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Edward Walter Hilder

postcard

Coach & Horses Hotel, Sedlescombe (1915 postmark)

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Grocer and sub-postmaster at Sedlescombe. Some sepia-tinted real photographic cards of Sedlescombe are marked "Pub. by Hilder Sedlescombe" in their bottom right corners. They closely resemble the first versions of the Ewhurst cards published by Arthur Hilder and were doubtless manufactured by the same firm. Later cards have machine printed captions in italics on transparent slips and are marked "Published by Hilder", generally in their bottom left corners. A 1915 postmark has been reported. Both types of cards were probably published by Edward Walter Hilder, after he set up in business as a grocer and sub-postmaster at Sedlescombe, though there remains a possibility that they were the work of Arthur or even Frank Hilder.

Edward Walter Hilder was born in 1857 at East Peckham in Kent and was an elder brother of Frank Hilder. His father, Thomas Hilder, was a bricklayer and journeyman. His mother, Mahala Hilder, had been born at East Peckham as had his father. By 1881 Edward had become one of two assistants to William Killick, a grocer at Yalding. He married Edith Sarah Hilder, who was presumably a relative, at Brighton in 1891, and by 1893, if not earlier, the couple moved to Staplecross near Sedlescombe. Kelly's 1895 Sussex Directory records that he was already the village grocer, draper and sub-postmaster, as well an insurance agent. By the time the 1901 census was held, his business was evidently flourishing as he was employing three assistants. He moved to Sedlescombe in about 1904. The 1911 census records that he and Edith had 6 children: three boys and three girls. He was still in business at Sedlescombe in 1927, but retired not long afterwards. He is believed to have died in 1950 at the age of 81.

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