Edward Orford CAPON (1873-1939)

Edward Orford Capon (1873-1939), known as Ted, was the husband of Winifred Capon (née Butler, who was the niece of Eugénie Sladden.

Ted was born at Kings Norton, Worcestershire, on 20^th October 1873, the second of three sons of Edward George Capon, a manufacturer of India Rubber, and his wife, Lily.  The family home when Ted was growing up was firstly at Fairview, Middleton Hall Road, Kings Norton, and then at Cedar House, New Road, Bromsgrove.

Ted was educated at Monmouth Grammar and Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he studied Law, graduating in 1894.  He qualified as a solicitor in December 1897 with the firm, Capon & Elliott Smith of 29 Bedford Row, London.

In the early 1890s, the family moved to Ashford, Middlesex.  Ted’s father died in 1894 and, by 1901, Ted, who practised as a solicitor, was living with his widowed mother and three servants at Surrey Lodge, Queens Road, Walton on Thames.

On 20^th January 1909, Ted married Winifred (Winnie) Emma Butler at St James, Weybridge.  The year before, his younger brother, Charles, had married Winnie’s younger sister, May.  They had two sons:  Eric E (1911) and Charles Kenneth (1915-1988).

In 1911 Ted and Winnie were living at The Hawthorns, Twyford, Berkshire; Ted’s widowed mother, Lily, was visiting them. 

Ted served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Berkshire Regiment and Royal Defence Corps.  His mother-in-law, Fanny Butler, refers to him being at Plymouth in December 1915 and Coventry in March 1916.

Ted and Winnie moved to Charfield Cottage, Charvil Lane, Sonning, some time after the war, where they remained for the rest of their lives.

Ted died on 23^rd January 1939 at St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, leaving effects of £7,229 13s 4d.  His final home was Charfield, Sonning, Berkshire, and he was buried at Sonning.  The following obituary appeared in The Reading Mercury of 28^th January 1939:

Death of Mr E O Capon, Former Chairman of Sonning Parish Council

We regret to record the death of Mr Edward Orford Capon of Charfield, Sonning and 1 Southampton Place, Bloomsbury Square, WC1 which occurred somewhat suddenly on Monday.  Mr Capon, who practised as a solicitor in London, was taken ill in the train whilst on his way to his office, and he died later in St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.

For more than 20 years Mr Capon had taken a leading part in the life of Sonning, and it was was his delight to participate actively in most of the social organizations of the village.  For many years he was chairman of the parish council, and held that position when the new playing field was opened in May 1937.  Owing to ill-health, Mr Capon had recently given up the position of chairman, but he was appointed vice-chairman and retained this office until the time of his death.  Mr Capon was at one time chairman of the Sonning Regatta.  He had also appeared in a number of leading parts in the local productions of the Sonning Players, of which he was a keen member.

He leaves a widow and two sons.  The funeral took place at Sonning yesterday (Friday).