Claude (as he was always known) was born on March 11th 1915, at 56 Willoughby Road, to Ernest Hick Bennett (1882-1944) and his wife Charlotte nee Macdonald (1882-1956) always known as Chatty. Claude was their second child. They already had a daughter, Mary, born in 1913. Claude was then followed by two more sisters, Dorothy in 1916 and Caroline (always known as Babs) in 1919.
Claude about 1917
Claude was given this name after his Uncle, John Claude Bennett – the brother of Ernest Hick Bennett. John Claude, born in 1894, was killed in WW1 on 4th May 1915 – just six weeks after Claude was born. He was aged 21 and was an insurance clerk before the war. John Claude was a rifleman who died of his wounds in France and is buried in Bethune.
Unfortunately, I do not know a great deal about Claude’s life when in London or when he was young but, I do have some photos of him. He appears to have come to Westgate on Sea in his youth – possibly on holiday
Claude aged 17 in 1932 Claude at Westgate 1939 aged 24
I am not sure what age Claude was in this lovely photograph of him but imagine that it was taken in the early 1940s
Claude met Daphne Kerven Holliday and married her on 27th January 1940 at St Matthews Church, Ealing Common in Middlesex. Claude was living at 8 Oakley Avenue when he married. Daphne was living at 13 Hanger Lane, Ealing.
St Mathews Church, Ealing Common
In 1940, Claude and Daphne were living at 5 Oakley Avenue, Ealing. They were living there when their son, Nicholas was born on 14th August 1940 and were still in Ealing when their daughter, Amanda was, born in 1945. Between 1947 and 1949, they were living at 164 Princes Gardens, Ealing when they then moved to Thanet in 1950. According to the phone book entries the family were living at The Thatched House. Old Green Road in 1951 but had moved to 2 Beresford Court, Beresford Gardens in Cliftonville in 1952. They had then purchased Whiteladies by 1956, where their phone number was Thanet 41915.
Claude with Amanda, Daphne and Nicholas about 1948
Claude studied to become a Chartered Surveyor and was qualified by the age of 24 when he married. During the war he remained in London. I have a copy of the Supplement to the London Gazette, dated 6th May 1941. In it there is a mention of Claude in the Corps of Royal Engineers. It states : The undermentioned Cadets from O.CT.U.s to be 2nd Lieutenants. 20th April 1941: Ernest Claude Bennett (182546)
Captain Claude Bennett 1944
daphne kerven bennett, nee holliday
21st March 1920-19th May 2009
Daphne was the only child of Leslie Godwin Holliday and Hilda May Kerven. Daphne was born in Ealing. Leslie and Hilda had met as they were living in the same road. Leslie (born 1894 in Clapton) was an insurance underwriter – believed to be at Lloyds. Hilda was born on 7th May 1890 in Shepherds Bush and was a music teacher. They married on 24th February 1917 at St Mary Church, Acton.
St Mary Church, Acton
Unfortunately for Daphne, her father left her mother when she was aged just 2. I was told by Daphne’s cousin, Deirdre Bobby, that he had to skip the country overnight to avoid being arrested for fraud. I understand that Deirdre was told this by her father, Tommy (Thomas Sampson) Rider, who was a good friend of Lesley and who loaned him money to get away. Lesley went to Australia and then to New Zealand and I found some documents of when he applied for copies of his war medals and discharge papers in May 1926 to be sent to the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, New Zealand. During WW1 Leslie enlisted in the RAMCT in 1914 and was discharged as unfit due to dysentery on 5th December 1917. According to his medical notes he was just 5ft 6 in tall.
Daphne’s mother, Hilda, later remarried Freddie White.
Daphne’s childhood appears to have been fairly wealthy for those days and I have these lovely photos of her with her mother, Aunts and Nanny.
Nicholas lived in Ealing until he was aged about 9, when the family moved to Thanet. Claude was a surveyor for the Hastings Building Society here. This later became the Hastings and Thanet Building Society. This society then merged with the Anglia and later with the Nationwide Building Society.
The family lived in the Thatched House at the top of Green Road, Cliftonville before moving to a flat in Beresford Court, Cliftonville. His parents then bought Whiteladies, Colemans Stairs Road, Birchington, which was where they were all living when I first met Nicholas in 1962.
Whiteladies, Colemans Stairs Road
When I first met Nicholas, I was invited to dinner at Whiteladies and always remember the lounge suite that they had there. I had never seen chairs like it. I recently rewatched Four Weddings and a Funeral and was amazed to seethe exact same suite in the film. It was not only the same shape but the same color too. I always thought that the chair that Squire sat in looked so uncomfortable. I think it was sold when they moved out ten days before we married in March 1968 when Daphne and Claude moved to a new house in Fig Tree Road, off Callis Court Road, Broadstairs. They called this house Colemans. I took a screen shot of the sofa
When Nicholas came to Thanet, he went to Wellington House School at Westgate.
Nicholas on left, Richard Palmer second from the left Nicholas – middle row on the right & Richard Palmer standing second from the right at Wellington House 1953
In this article, it talks about having to go out for a bare foot run every morning. Nicholas often used to mention this, and also the fact that the boys, on the first day of term, had to go out to pick birch twigs to make the birch that they might later be caned with. When on our honeymoon, Nicholas got very brown and fine white lines showed up on the top of his legs which he said was where he was caned for not learning his latin verbs!
Nicholas made friends with Richard Palmer at Wellington House and they went on to Kings School together at the age of 14. Nicholas won a scholarship to the school. They were close friends, with Nicholas being Best Man at Richard’s wedding. Sadly, Richard died in a farming accident on 12th August 1974.
Nicholas in his Kings School uniform
Nicholas did well at school, and after taking Scholarship level early, he left and went to Boys and Maughan Solicitors in Margate, to be articled to Garth Roadknight in order to become a solicitor. He qualified easily and worked at Boys & Maughan becoming a fairly senior partner there. However, in 1981, he decided to set up practice on his own and took premises in Chatham. The travel was arduous and so, after two years, he took premises in Sandwich which were part of the NatWest Bank in Market Street. Nicholas had the ground floor room, on the left of the front door, which he used as his reception room. He also had the middle floor, which had five large offices and a kitchen. Originally this had formed part of the bank managers flat.
Nicholas Bennett Solicitors, Sandwich
The firm enlarged and at one point, Nicholas had purchased a property in Cattle Market and taken another in the Butchery, so he had staff in three properties. However, the depression in the 80’s & early 90’s meant that house purchase etc was very poor and solicitors were hit badly, so he moved staff back into Cattle Market above.
Nicholas loved sport and music. He played a lot of tennis, squash and cricket and later some golf. On a Sunday morning he would play tennis at the tennis courts in Birchington with friends, who included John Peddle and Teddy Moylan.
Nicholas with John Peddle & Teddy Moylan
His cricket, he played with a group of friends who formed the Rogues Cricket Club and he was wicket keeper. Thanks to the senior partner at work, Jack Maughan, he became a member of the MCC and often would enjoy a day out at Lords Cricket Ground.
Rogues Cricket team
He played squash at the Beresford Hotel in Birchington. The club was thriving and this is how I first met Nicholas. The Squash club were having a dinner dance at the Winter Gardens and I was taken to it by John Martin. John had a cocktail party at his house, Woodgate, in Fig Tree Road in October 1962. John came to pick me up and, as we arrived at his house, he told me that Nicholas and Amanda Bennett had arrived. I chatted to Nicholas for some time and it turned out that we both enjoyed dancing. However it was some weeks later that I saw him again. This time my friend, Joy, & I were standing on the steps of the Winter Gardens waiting for my father to park the car before we went in to a classical concert. Nicholas came up the steps and chatted for a few moments. The next day, I was at work at Shell Research, Sittingbourne, when he rang me up. He had gone to a lot of trouble to find out where I worked and to find out my name so he could ask me out. I said yes, and then regretted it, as I remembered John Martin saying Nicholas and Amanda Bennett. I then had to make some phone calls myself, to find out if he was married to Amanda and was relieved to find she was his sister!
The squash club had to find other premises when the Beresford Hotel closed, and Nicholas was instrumental in obtaining the courts at Stone House School and building a club house there. This was originally a small prefabricated place with just the two old courts of the school but then, in 1976, they extended the club house to its present size with four courts including two glass backed courts. I remember the opening of the new club house very well as it was March 1976 and I was pregnant with Giles and yet helping by cleaning out the new toilets and sweeping up the club house ready for the opening. Mike Taplin, a close friend and who also played a large part in getting the new club, was suffering with leukaemia and yet he managed to make it to the opening the day before he went into hospital the very next day, for the final time.
Nicholas played the piano and formed a group called the Night Owls, with Paul and Tony Girling. Paul played the drums and Tony the guitar. They were also solicitors. The Night Owls were in demand to play at functions such as friends 21st birthdays and squash and rugby club do’s. They were paid £3 each for the evening and all that they wanted to drink!
Nick singing with the Night Owls
Nicholas had already become a member of Margate Round Table when we married in 1968. He became the Chairman of Round Table in 1971 and Helen was born two weeks before his Ladies Night. In fact she was born during the Law Society Dinner Dance ( and in the middle of the three weeks of power cuts due to the coal miners strikes) so Nicholas had to take his mother, instead of his wife, to the dance as I was in hospital in labour. He made it to the hospital in time to see his darling daughter born and then back to face all the champagne our friends had bought to celebrate the birth.
With Mike Taplin, hoisting the Round Table Jong in the garden at West Dumpton Lane, during his year as Chairman
Nicholas later became the Area Chairman of Round Table in 1974, involving a great deal of evenings out over the course of 2 to 3 years. He thoroughly enjoyed this and it made a lot of friends for him.
Nicholas had to leave Round Table when he reached the age of 40 but then in 1980 he was asked to start the first evening Rotary Club in this area. He did so and became the Founder President. He enjoyed the club and was overwhelmed when he was made a Paul Harris Fellow by his fellow members.
President Nicholas at the Inaugural Meeting of Thanet Rotary Club. My dress is one I made from Thai silk that I had bought in Bangkok.
Nicholas made a lot of speeches, but one of the loveliest speeches that he made was to his mother on the occasion of her 80th birthday. She had about 50 people for dinner at Northdown House in Cliftonville and shortly after making such a lovely speech to his mother, Nicholas died very suddenly. He would have been aged 60 later in the year.
Northdown House, Cliftonville,
The night before he died, Nicholas wrote and said Grace at the meeting of his Rotary Club.
This is his Grace:
The advent of Spring is in the air, As we sit down to our Rotary fare. Evenings get longer, whilst nights recede,but still we should think of others in need
So whilst we tuck in to goodies which follow, remember the pictures of faces so hollow, Of those who must wait for their daily bread, and then face up to the long trek ahead
To safety and comfort, medicine and food , all of which things are ours for the taking, To try and serve others should be our mood, as we give thanks to God for our sleeping and waking.
Nicholas Bennett Rotary ClubThanet Monday March 20th 2000
I understand that the Rotary Club still use his grace during their March meeting.
William was born in Woburn in about 1777 and he married ElizabethMarshall, the daughter of Samuel Marshall and Juliana Stanyard, on 7th November 1808 in Woburn, Bedfordshire. Elizabeth was aged 19 when she married, having been born in 1789 in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire. I understand from Tate Hirdle, who lives in Canada, that William worked at Worburn Abbey where he was Chief Steward to the 6th Duke of Bedford and sadly he committed suicide on 20th May 1827 and was buried on 26th May 1827 at Old St Mary’s Church, Woburn. His wife and children were evicted from Park House six months later and his belongings were sold by auction. Elizabeth was pregnant at the time and lost the baby -a boy named Joseph Hirdle who was buried on 10th August 1827. Their belongings were auctioned off on November 21st 1827.
Letter written by William Hirdle Auction notice of William’s belongings
The Hirdle family appear to have lived mostly in Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire. Mary and I went there together and I took these photos:
William and Elizabeth had eleven children that I have been able to trace.
1/ William Francis Hirdle, born 1809, & baptised on 23rd October 1809. William married Harriet Sherratt on 23rd August 1838 in Marston Moretain, Bedfordshire. William and Harriet had three children.
Maria Sherratt Hirdle, born in 1839
Louisa Sherratt Hirdle, born in 1841 in Aspley Guise
Mary Ann Hirdle, born in 1845 and died on 13 July 1858 in Aspley Guise
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2/ George Hirdle, born 1812, baptised on 11th April 1812 and who died on 23rd December 1824.
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3/ A daughter, MaryAnn Hirdle, born in 1814 in Woburn. She died on 27th November 1867 in Wavendon, Bedfordshire
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4/ A second daughter, Caroline, born 1819 in Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire and who died on 15th January 1882 in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. When Caroline died, she left an estate of £78 3s 6d and probate was granted to her brother, William Francis Hirdle.
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5/ A third daughter, Maria, also born in 1819 so it is possible she and Caroline were twins.
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6/ A third son, John Hirdle also born in 1819. I have found out a lot about John and his wife, Eliza Sear whom he married on 7th August 1835 in Woburn. John Hirdle died on 18th December 1895 of senile decay and sadly in the Luton Workhouse.
John Hirdle death certificate
John & Eliza had the following ten children;
Mary Ann Maria, born on 29th September 1836. Mary Ann married William Case on 28th September 1863 at the age of 27. Mary Ann Maria had six children with William, after having given birth to a son, Charles Halton Hirdle. Charles later took the name Case so presumably he was illegitimate and then adopted by William..
Elizabeth, born on 20th November 1838 in Aspley Guise
Samuel, who was born on 19th December 1840
A third daughter, Caroline, born on 22 March 1843 in Aspley Guise and who died there on 19th May 1845 at the age of 2
George Hirdle, born on 11 January 1845
Caroline Rebecca born on 16th December 1846, Caroline went to Australia in the 1860s and met Andrew Morrison with whom she had an illegitimate child but subsequently married
Eliza Hirdle, born in 1849 in Aspley Guise
A son, Alfred (the infamous alcoholic) was born in 1852. He married Sarah Pilgrim on 26 July 1879 in Ridgmont, Bedfordshire. Sarah was born in 1854 and died in 1900. Alfred & Sarah had four children.
Alfred had a drink problem and here is a newspaper report
The Easter quarter of 1883 introduced us to the character of Alfred Hirdle. Alfred was married to Sarah and appeared in court charged with a violent assault on his wife. She had taken a warrant out against him and in revenge he broke into their house in the early hours of the morning. He went to his wife’s bedroom and violently hit her about the head with a stick. He was sentenced to 5 year penal servitude.
Cases of assault appear regularly in the Quarter sessions, but we were curious to see if he was still with his wife at the time of the next census. A little investigation saw that the couple had only been married approaching 4 years at the time of the attack. It’s likely his wife knew the type of man she was marrying, as Alfred had been convicted (mostly of drunkenness) over 20 times before they married. He was only 27. He was even in trouble on the night of the 1871 census, being listed as a prisoner at Woburn police station.
The newspaper reported the following:-
Alfred died in prison in November 1907 much to the relief of publicans in the area according to this newspaper cutting:
Perhaps it gives the wrong impression to be recounting court case after court case, and I’m sure that far more was happening than drunkenness and bar room fights, but these are the stories which made the local papers and can be traced today. Alfred Hirdle, of Ridgmount, and William Munn of Aspley Guise, were summoned for being drunk and disorderly at The Fir Tree in April 1890. Arguments were made for both side over “a little row” and the magistrate found the testimony so confusing that he threw the case out.
However, the local constabulary came back with fresh evidence and recalled the men in May, much to the defendants’ disgust. William Smith gave evidence that they had been threatening and asked to leave by the landlady, to which Hirdle replied “You were as gay and fresh corned as any of us!” Ralph Collins, Andrew Smith and Thomas Cox gave similar accounts. P.C. Hewitt was asked by the landlord to remove the men from the inn. After the last summons, Hirdle had said that it was the first time he had ‘got off’, and now told the court:
“.. and I have not got off now. I call it scandalous to be dismissed and then brought up again, it is humbugging a man, the charge made against a man should be the first and last. I am shoved about, brought up here, the clever policeman spins a yarn, gets one or two others to spin a yarn, and you do what you like to me.” Although William Farmer spoke in their defence, the duo were found guilty. Hirdle was fined 10s and £1 4s 6d costs or 14 days hard labour, and Munn 5s and £1 4s 6d costs or 7 days. Hirdle elected to serve his time, but Munn’s friends paid off his fine, so he avoided incarceration. The Chairman of the magistrates entreated Munn to have no dealings with the incorrigible Hirdle, and to “avoid him like the plague or he would be ruined, body and soul.”
Now comes the strange part. Having just confirmed that the men were indeed drunk, Garrett was brought up by the same court for permitting drunkenness at his inn, and was found not guilty! The same witnesses were called, who all stated that Garrett endeavoured to conduct the house well. His lawyer argued that it was un-English to get the Garrett to give evidence against the men, then to be charged himself. The very next case before the Court was Hirdle again, charged with being drunk at Ridgmount on a separate occasion. He received another 7 days.
Alfred Hirdle eventually passed away, whilst serving a sentence in Bedford Prison in 1900, aged 49. The doctors said cause of death was ‘Profound Disturbance of the Brain and Apoplexy’. Hirdle was infamous in the area, as his total of 59 convictions, mostly for being ‘Drunk and Disorderly’ bear testimony. Every landlord for miles around must have breathed a quiet sigh of relief!
There are several articles on the web about Alfred and I found a list of his 34 convictions. An impressive number as he died at the age of 49. Sometimes he was gabled 3 times in a year.
He sounds quite a character but fortunately the rest of the family are very law abiding.
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Another son, John Hirdle, born in 1856, who married Kate Oakley on 8th October 1885. Kate was aged 21 at the marriage having been born in 1864. John Hirdle died on 7th April 1925 at 85 Nelson Road, Gillingham, Kent, having spent his adult life in the Medway area.
John and Kate had eight children and are pictured below with their eldest child, Kate Eliza who married Ernest Albert Drury.
Albert Drury & Alice Hirdle standing, Kate Eliza, John Hirdle Kate Hirdle nee Oakley seated with Hilda Drury (child) about 1914
The children of John & Kate were as follows:
1/ A son, John Charles Hirdle 1886- 1887
2/ A second son, John Horatio Hirdle born in 1894 in Medway and who died in 1896
3/ Kate Eliza born in 1889 and who married Ernest Albert Drury
4/ Ethel May born in 1893 in Chatham, Kent and who died in 1904
5/ Maximillian George born in 1891 in New Brompton, Kent, and died in 1962 in Gillingham,
6/ Winifred Hirdle 1897-1902 in Kent
7/ William Robert 1899 – 1902 in Medway, Kent
8/ Alice Adelaide (pictured above) born in 1903 in Gillingham, Kent
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A daughter, Caroline Rebecca, born on 16th December 1846
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A son, Robert Horatius Hirdle, who was born in 1855 in Aspley Guise. Robert married Ann Bates in 1882 in Uxbridge. I was in touch with a descendant of Robert on Ancestry and she kindly sent me this photograph of Ada, a daughter of Robert’s. Robert and Ann had seven children.
ADA HIRDLE AND HER HUSBAND ARTHUR THOMAS, ABOUT 1920
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7/ Robert Hirdle, (my two Greats Grandfather), was born in 1819 also. Having four children born in 1819 makes me think that in fact they were born earlier, but all baptised at the same time. Robert married Hannah Lane in 1847 in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Robert died in 1868 and Hannah died in 1858.
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8/ Another son, Samuel Hirdle, who was born in 1824 in Woburn and died in 1901 in Hackney, Middlesex. Samuel married Martha Brown on 24 June 1849 in Hackney. Martha died in 1872 in Hackney and Samuel married Harriet Thurley on 30th April 1876, when he was aged 52. Harriet was born about 1824 in Hackney so was aged about 52 when she married Samuel. Samuel and Martha had four children:
Caroline, born in 1850 in Stoke Newington, Middlesex
A son, Samuel, born in 1852 in Stoke Newington
A second son, Richard, born in 1854
A third son, Alfred, born in 1858
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9/ A fourth daughter, Elizabeth who was born in 1825 in Aspley Guise, Bedfordshire. Elizabeth married Frederick Moore in 1860 in St Pancras, Middlesex. Frederick was born in 1825 and died in 1888 in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Elizabeth (also known as Lily) died in 1913 aged 88.
Elizabeth Moore nee Hirdle Elizabeth Moore nee Hirdle
Elizabeth and Frederick had three children:
William Moore born in 1863 in St Pancras,
Edward Walter Moore, born in 1864 in St Pancras, Middlesex
Elizabeth Ann, born in 1867 also in St Pancras
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10/ A fifth daughter, Georgiana, born 7th September 1825, baptised 4th October 1825 and who died on 8th October 1825.
11/ A son, Joseph Hirdle who Elizabeth must have been carrying when William died and who was buried on 10th August 1827.
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Second generation of hirdles
Robert Hirdle & Hannah Lane
My great, great grandparents
Robert (1819 – 1868) married Hannah Lane in 1847, when he was aged 28, in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. Hannah died in 1858. According to the 1961 census, Robert was a livery servant.
Robert & Hannah had the following seven children:
Edward Andrew Hirdle, born in 1848 in Aspley Guise. Robert married Annie Coll who was born in 1851 in Wilshamstead, Buckinghamshire.
John Hirdle, born in 1849 in Wavendon, Buckinghamshire
Alice Hirdle, born in 1852 in Aspley Guise. Alice married Thomas Fellows in December 1872 in Bedford and died in 1884
Charles Hirdle, born in 1853 in Aspley Guise and died in 1884 in Hampstead. Charles married Louisa Jane Spray in 1879 in St Saviour, Southwark, London. Louisa died in 1914
Emma Hirdle (my Great Grandmother) Emma was born in 1855 in Aspley Guise, married George James in St Paul’s Church, Bedford on 25th August 1874
Frederick James Hirdle who was born in 1857 in Aspley Guise and died in June 1859 in Woburn at the age of 2.
Samuel Hirdle born and died shortly after birth on 8th June 1858. I wonder if Hannah died in or due to childbirth, as she appears to have died in the same year that Samuel was born .
As Hannah died in 1858, it means that my Great Grandmother lost her mother when she was just aged 3, so presumably was brought up by her father. However, he died in 1868 when she was just aged 13. I have been unable to find out what happened to Emma until she married in 1874 at the age of 21. She does not appear in the 1971 census.
Included with the above letter were some newspaper cuttings about the school and also the Pettits college details. This is obviously how Norman was learning his typing and shorthand
27th July 1932
Page 1 Page 2
Page 3 Page 4 Envelope of above letter
23rd June 1933
I have typed this letter out as Norman had handwritten it while lying in bed.
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
23/6/33
Dear Alf Let’s hope this letter finds you in a better position than I am at present for I am writing in bed and I suppose you know how hard it is to do that the Doctor says I have had haemorrhage of the brain but I don’t believe him nor does mother. This is what happened:- On Whit Monday I went sailing and rowing which I will tell you about later and went back to work for the rest of the week. On Sat following I had a headache but I carried on as usual. All Sat, Sunday it lasted so on the Monday I went to the Doctors it still aching then. The doctor said that I had a touch of sunstroke. He gave me some medicine but as it was still aching in the evening (Monday) I went to see hm again and this time he gave me some tablets.
On waking up on the Tuesday, my head was aching worse than ever, but mind you I was still walking about and during the morning it got on my nerves that I told Mum to fetch the Doctor so I went to bed (about 2.15pm) and the Doctor came during the afternoon. He gave me an injection then another in the evening and one next morning (Wed) and a fourth that evening. He told mother that I had got a haemorrhage on the brain and was a serious case. Mother however did not believe him but of course she did not say so
Now do you think I could have walked about nearly 4 days with a broken blood vessel in my head because I don’t. Also, Alf, according to 3 or 4 people who know a bit about such things I would of had a fit in the first place taking two or three men to hold me down & if I survived that I would have been paralysed down one side and funny enough I had read about this before the people told Mum.
What I have really have is a touch of sunstroke, over exertion and inflammation of the brain but I am ok now so that is alright.
Well Alf, I have also taken to the sea, only in a sense of pleasure, Here is a short account of the mad tricks we get up to:- the crew comprising a Deal lad named Bert Fielder, now working in London, Ted Goodburn and myself, The boat we use is a galley, 25 years old, 29 ft 6 in long 6-7 cwt of ballast , common big sail. Easter Friday we sailed down the coast to Sandwich Bay where those nasty rollers which you no doubt remember in the bay broke over our gunwale and swamped us. From there we headed E a round 5 miles to the Brake Lightship which we boarded as usual. On the Sat we sailed again to Sandwich or Pegwell Bay then rowed 16 miles up the river Stour past Sandwich and “The Mystery Port”. We spent then night in the boat trying to sleep on the oars placed along the seats. Gee it was cold and at day-break we re-rowed the 16 miles to the mouth of the Stour and then sailed home. We are the first to sail a galley into Ramsgate Harbour for about 15 years, The very first to take a galley up the Stour and on Whit Sunday we rowed from Deal to Ramsgate, sailed for 10 minutes past Ramsgate having encountered a little breeze & then rowed to Broadstairs. From Broadstairs we sailed to the Brake Lightship then on to the South Goodwin Lightship and then into Dover Harbour where we had tea. We sailed from the entrance of the harbour to nearly St Margarets Bay (ratching by the way) where the wind dropped and we had to row home, In that day we covered nearly 50 miles out of which we rowed for about 20 miles
I am getting on fine at my work and since I have been ill the boss (Mr Daniels) has told Wilf that he misses me a lot and that I am the best hand he has had for a long time. The manager has also praised me up to some people who are friends of mine so that is alright.
On the 9th May Frank had a little girl (Audrie Florence Mockett) note:- A.F.M mothers initials. He was down here last week end to see me and is still out of work.
I hope you are getting on with your work alright and are interested for that I do know is half the battle. Well, Alf, there is a lot I would like to tell you about but I do not know where to start and I cannot scribble much more to you long here in bed. I get stiff all over Everybody OK here Cheerio Alf From your loving Brother Norman
You should now read the letter from Florence, dated August 1933, as it goes on to explain just how ill Norman had been. The Doctor gave him just 48 hours to live!
