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HAROLD EDWARD PERCY MOON (1868-1924)
Following the unexpected deaths of
Mr Thomas
Moon (1765-1850) and his only son, Mr Edward Moon (1804-1850) in
1850, the music and musical instrument business founded by
Mr Thomas
Moon in 1809 passed into the hands of Edward's widow, Mrs Anna
Moon. By 1861 she had been joined by their two sons, James Edward Moon
1838-1913) and George Winter Moon (1842-1911) at number 6
Treville
Street. At the turn of the century they both retired and
the firm was in the hands of Mr Harold Edward Percy Moon
(1868-1924), the eldest son of
Mr James Edward Moon who died in
1913. His brother's eldest son, Mr Sydney Edward Moon, was in
1901 a music salesman living in lodgings in Tavistock.
Harold Edward Percy Moon had been born in
1868 at "Cloudsley", Plymouth Road, Brixton, Devon. He married
Miss Muriel Spooner, daughter of
Mr John Dawson Spooner (1868-1935)
at Buckland Monachorum Parish Church on February 16th 1898.
In the early 1920s a man named Watts brought
back from America a Columbia record of "O Come All ye Faithful",
which was the first electrical recording ever made. The 12-inch
diameter record was copied in this country for Moon's and they sold
it for 4s 6d each. Despite being so expensive, what became known as
"Moon's record" sold in its thousands.
Mr Harold Edward Percy Moon died at Cloudsleigh,
Brixton, on Thursday April 10th 1924. He was only 56 years of age
and a keen all-round sportsman, a member of the Dartmoor Otter Hunt,
a supporter of the Yealmpton and Yelverton Horse Shows and rode to
hounds. As he was
lord of the manor of Brixton he took a keen interest in local
affairs. Mr Moon served in the old Volunteers at the time it
was transferred into the new Territorial Force, for which he was
awarded the Territorial long-service medal, and during the Great War held the rank of Major in the Devon
Royal Garrison Artillery (Territorial) while serving in Malta. It does not appear that Harold's son,
Lieutenant Harold Rosslyn Moon, of the 16/5th Lancers, took any part
in the business as he was serving in India at the time of his
father's death.
The funeral service was held on Monday April
14th 1924 at Brixton Parish Church. The service was led by the
Vicar of Brixton, the Reverend W J Ahier and the organist was Mrs A
Axworthy. Chief mourners included Messrs Ernest R Moon,
the deceased's brother; Captain
Sydney Moon
(1872-1961). deceased's cousin, and
Master R Moon, deceased's nephew. The Spooner family were
represented by Messrs Clarence, John and Guy Spooner. The
following employees attended the funeral: Messrs James Dean; W M
Bryant; E J Mayne; C Harvey; C C Cooper; N Phillips; J Curtis; F
Churchward (from the
George Street shop); W H case (from the Truro
shop); F Morcom (from the Bugle establishment); G Collins (from the
Exeter shop); G Tootell (from the Exmouth shop); W G Marsh; W Uren;
Beeston; H Hurrell; W Stacey (travellers); G Manning; S Brooks; E
Watson; A Harris; F Winnicott; R Cole; McKean; A Mills; W Lovegrove;
S Provence; H Coles; S Weeks; S Hunt (tuners); C Goddard; R Glanvile;
M Jasper (office); J Halford; L Mills; J Downing; H Macey; C Medland;
G Bricknell; W F French (factory); J Stentiford; J Ashton; G
Richardson; C Morris; E R Sutton; and T Lean.
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