Big Ed's Place

Edward W. “Big Ed” Williams operated a bar and restaurant at 601 Pearl Street in North Camden as early as 1929 and into the 1940s. The building had housed a bar as far back as 1896, under a number of different owners, including Owen Kernan, who ran it from 1906 until 1911. Prior to Big Ed Williams’s acquisition of the business, the bar had been run by Edward A. Welsh, who died in 1932. Welsh ran the bar from 1921 until he retired from the business in 1929 after it had been padlocked for Prohibition violations.

A veteran of World War I and a lifelong bachelor, Edward W. Williams was a longtime resident of Camden. Ed Williams was active with the Elks in Camden and the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association. A resident of 630 Erie Street, “Big Ed” Williams passed away in February of 1948. His business remained open for many years after his passing, and was still operating as Big Ed’s Place as late as 1959.

Camden County Padlocks

Probationary padlocks of one year were ordered by Judge Avis for the following establishments:

Frank Auletto, as proprietor; William J. Stettler, bartender; Rebecca Friedenberg and Lena Teitelman, owners, 1135 and 1137 South Fourth Street, $1000 bond; William Barr, proprietor; George E. Stone, bartender; Marion R. Klump, owner, 11 South Third Street, $1000 bond; Annabale Corda, proprietor and owner; Mary Corda, employee, 1104 South Fourth Street, $1000 bond; Anthony and Stanley Knast, owners, 7807 East Park Avenue, Pennsauken, $1000 bond; Oliver Smith, proprietor; Bertha Golding, owner, 1726 Master Street, $1000 bond; Edward W. Williams, proprietor; William J. Dolan, bartender, 623 Pearl Street, $1000 bond.

Conrad Lambert, 44, of 1427 South Ninth Street, Camden, pleaded guilty to possession of liquor and was fined $35. Frank Tischner, 1244 Cambridge Street, pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance and sentence was deferred until June 19. Frank H. Poole, 1400 Rose Street, pleaded guilty to possession and maintaining a nuisance and was fined $35. James Rodgers, 1000 Segal Street, pleaded guilty to possession and maintaining a nuisance. Agents said he conducted a speakeasy and he was fined $10 and given 10 days in jail. Harry Getty, 48, of 29 North Third Street, Camden, was fined $35 for possession of beer and maintaining a nuisance. A fine of $25 was imposed upon Charles H. Lee, 30, of 1565 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, Camden, when he pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance charges. Annibale Corda, 35, of 1104 South Fourth Street, Camden, was fined $10 when he pleaded guilty to charges of possession of liquor and maintenance of a nuisance. Walenty Szczepankiewicz, 63, of 1621 Mt. Ephraim Avenue, was given a 45-day jail term and fined $25 when he pleaded guilty to possession and nuisance charges. His son, Edward, 19, was freed on a suspended sentence and placed on probation for six months on similar charges.