9th NOVEMBER 1933
PAGE 2 PAGE 3
1st February 1934
1st Feb 1934 page 1
Norman top, Bert Fielder middle and Ted Goodburn. 1st Feb 1934 page 2
8th february 1933 – Norman’s 21st birthday
8th Feb 1934 – Norman’s 21st Birthday – page 1
8th February 1934 Page 2
1942 – when in the dessert.
A card sent to Alfred by Teddy in 1948
MARCH 1948 WITH JUDITH, HOLDING RICHARD, HUGH OUTSIDE OF THE CARD PRESUMABLY WRITTEN BY ME
April 23RD 1952
I do remember the lovely days we used to have in Willow Woods and all the flowers we picked. I also very clearly remember hearing the results of my 11+. We were told in the assembly and I was allowed to run home to tell my mother . We lived very close to St Mildred’s School, so it would only have taken me about ten minutes to do that but I also wanted to tell my father who was at work in Blackburns, so I ran all the way down there to do so. By the time I got back to school, I was in trouble for being so long!
I thought you might like to see a photo of our old dog, Kiwi.
The furthest that I have definitely been able to trace this branch of the family to, is about 1761 and George James. This George, was born in a very small village in Somerset, called Pitcombe. I have found the record of his birth to Benjamin James and his wife Ann. In researching Benjamin, I can find one strong possiblity which is a birth of Benjamin to William and his wife Elizaabeth on 4th March 1737 in Shepton Mallet which is just 10 miles from Pitcombe so this may well be accurate.
Birth of Benjamin to William and Elizabeth (low right) in March 1737
Mary and I went to Pitcombe for a few days to look around and went to the church where all the James family seem to have been baptised and married. However, we did not find any graves for the direct ancestors there.
PITCOMBE CHURCH
PITCOMBE CHURCH MARY INSIDE PITCOMBE CHURCH
First Generation of James
George James(1761-1841) and Ann Masters (b 1759)
My four Greats Grandparents
George was born in 1761 to Benjamin and his wife Ann and died in 1841. I found this entry of his birth.
Birth George James 1761Marriage of George James and Ann Masters, 1785
George married Ann Masters and they had seven children
A son, George, who was born in Pitcombe on 11th May 1788, baptised on 7th June 1788 and died before 1793
A second son, William, who was born in 1790 and baptised on 3rd October 1790. William married Jane Lever on 31 January 1825 when he was aged 35. William & Jane had four children.
A daughter, Elizabeth, in 1792, baptised on 21 January 1792 and who married William Cock in 1822.
George James, who was born on 2nd June 1792 and, baptised on 23rd June 1792 in Pitcombe, Somerset. He married Martha Cayford on 3rd August 1818 in Pitcombe.
Henry James, born in 1796
A second daughter, Ann, born in 1797
A son, Benjamin, born in 1797, baptised on 2nd October 1797. He married Hannah Wilton on 25th November 1822 and died before 1851. They had four children:
Jane James, born 1827 in Bruton, Somerset.
Mary Anne James, born 1828 in Bruton, Somerset
William Wilton James who was born in 1824 in Bruton, Somerset
Fanny James, who was born in 1850 in Bruton
—
I have found George James, aged 80, in the 1841 census living with his wife and one of his grandchildren – Letitia, daughter of his son, George, along with her husband, William Young. Sadly George’s occupation is down as pauper. This census was taken on June 6th 1841 and George was buried just 17 days later, on the 23rd!
BURIAL RECORD OF GEORGE JAMES
SECOND GENERATION OF JAMES
george james & martha cayford
My 3 greats grandparents
George was born in 1793, and baptised on 2nd June 1793 at Pitcombe. He married Martha Cayford on 3rd October 1818, also in Pitcombe. Martha was born in Bruton, in 1792 . They had the following ten children:
Letitia James born in 1819, baptised on 26th August, 1819. Letitia married William Young in 1841. I have been in touch with descendants of Letitia and she and William had ten children, and eventually moved to Blaenavon, Wales for work in the mines. Letitia died in 1877 in Lanchester, Durham of TB, or consumption as it was known in those days.
William James was also born in 1819 and he and Letitia appear to have been twins as George and Martha only married the previous year and had both children baptised on the same day on 26th August 1819. I gather that William died as a baby
Henry James, born in 1824 in Pitcombe. Henry married Sarah Cannon in King Western, Somerset and died in 1910 in Pitcombe at the age of 91.
Ann James, who was born in 1826
BenjaminJames, my Great, Great Grandfather, born in 1829 in Pitcombe and baptised on 11th January 1829. Benjamin married Ann Courtney on 5th December 1850.
Frederick, born in 1831 in Pitcombe, baptised on 12th June 1831 and who died in Frome in 1902. Frederick was an innkeeper and a farrier.
Daniel James, born in 1833. I found out quite a lot about Daniel as he married Amelia Ann Hill in 1858 and they had 5 children together. However, in 1861 he was a capenter journeyman but in 1866 I found him in Brixton prison. He was found guilty of larceny but, I rather think that was due to being unable to feed his family as, Amelia is in the workhouse 1871 and then goes to live with her brother. Daniel did not return to Somerset after his release, but went to North Shields where he remarried (bigamously I believe) and had another five children with Sarah.
George James was born in 1836 and died shortly after birth
Elizabeth who was born in 1839
Thomas James.
I found that Frederick James, (the son of George & Martha) was an innkeeper and farrier and had lived in Castle Combe working as a farrier, and in Frome. When in Frome, he ran the public house called the Wagon & Horses, 3 Gentle Street. Mary and I went to see it and had this photo taken there. It is now a private home.
MARY OUTSIDE FREDERICK’S PUB
We also found the house he had lived in, which was up a tiny alley way. We were actually invited, by the present owner, to have a look around but declined as we felt it a bit of an imposition.
Frederick’s house at 10 Portway, Frome, was the last one in the photo below:
Frederick James lived in the end house
George James & Martha Cayford were married in 1818 and I have found this entry of their marriage in Pallott’s Index:
In the 1861 census, George is aged 47 and his wife, Martha, is aged 48. He is described as a master farrier and they have living with them their daughter, Elizabeth, and two Grandchildren, Samuel aged 18 and Sarah Jane Young aged 9. These Grandchildren are the children of William and Letitia.
Martha died just 3 years later in 1864.
Ten years later, in the 1871 census, George is living as a lodger, aged78, and a blacksmith. He died in 1878
THIRD GENERATION OF JAMES
BENJAMIN JAMES & Ann Courtney
My great great grandparents.
Benjamin was the fifth child of George and Martha, and he worked as an agricultural labourer.
Benjamin married Ann Courtney, (obviously where Bunty got her middle name from!), on 5th December 1859 when he was aged 21 and Ann was 19.
They had the following six children:
George James– my Great Grandfather – who was born in 1852
A second son, Charles, born in 1854 in Pitcombe
A third son, Thomas, born in 1860 in Pitcombe
Their only daughter, Elizabeth born in 1863 in Discove, Somerset
Nathaniel born in 1868 also in Discove
Harry born in 1870 in Discove,
In the 1861 census, Benjamin and family are living in Pitcombe but, in 1871 they are in Bruton, Somerset, Ten years later they are living at Brickyard, Bruton and are still there in the 1891 census. However, in 1901 Benjamin & Ann are living at Sexeys Hospital in Bruton. This appears to be an almshouse and Mary & I visited it when we had our few days in Somerset. What a lovely place!
You can now read about my Great Grandparents, George and Emma James
My cousin, Kathie, is kindly sending me copies of all the letters that her father, Alfred, received in the USA. He went there in 1928, when he jumped ship, and kept letters from his mother and others. These letters are making such interesting reading for us all. I am going to post the letters and also to type them out as Florence wrote them. Florence obviously had little in the way of education, almost certainly leaving school at the age of 10. As a result she uses no punctuation at all and I have found some letters difficult to read. I am typing in red the words I cannot be sure of. The letters give us so much information about the Depression and our family life in the 1930’s, that I am fascinated by them. I am posting copies of some of the original letters for you to see but then, later, I will just post my typed copy of them.
The thing that comes across very strongly is the love that Florence has for her sons. I think it also comes across, how very close she was to both Alfred and Norman.
June 10th 1928
JUNE 10TH 1928
This is how I have managed to type up the above letter
Sunny Bank Albert Road Deal
June 10th 1928
My dear Alf I wrote to you on 25th or 26th of May. You was just about leaving Baltimore as I was writing, it coming day after I received your letter. I was going to write, but Les was ill and Frank was at home until the 22nd so I had plenty to do. In my letter I told you Les and Lydia were being married the 28th May. Well it came off all right and a very nice wedding they had. When the vicar found Les & you were brothers and you had been in the choir he got all the choir boys together he could and gave them a full service & a very nice address after. The church was full. They had the Masonic Hall and over sixty sat down to supper and a dance after they received just on 80 presents. I have already sent you one paper Baltimore but I manage to get another one for fear you don’t get that one.I was glad you only one week out of work because that takes all the gilt off your savings. Get so much out of work but I new you would try and get a job. Fancy coming to Manchester. I am afraid you will have it pretty rough because it blowing pretty hard here and I see by the papers some of the big liners are held up. I hope you get the chance to cum home but as you say it a lot of money if you only home a few hour. I know you will do what you think best. Frank got his job again in the Blue Line. The name of his ship is Avila. He goes to B A (Buenos Aires) just about the same as the (I can’t read name but looks like) Kowloon boats did. Tom Tillie has a job in New York for two years. I have enclosed some snaps that were taken on the wedding day – they are not too bad but the sun was so strong then we are all drawing a face. Well dear I must close wishing you a safe journey. With heaps and heaps of love & the very best wishes from your loving Mother
I have punctuated this letter but not corrected all her spelling.
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
June 30th 1931
My dear Alf
Received your most welcome letter yesterday. Glad you where about to leave New York. By the papers they have had a heat wave 75 died. We have very nice weather – not to hot. Frank was here two weeks ago,. He has to stand off three & four days a week. Such few boats in. He is having rather a hard time of it. Dad as finished right up everything. Les has the luck to get back to that other chap – thats a lot off my mind to have heard, Its very hard for for me with no one to give cleaning done waiting for the visitors to come. I dont think Deal is going to have much of a season. Every one short of money. When you get the papers you will see we have had a murder in Deal. I am glad the poor chap got off. Dad knows him. He had enough to make him do it long ago. Normans getting on fine. Likes his work ever so much. You will see in the papers where he has a sale on today in (I simply cannot read the next few words which look like Hawkhurst hospital. Beach Street.) the sale is at the Auction Mart Park St. He left home this morning at 8 it as just gone 4 as not been home for his dinner. When there is a sale on that is the hardest part, He never knows when it will end. They have 272 lots to get ride of today. The in closed came here for you the other day. When I saw it was address to Sunny Bank I new it was some one that did not know much about you so I opened it, found it was some one you came knowing going to be married, I hope you get it in time to answer it. When you do they will know it had to come all the way to to NewYork. Well dear I must close now or I shall miss the mail. with all the best god could give you. From your loving mother
Park Lane is now called Beechwood Avenue
The enclosed was this invite:
June 28th 1932
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
June 28th 1932
My dear Alf I was just pleased to get your letter as I was to your last. I have been wondering what you were doing. You said you might be out of a job and I was waiting to here from you and what address to write to. I am glad you have got in another job and like it so much. What a lot better for you. You will get on I fell sure. It won’t be for want of trying – that I do know. Norman’s getting on well – every week he comes home we are please with him ??? I am wondering what he will say when I give him your letter this week end to ???? the week you sent Frank the £2 he came to Deal and brought his eldest boy with him I would of kept the poor little lad but to was too much for me to. He was okay here six days. Frank took him back home on the Friday come back again Monday as he had the promise of a job Monday morning but nothing came of it. I kept him here about ten days and give him a good feed up every day. He went and had a hunt around but nothink doing. He went back home is wife wrote and said she only had a few little jobs which he does his self. He ?????? is only a one man firm now. Still we have a lot to be thankful for – a good many people in Deal would be able to let there rooms. Les keeps in work but says they are on the finish if nothink more comes along it is all over. The world alike I don’t expect you got your place if you had not been able to pay that hundred pounds. That was a lot of money for you to pay and now have yourself to keep. I must close now. wishing you the best of luck and heaps of love From your loving Mother
2nd September 1932
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
2nd Sept 1932
My dear Alf I think its nearly time you had a few lines from me. I find quite enough to do. Get rather tired and the heat took it out of my. My word it was hot last month. It as broken up now, turned cold and wet. I suppose we shall grumble about that soon. There is not much news. Dad is very well, as a few small jobs come in. Norman starts is weeks holiday from tomorrow, Saturday. Les has had to stand off three days this week as —— again now. I do hope is boss finds enough to keep him going this winter but everything is still very bad over here by the papers. Now Frank is about the same. I am glad you are getting on so well. I fell (felt) more than please about it. Hope you have not had it to hot. It makes one fell right down ill several nights. We were 93 – thats high for here. Frank came home about 3 weeks ago for Dad to set him up with brush as he had got a painter job from June. Dad set him up with what he wanted. I bought him aprons and gave him money thinking he had got a start at last. Monday we heard from him saying that job only lasted three days. He had gone back on 25/- per week as he as nun (none) is dole out that is all they give him now and that he was in trouble about is rent. I sent him £2 at once. I tell him to look for a job & go to sea again if he can. Never mind what he wants. We know very well he can’t get enough food on that money. He would have his food and she would have as much money without him to keep. I don’t know what next we shall have here but don’t you trouble. You have got yourself to look after – that’s why I don’t like telling you all in case. With best love and wishes from your ever loving mother
dated october 20th 1932
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Oct 20th 1932
My dear Alf
Just a few lines hoping your cold is better. We have all had colds, nearly everyone we know has been laid up with them. Everything is very quiet. Les has only been working two or three days a week and poor old Frank is still out . Have just heard from him this morning. Dad as sold nearly all his working tools just kept few to do any little jobs that come along. What was the use of him paying 6/ 6d a week for is big store and no work and another thing he only wants light work how he was 65 in August. He says he is getting past it. He don’t want roof work just what he can do on the ground and it was no good keeping it on for Les. Some big builders are glad to take little jobs that Dad use to have. Norman will soon be earning more money. We can just manage but one never knows there luck. Old Chapman as just died being buried today. He may left us a 100 or two. I don’t think you will read all about it in the papers. The little snap is of me and my dog taken on the lawn I was washing up when the lady staying with us said “come on I have just one left” but they say if I had guess from it I should not looked so well. I am sending this one she is going to get half dozen more done for me. By the papers there as been rioting in Glasgow and London with the unemployed. We shall have one in Deal if things don’t buck up. Everything seems died no chance of letting your rooms. My people left on the 21st September and I think I was nearly the last one in Deal to have a empty house. Well dear I hope everythink has gone well with you. So far have you been to see the Slavan yet? I should hold in with him. With heaps of love from your loving mother xxxxx xxxxx
I IMAGINE THAT THIS IS THE PHOTO MENTIONED IN THE ABOVE LETTER
9th november 1932
I have added a letter that Norman wrote to Alfred, talking about joining Alfred in America so I will not re-post it here but here is a link to the page
He was obviously enjoying working at Daniels and doing well judging by the complementary letter that he received.
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Dec 7th 1932
My Dear Alf Just a few lines to wish you a happy Christmas. I shall be think of you wondering where you are and what you are doing. I have sent you three pairs of socks I have made my self this year. Hope you can wear them and like the colour. You wear such gay colours out there if you send some colours you would like I can make you some more. I must have something to do. Have been making Dad, Norman and Frank a long time, They would cost to buy ready made here about 4/6. I can make them for just under 2/- per pair. Not every one can wear home made socks. Wilf is unable make is feet ache. If they the same you can find some one to give them to. So glad your eye is better . It was awful painful I know. A few years ago Frank had the same thing happen. I thought he was going mad. He came down last Saturday , brought is wife and children down to her mothers as she thought her mother would have to be in hospital for a month or two back, Beat took her to Canterbury hospital Monday, They sent her back said they could do nothing until June. The children and him are going to stay over Christmas. Frank is still out. I don’t know what will happen to him if he don’t soon find somethink. He looks awfull thin , nothing but skin and bone then bikes all the way from Tilbury and back just on 60 miles each way (IT IS ACTUALLY 76 MILES) . I help him all I can but with Norman to keep it makes me poor but I have got a lot to be thankful for. A good many parents have nothink them selves there is plenty here with husbands and sons out of work. Dad still finds a few little jobs he don’t keep on all the week. He works two or three days then has a rest. I ask Norman if he had seen anythink of Miss March. He says she is going out with some chap that works in the gas works. I have been down for a lot time. It is a good walk from here. OK I have just heard from Mrs Chitty and overs (others?) saying them bakers have sent another 10/- off my account. You remember them they had own house in Blenheim Rd. they still owe me some of the rent. well I must close now. Wishing you everythink of the best health and happyness with fondest love your your ever loving Mother
This is a label sent with socks for his birthday
February 3rd 1933
Elmbank Park Avenue Deal
Feb 3rd 1933
My Dear Alf I expect you think it time you had a few lines from me but there not much news we have had some rather bad weather which left plenty of flu i am just getting over my share its left my back so bad thank goodness i never had such a bad time as last year when i get my back better shall be able to jab? at it I have not heard from Frank for about two weeks when he said everythink was just about the same thinks sometime he will go mad I think I told you all about her people sending for them to come down to her home at Walmer while her mother went in Canterbury hospital when her mother found she did have to stay there that was on the Tuesday as they came on the Saturday the Monday morning before nine o’clock they were all four turned out with nothing to eat and bitter cold poor old Frank I shall never forget how upset he was what a good thing he never gave up there home I gave them all a good feed & her and the children the money to get back to Tilbury by bus Frank went on his push bike he said the same as I have there is no place like home of course that as made them bad friends now dirty dago her mother they never had sixpence between them and not a bit food what did she think the poor things were going to do Norman as had is dose Wilf was poorly back before Christmas we received your tel Christmas morning it put the wind up us for the moment that and one or two cards was all we had there was only Norman Dad and I at home I done my weeks washing it was just the same to us everything very quiet I am glad you liked the sacks? you shall have the scarf as soon as it is done
I must close hoping you are keeping well and don’t get the flu heaps of love from your loving Mother
march 30th 1933
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
March 30th 1933
My dear Alf
Why dont you write. Its no good of you saying dont worry. Not hearing from you would make me more. I got your letter the day after I sent the scarf off and wrote next day. Paps think about you I put the address wrong the scarf was not what I thought it was going to turn out but thought it would do just for the cold weather. Since I sent it we have had it quite hot – by the papers you have been having it the same. Les as just started work this week after two week out. When we heard from Frank last week he thought he had a chance of a job. Thats all I have heard. Have you heard from Harolds wife. She payed one of her flying visits . Ask all about you.It was the week I got your letter saying you was out. She ask for your address to write. I don’t know how many times I have given it to her. Dad,Norman and myself are well. I have just started spring cleaning. It very hard work for me with no one to give me a hand. Everythink seems so heavy to lift – thats the matter flu takes all your strength. My hand shakes, I hardly know how to write but I felt I must because all the time I keep think of you the other two have been worrie enough.But you are so far away and I should have been and seen what you where doing before now, if you were nearer. Well dear with love in haste From your loving Mother
April 28th 1933
Elmbank
Park Avenue
Deal
April 28th 1933
My dear Alf You don’t know how pleased I was to get your letter, I was sure there was something wrong. I allways have a nasty worried felling (feeling) if there is anything wrong with my boys. Dad said when he read your letter “ you seem to be always right” because I kept saying I know Alf is in trouble about somethink. I am you got another job. Hope everythink goes right this time. You don’t say if you lost your £100. I suppose you did the same as we lost Normans £50. Dirty lot of take ins. Still they lie and seem to do well on other people money. Wilf came home yestday to give us a look. First since October. He was looking fine. Says he is saving every penny. He don’t even smoke. I don’t blame him as he says he never knows when he may be told he is not wanted. Its not so easy for him to get a job in his line now that everyone that can goes in for barbering. Now I have sent you on a white silk scarf. Its not much but I am sure you will like it for evening wear. I meant for you to have it for your birthday the 9th of this month (when) you was 24. I have only seen you once in eight years. An well perhaps it all for the best. I don’t know what you could have done here. Everything is still going bad. Les as had the luck to be kept on. Nearly all the other men came out again. When I heard from Frank last week, he was still out- he writes and build my hopes up he’s got a job coming off next time I hear from him still out. I am felling (feeling) much better able to get out every day. Dad keeps well. Norman as been troubled with his teeth latly. You know what that is. He is having three stopt (stopped) this week. I must close now. With heaps of love from your loving Mum
This letter is from Norman 23rd June 1933 to Alfred
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
23/6/33
Dear Alf Let’s hope this letter finds you in a better position than I am at present for I am writing in bed and I suppose you know how hard it is to do that the Doctor says I have had haemorrhage of the brain but I don’t believe him nor does mother. This is what happened:- On Whit Monday I went sailing and rowing which I will tell you about later and went back to work for the rest of the week. On Sat following I had a headache but I carried on as usual. All Sat, Sunday it lasted so on the Monday I went to the Doctors it still aching then. The doctor said that I had a touch of sunstroke. He gave me some medicine but as it was still aching in the evening (Monday) I went to see hm again and this time he gave me some tablets.
On waking up on the Tuesday, my head was aching worse than ever, but mind you I was still walking about and during the morning it got on my nerves that I told Mum to fetch the Doctor so I went to bed (about 2.15pm) and the Doctor came during the afternoon. He gave me an injection then another in the evening and one next morning (Wed) and a fourth that evening. He told mother that I had got a haemorrhage on the brain and was a serious case. Mother however did not believe him but of course she did not say so
Now do you think I could have walked about nearly 4 days with a broken blood vessel in my head because I don’t. Also, Alf, according to 3 or 4 people who know a bit about such things I would of had a fit in the first place taking two or three men to hold me down & if I survived that I would have been paralysed down one side and funny enough I had read about this before the people told Mum.
What I have really have is a touch of sunstroke, over exertion and inflammation of the brain but I am ok now so that is alright.
Well Alf, I have also taken to the sea, only in a sense of pleasure, Here is a short account of the mad tricks we get up to:- the crew comprising a Deal lad named Bert Fielder, now working in London, Ted Goodburn and myself, The boat we use is a galley, 25 years old, 29 ft 6 in long 6-7 cwt of ballast , common big sail. Easter Friday we sailed down the coast to Sandwich Bay where those nasty rollers which you no doubt remember in the bay broke over our gunwale and swamped us. From there we headed E a round 5 miles to the Brake Lightship which we boarded as usual. On the Sat we sailed again to Sandwich or Pegwell Bay then rowed 16 miles up the river Stour past Sandwich and “The Mystery Port”. We spent then night in the boat trying to sleep on the oars placed along the seats. Gee it was cold and at day-break we re-rowed the 16 miles to the mouth of the Stour and then sailed home. We are the first to sail a galley into Ramsgate Harbour for about 15 years, The very first to take a galley up the Stour and on Whit Sunday we rowed from Deal to Ramsgate, sailed for 10 minutes past Ramsgate having encountered a little breeze & then rowed to Broadstairs. From Broadstairs we sailed to the Brake Lightship then on to the South Goodwin Lightship and then into Dover Harbour where we had tea. We sailed from the entrance of the harbour to nearly St Margarets Bay (ratching by the way) where the wind dropped and we had to row home, In that day we covered nearly 50 miles out of which we rowed for about 20 miles
I am getting on fine at my work and since I have been ill the boss (Mr Daniels) has told Wilf that he misses me a lot and that I am the best hand he has had for a long time. The manager has also praised me up to some people who are friends of mine so that is alright.
On the 9th May Frank had a little girl (Audrie Florence Mockett) note:- A.F.M mothers initials. He was down here last week end to see me and is still out of work.
