Editing Allders (section)

==Joshua Allder==
Allders was opened in 1862 at 102 and 103 [[North End, Croydon]], as a "linen draper and silk mercer" by Joshua Allder (1838–1904) from [[Walworth, London|Walworth]], who had served his apprenticeship in Croydon. His shop was diverse, with special offers on silk dresses and also a morning dress section, and departments offering lower-cost items such as buttons and ribbons. This diversity showed a shrewdness in business and an understanding of his mostly female customers.<ref name="mcqueeney">{{cite news|url=http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/heritage/557240.the_story_of_a_store/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130419215209/http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/heritage/557240.the_story_of_a_store/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 April 2013 |title=The Story of a Store |author=Kerry McQueeney |date=29 December 2004 |access-date=23 September 2012 |newspaper=Croydon Guardian }}</ref>

Croydon was a growing town, and Allder's business grew with it. In 1870, the shop expanded into 104, 106 and 107 North End,<ref name="mcqueeney"/> although he had to wait for some 20 years to acquire 105, a bakery. The wealth Allder made allowed him to play a prominent part in the local community, on the [[Local Board of Health]], on the council of the [[County Borough of Croydon]]<ref name="mcqueeney"/> for nine years, and in the [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|non-conformist]] church community. He supported greater rights for his workers, being instrumental in getting local stores closed for a half-day on Wednesdays. Allder died in 1904 leaving a store which had expanded beyond clothing and haberdashery to sell glass and porcelain, among other items.

His main residence in Pampisford Road, [[South Croydon]], now houses Regina Coeli RC school, and two cul-de-sacs nearby are named Allder Way and Joshua Close.