Title:
JAMES HEDDLE AND SON, DRAPERS, OF SOUTHEND
Level: Category
Business records
Level: Fonds
JAMES HEDDLE AND SON, DRAPERS, OF SOUTHEND
Scope and Content:
The travellers' account books (D/F 39/1-446), which are identified by the name of the round, record customers' names and addresses, items purchased and payments made.
Admin History:
The drapery business in Park Street was started by William Heddle c. 1870, and was run by members of the Heddle family until it closed in 1980.

William Heddle (1846-1948) was born at Redland, Stromness, Orkney, and came to Maldon in 1864. He married in September 1870 and moved to Southend, and soon afterwards established his business in Park Street. He joined the religious sect, the Peculiar People, in 1873, and was their Supreme Bishop 1901-1942. Much of Heddle's business was on a credit basis, with salesmen travelling throughout south-east Essex.
Destruction:
Because of the bulk of the travellers' account books, in addition to the earliest surviving volumes dating from 1915-1917, those covering census years only were accepted on deposit.
Related Unit of Description:
See also William Heddle, A brief account of my life and experience (1930), which is available in the Essex Record Office library.