I hope you are getting on with your work alright and are interested for that I do know is half the battle. Well, Alf, there is a lot I would like to tell you about but I do not know where to start and I cannot scribble much more to you long here in bed. I get stiff all over Everybody OK here Cheerio Alf From your loving Brother Norman
NORMAN ON THE LEFTNORMAN, BERT FIELDER IN MIDDLE AND TED GOODBURN ON A GALLEY
Letter dated 30th June 1933
Elmbank
Park Lane
Deal
30th June 1933
My dear Alf The people living in Sunny Bank never got this letter up to us wensday 28th we dont understand what it all means Dad said I had best send it back to you if you want him to fill it in say what he is to put and let him have it back again Norman wrote to you last week he is still in bed hard luck for hm and us as well Dr said he will tell him what he can do on Monday he will have been in bed three weeks by then in hast for mail from your loving mum
hope you are keeping well in still in your job let me know all the news
letter dated august 25 1933
Elmbank
Park Lane
Deal
August 25th 1933
My dear Alf You dont know how pleased I was to here from you. We have been wondering how you got on with those papers I sent on to you but you dont say anythink about them. Dad or I could not understand them. I am sorry Mrs Harrison is leaving she as been like a mother to you. I received a very nice letter from her but have been very busy with people in and get so tired now. I have not really got over the shock Norman gave me yet I dont expect he told you when he wrote how ill he had been. when I sent for the Dr on the 13th of June he only gave him 48 hours to live told me to send for anyone I wish to see him .I sent for Frank, Wilf, Les. Poor old Wilf I thought he was going mad he was so upset I had to keep Norman laying on his back three week he was seven weeks all together before he could go back to Broadstairs he seems very well just now but as to wear glasses and keep him self very quiet. I had to take these people i have in because they had booked my rooms before is illness thank goodness they go the 3th of Sept then I shall be able to rest and pick my self up. I do hope you find some nice rooms and people to live with it makes all the difference if you have some where you can live happy with when you are wanting a meal – & good food. Dont work to hard & over do it you can study to much. Frank was here to week a go for me to help him get a few things. He had got about a months or two work at last – did Norman tell you they have got a baby girl the first in our family I never hear anythink from Horace or Harold just Frank when he wants anythink from???? they a time of it . Les I see nearly every day mainly we call him the little old man I should miss him. The week ends Wilf when the fit takes him he is working in Ramsgate house and can look after his self he says no girls dont trap him we have to laugh you know tough be all ——— I must close with heaps of love PS dont keep me too long before you let me know what kind of people you are living with
October 17th 1933
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Oct 17th 1933
My dear Alf I hope these few lines finds you well. I have been expecting to here from you to know your new address. I take it Mrs Harrison is still in New York. My people left after all the middle of last month. Since then I have had a rest and given the house a good clean up. I am felling fine. For the present. More peace of mind. Frank is in work, He got work about six week ago. We dont know how long for. Have I told you before that Dad as put another house up on that piece of ground we had next to Elmbank. Heaps of people are crying all most for houses so Dad went and saw is bank people, ask them if he could have some money. He as got the house up & let at £1 per week. Its not so big as this, so if we can manage to live without wanting any of the rent in five years it will be ours. dad will be 71 by then. I am 62 next Saturday, Still able to do more than some of the bits of girls. All they seem to think about is getting out there hair & dress. The men seem to have the house to keep clean. it is awful to see some of the places they call home. I expect it is just the same where you are. More money they have more they want. When the men are out expect the country to keep them. Dad & I went to Ramsgate last Friday. Saw Wilf looking fine. Norman keep fairly well – is head still troubles him at times. He is not going to sit for his exam this year. It will be to much for him. Harold was supposed to come home from China in June. We have never seen or heard a word from him or her. I told you she came and saw us in March. Everything was alright, then ask for your address and Franks. He as not heard from them. I don’t expect you have. There not much fresh news You have the papers, you can see all there is going on here. I will close hoping everythink is going well with you. Wishing you luck & health, With heaps of love From your loving Mother
PS the new house we have names Sunny Bank
I will write to Mrs Harrison
November 30th 1933
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Nov 30th 1933
My dear Alf
I was just glad to hear from you. I was getting worked up to a pitch when the mails came in. Nothink from you. Well Im cooled down now. I got your letter this morning. What a long time it was coming. Les is the only one I see until Norman comes home on Saturday. He always says just the same as Les – dont worry he is alright – someone is sure to let you know anythink was wrong. By the papers, awful things are going on round about. New York lI always wonder where you are but still I am glad you keeping right away from all the right crowds that cum when all the awful things happen. At the present we are all well, pleased you are in the best of health. Thats the main thing. I chose Sunny Bank for the new house. We had some very happy times in old Sunny Bank as well as sad. I think my ladies miss you when you went away, then when you was missing. What fine bike rides and rambles we used to have. Often you left Wilf can’t & Norman was always tired, We did go down the sand hills a few times but bike riding was so much like work. You and I never thought so in them days. Since you was home four years ago I have only been out of Deal three times. Twice to London for the day, once to Broadstairs when Wilf was ill. I allmost for get what the country like. I just sat & think about old happy times that I shall never have again. Fancy your hair going grey so soon. I suppose it because you are dark. Mine as just began to go at the sides. That worried me a bit but my age & yours over 40 more than you but still dark people go grey sooner than fair & —— work turns some people grey. So long as you fell fit and well thats everything. I heard from Frank, Tuesday. He was still in work & they where all keeping well. I think this is all for now. Its nearly tea time so must close with heaps and heaps of love & all the best of luck Your loving Mother
Letter dated July 24th 1934
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
July 24th 1934
My dear Alf I have been waiting & waiting for a letter from you. I havent had one this three months. I keep looking for the mail – still nothink. Are you busy or ill. What is wrong. I got seven photos about three weeks ago. Have been looking for a letter from you telling me what to do with them. all the people that i have shown them to like the full face one best. I like both. Norman as taken one to put in his bedroom at his digs. Les, Wolf, Frank all want one an I saying I I wont give give them any untill I here from you saying what I am to do with them. What awful hot weather we have been having not so hot by the papers. I see New York are having quite hot enough. I think we shall get it coolere. We are having our real rain this afternoon. Been raining since one o’clock. Now its time everythink gets burnt up but there is may places worse off than us. Franks wife and three kids are staying with her mother at Walmer. Call them selfs to be more after they are down here. Been there a month come Monday. We are not gone on our first Grand Daughter. They are not looked after. It makes me fell ill when I have them coming. The place is like a pig sty in about ten minutes – Beat just sits down and lets them do just as they like. They have been here a month come Monday. I shall be glad when i hear her say they are going home. Frank comes down Saturday gets back in time for work Monday morning. He thinks his job may last another month or six weeks then he will have the winter to face. I could never put up with them here. I keep my place as nice as I can hoping to be able to do some apartment letting. I have only had one lady in so far for two weeks. Have nothing booked for August but the first three weeks in September everythink is very quiet. Dad & Norman are keeping very well. Some days I am not to bad. Cant put up with moaning so mind you write down and let me know what you are doing. With heaps of love and all good wishes From your loving Mother
august 10th 1934
Elmbank
Park Lane Deal
August 10th 1934
My dear Alf I was please to receive a letter from you but so sorry you have been ill. I do hope you will get over it. Often people have to have a kidney taken out. I know a woman how as just had one. She is quite well again. Its hard luck just as you are getting on so well but mind you dont work to hard and over do it though its great to know one try hard without getting someone to hold your hand. If you were like one or two more of them just as you began to got on felled your hand with girls & a lot of silly other things. You would never have been able to do it, There is plenty of time yet -trust you for that. Look at what a mess Frank as made of his life and a wife like some fat old sow dont trouble about anything the three kids & him not much more than skin and bones. He went back to Tilbury, Monday in time to start work Tuesday having her & the children sent to Walmer as her mother was suppose to be ill. Soon as Frank was gone her mother and her had a set two (to) down here. They came for me to take them in. I soon got the money off Dad & sent them back to Tilbury. I would sooner be on bread and water than have my home upset with them. Norman will be glad when he comes home this week end to know they are gone. He said last week no peace. They would allways come down Saturday & Sunday. Frank use to come to Walmer Saturday soon as he left work – go back Sunday night. I heard from her saying they got back allright. She said Frank had gone on the dole because his boss had nothink for him to do untill next week. I am not going to take it. All in its time there is five of them to keep but if you have got a wife that let the children do just as they like -just sit & look on never trouble weather (whether) they mess there selves or what they are doing, it dont matter how much money they have. I am ease for money for the kiddies if they were looked after. They are pretty children- the eldest boy is sweet but they are badly fed. There faces are full of bones. As Dad says Frank just blames me for anythink. Les as the best wife so far. His little home spotless clean. Les thinks himself lucky if he can take home £2 10/- week and 12/6 to pay out of that for rent & three of them to live. She is a good manager. Thank goodness I have got them living in Deal and not some of the others. I took Frank your photo he was out & Les took Eileen March. She came the other afternoon for your address. Stayed quite a time. My word what a change in her. When I went to the door, I wonder who it was. She looked like some chain (?? or is it choir) girl with her lips and face painted up. When I told Lydia she had been, she said “what did you think of her Mum?”. She said “when I go there to have my hair done -what a fright she looks. Quite spoilt her self. I supse its the fashion but how much better she looked without all that make up. I told you all about Dad’s garden in my last letter everything dugged up. I have not been down the sand hills for years. The last time I went out of the town was two years this coming November, that was when I went to Broadstairs when Wilf had a bad turn. He came home this week and was looking fine. He had one of your photos, & Norman one. Two I have kept my self. Frank never ask for one – said that were they to I let them have one that –—- I must close now, my head begins to bump. Hoping you will let me knowhow you are getting better I hope. I thought there was somethink wrong why you kept me so long without a letter. With heaps & heaps of love & all the best of health From your Loving Mother
PS Frank as just been to see me
I have asked Kathie as to whether her father had a kidney removed, as is implied in this letter, and he must have had an infection as he had both kidneys!
letter dated October 8th 1934
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Oct 8th 1934
My dear Alf
I do wish you would write and let me k now how you are. I keep worrying and wish I new if you were better. I hope so, it would be hard luck for you just as you where getting on so well. we are all very well in health but very little work about. Dad as nothing in. Les as been out three weeks. I dont know about Frank. Have not heard from them since August. I expect they would soon write if he was out & I had five weeks apartment letting. Got through very well. I dont take only two or three people at a time. It is as much as I can do for single handed. They were very nice people. Now I suppose there is a long weary winter in front of us. Les says there is heaps on the dole. More than in January. By the papers, things are not all honey out your way. I cant think why people wont live in peace. Well dear, I send you all the papers, You get all the news. There is not much for me to write. I only hope you find time to write and let me know how you are.
with best wishes and love from your loving Mum
Letter dated November 20th 1934
Elmbank Park Lane Deal
Nov 20th 1934
My dear Alf
I was pleased to get your letter. It eased my mind to know that you was well. I hope you keep so. You must take care your self. Mind what you eat, have everythink as plain as you can get it. Not so much tin stuff that dont do any one much good. We have had bad colds. When Norman gets one it sticks to him. You see he is along here weeks end for me to Doctor up. It does seem madness us living in Deal & the two boys paying home one ???? £2 8/- a week between them & not half looked after. If they were having that money home it would nearly find us all our food. I should have a much better time. They would take me to the cinema or a whist drive. I hate going anywhere by my self. Dad says he is fed up with Deal. There nothink here for us to stop he told Norman to look out for a nice house between now and next winter, Then he will have the house next door Sunny Bank nearly payed for. Then he can ask his bank to let him have enough to pay for another. He was 67 last August. He thinks it will be best for me to be where Norman is. He is getting well but you know he was never strong and if he left where he is now, he is well known & liked, he stands a much better chance of getting another job in Broadstairs or Margate & Ramsgate than here. This place might be growing but all the better class people are leaving because of the miners. As Norman says Dad will find quite as much as he wants to do in Broadstairs. We could get 25/- per week rent for Elmbank. We are trying to get him not to wait till next winter but I know he wont – not until there is another years rent payed off the house next door. We get a £1 per week for that an the bank done and more if he can get it. Gather, twice over our letters have crossed. I wonder if you have got one on the way. Now I hope so. I must close now with heaps of love and all the best of health From your loving mother.
last letter sent from deal dec 12th 1934
Elmbank
Park Lane
Deal
Dec 12th 1934
My dear Alf I had just been & posted a letter & the papers to you when your letter came. I was pleased you are keeping well. Health is everything. Well the final thing Dad was sixty seven (67) 18th of last August. I was sixty two or three 62 in October. I am not quite sure. My mother never told me my right age. Next the house next door. Just you put your think cap on. I wrote and told you when Norman was laying very ill summer before last, Dad had just started a house on his piece of land next to Elmbank & the Dr went & told him to pack up & stop the men knocking about. When it was finished I sent & told you we had let it for a £1 per week. If we could live without the rent it would take 5 years to pay for it & told you I had name it (Sunnybank) when I turn out I may find your letter where you thought it good as this is Elmbank that makes four we shall have some day. Blenheim Road and Elmbank are payed for with the money out of Elmbank and Sunnybank and if Dad gets cash he pays every penny he can get actually into the bank. It wont take long before they are the Mocketts. He just said its no good us staying here. The last job he done they never payed him for he can get plenty like that. He has about £200 owing him in Deal alone. Then again, Norman, a few months ago got a raise. Is wages are now 25/- per week. Now his landlady as found that out she wants more money. That will mean I shall have to help just as much as I have had to do nearly 3 years. Well I cant do it on what little bit of house keeping Dad lets me have. I often have felt like crying when Norman as left Monday morning & taken what money he would want left me with a few coppers to last all the week. That why I don’t go anywhere because if I did they would expect me to ask them here. I dont see going into Deal fun.
PS We have just heard from the furniture removers saying they are coming for our things.
Dec 11th 1934
Elmbank (After the 29th this month our address will be) Inglewood Vale Road Broadstairs Kent
Dec 11th 1934
My dear Alf
When you receive this I shall be busy packing up. Dad as made up is mind to live in Broadstairs as soon as we can get there. Norman as got a nice house for us through is boss – £800 house for £650. Dad went and saw his Bank manager. He said he could have the money so long as he let him have the deeds. Dad says with the boys money to help keep us we shall be able to leave the rent of Elmbank and Sunnybank to pay it off. Dad will stand more chance of getting work there. Normans boss told him he can find all the work he will want to do & if I am well enough I shall get a better chance of apartment letting there as there is nothing in Deal now for Dad an I in the way of work. I had five weeks let this summer. People around us could not understand me doing so well. Some of them never had a chance to let one week. every one that can clears out of Deal. Yes Norman as wrote to you, He can explain things better than I can. I dont know what I should do without him. He is ever so like you in is ways. I suppose it is going to the same school but Wilf ,since he pick up with a nice girl, he is much quieter and goes to church on Sunday. When he wrote & ask me if he could bring her home he said she is not a girl to pander and paint. Dad & I was very please with her. She is cook/housekeeper to a big man in Broadstairs. Soon after I posted my last letter to you I heard from Frank saying he was out of work and on the nack again. He came down this weekend, He said this makes the Three Christmas he as been out of work but he looked much better than he use to now the shipping is looking up. He is trying to go to sea again, We said what a shame he got married as he did. He is just a boy in his ways. Still we have never heard a word from Harold. Dont know if he is still in the navy or not or Horace & I am not moaning about them. Well dear, I don’t expect I shall get a chance to write to you again before Christmas so I wish the best of luck and health, will send you some little thing later. It is going to cost about £6 to move our lot over to Broadstairs. I have enclosed a card. Norman had them done for me. He says they looks better to send to some of the people that have stayed with me. I must close now. Wishing you all that good From your ever loving Mum
31 January 1935 after the move to Broadstairs
Inglewood Vale Road Broadstairs Kent
Jan 31st 1935
My dear Alf Many thank for your nice letter but we have not received the cable – guess if you sent it to Elmbank they would have sent it on. I expect it is lost. You say in your letter there nothink like moving to stir up your live and give you a heacache. Norman say why didnt you say & told to begin with. The house had been shut up about six months & that was a bit damp. Then the 28th Dec – the day we moved – the rain came down in sheets. It rained every day till next Friday. On the Saturday, Wilf & Norman were both bad with flu. They had about ten days of it. Then it was my turn. I thought I was going to say bye. the Dad had nearly all last week in bed. Since Saturday we have snow and bitter cold. What with one & another I hardly know weather I am in Broadstairs or Deal but once we get the nice weather and get over these colds I am going to like it better. I have got the boys to do little things for me when I was bad. Wilf got up in the night to see if I wanted anythink. Brought me some hot milk and put more hot water in the hot water bottle. He says I put the wind up him. We are ever so happy together. Five years in digs as done him good. He says if ever he had to leave home again he would marry the first girl he met. Both Wilf & Norman tell me now how they have to make shift with anythink. The landlady wants the money not them. With good plain food that I give them Wilf says his clothes too tight allready. There is another thing, for months in Deal I never knew what it was to get up in the morning without a head ack (headache) Since I have been here I have not had one. When I was ill with flu or what ever it was my head never acked. It a very nice house – I wish you could see it. Les says it seem strang to him not having us in Deal. I expect he will soon come here to live. He says there is nothing in Deal. He as been out of work since Christmas week. Says nearly all the men in the building trade are on the dole. He wishes he were out of it. I have just wrote to Frank – we have not heard from him since he came to Elmbank the end of November. I sent him a few shillings for Christmas & never heard a word. I keep wondering what is the matter. I had a short note from Harold Christmas saying he was out of the navy – only his pension to live on. If he had the money he could do this that and the other. I have not answered it because they ought to have money. He never had to stop work because of the weather – there was his money wet or fine. She used to draw £2 7s 6d every Thursday without (means out of) his pay, as much as Dad allows me to find everythink & now to have to help keep Norman as well & not many weeks I miss sending a few shillings to Frank when he was out of work. If I could do it and keep out of debt so could they & save. I dont say there was often somethink I had to go without but thats all over n ow. I can get a glass of stout or wine if I want it. I have just got myself a bottle of winngannis. The Dr says that is a very good pick me up. Harold told me when he was made first Class P.O. is pay was $4 5/- a week and there is only is two selfs. Dad says he as no money to hand them. They should have looked out after it when they had got it. He has got to look after his to get this house payed for. We have let Elmbank for £65 per year. That as got to help pay for this. Dad says because we have tryed hard to get a bit. Round some of them think we are millionaires. I think that is all for now. Hope you are still keep well. Health is everythink. I see in the daily paper you have got it very cold as well. My wirelesss as all gone wrong since we have been here. I do miss it. I dont think it can be fired right. I have had it about six years – it never went wrong in Deal. I use to get a lot of news from U.S.A on that. I shall have to look the mercury up. I dont know what the boys have done with them. Everything as been in such a muddle. Les sends them to us now. Wishing you the very best luck & health. With heaps of love from your loving Mother
April 19th 1935
Inglewood Vale Rd Broadstairs
April 19th 1935
My dear Alf I expect you have wondered why you have not heard I received your thurd letter yesterday I have ask Norman to write from me but he as been very busy at the office after his done there and had is tea he is off to one club or the other is what they can job master from the TOC H he as found it to much for him & I am please to say he is given it up if they will let him it was all very nice for him to have somewhere to go to when he was in digs now we are living here he don’t want so much of it why I have not wrote much in my last letter I said I was getting over the flu then I use to fell so bad after every think I eat I went across the road to the Doc he said I was a very sick woman I had got gastric flu very bad & I have been bad over a month I have not been able to eat – all drink but I am better there as been even such a lot of illness this part of the would (world) this winter I am expecting Lyd Leslie wife to move over Saturday to stay four a week or two as she as been in hospital being bad had somethink like ??? let herself go so long it was tuch and go with her for two weeks. you are wise not to leave your job untill you see a other. Frank as been out all winter again that is a worry to me half a weeks pay is better than nothink at all Norman as long leaves plenty of evening about and as just got 30/- per week he had better stay there than do nothing there is plenty would like his job. I must close now will write later I have kept saying what about my Alf no one writes to him with heaps of love your loving Mum
At last I have found time to write. When I wrote last I told you to (two) ladies where coming to stay with me for two months. I new there would be plenty for me to do single handed. Since every day I got through very well only very tired some days. They have been gone three weeks now. The first thing I though(t) I had best do was give the house a good clean down. Just as I got it done then I had Norman in bed all last week. There is a very bad kind of flu going about. Its all on the chest & throat. The Dr said he could go out Thursday. He seems to be alright now but I think Dad as got it coming. It puts the wind up me. I heard from Les saying they had all been just the same. I was glad you are keeping well and geting on well. The war as started at last, they have been talking about it long enough in back ever sence the last – they have talked about the next. All I hope my boys dont have to go -let them get on with it. Just at present I think you all are getting on very well for once. I have not heard from Frank for some time. I take it they are right. Les is working on his own. Plenty of work at present. We heard from Harold in July saying he had take a hotel in Portsmouth. He wanted Dad to come for the weekend. Dad never went. He said he expect when they got him there they would soon be wanting money. He said Horace and his boys were doing well. Norman has taken a snap of this house for you – just gone out with it in is pockett. Shall have to send it another time. I like Broadstairs very much. Its warmer than Deal & we have got Margate one of us & Ramsgate the otehre. It only takes about fifteen minutes to get either place. Wilf works in Margate, comes home to dinner every day & he only has one hour that will tell you how near we are. Close now with best wishes, good health. Heaps of love and kisses from your loving Mother
letter sent 26th May 1937
Inglewood Vale Rd Broadstairs
May 26th 1937
My dear Alf
Just a few lines well I fell (feel) like it. Hoping you are keeping well. In your last letter you said you was getting on fine, still working hard, We are all ok. This warm weather suits me much better. All the winter I got nasty cough, soon as it is warm I lose it & what a winter we have had. Rain day after day. You ask me when my birthday was. It is 21st October. Then I shall be 65. I dont think any of the other boys know. Dad will be 70 in August, He keeps wonderful well. Still keeps working don’t taking only small jobs. Norman keeps him going with work from is office. Last week Mrs Akers came to see us. She use to live next door to us in Blenheim Rd. Since Mr Akers died she as made her home in London with her daughter. She wanted to know all about you. She looked just about the same. She is in her 78, been staying in Deal for a week came here for a day then on to London next day all by her self. She said I looked younger than I did when she last saw me – thats about three years ago. She says the same as I do – never want to go and live in Deal again. Les & Lyd came last week end. They would like to live here if he was sure of work. Frank is still in work, have had all the children ill this winter. I have not seen him for eighteen months. They have two girls & two boys. did I tell you Harold come in March for five days first we had seen of him for six years. Then Millie came the next week. She looked just about the same – plenty powder and paint. They, by what told us, are doing very well. They are running a hotel in Portsmouth , see Horace every days. Its seven years last Christmas when we saw him last. Harold says he work hards hard & they are all ok. Have three sons. The two eldest in good jobs. Horace often says he would like to see me but for peace sake he dont come. Have you got my Christmas parcel yet. I do believe I put 59 on it not 95, Well there dont seem much to tell you. We dont know any one here or you. Its very nice a quint part where we live no ???. Look right in to the police station. x Now I don’t want x to say anthink about this when you write or I shall get into a row for telling tales but some week ago Wilf packed his girl up. She was coming her for two week now & then getting all she could out of him. When she got back to Maidstone she had some one else. They were engaged, going to be married some time this year. She & Normans girl are nurses in Maidstone hospital. I know Norman would like to be Wilf because sence is girl as been away from Broadstairs he says she is not the same – he is never right for her so did write and tell her she could have her freedom & get some one else. He says now he is older & got a good home he would rather stay with me till the last of me. I must close with the best of health and luck from your every loving Mother
Wilf did marry a Gladys Hughes sometime, July, August or September of 1938 so I have to wonder if this it the girl that is mentioned in this letter. She had an affair and had twins by the other man so Wilfred divorced her.
A card sent to Alfred by Norman and Teddy in 1948
MARCH 1948 WITH JUDITH, HOLDING RICHARD, HUGH
OUTSIDE OF THE ABOVE CARD PRESUMABLY WRITTEN BY ME
28th september 1948
Inglewood Vale Road Broadstairs
Sept 28th 1948
My dear Alf & Chrissie
I am writing to thank you very much for the load of food received August – everythink we were very grateful for. Cheese was a treat, nice, not seen any here for years. I gave the peanut butter to Norman. They like it very much but Dad and I dont but we share things. The frocks arrived September. The working frocks fit but I am afraid I shall not be able to wear them much this year – its getting cold here. Hope to be around to wear them another year. The rest I gave to Teddy. I wish the long sleeved one had fited (fitted) me. They were right for length & cross shoulders but tight round hips. They would have been warm. I don’t know if they fit Teddy – she has not said. I know they received parcel of food same week as us. Expect they have wrote to you by now. We live quite close to each other but dont but dont see a great lot of one another. Dad as been keeping very well this two months – hope he dont have a bad turn like he did last year just as the cold weather started.Trouble is we get food but it is not the same – no fat or goodness in it. Over a month we have not had eggs then only one each. We are thinking of having a shed put up & try to keep a few fowls but then again its food for them. Our age it eggs milk puddings & such things. Same butter and also bacon our lot for the week. One ration each, sugar half a pound a week each for everything. You can gas (guess) how pleased we were when we saw you sent us some. In your last letter you said Alf was going to have six weeks holiday. Hope you had nice weather and a good time together. I often look at photo of you & the children. I bet you are proud of . Has your Dad & Mam got back home yet – if so I hope they fell (felt) better for the change. Thank you both for all you have sent us – it must give a lot of trouble packing things. Love to you all Love from your loving Mum
I very clearly remember the parcel that Florence talks about. There was a jar of peanut butter in it and also a large piece of bacon. I had never seen peanut butter before and was not too sure I liked it but, the bacon was a wonderful treat. Sadly, both Florence and George died of flu just five months after this letter was written.
While researching the Pysden family I managed to get in touch with Chris Pysden in the USA who had done a lot of research into the Pysden family. He had a website about them and allowed me to see it. This is some of what he says:
THE STORY SO FAR
by Chris Pysden
The Danes landed in Kent around 800 AD. They established the eastern capital of their kingdom at the village named Eastry today. They also landed in Dorset and Yorkshire and Winchester became the western capital of their kingdom.
Recent DNA testing on a large scale shows that the Danes should not be called Vikings, as the adventurers originated from Norway and Sweden.
History shows that most of the fighting before the arrival of William the Conqueror in 1066 AD was away from Kent and it is a fair assumption that the Kentish Danes were mainly peaceful and integrated with the locals well. That is not to say that they did not take the lion’s share of the assets there, claiming large areas of land in their own right.
The tribe we originate from was called the Pysingae, How many in number decided to settle here after their centuries of pillaging Kent we do not know.
Presumably they thought that conditions here were better than in Denmark (then called Jutland) and decided that the trip over the sea was not worth making any more. So some of them stayed. Pysingae means “short fat people” in olden English. The Doomsday book of 1069 mentions some landholding near Eastry but it is my guess that the bulk of the tribe settled just south west of Canterbury on the Chilham Downs with some others of the family settling near the capital of Eastry. I cannot prove it but there are two indications that lead me to this.
In the 17th century, some still prospered and became Mayors of their towns, but by then the majority were agricultural labourers or the like on the verge of poverty. The downward trend continued throughout the 18th & 19th centuries and most of the family were on the poverty line. Two things then happened. Those few with enterprise left the UK for what was then called the Dominians and with hard work, all seem to have made a good job of establishing the family abroad. In the UK a piece of law was enacted making it obligatory for children to attend school, firstly to 10 years old, then 12, then 14 and now 16. This produced a mainly literate population some able to take apprenticeships and achieve skills that got them and their families off the bottom rung in life.
