ONE hundred and fifty years ago, in 1853, a gentleman by the name of Thomas Maton Kingdon moved to Basingstoke from Salisbury to work for the ironmongers shop of Lodwidge and Wallis in the Market Place.

When Mr Wallis left the business a few years later Mr Kingdon became Mr Lodwidge’s partner and stayed as such until 1886 when he became the sole proprietor.

During those later years of the 19th century, Mr Kingdon established his shop as one of the most popular in the town, selling a wide range of hardware and ironmongery.

During that time he became a local councillor and was selected as Mayor of Basingstoke twice, in 1887/88 and 1899/ 1900. When Mr Kingdon died at his home at Mapledurwell in 1901, his elder son Herbert took over the business, but he did not change the initials on the sign above the shop as he felt it was in tribute to his father’s business.

Herbert Kingdon also followed his father’s footsteps as a local councillor and in 1906/07, he was selected as mayor for the town.

By 1930, the business was expanding to other towns in Hampshire, such as at Winchester, where the head office was established.

By then, the firm was advertising itself as selling goods “for the house, farm, and estate”. Among these goods were large stocks of builders’ and blacksmiths’ materials, while, with the introduction of electrical appliances into the commercial market, Kingdon’s began to sell these as well.

For customers who could not carry their acquired goods to their home, a delivery service was provided by the firm’s lorries, which travelled some 12 miles out of town.

As the Second World War saw the decline of servants and private gardeners, so the advent of smaller and simpler home and gardening equipment brought about sales of items for this purpose.

After the war, many shops went over to packaging their loose items, such as screws and nails, but Kingdon’s continued to serve their customers with single articles, and many people took advantage of this by buying two or four screws, etc.

Meanwhile, Thomas’ youngest son Harold had become chairman of the firm and he remained as such until his resignation in 1964.

Two years later, the Market Place shop had to make a decision on whether to stay at the Top of the Town or move to the new shopping centre which was about to be built. A site in Westminster House was acquired and, in November 1968, the shop closed its Market Place doors and moved to their new abode.

The new shop became self-service and declared that it had everything for the home and handyman. By 1973 another branch was opened at Paddington House in the shopping centre, but this closed down later on.

Within 12 years Kingdon’s had been taken over by Carpenter’s and then by the present shop Cargo. Kingdon’s was no more, but local folk will never forget the old shop.