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Harry Frederick Cusden was born in Balham on 30 June 1870. His father Jonathan Cusden was a builder and later opened an off-licence at High Street, Tooting, near Longley Road. Jonathan Cusden was also a member of the old Tooting Vestry and was one of the first members of the Wandsworth Borough Council. Harry left school to work his father's business which had expanded to also sell groceries. Harry married Gertrude Mountier in September 1896 in Tooting Church. They first lived above the shop but later moved in to her family home in Devonshire Road, Colliers Wood. In 1893 Harry opened his own grocery shop in Longley Road, Tooting. He added an off-licence to the shop and as the area around Longley Road expanded so did the business. He added a butcher's department and greengrocery and soon had a row of shops in Longley Road. His business expanded and he opened 8 branches, including ones in St John's Hill, Clapham Junction; Garratt Lane, Earlsfield; Oldridge Road, Balham; Mitcham and Wimbledon. He was assisted by his two sons Harry and Fred. He also owned other properties in the borough. Harry was a founding member of the Balham and Tooting Traders' Association and was its chairman in 1904 and 1914. He also founded the Balham and Tooting Grocers' Association and during World War I initiated a system of group buying by local grocers. He was also a member of the Off-Licences Association and served as chairman for a time. He was elected to the Council of the National Federation of Off-Licence Holders' Associations in 1927 and served as chairman in 1929, 1939 and from 1943-1945. Harry was a close associate of A.J. Hurley. Hurley convinced him to stand as Councillor and they ran for election together. Harry's brother Albert also served on the Council for a while. Cusden and Hurley founded the Balham and Tooting branch of the National Federation of Demobilised Sailors and Soldiers after World War One, which afterwards became the local branch of the British Legion. Harry also served on the Mitcham Urban District Council following his move there. He was seriously injured in a car crash on Balham High Road in 1921. Harry remained in business through out the war. He was taken ill in December 1946 and took a step back from the business although remained interested. Many of his employees had been with him since they left school. He had two sons and a daughter who took over the running of the business on his death. Harry Cusden died aged 76 on 29 March 1947. He is buried at London Road cemetery, Figges Marsh.