The spelling of the surname changes a lot over the years and has been spelled as Pissinge, Pising, Pysinge, Pisinge one has to allow for the changes as it was written as it sounded.
the first generation
THOMAS PYSINGE AND JONE
My 12 Great’s Grandparents
Thomas Pysinge was married to Jone and he died in January 1559 in Canterbury
Thomas and Jone had the following four children:-
1/ Richard Pysinge who married Johanon 3rd July 1569 in Petham, nr Canterbury. Richard died in 1589 after having six children
Richard and Johan who had the following six children:-
Tomsine Pysinge born in 1570 in Petham and who died the same year
Thomas Pysinge born in 1571 in Petham
Robert Pysinge born in 1574 in Petham
Marye Pysinge forn in 1579 in Petham
Susana Pysinge born in 1582
Christopher Pysinge born in 1585. He married Rebecca Whineyard on 26 January 1610 in St Paul’s Canterbury
2/ Elizabeth Pysinge
3/ A son Augustine Pysinge who married Silvester. Augustine died in February 1601 in Canterbury, Sylvester died in 1573 in Petham,
4/ Henry Pysinge
Second Generation of Pysinge
Augustine and Silvester Pysinge
My 11 Great’s Grandparents
Augustine and Silvester had five children
A daughter Rachel born 1560, baptised 22nd March 1560 who died and was buried on 8th April 1560
A son, Richard, born in 1563 in Petham. Richard married Mary Baker on 23rd December in St Paul’s Canterbury. Richard died in 1607 aged 44
A daughter Elizabeth a twin with:
Johan Pisinge both born 1564 and baptised on 30th May 1564 but Johan died and was buried on 13th June 1564.
A son Thomas born in 1565 and who married Jane and had a son Isaack who was born in 1605 and died a year later. Jane died in 1608
Augustine died 1601 or 1602 and I have found a will proven in 1602 for Augustine using Henry (his brother) for the probate. Silvester died and was buried in Petham on 9th December 1573
The Third Generation
Richard Pysinge and Mary Baker
My 10 Great’s Grandparents
Richard, son of Augustine and Silvester, was born in 1563 in Petham. He married Mary Baker on 23rd December 1588 in St Paul’s Canterbury, They had eight children
Elizabeth Pissinge born in 1589 in Barham, Kent. Elizabeth died in 1595 aged 6
Christopher who was born in 1591 in Canterbury
Marye who was born in 1593 and who died in 1595 being buried on 2nd June 1595 in Canterbury.
Austine Pysinge was born in 1594 and baptised in Lower Hardres Church, Canterbury
Jonas Pysing born in 1596 . Jonas married Annie Thompson on 17th December 1631 at St Andrew’s Church, Canterbury
Ann Pissinge who died in 1601
Stephen Pissinge who ws born in 1603 in Canterbury,
Richard Pissinge was born in 1604 near Canterbury. He married Mary Gibson on 14th May 1627 in St Margaret’s Church, Canterbury, Richarde died in 1675 aged 71 and Mary died in 1636 only 9 years after they married.
Ann who died in 1601
Thomas
Fourth generation
richard pysinge & mary gibson
My 9 Great Grandparents
Richard was born in 1604 and married Mary Gibson in St Margaret’s Church, Canterbury 14th May 1627 when he was aged 23, They had three children that I have been able to find:
Katheryn Pissinge who was born in 1631 and who married Peter Johnson on 26th September 1653 at St Paul’s Canterbury
Thomas Pissinge born 1633 and who married Ann. Thomas died in 1685 and Ann died in 1636
Richard Pising born in 1636 and marrying Ann Sumner
the fifth generation
thomas pising & Ann
My 8 Greats Grandparents
Thomas who was born in 1633 in Canterbury, married Ann. He died in 1685 and Ann died in 1694. They had the following nine children:-
Joanna Pising who married Robert Atwells on 4th may 1670 at St Paul’s Church, Canterbury
Mary Pising who married Thomas Blundell on 3rd January 1682 also in St Paul’s
William Pising who was born in 1665 . William married Ann Osmore on 26th April in St Paul’s church, Canterbury
Another son, Thomas born in 1667. He married Susanna (Anne) Kitchen on 30th November 1693 in St Paul’s and he died in1732 whilst his wife died in 1746. Thomas and Anne had two sons, Richard in 1700 and Thomas in 1702
John Pising born in 1669. He married Elizabeth Sutton on 16th March 1695 in St Mary Magdalen , Canterbury. John died in 1716 aged 47 and Elizabeth died in 1742. John and Elizabeth had a son called John who was born in 1696 and who died in 1704.
Richard Pising born in 1674, married Elizabeth Woodgate on 16th January in St Paul’s Canterbury. Richard died in 1741 aged 67 and Elizabeth died in 1752. Richard and Elizabeth had ten children.
Ann Pysing was born in 1676 and married John Friend on 2nd November at St Paul’s Canterbury
Henry Pysing born in 1677. He died in 1736 aged 59 having married Pleasant Gammon on 21st April 1709
Margery Pising who married John Dress on 13th November 1684 in St Paul’s
Thomas and Ann appear to have done well having given birth to nine children who all survived to adulthood and married. Most unusual for those times.
the 6th generation
Richard PIsing and elizabeth woodgate
My 7 Greats Grandparents
Richard, born in 1674 married Elizabeth Woodgate on on 16th January 1695 at the age of 21.
They had ten children with the first one dying as a child.
Anne Pising ws born in 1696 and died before 1703
Thomas Pising was born in Petham in 1698. He married AnnBrowning on 28th September 1718 in Chislet, Kent and died in 1758
John Pysing who was born in 1701 and died the same year.
John Pysing wo was born in 1702 and died in 1704
Ann Pising born in 1703
Richard Pysing born in 1705
Elizabeth Pysing born in 1707 and who died in 1741
Richard Pysing born in 1712 and who married Elizabeth Jarman on 18th March 1735 in Fordwich in Kent
John Pysing born in 1714 in Chislet
Ann Pysing born in 1717 and who died in 1719
Note: It was very common to call the next child by the same christian name as one who had earlier died as in the cases of John and Ann
The 7th Generation
Thomas Pysing and Ann Browning
My 6 Greats Grandparents
Thomas was born in 1698 in Petham outside Canterbury and he married Ann Browning on 28th September 1718 in Chislet, Kent. Thomas died in 1758 at the age of 60. He and Ann had seven children.
A daughter, Ann was born in 1737 and died in Fordwich in 1810 at the age of 73
Elizabeth Pysing born in 1739 and who died a year later.
A son, John Pysing bon in Fordwich in 1741 and who also died a year later
Richard Pysing who was born in 1743 and baptised on 19th June 1743 in Fordwich. Richard married MaryQuested on 21st November 1770 in Patrixbourne and who died in 1812.
Thomas Pysing born on 1st September 1744 in Fordwich. Thomas married ann Hadaway on 12th October 1773 in Sturry
Elizabeth Pysing who was born and died in 1748
William Pysing, born in 1753 and married to Mary Ratcliff on 30th November 1779.
The seventh generation
richard pysing and mary quested
my 5 greats grandparents
Richard was born in 1743 in Fordwich to Thomas and Ann and baptised there on 19th June 1743. He married Mary Quested on 21st November 1770 when he was aged 27. They went on to have seven children who were:
Thomas Pysing was born in Bekesbourne in 1771
John Pysing who was born in 1775 and married Sarah Gibbs on 28th October 1799 in Bekesbourne,
Daniel Pysing baptised on 12th March 1780 in Bekesbourne
James Pysden born 1782 in Bekesbourne, who married Elizabeth Austin who was born in 1785 and who died in 1873 aged 88 (a great age in those days)
Robert Pysing born in 1785 in Bekesbourne
Elizabeth Pysing born in 1787 in Bekesbourne
Richard Pysing born in Bekesbourne
the ninth generation
John pysing and sarah gibbs
My 4 Greats Grandparents
John was born in Bekesbourne in 1775 and married Sarah Gibbs there on 28th October 1799 when he was aged 24. They had three children that I could find:
William Pysing who was born in Bekesbourne in 1799 and married Ann
James Pysing who was born in 1801 and must have died soon after
James Pysing born in 1804 in Sturry, Kent
The tenth generation
william pysing and ann
My Great, Great,Great Grandparents
William, born in 1799 and baptised on 15th December 1799 at Bekesbourne, married Ann (I have not been able to find her surname). William worked on Flete Farm, Margate, according to the census forms of 1851 and 1861, when he would have been aged 52 and 62 respectively. They had two sons that I have found”
Thomas Pysden (my Great Great Grandfather) born in 1827 in St Peters, Broadstairs, Kent. Thomas married Martha Fasham on 30th December 1847 at St John’s Church, Margate
THOMAS PYSDEN BIRTH RECORD IN 1827
Edward Pysden who was born in St Peters, Broadstairs in 1830. Edward married Sarah Browning Hewitt in St Peters Church on 28th August 1852. He became a blacksmith and was the St Peters village smith. In fact I have found that the smithy which was there until the middle 20th century was up a small alley way beside the house where Edward and Sarah lived in 12 Church Street, St Peters. I see this house every time I come out from playing bridge in the church hall.
Edward Pysden’s home when he was the St Peters blacksmith. The smithy was up the alley on the left of the house until the mid 1900’s
This is a postcard drawing of the old forge
Edward died in 1873 and is buried in St Peters churchyard, Sarah died in 1916 in Medway, Kent.
the eleventh generation
Thomas Pysden && Martha Fasham
My Great, Great Grandparents
Thomas was born in St Peters, Broadstairs in 1827 and married Martha Fasham on 30th December 1847.
Martha was the daughter of Stephen Fasham and Sophia Cowell and was born in 1825 in Margate. I have traced the Fasham family back to Walter Fasham born in Margate around 1580, thanks to someone called Barry White who, fortunately at tje time that I was doing the research, had posted all the records of St John’s Church, Margate online. It now seems to have been taken down.
In the 1851 census Thomas is working as an agricultural labourer on Flete Farm (with his father) and living with his parents on the farm. By the time of the 1861 census he is living at 9 Sparrow Castle, Margate and working as a bricklayers labourer. In 1871 he is living at 10 Sparrow Castle but has moved to 66 Milton Road, Margate by 1881. Sadly by 1901 he is in the Workhouse at Minster. He died in 1905 but I am unable to find out if he was still in the workhouse.
Thomas and Martha had 6 children:
Thomas Pysden – My Great Grandfather- who was born in 1849 and married Alice Sarah Morrison in 1871
A daughter, Martha, in 1851, who became a laundress.
A daughter, Sarah, in 1853 who also became a laundress
A son Edward, born in 1856 and who in 1871 was a blacksmith in Margate
Having done so much work on the family trees and on my blog I thought I would try to add as much of the information on my ancestors as possible and hope it will not become too boring. I have managed to find out odd snippets of information from old newspapers etc which I will try to include. I am going to type our direct ancestors in bold to make them more identifiable. It would seem that the majority of the Mockett ancestors were agricultural labourers according to the census forms which started in 1841.
The furthest back I have been able to trace our branch of the Mockett’s is to John Mockett Junior who was born about 1640 in Ripple near Deal, Kent.
I have found records of a John Mockett ,son of John Mockett, baptised at Northbourne on 2nd October 1614. Northbourne is only 2 miles from Ripple where John Junior lived. I cannot help but think that they are also our ancestors. This John Mockett also seems to have had a daughter, Mary, who was baptised on 12th January 1611/12 and buried two days later on 14th January at Sutton which is only a 10 minute walk from Ripple. He also had a daughter Elizabeth who was baptised on November 11th 1611.
It is very difficult to be sure of the older entries as so many children had the same christian name. Hugh, a cousin Jim Mockett and I are all agreed as far back as Stephen Mockett who married Elizabeth Leadner in 1815 but it is hard to be sure of who his parents were as there are two possible parents. However I have gone with the one born in Ripple where the majority of the family were living
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John Mockett Jnr and Mary Marsh
I have found his marriage entry in the Tyler Index when John Mockett Jnr married Mary Marsh on 10th October 1664
TYLER ENTRY FOR MARRIAGE OF JOHN MOCKETT JNR TO MARY MARSH IN 1664
I believe that Mary was born in 1640 as I have a baptism for Mary Marsh daughter of Cornelius Marsh on 13 December 1640 at Northbourne.
BAPTISM OF MARY MARSH DECEMBER 1640
John and Mary had five children
1/ John who was born and died in 1665
2/ Margaret born in 1668. A Margaret Mockett was buried on 31st May 1688 at Sutton, near Dover but I have no way of proving if it was this Margaret as there are no details of her age.
3/ John who was born in 1669. He married Faithful Hammond in Capel Le Fearne on 7th November 1698. Faithful died in 1741 having given him 7 children.
4/ Nicholas, born 1671, baptised on 12th November 1671 and who married Elizabeth Sawyer on 6th January 1694. Elizabeth died in 1786 in Dover, Kent
5/ Mary who was born in 1673
SECOND GENERATION
John Mockett and Faithful Hammond
John, who was born in 1669 in Deal, Kent, married Faithful Hammond on 7th November 1698 in Capel Le Fearne, Kent.
THE TYLER ENTRY OF THEIR MARRIAGE
John and Faithful had the following children
Elizabeth Mockett who was born in 1698 in Deal, Kent
Margaret Mockett born in 1700 in Deal, Kent
John Mockett who was born in 1705 in Deal. He died in 1706
John Mockett born in 1707 in Deal. John married Hannah Martin and died on 25th December 1733 in Deal
Nicholas Mockett born in 1712. Nicholas married Ann Barber on 7th February 1738. I have found that a Nicholas Mockett and his wife Ann and four children, were relocated from St Lawrence to Deal in March 1745 and believe that it may well be this Nicholas. He was a husbandman. If someone fell on hard times and were unable to support themselves they were sent back to their home parish so that they could be paid for by (as in this case Deal) and not the one the parish that they had moved to.
Mary Mockett born in 1715 in Deal
Richard Mockett born in 1710 in Ripple, Kent. He married Mary Mackney on 5th October 1734 in Great Mongeham, Kent. Mary died in 1769 in Ripple. I cannot be sure but I think he died in 1770 in Ripple.
Faithful died in 1741 and was buried on 19th May 1741 in Deal at St Georges Church.
THIRD GENERATION
Nicholas Mockett and Ann Barber
Nicholas (1712-1754) was born to John and Faithful Mockett (nee Hammond) in Deal. He married Ann Barber (1704-1788) on 7th February 1738 when he was aged 26.
Ann was born in 1704 – the daughter of John Barber (1680-) and Elizabeth, his wife
Nicholas and Ann had the following children:
A daughter Mary, who was born in 1741 in Deal. This is quite a time after they married so I imagine that there may well have been more that either died or I have not found.
John Mockett who was born in 1742 in Great Mongeham. He married ElizabethDewell. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Martha Dewell and was born in October 1750
A son called Nicholas who was born in Great Mongeham in 1745. I have found that an N Mockett was a proprietor of bathing machines in Deal in 1792 so am assuming that it is this Nicholas.
FOURTH GENERATION
JOHN MOCKETT & ELIZABETH DEWELL
John born in 1742 married Elizabeth Dewell on 6th July 1773 at Woodnesborough, Kent.
Elizabeth was baptised at Eastry on 8th October 1749 and was the daughter of John (1720 -1802) and Martha Dewell (1751-1780)
John and Elizabeth had five children:
STEPHEN MOCKETT who was born in 1782 in Deal. He was my two Greats Grandfather. Stephen married Elizabeth Leadner on 6th May 1815 in Ripple near Deal
A second son, Nicholas Mockett born in 1780. Nicholas married Martha Abbott and died on 25th March 1853 at the age of 73.
A daughter, Ann who was born in 1774 in Northbourne, Kent
A son, John born in 1776 in Northbourne, He married Sarah Spratling
A son, William born in 1787 in Northbourne. He married a Sarah and died in 1872 in Northbourne
Elizabeth died on 6th January 1824 aged 71 and John died on 17th January 1830 aged 87. Here is a photo of their grave at Woodnesborough
The grave of John and Elizabeth Mockett at Woodnesborough
FIFTH GENERATION
STEPHEN MOCKETT & ELIZABETH LEADNER
My Great Great Grandparents
Stephen was born in 1782 and baptised in Deal on 13th October 1782. Stephen married Elizabeth Leadner on 6th May 1815 at Ripple, Kent.
THE MARRIAGE ENTRY FOR STEPHEN AND ELIZABETH
From the marriage entry I find that Elizabeth’s father was called Thomas and that Stephen was working on a farm. Most of the Mockett men were agricultural labourers. Thomas, Elizabeth and her father were not able to read or write and had to sign the certificate with an X and have it witnessed.
Stephen and Elizabeth had five children.
A son, Richard, who was born in 1817 and who married an Elizabeth
A second son, Stephen, who was born in 1819 and who died in Deal on 7th February 1886 aged 67
A third son, George, born in 1822
A daughter, Elizabeth, born in 1824 in Ripple
A son THOMAS,born in 1827 in Ripple. Thomas married Elizabeth Ratcliffe on 24th November 1854 in Ripple, Kent
I have also written a post on the descendants of Nicholas Mockett who was Grandson of John Mockett Junior as I had found some very interesting articles about them to include. To read it click here Descendants of Nicholas – Grandson of John Mockett Jnr
I found that I had connected the family with the wrong Stephen Mockett and so have had to revise this blog. Having written so much, I thought I would not just delete it and this is the tree descending from John Mockett Jnr and Mary Marsh, through their son John Mockett who married Faithful Hammond.
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John Mockett and Faithful Hammond
John, who was born in 1669 in Deal, Kent, married Faithful Hammond on 7th November 1698 in Capel Le Fearne, Kent.
THE TYLER ENTRY OF THEIR MARRIAGE
John and Faithful had the following children
Elizabeth Mockett who was born in 1698 in Deal, Kent
Margaret Mockett born in 1700 in Deal, Kent
John Mockett who was born in 1705 in Deal. He died in 1706
John Mockett born in 1707 in Deal. John married Hannah Martin and died on 25th December 1733 in Deal
Nicholas Mockett born in 1712. Nicholas married Ann Barber on 7th February 1738. I have found that a Nicholas Mockett and his wife Ann and four children, were relocated from St Lawrence to Deal in March 1745 and believe that it may well be this Nicholas. He was a husbandman. If someone fell on hard times and were unable to support themselves they were sent back to their home parish so that they could be paid for by (as in this case Deal) and not the one that they had moved to.
Mary Mockett born in 1715 in Deal
Richard Mockett born in 1710 in Ripple, Kent. He married Mary Mackney on 5th October 1734 in Great Mongeham, Kent. Mary died in 1769 in Ripple. I cannot be sure but I think he died in 1770 in Ripple.
Faithful died in 1741 and was buried on 19th May 1741 in Deal at St Georges Church.
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Nicholas Mockett and ann Barber
Nicholas (1712-1754) was born to John and Faithful Mockett in Deal. He married Ann Barber (1704-1788) on 7th February 1738 when he was aged 26.
Ann was born in 1704 – the daughter of John Barber (1680-) and Elizabeth, his wife
Nicholas and Ann had the following children:
A daughter Mary, who was born in 1741 in Deal. This is quite a time after they married so I imagine that there may well have been more that either died or I have not found.
John Mockett who was born in 1742 in Great Mongeham. He married Elizabeth Dewell. Elizabeth was the daughter of John and Martha Dewell and was born in October 1750
A son called Nicholas who was born in Great Mongeham in 1745.
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JOHN MOCKETT & ELIZABETH DEWELL
John married Elizabeth Dewell on 6th July 1773 at Woodnesborough, Kent.
Elizabeth was baptised at Eastry on 8th October 1749 and was the daughter of John (1720 -18020 and Martha Dewell (1751-1780)
John and Elizabeth had five children:
STEPHEN MOCKETT who was born in 1782 in Deal. He was my two Greats Grandfather. Stephen married Elizabeth Leadner on 6th May 1815 in Ripple near Deal
A second son, Nicholas Mockett born in 1780. Nicholas married Martha Abbott and died on 25th March 1853 at the age of 73.
A daughter, Ann who was born in 1774 in Northbourne, Kent
A son, John born in 1776 in Northbourne, He married Sarah Spratling
A son, William born in 1787 in Northbourne. He married a Sarah and died in 1872 in Northbourne
Elizabeth died on 6th January 1821 aged 71 and John died on 17th January 1830 aged 87. Here is a photo of their grave at Woodnesborough
GRAVE OF JOHN AND ELIZABETH MOCKETT AT WOODNESBOROUGH
BACK ROW:HAROLD, HORACE, LESLIE. FRONT ROW: ALFRED, FLORENCE,FRANK, GEORGE, WILFRED. SEATED IN FRONT: NORMAN
First Reunion in the garden at 12 Chaucer Road
From the left Gladys Smith (Lydia’s sister), Harold, Peter,Teddy, Leslie, Lydia,Chrissie, Kit, Judith, Frank
In front are Shirley (Peter’s wife holding Maureen and her own son), Richard, Milly & Hugh
Wilf, Hugh, Alf, Harold, Richard, Norman
Horace Mockett
Horace about 1918
16th July 1893- 1st May 1972
Horace was the first born son of George and Florence – to be followed by another eight sons. He was born in 1893 in Deal, Kent at the house rented by his parents. It was in the London Road and is described by Alfred as follows:
A row of 4/5 cottages on the right hand side as approaching Deal.150 yards from Upper Deal Church. One cottage in the middle had a well in the front garden. George William rented this cottage after his marriage and Horace was born here. Just around the corner is the pub The Magnet, run by John, George Williams eldest brother in 1913 and 1914.
Horace, married Florence Lavinia Gillingham, in 1915 in Portsmouth. Florence was born in Portsmouth on 31st March 1897 and died there on 27th November 1952.
In 1915 Horace was living in Lake Road, Portsmouth and in 1953 was working in the Royal Naval Dockyard as a bricklayer. I understand from letters, that he also ran a public house as did his brother, Harold.
Horace & Florence had three sons:
George William Frederick Mockett 1916 -1977 who married Doreen Patricia Lock and then Brenda Ventham in Hertfordshire
Albert Richard (Tibbs) Mockett in 1919 who died in the Middle East in WW2 on 1st December 1941 having enlisted on 1st September 1939. He was a gunner in the Royal Artillery and is on the Alamein Memorial
Frederick James (Jim) Mockett who was born in 1926 and married Betty Doreen Martin in 1946 in Portsmouth. He died in 2008
Harold Thomas Mockett
HAROLD THOMAS MOCKETT ABOUT 1915
1894-1963
Harold was the second of George and Florence Mockett‘s nine sons. He was born on 31st December 1894 in Deal, Kent and was baptised on 3rd March 1895. According to Alfred’s notes, the family were living in Alfred Square.
Harold married Melinda Geraldine Farmer in 1922 in Canterbury. She was always known to us as Milly and was born in 1898 in East Stonehouse, Devon.
I have found the 1911 census, which says that Harold was then aged 16 and, was training at His Majesty’s Royal Naval Training Establishment in Shotley, near Ipswich. He remained in the Royal Navy for a lot of his working life. His number in the Navy was J10634. From the letters his mother wrote, I have since found that he and Milly ran a hotel in Portsmouth after he left the Navy.
Harold appears to have taken part in WW1 in the navy and was awarded the Naval General Service Medal for serving in Persia on the HMS Swiftsure between 1909 and 1920. He was also awarded the Star, Victory Medals for WW1.and the RN Long Service and Good Conduct Medal 1925 – 1930.
When Harold left the Navy, he appears to have taken on a public house according to the letter that Milly has written to Alfred just below.
Harold and Milly did not have children and Harold died on 6th February 1963 at the Royal Portsmouth Hospital. He was living at 188 Guildford Road, Portsmouth at that time. He left £496 3s to his wife.
Harold died within four weeks of his younger brother, Wilfred.
Kathie has sent me this letter, obviously written by Milly, Harold’s wife, of a reunion they had in what must have been about 1952. I am wondering if Kathie will be able to find the photo sent with the letter.
Milly’s letter Explanation of photo sent with letter
Bertie William Mockett
1897-1898
Bertie William was born in 1897 being baptised at St Georges Church, Deal on 19th May that year. The family were living at Stanford House, 105 Beach Street when he was born. He sadly died a year later and according to Alfred’s notes, his mother was looking out of the upstairs bay window and saw him as he fell over the seawall. He was killed at the age of one. I have found this photo of Stanford House , where they were living. Unfortunately it is being decorated so has scaffolding up
Stanford House, 105 Beach Street, Deal
The next five sons were all born at this house.
Walter Richard Mockett
WALTER RICHARD MOCKETT AGED 15
1899-1915
Walter Richard – the fourth son of George and Florence -was born on 20th February 1899 at 105 Beach Street and was baptised on 23 April 1899 at St Georges Church, Deal.
He joined the Royal Navy on 28th May 1914 as a First Class Boy. He was on the SS Agamemnon in the Dardanelles when his ship was in action and he was wounded. He was transferred to the hospital ship as Hugh has a book by a senior officer who says that he saw young Walter smiling and cheerful as always. He sadly died on 5th March 1915 of the injuries he received and was buried at sea.
I went on a holiday a few years ago to Turkey and to the Dardanelles and saw the British memorial to all those who died. I found the plaque for the SS Agamemnon but sadly Walter’s name was not on it.
Leslie Stephen Mockett
Leslie Mockett about 1955
1901 – 1960
Leslie was born on 5th June 1901 and was baptised at St Georges Church, Deal on 3rd July 1901. Leslie was also born at 105 Beach Street.
I have found a record showing that Leslie was in the Merchant Navy from 1918 to 1921. When he left the Navy he became a painter and decorator.
Leslie married Lydia Winifred Smith, (born 1904 in Deal), in 1928 in Deal and Lydia gave birth to a son, Peter the following year at 200 Beach Street, Deal, Kent. In 1938, Leslie is in Kelly’s directory as living at 53 College Road, Deal and is a painter. I am not sure at what stage they moved to Broadstairs but it appears to be in the late 1940’s, but they always lived in Howard Road- just behind Chaucer Road where we lived. Lydia’s sister, Lena Cox, lived in the same road and she had another unmarried sister, Gladys Smith, who is in the photo of the first Mockett reunion taken in the garden at 12 Chaucer Road.
Their son Peter, was born on June 7th 1929 in Deal. He married a South African called Shirley and, eventually emigrated to South Africa with her, where he lived until he died on 17th December 2001 of a heart attack.
Leslie and Lydia adopted a daughter, Maureen who was born in 1944. Maureen still lives at St Peters having married David Hicks and having one daughter.
