc. of the practice outright; nor repay to my brother's estate what he already owed for the share he had but recently acquired.
Then to install him as an assistant, with a salary equal to half the profits, giving him the option of buying it within a certain period. My sister-in-law was to receive the other half of the profits, as well as the purchase money when paid. In return for doing all clerical work and attendance on patients, she and her family were to live in the house where the practice had been carried on. His solicitor drew up an agreement embodying these terms. Provision was thus made for herself and the children for some ten years or more. My brother Richard generously under took the school education of the only son, a boy of eleven.
As regards my father's estate, he unfortunately, lent some £2,000 without security to a man who could never repay him. My brother Stephen, a seem-invalid, had a small annuity paid to him out of the estate, while provision had to be made far an invalid sister in a mental home, leaving an income not sufficient to pay the annuity provided in the Will for my mother; also leaving my two surviving sisters, who were the ultimate beneficiaries, without provision from the estate.
To improve the income I took over the management of the house property, increasing the income by £60 to £70 per year. This I did for ten years. On my mother's death I handed it over to a reliable agency. Here I must mention that my brother Richard not only visited his widowed mother more than I could, but in the last few years of her life he generously helped her financially, both of Which I was unable to do owing to distance and heavy family expenses.
At my instigation a lawyer friend was consulted, who took Counsel's opinion on the Will. He found that the Will would allow capital out of the estate to be paid to the beneficiaries sufficient to meet their needs, they receiving it as part of their portion of the estate.
Happily some book debts, and the winding up of a Building Society in which I acted as a Co-Director in place of my father, (involving my journeying to and from the Borough S .E., near London Bridge, on many occasions) supplied the necessary funds.
In 1913 my father-in-law died, leaving a small estate heavily mortgaged, and a Bank overdraft of nearly £2,000 by his son, my Co-Executor, totalling in all about £11,500.
Three months after Mr. J. Wolsey's decease, the heaviest mortgage of £5,000 on some Camberwell and Peckham property, on being valued at £5,300, was threatened to foreclosure unless reduced by £l ,500. After considerable trouble and guarantees from myself and co-trustee of £500 each and a promise to pay off the rest out of income, this was agreed upon by the Solicitors to the Mortgager. From this portion of the estate
the widow and her daughter Florence received the income after paying mortgage interest and other charges.
The London & County Bank Manager at Camberwell then pressed for the reduction of the Bank Loans, of over £6,000.This meant the disposal of some freehold ground rents, on property at Nunhead valued at £4,600. I consulted my Architect and Surveyor. He examined the property and, finding it in a bad state of repair end held by several leaseholders, advised serving notices of repairs, and offering the freeholds at the marketable value to them.
This was done and a sum of £4,300 was realised which was paid to the Bank. I may say here, that when I found the estate was so heavily mortgaged I declined to act as
Trustee, but was persuaded to do so by my brother-in-law promising to help me all he could. This promise was not fulfilled.
Mrs. Wolsey died early in 1919 end her daughter Florence soon after. By careful management and judicious selling of some of the property, all mortgages and loans were cleared off. My wife now enjoys a good income from the remainder of the estateIV RELIGIOUS LIFE AND EXPERIENCE
My grandfather, Richard Pedley, was a Cheshire farmer, born in 1800 in the village or Barthomley, near Crewe. On leaving Bridge House Farm, (the ancestral home since 1712) to get married, he took a farm near "Hall-o-the-Heath" where he had a ,
family of ten children; four sons and six daughters.
He was a man of fine physique, six feet four and a half inches in height.
He attended the village church, Barthomley, where, in the grave-yard, the family tombstone of the Pedleys dates back to1772.
The church may be reckoned among the handsome churches in Cheshire, though not a large edifice. It is of several types of Gothic architecture. The chancel is the oldest part of it, probably erected about the reign of Edward I, 1300. On a corbel over the Crewe Chancel is the date 1589, when Elizabeth was queen.
