OYSTER "KING”

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 September 1938, Page 12

OYSTER "KING”

V --jfr- — • . - [ FRIEND OF STATESMEN J Oyster “king” and. friend of states-i-imen and leading theatrical figures, i‘l\lr. Allred ’William Rankniorc English i has died at Brighton, Sussex, aged <<> >■ l following a. stroke. - • >■ I Visitors from all over the -woild 2 knew- him, and when they were m i; England they made a pilgrimage to 3 the quaint old shop, set back 11 3! the busy rush of East street, tn the t heart of Old Brighton, where Mr. Eng- ' | lish lived for 55 years. Known as “King Alfred ol the '' Oysters,” this, well-loyed merchant • i would sit in his-shell fish bar from ? 1 eaily, morning, .till late in.the evening. ’: smoking jus pipe and chatting - with his.cttstoniers as .they ate the oysters = I that were his .pride; , : J He boasted 1 tliatulurijig the ,&0 years ’ he; had been ..in, the business ho had ’.opened ; 250,000. oysters (1 W 1 * 11 ;. , " T ! “Mr, English talked, t, Pght, and I believe, dreamed ot oyst‘ ■ s, ’’ stated a 3 friend of the family. “If he could not ' get oysters that were perfect he would • j sit all day in an. empty shop, but he ’ I would never shut or even leave it. | Among “King Alfred’s” celebrated customers were Loi,’d Baldwin, Mi. . i Montagu Norman, Evelyn Lpye, and . I George Graves. .J One customer —the Dow:ager Lady J lBackvillo (famous Edwardian hostess) J—loved the little shop so much that [{she gave directions for her ashes to ; j lie taken there for a brief time after I; her cremation. A Air. English leaves, nine children 'land 20 grandchildren, three of whom -1 are in tlie navy and four in the Air [I Force. It is understood that lie died 1 a wealthy- man, but the extent of his . fortune is not yet known. , -■ I i n „!■, I new _ 11 » 1.......