Leslie died suddenly at Kingsgate Bay. He was painting Kingsgate House and sat in his car for his lunch and died there. Lydia continued living for many years at 21 Howard Road until she went into a home where she died in 1985 and her funeral was held at the Queens Road, Baptist Church (the same church where Wilfred married his first wife)
Frank Hubert Mockett
1905-1975
Frank was the sixth of nine sons born to George and Florence . He was born at Stanford House, 105 Beach Street, Deal which is now a listed building
He was born on 2nd April 1905. On his baptism certificate of 24th March 1906, it states that his father is a bricklayer.
From the letters that his mother wrote to Alfred, it would appear that in the 30s and the depression, Frank was working in the dockyards and was often out of work. With 4 children, life was very difficult for them and he often had to ask his father for financial help. According to one letter, Wilf cycled the 70 miles and back one weekend from Deal to Gravesend to take money and to see how they were. When he arrived there he had to go out to buy a cup and saucer so that he could have a cup of tea.
A few years ago I made contact with Audrey, a daughter of Frank, and went to visit her in Gravesend. I discovered that she had been living a couple of roads down from my sister, Cheryl, and I had not realised this all those times when I went to visit Cheryl! By this time Cheryl had moved to Boston in Lincolnshire. Audrey was able to tell me a great deal about Frank and it appears that he was not at all like my father in nature!
Audrey at age 78 when I went to see her in 2010
Frank married Beatrice M Daft in 1929 and they had four children. The eldest was a son called Ronald, (1929 – 2003), followed by Norman (1930-1984). They then had two daughters, Audrey born in 1933 and Sylvia born in 1936. According to Audrey, Frank was in the Merchant Navy at that time and had his first mates ticket and had hoped to join the Queen Mary but this was not possible and so he was in the merchant navy during the war. However I have since found from a letter written by his mother Florence to his brother Alfred in the US that in 1932 he was working on the SS Avila and later out of work for some time.
SS Avila
During the war he was on the SS Tottenham which was carrying lorries and ammunition from Brazil when it was sunk on 17th June 1941. This is a report of the sinking.
On the 17th June a seaplane from the German raider Atlantis at the time under the disguise of the Norwegian Merchant ship SS Tamesis sighted Tottenham. After firing a warning shot across her bow, the Tottenham returned fire and sent out an RRR distress message indicating attack by e nemy raider. Atlantis then opened up with her full armament and pulverized the Merchant ship. Ordering his ship abandoned, Atlantis fired three torpedoes at the ship with only one making contact and causing little damage. The Tottenham was eventually sunk by gunfire. The raider then proceeded to pick up a number of survivors from one of the lifeboats but refused to look for a second boat after a request from Tottenham’s Master. Knowing the distress message would probably be picked up the raider quickly departed the seen. The remaining survivors were eventually picked up by the SS Mahronda eleven days later. The prisoners were eventually transferred to another vessel and ended up at the Merchant Navy Pow camp Milag Nord. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?156720
For 18 months the family only knew that he was missing and presumed dead. They did not know that he had been picked up and taken prisoner for a long time. As a result he was a German prisoner of war for four years.
I have recently been in touch with two of Franks grandsons, Andrew and Adrienne Charlton – sons of Audrey. They have kindly sent me some information on Frank and his family and included is this photo of him in the prison of war camp
Frank Mockett is 3rd from left in the back row
He was then a prisoner of war in Poland near Bremen and here is the entry I found on Ancestry about him with his details.
F H Mockett in the UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Name: F H Mockett Rank: Able Seaman Army Number: 1112786 Regiment: Merchant Navy : Officers, Ratings & Foreign Seamen POW Number: 331 Camp Type: Marlag und Milag Nord (Milag) Camp Number: Mil. N. Camp Location: Poland Name of Ship: Tottenham Section: Merchant Navy : Officers, Ratings & Foreign Seamen
The camp was liberated in June 1945 and here is an article about the camp.
According to Audrey, Frank was very jealous and very possessive of his wife. Beatrice did not have any affairs while he was a prisoner, even though she believed him to have died, but when he finally came back she did confess to having gone out with a couple of men. I understand that as a result she had two black eyes and often was hit by Frank, to the extent that a neighbour offered to be a witness for her if she needed one. He was so unlike my father who would never have raised a hand to anyone.
BEATRICE MOCKETT NEE DAFT
I believe that Frank worked on the docks at Tilbury after he left the merchant navy.
Audrey clearly remembered coming with Sylvia to stay with my parents at the outbreak of war when she was aged 6 and her sister aged 3. They came to stay as Beatrice was so ill with her weak heart and was pregnant with her fifth child, She was so ill that they could only save one of them and so saved the mother. Frank was looking after his two older sons. Sylvia at the time was suffering from rickets and apparently the rickets was much improved when she left Broadstairs as Audrey said they had to go in the sea a lot, although I am not sure that sea water helps rickets and that it is probably more due to diet. Having read the letters from Florence, it appears that Frank was out of work so much during the Depression, that food must have been very short in the home and that could have caused the rickets.
Audrey thinks that my mother was pregnant with me as, my father would come home from work and scrub the kitchen floor for her, to save her from doing it. She said that my parents then went to Scotland and, as they were not allowed to go with them, the two sisters went to stay at Inglewood with the Grandparents. I am sure Audrey was right about my mother being pregnant as she was about 3 months when she went to Kilmarnock with my father, before he was posted to the desert. Audrey was aged 78 when she gave me all this information so had an incredible memory.
Audrey left school at the age of 15 and went to London to work but her mother was ill by then. Frank insisted on Audrey giving up her job and returning home to look after her mother, which she did for two years. Beatrice died in 1951 at the age of 44.
After her mother died, Audrey returned to work in London and came home one evening to find her younger sister, Sylvia, in floods of tears. When Audrey tried to find out the problem, Frank lost his temper with her and said that he was throwing Sylvia out of the house and that Audrey could go too. They were only aged 14 and 17! Audrey believed it was because he was going out with Kit (Kathleen Davy) who lived in the same road – Crouch End, Chapel St Mary, with her five children and that Kit wanted Frank’s daughters out of the house before she would marry him- which they did in Thurrock in 1954. Audrey and Sylvia went to live in Wimbledon with their Uncle Wilfred (the eighth son of George and Alice Mockett ) and his second wife, Bertha, where they stayed until Wilf moved to Headcorn. Wilfred was much more like my father and he and Bertha invited the girls to remain with them and to move to Headcorn with them. However they did not do so as, I believe that Sylvia had a boyfriend at that time whom she eventually married,
Audrey recalls Horace going to visit Wilfred when they were staying in Wimbledon and taking his son Jim with him. Jim and Sylvia went out for the evening together.
I gathered that she was extremely fond of both my parents as all my cousins seem to have been!
I have just recently been sent a couple of letters that Florence wrote to Frank’s brother Alfred who was in the US. From the letters I gather that Frank was out of work in 1933 and 1935 which does not quite tally with what Audrey told me. I have posted the letters under Norman’s parent’s post.
Frank died in 1975 and Kit died in 1988
Frank and Beatrice had four children:
Ron Mockett married but I know little about him as I think Audrey and he must have fallen out at some time. She did tell me that she has no photos of her father as Ron kept everything after he died. Ron died in 2003.
Norman John was born on 16th December 1930. He married Pat but, unfortunately he was hit by a lorry which broke his back and as a result he was in a wheelchair and the paralysis eventually moved to his hands and arms. Sadly he got cancer and his wife nursed him until his death in 1984.
Audrey married Alfred Charlton and they had two sons, Adrian and Andrew. Alfred was a manager for a supermarket called Priceright, and I gather that their marriage went through a bad patch as all the young girls there were too great a temptation for him. They were trying to patch things up when he was on the A2 in a cycle race when he was hit by a lorry and killed at the age of 43 in 1974 leaving Audrey to bring up two young sons, She had some compensation, but lost money a couple of times and so had to count the pennies. She worked until she was aged 68.
AUDREY AND ALFRED CHARLTON
Sylvia married Henry A Bedford in 1955 in Surrey and I know she had a family but know nothing more about her.
Alfred Ernest William Mockett
ALFRED IN THE EARLY 1940’S
1909-1996
Alfred was born on 9th April 1909. He was the seventh son and was born at Stanford House, 105 Beach Street. Alfred said in his notes that he thought that the house was run as a B&B.
There is more information about Alfred and his parentage on the page about my Grandparents, under Alice Florence.
I always understood that Alfred was in the merchant navy and jumped ship in 1928 in New York. Kathie has just emailed me this message:
Yes, he did jump ship but it was a job offer by an American captain who ran a ship and needed someone aboard and the pay was 3 times what he was earning so, yes, he took the job!!! that very night. and the rest, as they say, is history
He lived there for the rest of his life. I have found that he returned to England on the Cunard ship, Aquitania, in 1930.
He married Christina Beaton Macinness from Scotland in New York on 10th September 1938 in the Presbyterian Church in New York.
In the US census of 1940 they are living in Rutgers Street, Belleville, Essex, New Jersey.
From information that Kathie has sent to me, Alfred enjoyed acting and singing and she has sent me this lovely photo of Alfred with Kathie in the choir together
CHORISTERS, KATHIE AND ALFRED
Al & Chrissie came back to visit us all in Broadstairs in 1958 and we had a photo taken in the garden of 12 Chaucer Road. Al and Norman went to Dover to visit their old school and I found this report of their visit in a copy of the school magazine
A REPORT FROM THE DOVER SCHOOL MAGAZINE
Al did well for himself going into advertising, and working for the Beneficial Finance company. They had a lovely house in New Jersey which I visited when I was flying and also took my parents to on their first ever flight in October 1967.
Al and Chrissie had two children:
Douglas born 17th June 1940. Douglas married Sonia and they had twin boys, Andrew and Christian.
Katherine Alicia Mockett who was born on 12th June 1944 . Kathie married Jack Palmer on May 10th 1968 and they had two daughters. Alyson and Amanda. Kathie later married John Oberteuffer on 22nd February 1983 in St Croix, Virgin Islands where Al and Chrissie had a house.
Al always said that he did not think that George William was his father. He apparently had been given a locket by his mother when he went to America which had a photo of him as a young boy. One day he dropped it and the photo fell out revealing a photo of the local Deal doctor in the back. He felt that he was his father and that it explained why he was always the son sent to the surgery to collect prescriptions and why the doctor always asked him about his schooling and how he was getting on. Just recently Kathie had her DNA done and this was confirmed when it came back showing not a single link to a Mockett but plenty to the Doctor – Alfred Mason. I think it is so amazing to find out that ones Grandmother had an affair over 100 years afterwards.
Here are photos of the locket that Kathie kindly sent me
Wilfred Arthur Mockett
WILFRED, FLORENCE AND ALFRED
21st January 1911- 6th January 1963
I know little about Wilfred’s early life. He was born on 21 January 1911. From letters from Florence, I found that he worked in Broadstairs for some years, living in digs. I do know that he worked as a barber in Wimbledon for many years and remember going to stay with them there for a few days with my parents
Wilfred married Gladys M Hughes in 1938 at Queens Road Baptist Church. I have copies of two newspaper reports and understand that the bride was attended by three bridesmaids, one was her sister and the other two were nieces. The best man was my father, Hugh Norman Mockett.
According to Audrey, Gladys had an affair and as a result of which she gave birth to twins. As a result she and Wilfred divorced, and he married Elizabeth Bertha Hatton in 1950. Bertha had been married before (her maiden name being Carpenter), and she had a daughter Joan who always lived with them both as she was slightly disabled.
Wilfred moved from Wimbledon to a bungalow called Holdfast in Griggs Lane, Headcorn which was on a farm. This must have been in the late 1940’s or very early 1950 as I remember going to stay with them when I was about 12 and one year Bertha took me hop picking with her.
Cheryl and I were reminiscing about Wilfred just now and she told me a lovely story of when she was aged about 4 and went to stay with Wilfred and Bertha. We were going camping in Italy and were unable to take Cheryl with us as she was not adopted at that stage and we had no passport for her. Bertha gave Cheryl a basket and instructions to go out and look for eggs under the hedges etc ready for them to make a cake. Wilfred asked Cheryl if she knew how to tell a good egg from a bad egg and when she said that she didn’t he explained. He said that you threw them into the water and the good eggs sank and the bad eggs floated. Having collected the eggs, this dear little girl carefully threw them all into the pond and found that they all sank! She was found by Bertha, sometime later, on the side of the pond and with an empty basket
Wilfred died on 6th January 1963 and his wife, Bertha died in 1990. When Wilfred died (four weeks before his brother, Harold) he left an estate of £8180
Hugh Norman Mockett
Hugh Norman – always known as Norman- was the youngest of the nine sons and here is his story: Norman
Thomas was born in Margate, Kent to Thomas Pysden (1827-1905) an agricultural and a bricklayers labourer and his wife Martha nee Fasham (1825-1898) and baptised at St John the Baptist church. Martha was the daughter of Stephen Fasham and Sophia Cowell from Margate.
Thomas was the eldest of five children being followed by:
Martha Pysden in 1851 who became a launderess
Sarah in 1853 who also became a launderess
Edward in 1856 who became a blacksmith like his father
Emma (1859-1956) who married William T Hughes,
George (1862-1947). George married Emma Jane Savin and had four children the youngest of whom was George Ernest Savin who died at the age of 20 in WW1
Alice was born in 1872 in Ramsgate and followed by:
Emma in 1873
Jane in 1878
Julia in 1880
Thomas in 1881
George in 1884
Ellen in 1885
Jesse in 1887
William in 1890
Walter in 1892
I was very lucky when doing the research into the Margate Pysdens as so many went to St John’s church and someone had put all the church records online. As a result I was able to trace all the branches of the family back to the 1600’s. Unfortunately the site is now removed.
All the children except for Alice were born in Deal. In the 1881 census Thomas is a boarder in Walmer but I was unable to find out where his wife was on that day. Ten years later in 1891 they are all living at 4 Railway Terrace and Thomas is a blacksmith, Emma is working as a general servant and Jane as a nurse girl.
Thomas died in 1899 at 4 Railway Terrace, Deal leaving his wife the sum of £48 9s which today would be worth about £5700.
I have traced the Pysden family back to Thomas Pysinge who died in Canterbury in 1559 as someone kindly put all the church records online for St John’s Church helping me trace a long way back and then I went to the Cathedral archive centre. However I did get in touch with Chris Pysden in America who also was tracing the family and he sent me records which trace the family back to the Danes who invaded England. The name was originally Pysinge which meant ‘short, fat people’. I have not tried to trace them that far.
Being a blacksmith seemed to run in that family and I found that Thomas’ brother Edward was the village blacksmith in St Peters living at 12 Church Street which is still there. I see it each time I come out of my bridge sessions. There is a pathway at the side of the house and the smithy was up there until mid 1900″s
Alice Sarah Pysden nee Morrison
1851-1927
Alice Sarah was born in Ramsgate, Kent to David Morrison and Ann Collins.
David Morrison was born in Scotland in 1813 and met and married Ann Collins in Faversham in 1839. In 1841 they were still living in Faversham with four children and by the time of the 1851 census had moved to St Lawrence, Ramsgate, where he was a shoemaker. They were living at 28 Castle Cottages.St Lawrence, Ramsgate and were still at 9 Castle Cottages in 1881. Ann died in 1884 and David, sadly, went into the Minster Workhouse and died there in 1891. I have just found that Castle Cottages is very close to Chatham House School in Ramsgate where both of my brothers went.
They attended St Lawrence Church which is the oldest building in Thanet apart from Minster Abbey and it has an interesting history.
All the information that I have about Thomas comes from census forms and the various certificates that one is able to find.
Thomas was the son of Stephen Mockett 1782-1827, a labourer, and Elizabeth Leadner 1783 -1875. It would appear that his father died the year that Thomas was born and his mother died when he was aged 3. On the marriage certificate it is witnessed by John Mockett who I believe is a cousin of his.
Thomas married Elizabeth Ratcliffe on 24th November 1854 in Ripple Church.
Ripple Church in 1909
Thomas and Elizabeth were living with her family – Daniel Ratcliffe (born in 1806) and his two daughters – in Ripple in the 1861 census and by that time they had a son and two daughters of their own. Elizabeth’s mother was Sarah Fials who married Daniel Ratcliff on 26th February 1831 in Ewell, Kent and who had died in 1859. I have not been able to trace Daniel Ratcliff back to find his parents.
Ten years later, in 1871 they are living in their own home and now have 9 children. By 1881 they are living at Upper Deal Road, Deal
Thomas and Elizabeth had 13 children of which George William Mockett – my Grandfather – was the eighth
The children were:
John Mockett born in 1857. John married Agnes Miriam Gunner in 1898 at Eastry in Kent although she was born in Wandsworth. According to the 1901 census, John and Agnes had moved to St Lawrence in Ramsgate and at the ages of 43 & 41 were running the Rose Inn in the High Street there. The Rose Inn has now been demolished and has a Tesco on the site, with BodySym behind which is the physiotherapist that I go to.
The Rose Inn (on the left), St Laurence
According to notes from Horace Mockett, this John Mockett was running the Magnet Pub in Deal in 1913 and 1914 and I have found this photo and list of licencees of that pub which does show that Horace is correct so I assume that they moved back to Deal at some point. http://www.dover-kent.com/Magnet-Inn-Deal.html
Sarah Elizabeth Mockett who was born in 1858 in Great Mongeham, near Deal. Sarah died at the age of 6 in 1864
Frances Ann Mockett was born the following year in 1859 . Frances married a Richard Canney in 1881 in Eastry. Richard was a bricklayer and a widower with a daughter and in the 1881 census Frances was his housekeeper at 134 Middle Street Deal. Richard died in 1917 and she then married Arthur Parker in 1924 but sadly Frances died in 1927 in Deal only three years after marrying him.
Stephen Mockett born in 1861 in Ripple, Deal. He married Eliza Ann Goodban in 1886 and they had five children. Stephen was a bricklayer and by 1911 is described as a builder. He lived in Upper Deal Road and also in Holly Cottage, London Road, Deal. Stephen died in 1938 in Deal.
Through pure chance, I was contacted by a lady called Jane Bushell, who had visited Thelune cemetery to see the grave of a relative, the very next day after my daughter had visited it for me. It appears that Jane is a second cousin of mine through the Pysden family. However, she put me in touch with Judith Davies nee Gaunt, who is related through the Pysden side too, Judith has written some very interesting books about Deal and its traders which I purchased. I found these photos of Stephen Mockett in it and as a result managed to speak to his Great Grandson, also a Stephen, who lives in Deal. Hopefully I shall meet up with him at some point. I have since bought a book, called Tradesmen of Deal and Walmer and written by a second cousin, Judith Gaunt. In it there are the following photos of Stephen.
Stephen Mockett in his works yard, Taken from the book by Judith Gould Stephen in his garden at Holly Cottage and an invoice
The amazing thing is that I was given a Deal newspaper by a friend who knew I was a Mockett. In it was a photograph of Rita Mockett being presented with a cup for having won a dance competition. When I showed this to Hugh, he said my thoughts : that Rita looked so like me at that age. When I spoke to the Great Grandson Stephen it transpired that she was his sister and had died a few weeks beforehand so sadly we could never meet.
Rita Mockett on the right
Phoebe Mockett born in Great Mongeham in 1862. According to the 1881 census Phoebe was a patient in the Kent and Canterbury Hospital aged 18. Phoebe married Alfred Hopkins in 1893 in Strood, Kent. In the 1891 census Phoebe was a servant in Northfleet and married Alfred two years later. In the 1901 census they are living in Northfleet with two sons and also have Alfred’s father living with them as well as 3 boarders. Alfred was working in an iron mongers. They had two children and Phoebe died in 1909 back in Deal. The 1911 census describes Alfred as a widower and a domestic gardener still living in Northfleet
Ellen Mockett born in 1864 in Great Mongeham married William Allen in 1895 at the old parish church of Walmer – across the main road from Helen’s school, Leelands. My Grandfather – George William – was a witness at their wedding.
Walmer Parish Church about 1906
Ellen had quite an interesting life as in 1881 she was a servant at 8 Middle Street, Deal and ten years later she was in Weston Super Mare as a servant to Dowager Countess Caroline A. Cava but she married William Allen in 1895 back in Kent.
In 1901 they were living in Felixstowe when William was a Regimental Sargeant Major in the army. They had their first child, William John in 1896, he was born at Woolwich. They then had a second son, Herbert Allen, in 1899 born in Woolwich and their third child – a daughter Ellen Rose – was born in Gibraltar in 1902. Ellen died in 1929 in Deal, Kent.
Thomas Mockett was born in 1866, in Great Mongeham. He married Elizabeth Groombridge in 1894 in Dover. In 1881 at age 15 Thomas is a live-in general labourer in Upper Deal Road, and his brother Stephen is living at the same address also a servant. I have been unable to find him in the 1891 census but ten years later, in 1901, Thomas is a bricklayer living with his wife and two children in Upper Deal Road. By the time of the 1911 census, his children have all left home and he is living at 15 Radigunds Road, Dover with his wife and five boarders. Thomas died in late 1943
Charles E Mockett born in 1869 in Great Mongham. Charles married Adelaide Celia Philips in June 1895 in Eastry. Charles and Adelaide had two sons, Lewis C born in 1898 and who died in WW1 on 3rd October 1918. He served in the 8th battalion of the Tank Corps and died of his wounds. The second son, Philip Edward was born in 1907 in Deal and died in 1988 in Worthing. Sussex
Lewis Charles Mockett gravestones
Richard Mockett born 1872/3 as he was baptised on 26th January 1873. Richard was a visitor footman in 1901 at Ascott House, Wing, Buckinghamshire when it was owned by Leopold De Rothschild
Ascott house
In 1911 he is butler at Stanway House owned by Elcho who does not appear on the guest list of 1901.
Stanley House
Richard married Edith Theedom Jennings who gave him 5 children and he died in 1939 in North Waltham, Norfolk.
Frederick J Mockett born in 1872 and who died in Ashford in 1937. Frederick married Emma Louisa Coleman in 1899 and they had 2 sons. Frederick was a milkman
Alice Mockett born in 1874. According to the 1891 census she was a cook at the same address as her sister Phoebe was a servant at 14 Barch Road, Northfleet. She married Stephen Robert Newing in 1899 in Strood, Kent and in 1911 they were living at Spout House, Lympne, Hythe, Kent with three children. Stephen was described as a Naval Pensioner. Stephen died in 1949 and Alice the following year, both in Chatham
Jane Elizabeth Mockett born in 1878 in Great Mongeham. Deal
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Elizabeth Mockett nee RATCLIFF
1833-1898
Elizabeth was born in Ripple in 1833 to Daniel Ratcliffe (1803- 1884) and his wife Sarah nee Fials (born 1811- 1859) and daughter of James and Elizabeth Fials
Elizabeth’s father was an agricultural labourer and he and his wife married in 1831 and had the following ten children
Elizabeth and a son William both in 1833 so probably but not definitely twins
Daniel in 1834
Margaret in 1835
John in 1838
Sarah in 1840 or 1841 and who possibly died in 1859
James and Phoebe both in 1842
Mary 1849
Ann in 1858
In the 1851 census Elizabeth at the age of 18 is a servant in Upper Deal
In 1861 Daniel is a widower and he has his two daughters Anne and Mary living with him and also his son in law, Thomas Mockett with his wife Elizabeth and three of their children, Frances, John and Sarah.
Daniel Ratcliff who was an agricultural labourer appears to have fallen on hard times and in both the 1871 and 1881 census he is in the Eastry workhouse before dying there in 1884.
I have found an interesting article which shows what the workhouse was like in the days that Daniel was there:
THE ONLY PHOTO I HAVE OF GEORGE WILLIAM AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN THE GARDEN OF INGLEWOOD
George William was born on 18th August 1867 to Elizabeth Mockett nee Ratcliffe aged 34 and Thomas Mockettaged 40. Thomas and Elizabeth had married on 24th November 1854 at St Leonards Church, Upper Deal.
ST LEONARDS CHURCH, UPPER DEAL
They appear to have lived in Upper Deal most of their married lives but were at Beach Street by 1911. Thomas Mockett was an agricultural labourer on his marriage certificate and Elizabeth was a servant.
George was the ninth of 13 children and his siblings were as follows:
John Mockett born in 1857. John married Agnes Miriam Gunner in 1898 at Eastry. Miriam had been born in Wandsworth.
Sarah Elizabeth Mockett who was born a year later in 1858. Sarah died at the aged of 6 in 1864
Frances Ann Mockett who was born in1859. Frances married Richard Canney in 1881 at Eastry and died in Deal in 1927.
Phoebe Mockett born in 1862 who married Alfred Hopkins in 1893 at Strood and died in 1909
Ellen Mockett born 1864 . Ellen married William Allen at the old parish church of Walmer in 1859 and George William was a witness at her wedding.
Stephen Mockett was born in 1862 and married Eliza Ann Goodban. Stephen died in 1938
Thomas Mockett born in 1866. Thomas married Elizabeth Groombridge in Dover in 1894. He died in Folkestone in 1943
George William Mockett was born next in 1867 – my Grandfather
Charles Edward Mockett born in 1869 and married Adelaide Celia Philips in 1895 in Eastry.
Frederick James Mockett (called Frank) was born in 1871 and married Emma Louise Coleman in 1899 in Ashford Kent where they continued to live
Richard Mockett was born in 1873. Other than in the 1881 census when he was a student aged 7. I cannot be sure what happened to Richard but have found one working in Gloucester as a servant which could just be him as I cannot find a death certificate
Alice Mockett was born in 1874 and married Stephen Robert Newing in 1899 in Strood, Kent. Alice died in 1950 aged 76
Jane Elizabeth Mockett was born on 18th May 1878 and married Albert Stanley Howard in 1915 in Eastry.
Typing this out makes me so glad that I was born when I was and not 100 years earlier or I would certainly have had more than 3 children!
George William and Alice had nine sons and the only photo I have of them as a family is this one
Harold, Horace, Leslie, Alfred, Florence, Frank, George, Wilfred Front row seated is Norman Taken 1919
Sadly I do not know a great deal about George William as he and Florence died when I was just 7 years old. I do remember going up to see them on my own once. It was not a long walk up the Vale to their house but I remember feeling very grown up going alone.
