Edwin T. Willdridge

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Illness

End of Watch January 6, 1951

Age 64

Tour of Duty 42 yrs 8 mo

The Vigil Panel 87 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Captain Edwin Willdridge suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage while overseeing a police detail that was attempting to maintain order during a strike involving 500 female employees of the Bell Telephone Company at 19th Street and Arch Street.

The striking employees caused several small skirmishes throughout the day and began to attack a woman they believed was crossing the picket line. Captain Willdridge, along with six officers, went to the woman's aid and rescued her from the strikers.

Captain Willdridge collapsed moments later. He was transported to the police clinic and then to Philadelphia General Hospital, where he died the following morning.

Captain Willdridge had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 42 years and was assigned to the 9th District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-92A1D04D
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

42 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Willdridge gave the Philadelphia Police Department 42 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Willdridge.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 6, 1951

Tour of Duty 42 yrs 8 mo

Age 64

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Captain Edwin T. Willdridge is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 121 of 1,261 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 66 of 378 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 17.5% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

of 378 officers

17.5% Illness

PA — Statewide

121

of 1,261 officers

9.6% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness