Historical information
Arthur was a well-known Surrey Hills identity until early 1990s. He was a welder and ran his business from his home at 55 Sunbury Crescent. His father had been a hansom cab owner/driver changing to taxis when cars took over. Arthur known to most locals as "Tiger" was a mine of information on local history and supplied many photographs of Surrey Hills.
REF: Oral testimony - Rudi Mineur, 22/7/2019: Arthur was born at 55 Sunbury Crescent and was an only child; he lived all his life there, and did not marry. This photo was taken at the home in Sunbury Crescent of Rudi and Betsie Mineur. Rudi worked as a taxidermist and often had large fish to mount as trophies. This photo was taken at Arthur's request as a ruse. He did not catch the fish.
Arthur was the only son of Frederick Adolphus Lyons (1891-1980) who was born in Surrey Hills, son of Thomas and Catherine Lyons. He married Elizabeth Ruby Hall in 1918. They lived at 55 Sunbury Crescent.
The Lyons’ home was called ‘Knopshambury’ - this was probably a misspelling of Knockshanbally in Co Kilkenny, the birth place of Fred’s father, Thomas Edmund Josias Lyons (1846-1915).
Arthur Lyons was born in Surrey Hills on 12 Jun 1920. He became a motor mechanic / welder and lived at 55 Sunbury Crescent.
This is one of a series of photos donated by Arthur Lyons. The donation was made while he was in hospital. He died shortly afterwards (23 Sep 1990). Donation was finalised by a neighbour, Mrs Florence Ann Armitstead, wife of Glen Victor Armitstead. Glen was a local hairdresser. They moved to 11 Sunbury Crescent after their marriage in 1939. Arthur had no relatives to distribute the material to.
Physical description
A coloured photograph of a man, dressed in a jumper, trousers, gumboots and a hat, posing with a fish and a fishing rod.
Inscriptions & markings
Arthur Lyons
