In 1898 Arthur Bishop took over the butchers shop at number 59, High Street, Edgware, which had been in business for a number of years. At number fifty-seven was James Mair ~ Bootmaker , at number fifty-five was Edgware Court House and at number fifty-three was one of the oldest pubs in England ~ The Chandos Arms. The other tenant in Bishop's building was Arthur Ashkettle ~ a hairdresser at number sixty-one.

We do not know the identity of Arthur Bishop's landlord when he started in business, but it is known that c.1900 ~ about the time that Henry George returned to Edgware, the building was either purchased or leased by a man named Charles Edward Fisher. Generally speaking, the identity of the landlord would not be of any interest, nor would his reasons for buying the building, but that is not the case here; Fisher was the cousin of Sarah Smith ~ wife of Henry George's employer in Aylesbury. It seems improbable that Charles Fisher had taken the building by chance.

In the only surviving photograph taken of Henry George at the butchers shop, the sign bearing the name 'A Bishop' has been retained and can be seen under the meat display. In addition, Arthur Bishop continued to be listed on the electoral registers as Fisher's tenant. This suggests that either Henry George and Bishop were partners or that Bishop had sublet the shop to Henry Sr. The man in the butchers apron ~ standing to the far right in the photograph, could be Bishop. It is possible that he had been persuaded by Charles Fisher to go into partnership with Henry George.* There is also a clue in the picture that Charles Muddle was involved in the business.

The picture was probably taken at Christmas ~ either in 1901 or 1902. The man standing next to Henry Muddle Senior is pointing to one of the cards hanging on the meat. In the original photograph, the name 'Rothschild' can be seen on the card ~ suggesting not only that the man is a Rothschild employee, but that it was due to Charles Muddle's connections to Tring Park that the meat was displayed at his nephew's shop in Edgware.

As well as going into business as a butcher in 1901, Henry George reached another milestone ~ he got married. His bride was Mary Jane Taylor, whose Father, Isaac, had Little Stanmore Farm and Dairy ~ which was just a few doors along from the butchers shop. He and his family had moved to Edgware from Shropshire in 1896. It is not known when Henry George and Mary Jane met. An account of the Edgware Carnival in a June, 1900 edition of the Hendon & Finchley Times, reports that Henry George participated in the parade dressed as a North American Indian, while Mary Jane was dressed to represent 'England' - along with one of Henry George's sisters representing 'Ireland'. Two months later there was another carnival at Edgware in aid of the Indian Famine Fund, when Henry George, along with others, masqueraded as an Indian character. No doubt, in a small community there were many such events where they might have met. What is known, from a story handed down through the family, is that Mary Jane's parents did not want her to marry the young man from Edgwarebury.

We can only guess at the Taylor's reasons for considering Henry George as an unsuitable husband for their daughter. He may already have had a reputation for being wayward and unreliable, but unfortunately, by July of 1901, Mary Jane had little choice but to marry ~ she was several months pregnant.

It is possible that the decision to establish Henry George on the High Street was the result of this delicate situation ~ that Isaac Taylor was more likely to find the match appealing if the groom had his own business and was able to support his new wife and their expected child. It seems likely that Charles Muddle ~ with the help of his associates, as well as Henry George Sr were involved in the effort to provide the newly-married young man with a living.

Ironically, Mary Jane's status as a spinster ~ 'an unmarried, childless woman', is made as a correction in the marriage banns. But on 15th July 1901, such details and the reservations of the bride's family were put to one side and Henry George and Mary Jane married at the Church of St Lawrence, Whitchurch ~ with Caroline Muddle and Isaac Taylor present as witnesses. The wedding announcement in the local paper was unusually short and had some odd terminology - 'contracting parties' for example. This may or may not have been due to the unfortunate circumstances.

Henry George's occupation on the Marriage Certificate had been recorded as a Farmer ~ indicating that he was not yet making his living as a butcher. So, it is probable that the newly-married couple did not move to 59, High Street until late in 1901. It was there, on 21st December, that their eldest son was born. When Henry George Muddle III was baptised on 2nd February 1902, his father's occupation is recorded as 'Butcher ~ High Street'. A photograph taken at about the same time shows the Chandos Arms and the butchers shop ~ with the canopy, beyond.

In what is probably the only photograph taken of James Bray, he is seen in the garden at the back of Edgwarebury Farmhouse with Caroline Muddle ~ Henry George's mother. Henry Muddle Sr is seen standing just inside the house. The photograph was taken c.1901 - probably at the same time as the one of Henry George in his butchers outfit.

As James Bray and Henry Muddle Sr were not livestock farmers, neither would have been able to supply the butchers shop ~ and Henry George would have had little experience in purchasing at wholesalers. So it is likely that Bray, Muddle Sr, William Smith, Arthur Bishop or Charles Muddle were involved in finding sufficient quantities of meat to keep the shop adequately stocked.

It is significant that so many people were involved in the task of providing Henry George with his own shop. It is also worth noting that his father's association with the business, other than providing the funds to buy it, appeared to be minimal.** Although it was usual at that time for fathers and sons to go into business together and Henry Muddle Sr would have had experience in butchering, there would be no sign advertising 'Henry Muddle & Son' at 59, High Street. The shop had clearly been established for Henry George alone ~ a big responsibility for a young man not yet twenty-two.

At the start of 1902, the foundations had been laid; with his training from Uncle Charles, his experience at William Smiths, the assistance of his family and an increasing number of customers from the town's growing population, Henry George now had the opportunity to make a good living for himself, his wife and young child.