The information that I do have about him all comes from the census forms. In 1871 he is still a toddler aged 3, living with his parents and 8 siblings in Upper Deal Road.
These articles about Upper Deal at that time are quite interesting
The second link shows Upper Deal as it must have looked in the time that George William lived there – so different to today!
In 1881 George William is still living there with his family and is a farm labourer but ten years later he is still living with his parents but is a bricklayer. This is obviously when he started on his career as a builder.
George William and Alice Florence Pysden married on 10th September 1892. I have a copy of their marriage certificate and it states that his father Thomas is a labourer and Alice’s father – Thomas Pysden – is a blacksmith from Upper Deal. The witnesses were George’s brother Stephen and Alice’s sister, Emma Kate Pysden.
George and Florence wasted no time in having children as the first of nine sons was born the following year.
Horace George was born on 16th July 1893.
Harold Thomas followed the following year on 31 December 1894 and
Bertie William was born in 1897. Sadly he died in June 1898 and Teddy used to say that it was because the nanny let the pram fall over the sea wall but I have no proof of this at all.
Walter Richard followed the following year in 1899. Sadly he died of injuries in WW1 sustained when the ship Agamemnon came under fire in the Dardanelles. Walter was injured and died a few days later. Hugh has a book about that war and it mentions Walter in it. I have found this site about the war memorial at St Georges Church, Deal, with Walter’s name on it. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Kent/DealStGeorge.html
These sons were followed by Leslie Stephen in 1901
Frank Hubert in 1905
Alfred Ernest William in 1909
Wilfred Arthur in 1911 and finally
Hugh Norman in 1913 (always known as Norman)
I shall be writing about the sons in later pages.
I have been unable to find the family in the 1901 census but by 1911 they are living at 155 Beach Street, where Norman was born.
155 BEACH STREET, DEAL
I have recently found that in WW1 George joined the RAF in some way. It does not give me much information about his service and as he must have been 47 when the war started I can only assume it was in some role on the ground.
I have a copy of a letter that Norman sent to Alfred in June 1933 and the address is Elmbank, Park Lane, Deal so I presume he is living there with his parents.
When Norman was aged about 20 he moved to Broadstairs to work at the estate agents called Daniels at the top of Broadstairs High Street and so George and Florence moved there too in January 1935 buying Inglewood in Vale Road having found it thanks to Norman.
INGLEWOOD WHERE GEORGE AND FLORENCE LIVED FROM 1934 TO 1949
Florence and George must have had a very worrying time during the war. Having given birth to nine sons they had lost one son as a baby and a second in WW1 and then in WW2 they had the two older sons in the Navy. The fifth son, Frank, was a prisoner of war for 4 years in Poland after his ship had sunk off Buenos Aires and they did not know for 9 months if he was alive or dead and then my father was away, fighting in the desert for nearly five years. Fortunately, both Frank and my father came back safely after the war.
Alfred had jumped ship in the late 1920’s and was living in America during the war. Florence wrote to him regularly, which must have been quite a job for her as she would have left school at 10 and writing was not an easy task. When she wrote, she never used any punctuation and very few capital letters making her letters difficult to read. I have typed up some of her letters and put them in a separate post.
From the letters, I have realised what a hard time they had during the 30s in the Depression. Florence took in guests (I think they were holiday makers rather than lodgers from the way she talks about it) and George sold off his work tools to save having to pay 6/- 6d (32.5p in todays money) a week for storage for them.
There was a big epidemic of Spanish Flu in 1948/49 and George died of it on 11th March 1949 followed two weeks later by Florence ,also of the flu. I remember my mother saying how incredible it was that they were in separate rooms when ill and although she did not think that they were very happy together, Florence knew that George had died without being told.
George left an estate valued at £5593 17s 8d between the seven sons and in todays money it would be worth about £197,578.86. Now in January 2022, Hugh found that the house is up for sale at the sum of £700,000.
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Alice Florence Mockett
1872 – 25 MARCH 1949
FLORENCE ABOUT 1935 IN THE GARDEN OF INGLEWOOD
Alice Florence nee Pysden and always known as Florence, was born at the end of 1872 in Thanet. I cannot be positive but think she was born in Ramsgate as her parents were married at St Lawrence Church Ramsgate, and she was baptised at St Georges Church in Ramsgate. Alice never really knew how old she was as, from a letter written by her in 1933, she says her mother never really told her. She was guessing then that she was aged 65 or 66.
I only seem to have the three photos of Florence, the one above, the one with her seven surviving sons and one with Wilfred and Alfred. I have already added the family photo in the posts about her husband George William and her son, Norman so will not do so again
St George the Martyr Church, RamsgateInterior of St George the Martyr Church.
Her parents were Thomas Pysden ((1849-1899) and Alice Sarah Pysden (1850- nee Morisson. Thomas was born in Margate in the parish of St John’s Church and Alice was born to David Morison and his wife Ann nee Collins at Ramsgate. I have traced the Pysden family back to the early 1600s. The Pysdens mostly lived in Margate and worshipped at St John the Baptist church there and I was most fortunate as someone had posted all the church records online so I was able to trace all the families back.
St John the Baptist Church Margate where the Pysden’s worshipped
This photo of St John’s church was taken from a postcard dated November 1905
Thomas and Alice had ten children with Alice Florence being the eldest. Her parents moved to Deal shortly after Florence was born as her father is then working in Walmer as a blacksmith and all her siblings were born in Deal
Florence was followed by:
Emma born in 1873 Jane 1878 – 1891 Julia born in 1878. In the 1891 census Jane was a nurse girl at the age of 13. Thomas born in 1881 George born in 1884 Ellen born 1885 Jesse born 1887 William in 1890 Walter in 1892. In the 1911 census Walter was a hairdressers assistant aged19 Florence gave birth to nine sons with 20 years between the first and last. Either she or her husband George, recorded the births on the back of the family photograph from 1919 and this is a what they wrote
WRITTEN ON THE BACK OF THE MOCKETT FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH
I do know that when I was born, after having 9 sons of her own, that Florence would smock nightdresses for me for the sheer pleasure of having a girl to do it for. She did have other Granddaughters but they did not live close by as I did.
My cousin, Kathie, has kindly sent me copies of letters written by Florence to Kathie’s father Alfred, in America and I thought it might be of interest to add them to this blog and have set up a separate post of them. They give a great insight into life during the depression and to our family and have helped me to find where Frank was when his ship was sunk and where he was a prisoner of war for four years. Florence would have left school at the age of 10 and this is evident from the fact that the letters are written exactly as she spoke and with no punctuation whatsoever.
I have just had an email from Kathy. Her father, Alfred, always said that he thought his father was not George William but was the doctor called Alfred Mason. I do remember hearing that my Grandmother had a photograph of the doctor on the piano. Kathy said that when Alfred left home to join the Merchant Navy, his mother gave him a locket with his photo in. One day he dropped the locket and the metal ring holding his photo in fell out. Alfred then looked at the photo more carefully and found a photo of Alfred Mason behind it which must have been why he said he thought that was his father. She also told me that he was always the one sent to fetch the doctor or to go see him to get medecine for the family. and that whenever he went to see him, Dr. Mason always sat him down and asked about him, his schooling, his studies. Kathy has had her DNA done a few years ago and has found a lot of cousins on the Pysden side but none at all on the Mockett. She also has cousins on the Alfred Mason side. I find it quite incredible to think that over 110 years later, we realize that Alice had an affair.
Locket with Alfred aged about 7 Locket with Dr Alfred Mason
Kathy has now kindly sent me photos of the locket showing Alfred at the age of about 6 or 7 and the photo of Dr Alfred Mason (I wonder if that is how my uncle got his name) in the locket.
Florence died at Inglewood, Vale Road, Broadstairs two weeks after her husband. Her will left an estate of £1197 10s 3d which in todays money would be worth about £25000.
James Strachan Millar. I have just received this photo of James through the kindness of Linda MacKenzie who is also descended from him through his daughter Christina.
1827-1895
James was born in January 1827 and baptised on 9th January 1827, to George Millar (born 1801 and died before 1859) and his wife Rachel SusannaMillar nee Jamieson (born 1806 and also died before 1859). His parents married on 22nd January 1825 at St Nicholas, Aberdeen. His father, George, was a cooper. James middle name of Strachan comes from his Grandmother who was Rachel Strachan and sister to John Strachan the first Bishop of Toronto.
Rachel, nee Jamieson, was the daughter of Daniel Jamieson and Rachel nee Strachan who married on 25th August 1803 at St Nicholas, Aberdeen. Rachel Strachan’s father was John Strachan (1743 – 1794) and her mother was Christine Blenshell. Her father died as the result of a quarrying accident when flint flew into his eye. As a result her brother John Strachan (1778- 1867) put himself through University in order to earn enough money to help support his mother and siblings. He then went to Canada and became ordained becoming the First Bishop of Toronto. He founded the school which later became Toronto University. Here is an interesting article about him https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Strachan
James Strachan Millar was the second of three sons born to George and Rachel:
Alexander Gibbon Thomson Millar born in 1825 died young
James Strachan Millar – my Great Grandfather born 1827
George Millar born in 1830 and who died young.
James was a pawnbroker in Aberdeen and I have a copy of his marriage certificate to Esther Barazzoni on 14th January 1859 at the Roman Catholic Church in Aberdeen.
From the certificate I gather that James is living at 55 Woolmanhill, aged 32 and his occupation is down as a clothes broker. His parents are described as George Millar – journeyman deceased and Rachel Millar deceased. It is signed by William Stopani – clergyman from the Scots College, Rome. Esther is aged 20 and also living at 55 Woolmanhill, and her father Anthony Barazzoni, is described as an Optician maker . One of the witnesses is Alexander Watt and as James and Esther named one son George Watt Millar, I imagine that they did so after this friend.
James and Esther had 8 children:
1/ Elizabeth Millar was born in 1861, baptised on 4th March 1861. She married Alexander Duncan Man (who in 1901 was a cashier at a coach builders) on 24th November 1880 at the age of 29. They had 8 children of which Nellie Mann was the 5th born in 1882. She married Bertie Hedgley Gates and they ran a theater. She was an actress according to the descendant that I made contact with and who sent me this photo of her
Nellie Gates, nee Duncan Mann
B
The theatre run by Neillie Mann and her husband in 1950
Bertie died on 12th December 1952 aged 59 and Nellie died on 21st Aprl 1972 aged 90 according to this gravestone
2/ Isabella Gillian Agnes born 1865, baptised 15th June 1865 in Aberdeen. she married Lewis Grey from Inverurie
3/ James Strachan Miller born in 1863 and died on 4th December 1876 aged 3 years of TB
4/ Esther Mary Josephine Millar baptised on 6th January 1870. She married James Allen Mair – a postman
Edith & James Mair and children, Mary Ann, Neil & Christina about 1880
5/ Antonio Barazzoni Millar born in 1867. He married Jeannie Elrick Davidson
ANTHONY BARRAZONI MILLAR, HIS SON, CHARLIE AND HIS GRANDSONS
6/ Christina Maver Yule Millar born on 3 June 1872 at 3 Woolmanhill, Aberdeen. She died in the Royal Infirmary on 30 April 1951. Christina married Alexander Ross on 7th August 1895 who died on 8th April 1898 – only 3 years later and so Christina remarried Leslie Leiper on 9th January 1903.
Christina Leiper about 1905 ALEXANDER ROSS
Cristina had two children with Alexander, Ethel and Arthur. She remarried on 9th January 1903 to Leslie Leiper with whom she had another son called Anthony.
ETHEL, ARTHUR AND ANTHONY LEIPER
Christina died on 30th April 1951 of broncho pneumonia and advanced arteriosclerosis at the Royal Infirmary in Aberdeen and at the age of 79
7/ George Watt Miller born on 7 December 1874 who died at the age of 3 of croup. I cannot quite read the writing on his gravestone but think it is 1888 as he was aged 3years old.
8/ Alexander Smith Millar born 5 January 1878 – my Grandfather
This is a photo of the grave of James Strachan Millar and two sons, James and George.
GRAVE OF JAMES STRACHAN MILLAR AND TWO OF HIS SONS
Thanks to the help of Linda MacKenzie I now know that James died on 6th December 1895
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Esther Millar nee Barazzoni
ESTHER MILLAR NEE BARAZZONI ABOUT 1890
1839-1909
Esther (also known as Estella) was the daughter of Antonio Barazzoni (1792-1873) and Elizabeth Robertson born in 1809.
Esther was the eldest of three children. She was born in 1839 and was followed a year later by:
John Barazzoni born 1840 who died the same year
Catherine Barazzoni born 1847
ESTHER MILLAR ABT 1890
Esther’s father, Antonio, was born in Como,Italy in 1792 and emigrated to Aberdeen. We have done a great deal of research into why he should have come to England and I posted a link to an interesting article in the post of Alexander Smith Millar.
We believe that he made looking glasses and also barometers in Aberdeen.
Mary made contact with someone who was also descended from Antonio Barazzoni and had been to Como to research the family further and kindly gave her his findings so we do have records of the family going back to Antonio’s parents Giuseppe and Guiseppina Barazzoni born in Como in 1771 and 1772 respectively.
There is a well known concert pianist, Beatrice Barazzoni, http://sassari.academia.edu/BeatriceBarazzoni who is also descended from Giuseppe and Guiseppina through Antonio’s brother Abramo Barazzoni.
I obviously did not know my Great Grandparents as they had died before I was born but Teddy and Bunty always spoke so lovingly of them and as I have so many photos of them I thought I should include a post about them with what information I have gleaned over the years. I do know that Teddy was extremely fond of her Grandparents.
George James 1852-1936
George was born in Pitcombe – a tiny village in Somerset. Mary and I went down there in 2007 to have a look at the various places that our ancestors had lived and we had a great few days together. We visited Pitcombe church and found that the engineer from the Titanic is also buried in the churchyard there.
George was the son of Benjamin James (1829-1905) an agricultural labourer and Ann James nee Courtney (1831-1909) who was born in Yarlington, Somerset to Robert Courtney (1800-1878) an agricultural labourer and his wife, Ann born in 1831. They married on 5th December 1850.
At age 19, in 1871, George is already working on the railways and is a railway porter, lodging at 28 Bath Place, Shornhill, Finsbury. He and Emma married three years later in August 1874 at St Pauls, Bedford.
ST PAUL’S BEDFORD, WHERE GEORGE AND EMMA WERE MARRIED IN 1874
I would love to know how they met but am rather inclined to think that he was transferred to Bedford for his work as Bedford is only a few stations from Aspley Guise, where Emma Hirdle lived.
PITCOMBE CHURCH THROUGH THE LYCHGATE
PITCOMBE CHURCH
MARY INSIDE PITCOMBE CHURCH
George was the eldest child born in 1852 and was followed by
Charles James born 1854. Charles was living at home in the 1871 census, aged 16 and a scholar. I have just found that he married Sarah Craddock at St Peters Church, Birmingham and on the marriage certificate he is described as a “Rule lawyer” so obviously he did well for himself.
Thomas James was born in 1860, also in Pitcombe. Thomas became a carpenter and married Emma Sophie Bowring in 1895. They had a son ,Lewis, in 1887 and a daughter, Gertrude, in 1890.
A daughter,Elizabeth, was born in 1863 in Discove an area near Pitcombe. She married Harry Crocker on 27th December 1890 at St Andrew-Montpelier, Bristol
A fourth son, Nathaniel, (1868-1937) was born in Discove. Nathaniel was still living at home with his parents in 1891 aged 23 and appears to have been an agricultural labourer, like his father. He married Julia Elizabeth J Sugg in 1894 and they then had five children: Charles in 1896, May in 1898, George in 1901, Bertie in 1905 and Richard in 1908.
A fifth son, Harry, born in 1870 in Discove. Harry became an agricultural labourer and in 1901 was working at Lamyat, Shepton Mallet, and in 1911 at Headsmen nr Castle Cary. Harry married Annie Russ in 1892 in Glamorganshire and they had six children: Annie in 1892, William in 1893, Frank in 1896, Florence in 1899, Albert in 1903 and Alice in1906.
Emma James nee Hirdle 1855-1941
Emma was born in Aspley Guise in 1855 to Robert Hirdle (1819-1868), a livery man and Hannah Hirdle nee Lane ( died in 1858). I am assuming that Hannah died in childbirth as the last child, Samuel, was born and died in 1858 the same year as Hannah.
Robert and Hannah married in 1847 in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, Robert was a labourer.
Emma was the fifth child of the marriage. Her siblings were:
Edward Andrew Hirdle 1848-1917. Edward married Annie Coll and died in Yorkshire
John Hirdle born 1849. I am not sure what happened to John. I cannot find any definite proof of him but have found a death at sea in 1880 which could possibly be him as he was born in the right year and place but the surname is spelled Hurdle. The spelling of names in those days changed quite often as they had so little schooling.
Alice Hirdle 1852-1884. Alice married Thomas Fellows, a railway yard foreman, and they had two children, a daughter Sushana in 1877 and a son William in 1874
Charles Hirdle 1853-1884. Charles married Louisa Jane Spray in 1879 at St Saviour, Southwark. Charles was either a doorman or foreman ( I am unable to read the census clearly) and died in 1884 so Louisa then worked as a charlady. Louisa died in 1914
Emma Hirdle – our Great Grandmother
Frederick James Hirdle 1857-1859
Samuel Hirdle 1858-1858
THE SQUARE AT ASPLEY GUISE
The Hirdle family were a large local family and I have found quite a lot of information about various members of the family. The most well known person appears to be a cousin of Emma, Alfred Hirdle, 1852-1900 who appears to have been an alcoholic and who several times appears to have been jailed for his drinking and finally died in prison. The newspaper reported the following:-
The Easter quarter of 1883 introduced us to the character of Alfred Hirdle. Alfred was married to Sarah and appeared in court charged with a violent assault on his wife. She had taken a warrant out against him and in revenge he broke into their house in the early hours of the morning. He went to his wife’s bedroom and violently hit her about the head with a stick. He was sentenced to 5 year penal servitude.
Cases of assault appear regularly in the Quarter sessions, but we were curious to see if he was still with his wife at the time of the next census. A little investigation saw that the couple had only been married approaching 4 years at the time of the attack. It’s likely his wife knew the type of man she was marrying, as Alfred had been convicted (mostly of drunkenness) over 20 times before they married. He was only 27. He was even in trouble on the night of the 1871 census, being listed as a prisoner at Woburn police station.
“Alfred Hirdle eventually passed away, whilst serving a sentence in Bedford Prison in 1900, aged 49. The doctors said cause of death was ‘Profound Disturbance of the Brain and Apoplexy’. Hirdle was infamous in the area, as his total of 59 convictions, mostly for being ‘Drunk and Disorderly’ bear testimony. Every landlord for miles around must have breathed a quiet sigh of relief!”
He sounds quite a character but fortunately the rest of the family are very law abiding.
Ten years later in the 1881 census, George and Emma are living at 20 Battison Street in Bedford with their two sons, Charles Edward aged 6, George W aged 4 and our Grandmother Alice aged 8 months.
Mary and I visited Battison Street and found the house there. We took a photo of number 18 and 20 as the James family had moved to the one next door in a later census.
18 & 20 BATTISON STREET
In 1891 they were living at 6 Prebend Street, photographed below, with Charles, George, Alice and now Alice’s two sisters, Annie as she is called in the census aged 8 and Florence aged 5
6 Prebend Street, Bedford
A further ten years later, in the 1901 census, the sons have both left home and Emma and George just have their three daughters living with them but by the time another ten years have passed Alice and Annie are not at home, although Florence is there with her husband Harold Ernest Gough. Emma and George also have a lodger living with them who is a commercial traveller.
George worked for the Midland Railway from 1871 until at least 1908 and he earned 30s a week. I have a copy of some of his employment records and one record dated 1908 where he appears to have been in a slight accident on the railway resulting in him having facial cuts and bruised knees. His weekly wage at that time was £1 13s 0d.I am unable to find where either Alice Maud or Annie were on the night of the 1911 census.
I have been unable to find where Charles is living in 1901 but have found George and he is working as a hotel waiter and lodging in West Derby. George eventually married and lived in that area for the rest of his life and ran the Stork Hotel in Liverpool. I will post a photo of the Stork Hotel in the gallery of George James 2nd.
George and Emma do appear to have moved around a lot. We have a lovely photo of Emma at the Bell in Hendon where they lived. I have no idea what date it was taken but looking at the style of dress I imagine it must be about 1910 or later
EMMA AT THE LODGE, THE BELL, HENDON
I wonder if they moved to Hendon as Alice Maud and family were there. I believe that Alice and Alexander moved there about 1921 from Ireland and by that time George would have been aged about 68 or 69 and so retired. We are sure that they lived in Hendon as in notes from Jean we have the following:
The Lodge This was the double fronted gatehouse of the Asylum. On one side was the Lodge and a pond. On the other side was a doctor. The Catholic church was to the right and the library was to the left. On the right after the church were almshouses. This was opposite the end of the Lodge grounds. Old Hendon Church was on the left round the corner. Crossroads. To one side the horse pond, now railed. A war memorial, a convent, before getting to the library etc if going from school and the Daniel Place area.
They appear from this to have lived at two houses – the Bell and the Lodge. It is possible that some of the attached photos of the two of them in a garden are at one of these homes.
Mary had this lovely photo of George with his son and Grandson both called George
From left, Emma with baby George, Charles, George, Clara and George
The do seem to have come to Broadstairs a lot from all the photographs of them as they got older.
George died in Broadstairs in 1936 but according to memos he and Emma are both buried in the churchyard at Aspley Guise.
ST BOTOLPH CHURCH, ASPLEY GUISE, WHERE GEORGE AND EMMA ARE BURIED
MARY IN ST BOTOLPH CHURHC, ASPLEY GUISE
Emma died in 1941 and her death is registered in Bedford so it is possible that she was living with Flo and Alice as they had a house in Whitbread Avenue, Bedford.
George and Emma had five children having:
A son Charles Edward James in 1875 – a year after they married.
Charles married May Victoria Derbyshire in 1905 when he was aged 30. According to the 1911 census Charles was living at 4 Grafton Road, Bedford with his wife, May, daughters Doris and Marjorie aged 4 &3 and a son called George aged 1. Also with them is May’s mother, Christiania aged 74. May died in 1943 and Charles in 1948 at the age of 73.
Emma with Florence and Emma’s son, Charles with his wife Clara and possibly his son
Emma, Charles and his wife Victoria
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A second son, George William James in 1877. He was baptised on 11th January 1878
George William, according to the 1901 census was boarding in Edge Hill St Jude Lancashire and working as a hotel waiter. He married Clara Gill in 1903. It would appear that they had a son in 1901, a couple of years before they married,
I found that George and Clara were, at one stage, running the Stork Hotel in Liverpool and have found this early photo of it.
They had 8 children:-
Emmanuel born 23rd January 1901 and baptised 10th February 1901 a couple of years before they got married. I have not heard about this son from any relative and can find nothing more about him on the web so am not sure what happened to him.
2/ They then had a second son, George, born 29th June 1903 and baptised on 6th January 1904. This George was a great favourite of my mother and there are several photos of them on the beach and at Broadstairs. He married Sybella Voce in 1930 in West Derby. Sybella gave birth to twins in 1932 – a daughter Sybil, and a son, Arthur James. Sadly Sybella and Arthur both died during or shortly after childbirth.
A daughter Hannah born 1905
A second daughter Alice Maud in 1904 of whom I have some photos.
Marjorie James born in 1911 in Bootle, Liverpool. Marjorie and her brothers ,Joe and George, were fequent visitors to Broadstairs and I have quite a few photos of them.
Finally a son, called Joe James, born in 1918.
My mother was always very fond of her cousins and I have a lot of photos of George and Clara’s children, in Broadstairs.
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A daughter, Alice Maud James in 1881 – my Grandmother
Ann Elizabeth, always known as Nan and sounds a rather unpleasant person. From notes we have, she gave Chick a pretty hard time when Chick and Alice were living with her after Alice and Alexander broke up. I also know that on my mother’s wedding day on April 1st 1939, she told my mother that her parents were not married. That was the first that Teddy knew about it and it certainly was not a good time to tell her that her father was already married to another woman before he met her mother and had six daughters!
Nan’s son, Geoffrey, was born with a shortened arm due to damage during the birth. I always understood that because of that and because of the way Nan treated him, he was always very shy of women and so never married.
Billy Rayner (Herbert William) was, I believe, an engineer. His son Geoffrey, worked for Tate & Lyle in Orpington, retiring at a very young age. He bought a cottage outside Taunton, intending to grow grapes to make his own wine as well as his own food. both Billy and Geoffrey were very tight with money. I gather that when the toll bridge was operating at Sandwich and one had to pay 6d to cross it, Billy would drive all round the villages in order to avoid paying the toll. He probably had to spend more than the toll in petrol! Geoffrey was the same.
Geoffrey used to come to stay with my parents each summer. He fell in love with the polyester duvet they had on his bed and decided to buy one for himself, but when he went to the local market he thought £14 was far too much to pay and he could make one. Geoffrey told us that it should have worked! When asked how he made it, it transpired that he had used two sheets joined together with clothes pegs and filled it with polystyrene S pieces of packing from a cardboard box!
Geoffrey did not believe on paying out to ride on a bus and walked everywhere – walking miles into Taunton and back. He took home anything he found and once he found a box of eggs fallen off a lorry. He took them home and found some cracked and some whole. This was in August and we found that he was still eating them in November!
Hugh and I went down to see him in Somerset as he was apparently selling his home and we had a feeling that he was being cheated. That was an experience! The place was such a mess. His bedroom ceiling had fallen down and he had so much stored in the room that you could not really open the door. As a result, he was sleeping on a sofa in the hall. His wardrobe was a stepladder on which he hung his clothes. He had taken the dividing wall down so that the kitchen and lounge were one room but had left posts up. He had taken so much rubbish back on his walks that only about a foot of clear floor round a table was left to walk on. He sat at the table (with just enough space for a plate) to watch the TV. Hugh and I decided that under no circumstances were we eating or drinking a thing there. I went ahead with Geoffrey to see the place, leaving Hugh free to take photographs which I will now add here.
