Licensed Game Butcher

A Memory of Longton.

Our gt uncle Edward Cope Statham, born in Barrow in Furness, was a licensed game butcher in Longton. He is on the 1901 census, aged 24, as lodging in Trentham Road so don't know if the shop was there too but we do have a photo of him outside his shop. However on February 7th 1903 he was found dead and it was thought to be suicide at first but on investigation the police decided that was impossible and it must have been murder. He had been shot. He was a very handsome man and engaged to be married. Wonder if anyone has ever heard of this death/murder or could indicate where in Longton the shop was?

The shop was called - Fish, Game and Poultry Emporium. He was taken back to his original home in Barrow for burial but might have had his funeral in Longton. We also have the bible given to him by his father on his 16th birthday.
There were rumours, we believe, that his partner in the business suddenly disappeared at the time??

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