My grandfather became troubled at the religious ignorance of the village peasantry and their neglected condition in those days. He started tract distributing and preaching in the open air, and the people gathered to hear him. After study of the New Testament, he came to the belief, held by the Baptists, of confession of faith before baptism.
At a village, Wheelock Heath (about three miles away) there was a small Free Church building, erected in 1704, where Presbyterians and Congregationalists worshipped. Here the Rev. Matthew Henry, the well-known Biblical commentator, ordained the first Minister in 1706.
At my grandfather's time it was used for preaching and worship on Sundays once a fortnight. By a friendly arrangement a new Trust Deed was granted and a Baptist Church started in this old brick-walled building with thatched roof.
Here my grandfather acted as lay minister for forty-one years, where the villagers and farmers gathered for Worship on Sunday mornings and late afternoons.
He held dedication services for infant children, for a time, until a Baptistery was built, and he baptised believers in an adjacent small lake known as Winterley Pool, earning the name of "Pedley the Dipper" from his fellow farmers in the district.
Later, he became one of the first Temperance advocates in the North of England. My grandmother, though a busy dairy farmer's wife and mother, gave him her loyal support.
Of his four sons, the eldest and youngest emigrated to Australia, while Richard, the second son, with his father's aid, developed the business of a Cheese Factory in Crewe, of which town he became twice Mayor, engaging there in public service. He was a lay preacher and temperance advocate and was made a Justice of the Peace.
The third son, George, (my father) was apprenticed at the age of thirteen to a Chemist in Sandbach, a neighbouring town, for five years. He came to London at the age of nineteen, in 1849.
Having received his early religious impressions in a godly home, on coming to London he threw in his lot with Christian People, became a Bible Class teacher, Visitor of the Sick and an active Temperance Worker.
He had a situation as a Chemist's assistant in Fleet Street, close to Chancery Lane and old Temple Bar. He left this to start a small chemist's business in South London, (Southampton Street) where two of his sisters in turn kept house for him.
At the age of twenty-three, he married my dear mother, the only daughter of Mrs. Franklin, a widow. His business developed but, being mechanical, he turned to study Dentistry for which there was much need. A friend gave him instruction in Vulcanine work, which was superseding carving dentures out of bone and ivory. Through the introduction or a Christian friend, he took rooms in High Street, Borough, Near London Bridge; disposed of his Chemist business and built up a large and lucrative Dental practice.
My parents had a family of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. I was the fifth son. I owe much, if not all, to the godly influence or my dear parents. At the age or thirteen, I was sent to a private school in Margate, where I stayed until I was sixteen years old.
At the age or fourteen, I had an experience which I cannot forget though fifty-eight years ago. I became dissatisfied with my life. I felt I was not what I ought to be. I was not a Christian and I determined to change. I sought the Lord Jesus Christ with all my heart and strength, realising that He alone, through God, would help me. One evening,
when I felt I must give up, a great illumination lighted up my whole being. I felt a great
sense of peace and happiness never before experienced. The Lord Jesus Christ seemed to
possess me. Three evidences I think prove that some transformation had happened to me:
(1) I had to tell my school fellows.
(2) My conscience was quickened: telling lies, bad temper and selfishness
made me unhappy.
(3) A new sense of values was gained: unselfishness, love and consideration
for others.
Looking back, I feel I have often failed. Like Peter, I have followed afar off, (Mark XIV, 54) and have even been tempted to deny Him.
Yet His attractive power, and His wonderful, loving look (Luke XXII, 51) have brought me back. Life's journey has been a perilous one, but He has been my Guide and Helper the whole of the way so far. I vas baptised by immersion by the Rev. J. Drew, Baptist Minister at Margate, whose church I joined, with my parents' consent, a few months later.
On leaving school, in 1879, I became a Sunday school Teacher, a Temperance Worker amongst the young (known as the Band of Hope) and later, Treasurer and Secretary of the same Sunday school.
