Collection AR57 - Rogers Family Papers

The Rogers family originally came from Beckenham. Edward Rogers (1836-1924) set up business as a corn merchant in Thornton Heath in about 1880 (at 71 Thornton Heath; renumbered 280 London Road in 1889; and also known as the Unicorn Granaries). The business was taken over in about 1889 by two of his sons, Edward William Rogers (1864-1958) and S Rogers [Stephen or Sydney]: its name changed to EW S Rogers in about 1894, although in fact S Rogers retired from the partnership only a year or so later. In about 1895, the business opened a retail shop at 62 High Street, Croydon. The London Road premises were seriously damaged by fire in 1895, and again in 1902. In the twentieth century, the firm came to specialise in seeds and horticultural supplies. The High Street shop moved a few doors to 72 High Street in 1921; and the London Road premises (renumbered 516 in 1927) were given up in about 1931. The business closed in 1957. EW Rogers died a few months later, in April 1958.

Alice Maria Skinner (c1866-1908) was the daughter of James Arthur Skinner (1839-1907) - a builder, and Mayor of Eastbourne in the 1890s. She grew up in Eastbourne, and went to school in Tunbridge Wells, but regularly visited relations and friends in Croydon. She married Edward William Rogers (her cousin) in 1893, and lived in Croydon for the rest of her life. They had a daughter, Mildred Elizabeth Rogers ('Millie'), born in 1894. Alice died in April 1908. EW Rogers was subsequently married a second time, to Kate Beatrice [--] (c1885-1922).