Geoffrey, did move into digs in Broadstairs for the last few years of his life and died in Margate hospital in 1992.
When he died, Geoffrey left £621,485. Such a shame he did not spend some of his money and enjoy himself more or travel and see something of the world.
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A third daughter Florence Mary James in 1886.
Florence married Ernest Gough (born in 1879 in Hackney) in the fourth quarter of 1905 when she was aged 19. She appears to have given birth to a daughter, Ivy Violet Gough in Chelsea in the third quarter of that year. Ivy died in the middle of 1906. In the 1911 census, Harold is living with George, Emma and Florence in Bedford and is described as a Marine Surgeon Port London. Florence gave birth to a son Harold E. Gough who was born and died in 1915. I have since been told that her husband had a venereal disease which caused his death at the age of 41 on 1st June 1920 and is probably the reason that neither child lived. When he died, Harold left £295 14s 2d to his wife which would be about £14000 nowadays.
Florence was a kindly soul and she had Alice Maud to live with her. They lived together at 29 Whitbread Avenue, Bedford before becoming too frail.
Florence was living at Upton on Severn with Bunty and Alfred when she died in 1959 and is buried in St Peters Churchyard with Alice and Alexander.
Jean was the eldest of the sisters and the one whom I knew the least. She married Stanley Miller on Christmas day 1937 in Surrey with both of her parents attending the ceremony.
Jean’s wedding photo from the left ?, Alice Maud, Stanley,Jean,? Alexander, ?
Married on 25th December 1937
Jean and Stanley lived in Wimbledon until such time as she retired to Bognor. Jean and Stanley had two children, Marion in 1939 and Martin in 1945. Stanley was a plumber.
Jean was the Aunt that I knew least well and do not ever remember going to Wimbledon to see her. My mother always told how she went up to see her when I was still in a pushchair and having arrived at her home, Teddy was left standing on the doorstep and not invited in so perhaps that is the reason we did not go to see her. I know that Marion always said that she was an odd person and when Marion was growing up she was not allowed to have her friends in the house. Stanley left Jean in the late 1970s or 1980s
Martin was very ill as a baby with meningitis but penicillin had been discovered to be effective and used in 1944 only a few years earlier and so he was cured. As a result it was always felt that was the reason he was Jean’s favourite.
I have a few photos of Jean and Stanley and will put them in this gallery for you to see
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Marion Van Djuif nee Miller
Marion in 2007
1939 – 2014
I remember Marion well when I was in my teens as she was working at Bentals in Kingston in the record department and seemed so much more grown up than I was. She was very fashionable and always well made up at a time when I had few clothes and no interest in makeup. We always laughed at the time when I was about 15 and very flat chested. Marion insisted on taking me out to buy me a bra although I had nothing to put in it! It was in the days when the cups were cones coming out to a point and with stitching all around it. I don’t think that I ever wore it! I do remember her wearing a grey, completely circular felt skirt with green dots on it. I was so impressed with how smart she was.
We decided that we lived completely different lifestyles as Marion always went out to work and always lived in cities, so always dressed and made up whereas I lived a more casual life on the beach, so wore shorts and teeshirts and no makeup. When I visited Marion and her husband Joop in Spain in 2007 she was still very elegant and smart.
I have photos of her and will post some now to show what I mean.
I had a lovely few days with her in Spain and while I was there she showed me a silver hand mirror that she said Jean had given to her and which had originally belonged to our Great Grandmother- Emma James. It was a lovely thing and here is a photo of it.
Emma James hand mirror that Marion had
I last saw Marion at Jean’s funeral in 2010 and spoke to her just a few weeks before she died. I was most upset to be on a cruise from Cape Town when I received the email telling me not only that she had died but that I had also missed her funeral. She was a great character!
Martin Miller
Born 1945
I have very little information about Martin and have only seen him a couple of times – at funerals – over the last 50 or 60 years so can only post this photo taken from one at Jean’s funeral
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Nora Courtney Amphlett nee Millar
8th August 1919 – 23rd October 2001
As I have said in an earlier post, Bunty was found a position nursing at the Maidstone Ophthalmic hospital by her Aunty Nan and started there about 1936. I always understood from Teddy that Bunty had been engaged to someone who was killed at Dunkirk. As Alfred and Norman were both away in the desert together Norman and Teddy suggested that Bunty should write to Alfred. This they did and after he returned from the war, Alfred proposed to her and they were married on 25th December 1945 at the Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon and had a very successful and happy married life together.
BUNTY AND ALFRED’S WEDDING
Christmas Day 1945. Norman is best man to Alfred, with Bunty and Alexander
THE BRIDE AND GROOM ON CHRISTMAS DAY 1945
They lived in Maidstone where Alfred ran a men’s outfitters on Gabriel Hill called Baldocks who he worked for before the war and I remember my father driving us to Maidstone to visit them. It used to seem such a long way and take such a long time to get there and now it is only an hour! Bunty’s first child, Paul was born there in 1946.
My cousin, Mary, has been so helpful in telling me about the family movements and says that she and her sisters, Elizabeth and Hilary, were all born after they moved to The Hermitage, the guest house of Stanbrook Abbey where Bunty would look after the guests and Alfred would cycle to the shop in Upton on Severn. Mary was born in 1948, Elizabeth in 1949 and Hilary in 1951 while at the Hermitage.
I remember very clearly going to stay at the Hermitage and loving it as it was so beautiful with glorious trees in the grounds and an old fashioned pump for water with a well and I remember a lot of aquilegia in the flower beds which I had never seen before and still love.
Mary says that they moved back to Maidstone as Alfred was offered work running Baldocks with accommodation in the flat above the shop. The three girls all started school in Maidstone so they must have moved there before 1953 and been there for about 5 years as they then moved back to Upton on Severn where Andrew was born at Upton in 1958 and then Gemma in 1962.
When in Upton on Severn, Alfred ran a gentleman’s outfitters and Bunty had a ladies clothes shop at the Bow Window where they lived before moving to Berryfield House where they lived from 1956 to 1964. When my father started to drive us to Worcester for a visit, the drive took all day and was quite an adventure in the little Ford 8 we had. I remember being in quite a panic as the car had so little power that my father always wondered if it would get up a hill especially when we drove round the Malvern hills!
When they moved from Berryfield they moved into 17 High Street, Upton where Alfred took over the newsagents next door to his outfitters and had a door knocked between the two premises.
The then went to live in Worcester and Bunty worked at a care home and became Assistant Matron at one care home.
Unfortunately Alfred developed Parkinsons and when driving became difficult for him they moved back to above the shop in Upton before retiring to Callow End.
A LOVELY PHOTO OF ALFRED AMPHLETT BEFORE HE BECAME ILL
In August 1953, Bunty and Alfred went on holiday to Italy to stay with the Ferro’s – the family that Alfred had met during the war- in Savona. Apparently Angela Ferro was an interpreter for Alfred,
When we went to Italy, Bunty and Alfred had four children and as Hilary was a bit too young to take away she stayed in Broadstairs with my parents and I went to Italy with them. I can remember being so excited at going on a plane for the first time and hating it on the journey out as I had such trouble with my ears. Aircraft were not as well pressurised as they are nowadays.
I had my 12th birthday out there and I still have the silver filigree bracelet that Bunty and Alfred gave me for that day. Bunty wanted to go to Rome and took me on the train with her. Being a very staunch Roman Catholic we visited almost every church in Rome including the Scala Santa where we had to go up the stairs on our knees. I had very thin and bony legs and it was agony for me!!
BUNTY WITH CLELIA AND MYSELF WITH MARY IN FOREGROUND
ALFRED WITH CLELIA AND MYSELF WITH MARY ON SAVONA BEACH
Sadly Alfred died in 1996 aged 83 and Bunty died five years later in 2001 having developed the loss of memory that seems to run in the family as all four sisters had it along with Alice Maud.
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Children of Bunty and Alfred
I am not going to write about anyone who is still alive as I feel that is an invasion of privacy but hope nobody will mind if I just list all offspring with a photo if possible
PAUL AMPHLETT BORN 1946
PAUL AMPHLETT
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MARY AUSTIN NEE AMPHLETT BORN 1948
MARY AUSTIN NEE AMPHLETT
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ELIZABETH DUFFY NEE AMPHLETT BORN 1949
ELIZABETH DUFFY NEE AMPHLETT
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HILARY MAXWELL NEE AMPHLETT BORN 1953
HILARY MAXWELL NEE AMPHLETT
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ANDREW AMPHLETT BORN 1958
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GEMMA AMPHLETT BORN 1962
GEMMA MCGONIGAL AMPHLETT
All the above photos were taken at the funeral of Jean Miller on 7th June 2010 when we took family photos. Sadly Andrew Amphlett was unable to be there as he lives in Scotland.
THE AMPHLETT FAMILY
Here are some photos of the Amphlett
Now to the youngest sister, Chick:
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Vera Brett nee Millar
1ST FEBRUARY 1923 – NOVEMBER 2014
CHICK MILLAR
From the various notes that I have from Bunty, Jean and Chick via the Amphlett girls, it sounds as if Chick had a tough time as a young girl. Being the youngest, it sounds as if she bore the brunt of her parents breaking up. She would have been aged about 10 at the time.
This is a copy of the memo that I have about Chick at that time.
Like you, Lizzie, I’m sure Mum said earlier that it was Chick who had a breakdown. Mum said the doctor told her to write down her story as therapy. When he/she read it the comment was that it was an awful story that would be condemned as too awful to be probable in a novel or film. She hinted in this way at how awful aspects of their lives had been but never elaborated.
I am not sure at what age Chick’s breakdown would have occurred but it may have been about that time as I gather that by the time Alexander and Alice parted company, Teddy had been found a position in Broadstairs at the Victoria Home – she was aged 16 so went away. Apparently, Alice went away taking Chick with her and leaving Jean and Bunty with Alexander. It is believed that Alice went to Broadstairs to Nan and was working for her and if that is true then poor Chick probably did not have a very happy time of it as Nan is known to have been an unpleasant woman and I understand that her mother, Alice had a breakdown after Alexander left her and she hit the bottle so poor Chick must have gone through that too. I have a photo of Chick on the steps leading down to Viking Bay with her cousin, George James and his daughter Sybil who is aged about 3 or 4 so it must have been taken in about 1936 when Chick was 12 or 13 and this does tend to indicate that she was living in Broadstairs at the time
I do not have any information about what work Chick did or how or where she met John and am hoping that her son’s Raymond and Philip will be able to give me more information about it once I am able to make contact with them. Raymond has sent me this lovely photo of them:
CHICK, JOHN AND PHILIP ABOUT 1943
I do know that Chick and John married in June 1942 and then had a son Philip born June 1942 followed by another son Raymond born in June 1946 and then a daughter, Frances born 27th August 1955 and who sadly died on 9th August 2010.
I will update this post once I have more information from Philip and Raymond.
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Children of Chick and John Brett
Philip Brett born 1942
PHILIP BRETT
The above photo of Philip was taken at his daughter’s house on the occasion of the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Philip and Maria.
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Raymond Brett born 1946
RAYMOND WITH PHILIP AND MARIA
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Frances Louise Brett 1955-2010
FRANCES WITH CHICK ABOUT 1960
FRANCES BRETT
Frances was born on 27th August 1955 and died on 9th August 2010 in Poole, Dorset.
I sadly know little about Frances life but Raymond has kindly sent me some photos of her. The one thing that I do remember about Frances, was when she came to 12 Chaucer Road with Chick having both of them fallen out of their car as it was moving. Both were so badly torn by the concrete and gravel, that I do remember the shock. It was not long afterwards that my sister, Cheryl, also fell out of the car. Nobody had seat belts in those days and nor were there child locks on car doors.
Alexander was born on 5th January 1878 at Woolmanhill, Aberdeen, the son of James Strachan Millar (1827-1895) and Esther Millar, nee Barazzoni, (1839 -1909)
James was the son of George Millar (born 1801 in Aberdeen and died before 1859), who was a cooper and later a journeyman. His mother was Rachel Strachan (born 1806 in Aberdeen). I have traced her family back two more generations to her father, John Strachan (1743-1794) and her Grandfather – also a John Strachan who married Christine Blenshell and was born about 1720. I should add in here that while I was doing our family tree I discovered that Rachel’s father (John Strachan), was killed in a quarrying accident after a piece of slate flew into his eye. Rachel was one of six children and the youngest was John Strachan. This brother went to Kings College in Aberdeen and then started to teach. He took a post in what was then York, Canada – now Toronto, as he could earn more money there to help support his mother and siblings. John became ordained in Canada and, when the English invaded he parlayed with them to prevent the town from being ransacked. He was later made the First Bishop of Toronto and, he founded the school which later became Toronto University. There is a statue to him outside the University.
John Strachan 1778 -1867
I have found that John Strachan built a house on the corner of Simcoe Street which is the next road up to the hotel that I always stayed in when I was flying – The Lord Simcoe Hotel – which has since been demolished. If only I had known about him in those days I could have visited the sites!
Esther was the daughter of Antonio Barazzoni (born 1792 in Como, died 1873 in Aberdeen) and Elizabeth Robertson (born 1809). Antonio was a glass blower and this link leads to an interesting article as to why a lot of Italians emigrated to England and Scotland and gives an insight as to why Antonio came here.
Mary and her sisters were in touch with someone who was also descended from the Barazzoni’s of Como and who had done a lot of research into the family. As a result, Elizabeth took Bunty to Como to meet up with the descendant of Antonio’s brother, Abramo. I have to say that, in the two photographs that Mary sent me, I cannot believe how similar the Barazzoni father is to Bunty.
Barazzoni family in Como with Bunty front left and Elizabeth centre back
One of the Barazzoni family is a well known concert pianist called Beatrice Barazzoni.
I found in the 1891 census that, Alexander aged 13, was a patient in the Royal Infirmary, Woolmanhill in Aberdeen and it states that he was a messenger boy. I have since been looking up about the Royal Infirmary and found that it later became known as the Woolmanhill Hospital.
The Royal Infirmary where Alexander was at the time of the 1891 census
Here is a link to an interesting article on the hospital
I have also looked up Woolmanhill on the web and it looks as if any houses have now been demolished as I can find no sign of houses there now.
I gather that Alexander or Sandy as he was known, helped out in his fathers pawn brokers shop. Apparently it was here that whilst repairing musical equipment, he learned to play various instruments. He worked in music for many years. At one state he played for silent movies in Ireland, and was in the orchestra of the London Palladium. My mother said he could play the xylophone and I gather he played the very large drum when in the Seaforth Highlanders as there used to be a photograph of him doing so.
Alexander seems to have been quite a ladies man. As I have said earlier in the post about Teddy, he had seven daughters with Alice Maud who thought she was married to him and only found out, in about 1933, when Teddy was 15, that he had married Maggie Chapman Clark Davidson on 24th September 1904 at St Machar, Aberdeen.
It appears from the above marriage certificate that Alexander was living at the same address as Maggie when they married. I wonder if he was lodging there and that is where she was working or if they were living together?
I have found the forms he signed when he joined the Territorial Force in Aberdeen on 1st July 1909 and in it he says that he is a piano repairer working for Marr Wood and that he was living at 56 Holborn Street. He also says that he has served in the forces before – in the Seaforth Highlanders. He is aged 32, married, and his address is 56 Holborn Street.
His medical form states that he is height 5 foot 8 inches, and his vision and physical development are good. From the forms, I believe he did annual training with the Territorial Army until he was transferred to a unit that I am unable to read, but discharged as unfit for further war service as medically unfit on 1st September 1914 in Bedford. By the time he was discharged he would have been aged 37.
The other interesting piece of information I can glean from his forms is that his wife is called Maggie Miller and is living at 1 Raglan Street, Dundee.
I have a copy of the marriage certificate of Alexander and Maggie. He married her at the age of 26 when he was living at 16 Ashvale Place, Aberdeen. Maggie was aged 18 and a housekeeper living at the same address as Alexander. Maggie came from Newhills, Aberdeen and her father was a paper mill worker. Her full name was Maggie Chapman Clark Davidson.
I have done some research online as to why he went to Bedford and discovered that in August 1914, 17,000 soldiers and 4000 horses were sent to Bedford from Scotland by train, for training in preparation for leaving for France. They were billeted in unfurnished houses and with residents who appear to have been only too willing to take them in.
According to notes that I have from Bunty and Jean, Alexander met Alice when he was in lodgings nearby and he managed to get himself moved to live with her family.
Here are links to two interesting websites about the Scottish soldiers in Bedford and Leaving Bedford and, you will see the uniform he wore in the Seaforth Highlanders.
It says in one article about the soldiers in Bedford, that there was a lot of sickness among them from August 1914 to January 1915 as, so many men had lived in isolated places in Scotland and had no immunity against such illnesses as measles, scarlet fever and diphtheria, and with many fatalities. It is possible that Alexander was one of these sick because he was invalided out of the army on 1st April 1915.
Alexander and Alice had a daughter Joan, who died shortly after birth, in the last quarter of 1915. She was born in Chapel en le Frith, Derbyshire so it appears that they were having an affair before he was discharged from the army as that took place on 1st April 1915. They went on to have twin daughters, of whom I can find no record, so I assume that they were stillborn, in 1916. My mother always used to mention the three sisters who had died and said that Joan had red hair. Having recently been sent a photograph of Alexander’s father, that is where the red hair comes from.
Joan was certainly born out of wedlock as her birth certificate has her down as Joan James but, we think that Alexander and Alice went through some form of marriage, although I have not been able to find any proof of that.
They then went to Dublin, where Jean was born in 1917 at 2 Park View, Dublin and then onto Belfast, where Teddy was born in 1918 and Bunty in 1919 at 3 Cromac Street. Alexander was playing the piano for the silent movies in both Dublin and Belfast. Notes I have say that they left Ireland because of the Troubles there and returned to England living at 20 Daniel Place Hendon. I have written about the family there when writing about Teddy.
He left Alice in about 1933 having met a dancer in the chorus line at the theater where he was working in the orchestra. He moved in with Winifred King and had a son, Terence in 1935 and married her in 1941. We believe that they lived in Wimbledon. I rather think that eventually he left Winifred too and when Alexander was ill with cancer he went to stay with Bunty in Maidstone but as she had four small children she was not able to cope and so he came to stay with us in Chaucer Road.
I have had this short tale told by Bunty to Elizabeth about that time.”
When Grandad was ill and came to stay with us in Maidstone, Alice Maud and Flo came to see him – he was dying of cancer. He was worried about two old ladies climbing those stairs from the yard so he ‘fiddled around with a rope’ – ‘he was very good with his hands as well as with his music’ – and made a banister for them to hold on to. So they saw him again.
The stairs from the yard refers to the fact we were living above a shop which Dad managed.
This shop was on Gabriel Hill, Maidstone.
He then came to stay with us at Chaucer Road where this photo was taken. I remember him sitting in this chair in the photograph below and Cheryl now has that chair!
Alexander Smith Millar in garden of 12 Chaucer Road
Eventually he became too ill to stay at home so, he was moved to Hill House, Minster, which was formerly the Minster Workhouse, and died there a few weeks later. He is buried in St Peters church yard. Alice Maud and her sister Florence are buried with him.
Mary had made notes of conversations with her mother, Bunty and I am now going to attach them as they are of interest
Alice Maud nee James was born to George James (1852 – 1936) a railway guard and Emma James nee Hirdle (1855 – 1941).
Emma James about 1913
George & Emma James – Alice’s parents about 1930
Alice Maud was born at 9 Battison Street, Bedford.
Mary at 8 Pattison Street, where Alice was born
Alice was the third of the five children of Emma and George.:
Charles Edward James born 1875 -1948 George William James born in 1877 both in Bedford -1877 Alice Maud Ann Elizabeth James (known as Nan) born in 1883-1957
Nan about 1913
Florence Mary (known as Flo) born in 1886-1959
Flo About 1913
I do not have a photo of Alice taken at the same time as the above photos were taken and rather think that she must have already left home with Alexander at the time. I have far fewer photos of her altogether so imagine it is probably as she had to work to support herself so was not around when photos were taken on the beach etc.
Alice’s family appear to have moved around quite a lot as in 1891 census they were living at 6 Prebend Street,
6 Prebend Street, Bedford
In the the 1901 census they were at 4 Leigh Terrace, Ampthill Road, Bedford and then in 1911 at 8 Prebend Street next door to the above photo.
Mary and I went to Bedford and to Aspley Guise together and found most of the houses that the James family lived in and the church where George and Emma were married and as it was close to the houses that they lived in, I presume that the family also worshipped there.
Alice met Alexander when he was billeted nearby and he managed to arrange to move into her parents home. Of their life until 1933 when he left her I have written about under his name so I shall now continue from about 1933 with what I do know of her life.
From notes taken from Jean -Alice’s eldest daughter- Alice, Nan and Flo were all milliners and Nan did elaborate embroidery and dressmaking while Emma did lace making. I do remember my Grandmother trying to teach me to crochet. When I researched the Hirdles – Emma’s family- I found that they were all were straw hat makers and milliners so maybe their talents ran in the family.
Jean also said that Alice had been the manageress of the LMS restaurant. LMS was the London Midland and Scottish railway which used to go through Bedford and according to Jean they did champagne and high class dinners there. (Not like the railways of today!)
Not a great deal is known about the years after Alexander left Alice but from notes that Mary and Marion have made I understand that Teddy was already away in Broadstairs where Flo and Nan were governors of Stone Bay School and had arranged a position there for her. Alice went away taking Chick with her (we believe to Broadstairs where Alice worked for Nan at the Rothsay hotel in Pierremont Avenue ) and leaving Bunty and Jean with their father. Eventually Jean married Stanley Miller at the end of 1937 and so leaving just Bunty with her father until Flo fetched her and started her working at the ophthalmic hospital in Maidstone.
I gather from Mary’s notes that Chick had the worst of things as Teddy had already gone to Broadstairs, and Jean and Bunty had some good times to look back on such as going to theatres and seeing Alicia Markova dance but poor Chick was living with Nan who was not a nice person. The fact that she was not a nice person was proved the day that my parents married as Nan told Teddy at her wedding that Alexander and Alice were not really married. That was the first that Teddy knew about it. I do know that my mother adored her father so she must have been most upset about it all. I will write about the Alice and Alexander siblings later.
Alice and Flo whose husband had died in 1920, lived together at 29 Whitbread Avenue. I know that Alice did not have much money but rather think that Flo was left fairly well off after her husband died. In fact I have just found the will and Harold Ernest Gough left her £295 14s 2d in his will but of course she may have had more in her name. I know that when Flo died, a year before Alice, she left everything to Alice which was £1678 19s. Flo was a lovely, kindly soul and she and Alice got on well. Flo called Alice “Lally”.
They went to live at Berryfield, Upton on Severn with Bunty and Alfred for some time with Flo dying there on 16th May 1959 and Alice a year later on 16th March 1960. When Alice died she left £2075 2s 7d.
Both are buried here at St Peters churchyard with Alexander.
I have written a post about Teddy’s sisters and their families with photos
The day that Norman finally returned home to Broadstairs,Teddy & I had spent at the station waiting for him, but he hadn’t arrived before it was time for me to go to bed. Just as Teddy was tucking me into bed there was a whistle through the letter box – it was Norman!
Eventually they both came into my bedroom with Norman wearing his uniform and carrying a black china doll for me that he had bought in Italy. I remember this moment very clearly and not many people can say that they remember seeing their father for the first time! I called the doll Dina, and had her for many years until I dropped her and broke her head.
There was never any strangeness between my father and I, mostly due to my mother who had always made my father a part of my life by sharing sweets with his photo, and saying good night to him etc. She was a great mother and so good with children too. The morning after Norman arrived home, I can clearly remember going to their bedroom and climbing into bed with both of them as if he had always been there. Some people never got on with their father after this sort of start to their life but I always was very close to my father.
My mother wrote on the back of this photo taken in 1946: “Our first family photo”
Daniels Estate Agents had not kept Norman’s job for him, although the firm carried on for many years more, so he then took a job working in Blackburns in York Street, selling furniture and doing the accounts for them.
They had two sons – Hugh Norman born on April 20th 1946 and Richard John born on 29th October 1947. Both boys were born at home at Chaucer Road as was the norm in those days. I clearly remember my mother pacing the kitchen when in labour with Richard and then being taken in to see the new baby the next morning.
I remember Norman learning to do shorthand at home, and I would test him by reading out the words for him to write down. Norman also took on other evening work to earn enough money to keep us. One job that he took was in the betting office at the Greyhound track at Dumpton and another was doing the accounts for Marchesi’s restaurant. The latter was when I was about 11 as he was doing it to raise money for extra coaching to help us pass our 11 plus exams, which all four of us did.
Norman then started to do funeral directing which was another part of Blackburns work and he went to classes to learn funeral directing, embalming and the hygiene side of things. I think that there were three qualifications that he could and did obtain. He later went on to teach embalming at Canterbury. I am not sure how much of the hygiene he kept to as recently I was talking to Philip Gore who said that they used to get rather worried when my father was doing embalming whilst still smoking his pipe! He was lucky not to set the place on fire! When I went into Gore Brothers many years later, I could still smell my father’s pipe. He would smoke it all the time and if customers came in he would stuff it into his pocket – still hot. I was often having to replace the pockets in his clothes for him.
Also to earn extra money, they took in holiday makers with Teddy doing bed, breakfast and evening meals. We had two families who came each year – the Holah’s who had two girls and the Chitty’s who had two boys.
TEDDY (bottom centre) WITH THE HOLAH’S AND CHITTY’S
The house was full to overflowing and we had a sofa bed in the dining room where my parents would sleep. As we had no bathroom at that stage, my mother would take jugs of hot water for them to wash in their bedroom. We had no washing machine either so the extra work must have been daunting for them. In fact, we only had gas lighting for many years and I remember electricity being put in. What excitement it was to flick a switch and have a light come on. After that my parents would rent a washing machine on a Saturday afternoon because then it would not be picked up until Monday. It was a single tub machine with a mangle on the side and my father would help my mother to do the washing as it must have been a huge task to do it once a week for the whole family.