About the year 1891 I was introduced by my sister, Nellie, to Dr. Dixon, the first Medical Missionary in London, who was working, in connection with the late Mr. John Wilkinson, "The Mildmay Mission to the Jews".
He told me that he was often badly in need of dental help in connection with his work. I offered to go over one afternoon a week and see all the cases he could reserve for me: these were mostly cases of severe extractions.
For some time I took my Nitrous Oxide Gas apparatus with me and, with Dr. Dixon's help, many sufferers were relieved, using an ordinary arm-chair to operate in.
The patients increased, and the work was so much appreciated that the supporters of the Mission contributed to a dental outfit. Twenty to thirty patients would come in the afternoon; little conservative work could be done.
The patients, mostly poor Russian and German Jews, came asking to have the "steam", which they termed Nitrous Oxide Gas. Later a small charge was made to those who could afford it. I spent several happy years in association with Dr. Dixon, and had reluctantly to relinquish the appointment on account of the claim of my increasing practice and family, finding a successor before doing so.
In 1897 I transferred my membership to Denmark Place, the late Dr. Stanford' s church. Here I spent several happy years, becoming Bible Class Teacher, Co-superintendent of the Young People's Institute, and a Deacon.
On moving to Bromley, I joined the Congregational Church under the ministry of the Rev. O. G. Whitfie1d, M. A., and was later elected a Deacon. Here I had many associations and friendships and spent profitable years under the able ministry of its minister, with my family.
On moving to Bushey, from time to time I preached at the Primitive Methodist churches on the Watford circuit, which embraced the country districts around; also at the Baptist and Congregational churches in Leavesden and at Edgware. I have paid many visits to Cheshire and Shropshire, taking the services at Waverton, Tarpor1ey, Beeston, Crewe, Haslington, and Wheelock Heath.In Shropshire, at Wem and Frekton; and later, at Peacehaven, in Sussex.
Whi1e I have always attended the worship of the Free Churches and am a Baptist in my beliefs, I have enjoyed much of the ministry of Congregationalists and Presbyterians, as well as Baptists.
Any services I have rendered of an unselfish, self-sacrificing nature, have been prompted by Him who came to minister, and not to be ministered to.
My total abstinence principles, practised all my life (with residence at Margate for three years) I believe strengthened my constitution. While recognising the great work of the Church of England, and remembering what we owe to her in the past -the cathedrals as centres of study, art, and seclusion in cathedral towns, in our cities and smaller towns -in villages and hamlets, there is still too much class distinction between Church and Free Church.
One rejoices in the strong Evangelical section of the Church, whose desire is to break down these barriers to unity.
While I have not been able to accustom myself to the liturgical service, yet I have appreciated the dignity of worship practised by the Church of England; also by the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, which is absent in some of the Free Churches.
To her authors, writers, published sermons, and addresses, I owe much teaching and freshness of thought, as well as spiritual upbuilding.
ENDBIOGRAPHY: From Clifford Bio
At the age of 35 my father Sam, George's fifth son, had a well-established dental practice in his fine home at 18 Peckham Road, Camberwell, London, SE. This was a fashionable neighbourhood in those horse and carriage days. In 1898 Sam married Ada Wolsey, the lovely daughter of the owner of an even finer house and garden -No. 15, immediately opposite. Ada, my mother, had been to finishing school in Belgium and on her return became one of the first students of the now famous Camberwell Art School. Mother was an accomplished pianist and artist She was also, through the example of her own gentle mother, well trained in the domestic arts. One day, on her way to Art School, her upper right central tooth became the victim of a stone thrown at random by a street urchin. This led to a professional visit, and later marriage, to my father.
DEATH: died age 87
BIRTH: This birthdate is tentative
BIOGRAPHY: Mother, unknown died 1919
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© PedleyOnline Transmitted : Saturday, February 04th, 2012 'Last Modified: Tuesday, September 02nd, 2008 |
