Originally, the information on this page came from the three obituaries of Joseph Sydenham written in May 1913 (which is why there are three different versions of the name of the road he lived in at his death!). This page will be updated gradually as I obtain more information, and so will eventually not just be based around the obituaries.
Last updated: 28 July 2003 13:21 (yet more information about his connection with St Mary's Church)
Mr Sydenham was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire in 1845 (some sources say 1846 but that doesn't fit with the information on his gravestone). He came to live in Reading with his bachelor uncle, Mr Reuben Bracher, when he was about 11 years old. Mr Bracher's sister, Elizabeth, had married Mr Sydenham's father. In 1869, Mr Bracher lived at 8 Grove Road in Reading, whilst Mr Sydenham was not listed in street directories and so may have still lived with his uncle.
Mr James Trendall had started a jewellers firm at 55 Minster Street in 1790. Mr Bracher had joined as an apprentice in 1839 and worked his way up to partner. When Trendall died, Bracher inherited the firm and changed the name from Trendall's to Bracher's. At some time between 1869 and 1873 his nephew became a partner, and the name of the firm changed again to Bracher & Sydenham. They moved into larger premises at 56 Minster Street, the new shop opening on 21st April 1875.
In March 1888 Reuben Bracher died and Mr Sydenham became the sole owner of the business. There are two memorial windows to Mr Bracher in Christ Church, Reading, and between the windows is a brass tablet designed by Mr Sydenham. Later addresses for the firm include "55, 56 and 57 Minster Street" (in 1895) and "56, 57 and 58 Minster Street". It is possible that this is a combination of both street renumbering and further business expansion. In more recent times this building became the Trade Union Club and the headquarters of the Reading Labour Party.
Mr Sydenham proved to have rare skill as a designer of artistic silverware, as well as good business sense, so that the firm prospered. They had many Royal Warrants, including those for Queen Victoria, Edward VII (both when he was Prince of Wales and when King) and George V. The reputation of the firm was on a par with the likes of Harrods or Fortnum & Mason today. Queen Alexandra once tried to visit when in Reading, but was disappointed to find that they were closed on Wednesday afternoons!
After Sydenham's death in 1913 the firm obviously changed hands but this time kept its name. They moved to 26/28 Queen Victoria Street in 1924, and then into 24 Queen Victoria Street in 1974, the new shop being opened by Arthur Negus. The firm still exists in some sense and occupies the same premises, but has now been taken over by Goldsmiths. In February 2002 the glass of the shop window still showed the Bracher & Sydenham name, stating that the firm existed since the time of George III, but this fine reminder had disappeared within a few months of me spotting it. There is one final reminder, however, because the November 2001 Reading BT phone directory still has a listing for Bracher & Sydenham (although Yellow Pages does not).
Mr Sydenham was a Conservative, and one of the founders of the Wellington Club. However he frequently declined nomination to the Reading Town Council. By 1883, he had moved to Norbiton House in Maitland Road.
He was well known among local freemasons, joining the Lodge of Union 414, and then becoming one of the founder members of the Kendrick Lodge No. 2043 in 1884. He was Worshipful Master of that lodge in 1887 at the time of Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee (whilst at the same time the ex-Reading player J W (John Wessley) Martin was master of the Lodge of Union), a period when the masons were involved in organising many of the events in town to celebrate the event. He held Provincial rank of Grand Superintendent of Works (also known as P P G Supt W).
He was a worshipper at the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin for many years, and became involved in the running of the church and parish. In March 1873 he became an overseer, a post which he held for one year. In April 1884, the Vicar's Churchwarden resigned after having done the job for 23 years and Mr Sydenham took on the role. He was re-appointed as churchwarden each year until 1903, when he resigned on health grounds. The Berkshire Record Office contains the Vestry Minutes of the church for this period, which include many written by Mr Sydenham himself. For the five years up to 1898, the other churchwarden was J W Martin. In 1893, a substantial book was published covering the church accounts from 1550-1662. This book was dedicated to Joseph Sydenham and to J W Martin's predecessor - Reading library have six copies in their local history collection. In 1898 Mr Sydenham presented an inscribed silver-gilt chalice and paten to the church in memory of his wife Alice who had died three years earlier. These items were certainly still part of the church plate in the 1970s.
Other positions he held were trustee of the Reading Municipal General Charities, member of the Board of Management of Royal Berkshire Hospital (and treasurer of the Board for a while). He took a great interest in rifle shooting and helped to found the Volunteer corps locally. He was also an active member of the committee at Reading Athletic Club and acted as a judge at their meetings.
But most of all from this website's perspective, his crowning glory was to be the convener of the inaugural meeting of Reading Football Club, and to take on the role of first honorary secretary after it was agreed to form a club. One obituary said that he "played for the old Reading Town amateur football club". As he was not involved in the formation of Reading Amateurs in 1895, I believe this refers to Reading Football Club. However, I have seen no record of him playing games, and he was in fact the normal umpire supplied by Reading (at a time when there were usually two umpires, one from each side). Games were often played on Wednesday afternoons, which partly explained why Bracher & Sydenham's had to be shut and even royalty disappointed.
In the later years of his life he suffered from bronchial attacks. This problem may have lasted a considerable time because as early as 1900 the records of St Mary's refer to him being ill. In the last few months he hardly ventured out of his rooms. He died on Saturday, 3rd May 1913 at his home of Wakehurst, which the local papers described as being in Southcote-road West, Southcote Road and Tilehurst Road. That may well mean that it was on the western corner of Southcote Road and Tilehurst Road, in which case the house no longer exists. There is however a building of the appropriate age on the eastern corner of those two roads. In any event, it was obviously very close to Elm Park and it would be nice to think that he was sometimes going to watch games there.
He was survived by a son, two daughters and five grandchildren (Jack, Lorna, Beryl, Wilfrid and Eldred). The son was the Reverend Edward Sydenham (born in about 1874) who was Vicar of Wolvercote near Oxford. One daughter was Mrs Henry Thompson of Holbeach in Lincolnshire, whilst the other, Miss Muriel E Sydenham (born in about 1884), still lived locally.
The mourners at his funeral on Thursday, 8th May included at least three former Reading players. C G Field was there in his capacity as mayor but he had also been a prominent Reading player. J W Martin (who at the time of the funeral was the deputy mayor) and Stanley Hayward were also present. None of the Reading squad or officials at the time were listed among the mourners, as far as I can tell.
After a funeral service at St Mary's Church, Joseph Edward Sydenham was buried in Reading Cemetery. You can find out more about the grave here.
And to put it all into a football context, go here for the results from the first season of play.
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