I don’t know how my parents managed to do B&B as Cheryl and I were fortunate enough to look round 12 Chaucer Road a few years ago when it was being refurbished. I cannot believe that 6 of us lived there as it was so tiny. I think that the whole of the ground floor would have fitted into the lounge at North Goodwin House and that the lounge there was about the size of my present conservatory. I know that my parents had the front bedroom, Hugh and Richard shared the middle bedroom which had been mine for my first years and was where I first saw my father, while Cheryl and I shared the very small back bedroom when she was in a cot. The back bedroom was being converted into a very nice bathroom when we looked round the house. The cupboard on the landing where my mother had kept her linen (and a tin with all the letters in that Dad wrote to her during the war) was still there. The house had a cellar where we used to go during an air raid and to keep the coal and which later my father used as a workroom particularly when he made me a dolls cot and the boys a wooden car. I remember my mother falling down the stairs to the cellar and having some very nasty bruising. I was shocked to see how tiny the stairs were when I went round the house with Cheryl. The treads were about half the size that are made nowadays.
MY PARENTS IN THE LOUNGE AT 12 CHAUCER ROAD
My parents bought a beach hut the year after the war ended and the barbed wire was removed from the beach. We would spend all summer down on Viking Bay. The original beach hut had canvas walls and roof so was always needing repairs but, eventually it was given wooden sides and roof. Our pitch was close to the pier and under the windows of the toilets so was most convenient for all the facilities. There were several families who would all play cricket or rounders when the tide was out at the end of the day, meaning that often we would be on the beach from after breakfast until bedtime. I remember sitting in the beach hut in the pouring rain or swimming in the sea during thunder storms as the sea always seemed warmer then somehow. My Grandmother, Alice Maud, used to come to stay and she would happily sit in the beach hut with us all when it was raining.
THE ABOVE PHOTOGRAPH MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN ABOUT 1950
DAD DURING HIS LUNCH HOUR
We used to make traps by digging a hole in the sand, laying a towel over it and then covering it with a thin layer of sand to hide it before laying in wait for some unsuspecting person. One day my father came back to the hut carrying a tray of tea that he had just bought in Gays cafe when he stepped on the trap. He was definitely not amused when all the tea spilt as money was pretty tight in our household!
Hugh was born on April 20th 1946 and Richard was born 18 months after Hugh on 29th October 1947. I had always wanted a baby sister and every year, when I stirred the Christmas pudding mix, that was my wish. In 1955 my mother’s friend Dee Double was contacted by the Social Services to ask if she would consider fostering a five week old girl, who was in a foster home and the foster mother said she wanted her gone in 24 hours as she would not stop crying. Dee was running a boarding house in St Georges Road and, was too busy but my parents immediately said that they would look after her for a few weeks until a home could be found for the baby and to stop her being put in an orphanage. Cheryl arrived the very next morning and when I finished school at Clarendon House that day, I got off the bus at the Victoria Gardens and ran along the beach to our beach hut to see this baby. She was in a green pram that my mother had borrowed. She was so beautiful! My father’s first words when he saw her in her carrycot on our dining room table were “She will never leave us” and he was so right as when she was five years old we were allowed to adopt her. I was at college at the time and came home for the adoption on 17th March 1960 but was not allowed in the room at Pierremont Hall where the adoption hearing was held. When they came out Cheryl ran to give me a hug and said “Now I am really your sister” and she always has been!
Cheryl when she arrived at 12 Chaucer Road
Cheryl as I first saw her.
Cheryl in the garden at Chaucer Road 1957
They say that one door closes as another opened and how true that is. My Grandmother, Alice Maud, died the day before we adopted Cheryl. Before the adoption (which was free) Cheryl used to raid my father’s pockets and my mothers purse to collect the threepenny pieces to save up for her adoption.
My father had learned to drive when in the army so never took a driving test. He bought a Ford 8 (AFN 711) and kept it in a garage in the grounds of what is now 27a Grosvenor Road, Broadstairs, one house down from St Mildred’s School. The car was a luxury in those days and so was only used about once a week. My father often would take us down to Deal on a Sunday afternoon and, we would end up having tea at Lings cafe, which was opposite the Royal Hotel on Beach Street. If we went to see the Amphlett’s in Upton on Severn the drive would take all day and my father would get very worried about whether the car was powerful enough to get us up some of the Malvern Hills. The car had no boot but, the backrest of the back seat would lift up for bag storage. My father would prop it up with two pieces of wood and Hugh, Richard and I would then lie down and sleep on the back seat with our feet in the boot.
About 1955, I had flu rather badly and was off sick from school for about 3 weeks and, my mother was also very poorly but, of course she got up to look after me. Eventually it was realised that she had contracted polio from someone who worked with my father and this left her with one leg slightly thinner than the other. Fortunately things were not worse for her.
When I was 16 – in 1957 – we moved from number 12 to the flat above Blackburns. This was so exciting for me. The flat was so much larger than number 12. Hugh and Richard had a bedroom overlooking York Street, my parents had one behind them and Cheryl and I shared a large bedroom with a door out onto the roof garden. Our bedroom had one wall of fitted cupboards which in those days was a luxury. My parents bought a lot of new furniture and I remember we sat on the floor for a long time until the lounge suite arrived! My mother was not amused when her new bed arrived and, it was black!! As you can imagine, being married to a funeral director black was almost taboo in our house.
5 York Street,
The two lower windows were the lounge of our flat and the top left was the bedroom for the boys. The top right was the bathroom
On the roof garden of the flat at 5 York Street
About 1963 when Cheryl was ill in bed at the flat. The lamp was a 21st present to me from David Raven
My parents took us regularly to Holy Trinity Church and when my brothers were very young they joined the choir. They both had lovely voices. Hugh became head choirboy and Richard head soloist. As a result, at Christmas, a lot of the choir would come back to the flat after midnight mass and David Raven played the piano and the choir would sing. My mother always had made a sausage and onion pie and mince pies.
My father was made Church Warden so we always sat in the back left hand pew. I do remember going to midnight mass in 1959. I was at college and had invited Joy to stay with us for Christmas as she came from Barbados so would not be going home. As we were sitting at the back of the church we were the last two to take communion and as we walked back in the silence, one of us had a squeaking shoe so that by the time we reached the back of the church we were both so helpless with giggles that we had to go straight out of the door. I have never forgotten the look on my father’s face as we departed!
Edward Heath had lived in Broadstairs and he conducted the Broadstairs Carol Service each year. Both of my brothers would sing in it with Richard singing the solo of Once in Royal David’s City. They would go carol singing with them on Christmas Eve so that by the time they went to midnight mass they were often unwell (probably because of the drinks that they had all evening!!!) and had to keep leaving the church. Very often friends would return to the flat after midnight mass and David Raven would play the piano (sometimes with his labrador tied to the piano leg) and, we would sing carols (well I didn’t as I have never been able to sing in tune).
We lived in the flat from 1957 to January 1966. The entrance to the flat was from Buckingham Street. You walked up an alley way beside the Chapel of Rest, into a courtyard and up an iron staircase to the front door. Because it was a funeral directors ,the courtyard was where they laid the floral tributes so our garden was invariably full of colour.
I was invited out by a young man who did not know my father’s occupation. He came to the front door of the flat and rang the bell and before I could open the door, my father came up the alley way with a coffin on his shoulders. The chap who was taking me out was so shocked that we had to give him a large brandy and for some unknown reason he never asked me out again!
Another amusing story involved Hugh mending the puncture on his bicycle. He was doing so in the courtyard when it started to rain. Hugh just opened the door of the chapel, propped his bike up against a coffin and continued to mend his tyre. He was caught in there and told off in no uncertain terms!
Christmas dinner in the kitchen of the flat
Christmas in the lounge of the flat and it looks as if it is before we had a lounge suite!
We lived at the flat over Blackburns until early January 1966. My father then took a job at Gore Brothers in Margate and he bought a brand new house at 92 Pierremont Avenue and the family moved in there on the day that I went off for my supernumerary flight with BOAC so I missed the first night in the new home. I once scanned all the photos of my time with BOAC and posted them on flickr site where you are able to see them. Here is one of me in my uniform
BOAC 1965-1968
92 Pierremont Avenue -Where Teddy & Norman lived from 1966 to 1995
My parents bought a caravan and thoroughly enjoyed it. They kept it out at Chislet and would often go there just for a weekend. They would have Andrew and Helen to stay there with them sometimes and the children loved it. They adored my parents as both were so good with all children.
Norman at his caravan
Caravan at Chislet
We did not have many holidays when I was a child as money was so tight and living by the beach we had a great time every summer. However, we did go to Somerset camping with Chick, John and family in about 1950 and, again we went camping to Italy in 1958 when my father borrowed Alfred Amphlett’s dormobile. We visited the Italian family that Norman and Alfred had met during the war. Unfortunately as Cheryl was at that stage only being fostered, we did not have a passport for her, nor would we have been allowed to take her out of the country. She stayed with Wilf and Bertha at Headcorn. We bought her a lovely tricycle back and I remember the customs officer at Dover being so touched by the story of who it was for that he would not charge any import duty on it.
Camping trip to Savona and Venice 1958
Venice 1958
Another holiday that we had was when I was about 20 when we all went to Holywell Bay in Cornwall camping
Holywell Bay 1960
Holywell Bay 1960
In 1965 I joined BOAC as an air stewardess and one of the perks was to be allowed to take one relative a year on a flight for 10% of the air fare. I waited two years and then in October 1967 I took my parents to San Fransisco for a few days where we stayed with my friend Joy. Then we flew back to New York to stay with Norman’s brother, Alfred, with my leaving them there to fly home and back to work. They were then going onto Bermuda for a few days and then to Barbados. In those days all one was allowed to take out of the country was £30 each but fortunately I was able to leave them some money with my Joy in San Fransisco. Whilst we were crossing the Atlantic ocean they devalued the pound so we must have been flying on 18th November 1967.
It was my parents very first time in an aircraft and my mother was very nervous and my father extremely excited. At Heathrow airport I bumped into a stewardess that I had trained with, who proceeded to tell us the story of how she had just flown into Trinidad on GAPFH (all aircraft have their own registration numbers) and the landing gear would not come down into position so, they had to circle the runway with someone standing underneath with binoculars to see if it was down. My parents faces were quite a study by this time.
At Heathrow airport about to take their first flight ever
All went well though, but as we boarded I realised that we were on the same aircraft. They enjoyed the flight and as we were about to go down into New York, en route for San Fransisco, I explained that the loud noise they were about to hear was just the undercarriage coming down and nothing to be worried about. They were fine but I was as white as a sheet when we got off the aircraft and I went straight into a bar. They did not know that the undercarriage had gone up and down five times as the pilots tried to get it to lock into position. It later turned out to be a faulty light!
With Joy in Palo Alto
With Joy’s husband Henk at the Pacific Ocean, California
On top of the Empire State building
At Alfred Mockett’s house in Newark
By pure chance, I was rostered to arrive in Bermuda the day that they did and actually fly them to Barbados. As the plane was full I could not manage to have them upgraded to first class but did supply them with free drinks for the flight. I can tell you that my father flowed down the aircraft steps into Barbados. There they met up with Joy’s parents, Arthur and Katherine Newsam.
I carried on down to South America and on my way back we were stopping in transit in Barbados when the aircraft broke down so, we were forced to spend the night at the Barbados Hilton. I met up with my parents for dinner and my father kept saying how he had gone on his second honeymoon only to have his daughter tag along!
This trip gave them a love of travel and encouraged them to go on more holidays abroad and also on cruises. One holiday they took was with Bunty and Alfred as seen in this photo.
In the Canary Islands with Bunty and Alfred about 1980
My father did well at Gore Brothers and became a partner there, working there until he retired in the early 1980’s. By that time my mother was beginning to lose her memory having been poorly since about 1970 with Parkinsons and slowly getting worse. Towards the end, my father found it difficult to cope with her and, then he was found to be ill with bowel cancer rather soon after retiring . He developed secondaries in the brain and died at home at Pierremont Avenue on June 2nd 1985.
We found it almost impossible to look after my mother ourselves as we all had young families and she always made it clear that she did not want to live with us. So she moved into the Nathaniel Carter Nursing Home in Dumpton Park Drive, where she was very well looked after and I could take her out for a walk etc. as often as I wanted to. She stayed there until her death on August 14th 1989 (on Nicholas’ birthday).
WW2 broke out just five months after Norman and Teddy married. My father signed up for the army at Herne Bay in 1940, and went away when Teddy was 3 months pregnant with me in early 1941. Because my father could picture where we were living, my mother refused to be evacuated, so we were at 12 Chaucer Road, Broadstairs – in bomb alley- all during the war.
I do remember going down to the cellar during a raid and the horrible smell of the gas masks but that maybe from after the war when we would play around with them. I rather think that is what causes my hatred of masks on my face now. The other thing that I remember from the war was my first banana. We did not have them at all and at the age of five the first banana was revolting and everyone had told me it was so delicious!
Viking Bay was sealed off with barbed wire in case of an invasion and I have a lovely photograph of me with Teddy at the top of the cliffs, and you can clearly see the barbed wire on the beach
About 1943. You can see the barbed wire on the beach
They did leave about 100 yards clear of barbed wire near the pier so that people could go on the sand and have a paddle but as we could not use the beach my mother often used to take me into Pierremont Park
In Pierremont Park 1942
Pierremont park about 1943
Norman signed up at Herne Bay which was when he met Alfred Amphlett, and they were together for most of the war. They were posted to Egypt, when Alfred and Norman spent five years in the desert in Egypt and towards the end of the war coming back through Italy.
Teddy was three months pregnant with me when he was posted abroad and I was 4 1/2 when he came home again so I remember seeing him for the first time in my life. Teddy refused to be evacuated as she said that Norman could picture the house and where we were living. She gave birth to me in the front bedroom of 12 Chaucer Road, after being in labour for a week. The story goes that Dad knew she was in labour as he had such tummy trouble and knowing how much they were in love, I can believe it. I understand that Jean came down to look after her bringing Marion aged 2.
Teddy told me that while in labour with me, she would walk up and down the alley behind the house, even when the bombs were dropping. The closest bombs fell on Wellesley House and the Yarrow Home (now the Technical College) so they were pretty close.
Norman never talked much about his time in the war, but he and Alfie were together for most of the time, until Alfred was posted to Tunisia when he obviously asked Norman to write to his parents and let them know where he was going and why he might not be able to write to them for some time.
In January 2006, when I was on a three month world trip, I was sitting in an internet cafe in Cambodia, when I received an email from my cousin Mary saying that she had found a letter that Norman had written to her Grandparents in 1942 from the desert, and attaching a copy of it for me. I have to confess to having tears pouring down my face as I read it 63 years later! I had not realised the deep faith my father had and I am enclosing a copy of the letter for you to read
Dad’s letter to the Amphlett’s page 1 &; 3
Page 2
Norman was Mentioned in Despatch, but never told us what he had done to deserve it. Mary tells me that her father said that he had managed to disarm a man who was running amok with his rifle, but I have no proof of this.
I have a copy of the form with his award and it says:
Extract from the Supplement to the London Gazette of Tuesday the 22nd June 1943′
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentions in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period 1st May 1942 to 22nd October 1942
S/179578 W.O.11. S.Q.M.S. H.N.MOCKETT
Mention in Despatch
Norman’s service record
My mother told me that Norman would not become an officer because it would mean he would not be able to send as much money back to her in Broadstairs – I am not sure why that would be. He had been asked to take a commission but I gather he turned it down.
My brother, Hugh, has Norman’s medals and has given me this photo of them all
The medals are from the left, 39-45 Star, The Africa Star, The Italy Star, The Defence Medal UK,The War Medal 39-45 UK with Oak Leaf, The Oak Leaf is because he was mentioned in despatches.
Norman & Teddy started “courting,” and it was a long time later that he plucked up the courage to kiss her goodnight, which he did, in the shelter at the bottom of Park Road at Stone Bay, and Teddy fainted!!! Anyway it obviously did not put her or Norman off, as they were married after a five year courtship on April 1st 1939 at Holy Trinity Broadstairs, ten days before Teddy’s 21st birthday.
They adored each other and had a special whistle to attract each others attention and Teddy called Norman Midder which I always thought stemmed from Mister but am not too sure.
They married at Holy Trinity Church, because Teddy was living up the road at 4 Crow Hill, in what I believe was nursing accommodation. They rented number 12 Chaucer Road, Broadstairs to live in and were there until 1957, before moving to the flat at 5 York Street above Blackburns, where Norman was working.
12 Chaucer Road the house where Hugh, Richard and myself were born and Cheryl arrived at the age of 5 weeks
Norman and Teddy rented 12 Chaucer Road for many years, until finally being able to buy the house for £400. When they moved to the flat they kept on number 12 and rented it out to holiday makers. They then purchased 23 Chaucer Road to rent out for holiday lets. I can’t remember the order of sale and purchase, but over the years they bought a house in Belmont road which was 3 flats, another house in Dundonald Road, and then a house in Chandos Road which was also 3 flats. This was the way that they finally made some money, as the only money that they were left was from Norman’s parents who left £700 to each of the 7 sons when they died in 1949, and Norman bought us a car – a Ford 8 reg AFN711 – and later a television. We rented a TV for the funeral of King George V1, but had our own by the time of the Coronation in 1953 and were some of the first people to have one. I remember a lot of neighbours coming in to watch with us.
12 Chaucer Road was a very small house, having three bedrooms upstairs and a small lounge, dining room and kitchen downstairs. Originally it had just a toilet upstairs, but when I was aged about 9, my parents took part of the back bedroom in order to extend the toilet and to put in a bath. This was the first bathroom for us, as before that we had a metal bath that was carried into the dining room and filled by kettle or saucepan with hot water. We all then had a bath – one after the other – usually at a weekend. It was such a performance that bathing was a once a week job. I understand that this is where the saying “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water” came from as baby was always last to be bathed, and if you were a coal miner then the water would be black for the baby! I remember having such lovely Saturday evenings, as we would have a bath first and then watch television together and my parents usually gave us each an orange to eat. To watch the television, we always sat in the dark.
We had an outside toilet in the small back garden, or yard really, because it was all concrete and had no flower beds. There was some privet hedging in the garden and to this day, the smell of privet takes me straight back to my childhood. There was an alleyway behind the house.
I believe that Chaucer Road and the other roads (all terraced houses), were built to accommodate people who worked on the railways back in 1863.
We had gas lighting for many years and I can remember the excitement when electricity was supplied, and you could turn the light on just by flicking a switch. We had very few electric sockets fitted – perhaps one in the lounge and one in the dining room.
War broke out only five months after Norman and Teddy were married. Norman joined the fire brigade – I imagine it was only part time as he was still working for Daniels Estate Agents in the High Street, Broadstairs. Here are a couple of lovely photos of him in his fire brigade uniform:
Broadstairs Fire Brigade, Norman on the left
Broadstairs Fire Brigade – Norman in the centre
However, Norman joined the army in late 1940, signing up at Herne Bay and on that day he met Alfred Amphlett, who was later to marry Teddy’s sister, Bunty, and they became lifelong friends and spent most of the war together. Aunty Bunty had been engaged to marry someone who was killed at Dunkirk, so my parents suggested that she write to Alfred while he was in the desert. Bunty and Alfred married when Alfred returned to England at the end of the war. Norman was his best man at the wedding.
Norman was posted to Kilmarnock, for training purposes I believe, and Teddy went there with him until such time as he was posted overseas. He went overseas when Teddy was three months pregnant with me and did not return for 5 years.
Norman & Teddy in Kilmarnock. Teddy pregnant with Judith 1941
Photos of Norman and Teddy in their courting years
Teddy was born Edna Josephine Millar, on April 10th 1918, at 3 Cromac Street, Belfast, Ireland to Alice Maud Millar nee James and Alexander Smith Millar. Teddy was the second of the four sisters – her elder sister being Jean, who had been born in Dublin on 6th February 1917. Alice had earlier given birth to a daughter, called Joan (who had red hair and died as a baby), and twin girls who also died. I have lately had a photo of Alexander’s father sent to me and that is obviously where the red hair came from and probably why her father was nicknamed Sandy.
I have also managed to find that Joan was born in Hendon, and named Joan M James, who died shortly after birth in 1915 in Chapel en le Frith, Derbyshire, but I have not been able to find any proof of the twin girls, so I assume that they were still born.
Alice and Alexander, went on to have two more daughters after my mother, Nora Courtney, who was always known as Bunty, was born on August 1919 also at 3 Cromac Street, Belfast, and then Vera (known as Chick), who was born on 1st February 1923 at 20 Daniel Place, Hendon
Cromac Street, Belfast taken in early 1900’s so I imagine it would have been very much like this when Teddy was born there.
Jean was the only daughter to not have a nickname, and when she married, she married someone with the same surname. She simply changed the a in Millar to an e. Teddy, Bunty and Chick all married someone whose surname ended in ett, with Mockett, Amphlett and Brett and I continued the tradition by changing my surname to Bennett!
We always thought my mother’s birthday was on the 10th April but there was some confusion over the actual date as Mum said that they had celebrated it on the 8th having got in a muddle with that of her sister, Bunty. However her birth certificate says it was on 11th that she was born, and her baptism certificate says 10th.
St Annes Church where Teddy and Bunty were baptised together on 19th December 1919
We believe that Alexander and Alice went to Ireland having gone through some sort of marriage. I have never been able to prove the marriage definitely. The only entry I have found is for an Alice M Janes to A Millar in the second quarter of 1915 in Bristol, which could possibly be them. The first daughter, Joan, was born out of wedlock and I have to wonder if that is perhaps the reason that they went to Ireland, as a baby out of wedlock was very definitely considered a disgrace and Alexander appears to have been a Catholic. I have not been able to find any proof of the Irish stay, apart from the baptism certificates of Jean, Teddy and Bunty.
On Teddy’s baptism certificate, Alexander is described as a musical instrument maker and also a musician, but on Jean’s certificate he is a cinema worker in Dublin. I do remember that my mother said that he played the piano in the silent movies. I am not exactly sure when the family returned to England, but it must have been about 1921, as Chick was born in Hendon in 1923, & Alexander is working as a musician in an orchestra, according to her birth certificate. I gather from notes from Bunty, that they came back to England due to the Troubles in northern Ireland.
Below is a photo of the three older girls at the front gate of their home in Hendon, with Chick in her pram.
20 DANIEL PLACE, HENDON WITH TEDDY, BUNTY & JEAN WITH CHICK IN THE PRAM ABOUT 1923
Mary, Elizabeth & Gemma Amphlett outside no 10 Daniel Place.
20 DANIEL PLACE WHEN IT WAS UP FOR SALE IN 2012
I believe that they lived in Hendon until Teddy was aged about 15. She always recalled a happy childhood and told of how her father played musical instruments, including the zylophone and drums. We believe that his interest in music started through his father, who owned a pawnbrokers in Aberdeen and would have instruments in the shop. I gather that Alexander would repair the instruments and taught himself to play them. Teddy told me how the four sisters would all put on plays and musicals of their own in their garden.
The family often seemed to come to Broadstairs for a holiday, from the photos of Teddy etc here. I believe that her Aunty Flo had a home here for a while as well as her Aunty Nan, who ran a hotel in Chandos Square and then later in Pierremont Avenue (called the Rothsay).
Here are a couple of photos of them as a family, believed to be taken in Brighton.
JEAN, CHICK AND UNKNOWN MAN ALICE & ALEXANDER BUNTY & TEDDY
POSSIBLY FLO, WITH TEDDY, ALICE, ALEXANDER AND BUNTY
Teddy lived in Hendon until about 1933, when she was aged 15. That was when her parents separated. I gather from Aunty Jean, via Marion, that Grandfather just arrived at the house with a handcart, to remove all his belongings leaving a distraught wife and four daughters.
Alice Maud always believed that they were married, so they had obviously gone through some ceremony together after Joan was born, as Joan’s surname was James. However, Alexander was already married, & I have found his first marriage to Margaret Chapman Clark Davidson in 1904 in Aberdeen. She is also mentioned on his entry into the Army as being his wife. I gather from Jean that Alice Maud found out that she was not officially married to Alexander when she applied to receive his army pension to help support her and the girls after he left her, only to be told that it was already being paid to his first wife. This caused Alice to have a breakdown and also to hit the bottle rather hard.
Alexander left Alice to live with a Winifred King, who was a dancer in the chorus at the London Palladium, where Alexander was playing in the orchestra. They had a son Terence born in 1935 but they were not married until 1941. I have not been able to find out if Maggie Millar ( his first wife) was still alive at that time or even if he had divorced her, although I think that the latter was unlikely as he was a Catholic. I would love to know if she had died by 1941 or if he was committing bigamy again!
Alice Maud had two sisters, Ann (known as Nan) and Florence (known as Flo) and two brothers, George and Charles. Nan Rayner lived in Chandos Square, and later in Pierremont Avenue in Broadstairs, running a hotel called Rothsay there and she used to give Alice Maud employment from what I can gather. She was instrumental in getting Teddy a place at the Victoria Home – now Stone Bay School – as a children’s nurse, when she was aged 16. The very first day that Teddy arrived in Broadstairs, the Matron told another nurse to take Teddy out and show her around the town, (not really necessary as she had been coming to Broadstairs since she was young for her holidays).
Teddy worked at the Victoria Home for some years, and later was employed at a hospital in Maidstone. She told me once that she had a boyfriend when she was working at Maidstone, simply because he had a motorbike. Apparently, he would give her a lift to Broadstairs on it for her to see Norman! I love this photo of my mother, when she must have been working at Maidstone.
NURSE TEDDY ABOUT 1938
In 2022 I went on a cruise around the British Isles and we stopped at Belfast. It was my first time there but as it was a Sunday, most places were shut. My friend and I decided to go to an indoor market and walking there we stopped at traffic lights and I noticed that it was Cromac Street where Teddy was born. It was now a large, commercial and busy road. No longer the little road of terraced houses that it was when Teddy was born in 1918. At the market, I was able to find that the church where she and Bunty were baptized was not far away so I walked there. It in fact is St Annes, which is Belfast cathedral and I was able to take photos of the church and font.
Norman was the ninth and last son. The sons were Horace, Harold, Bertie William, (who died at the age of 2), Walter Richard (who died two months after joining the navy in WW1 at the age of 16), Leslie, Frank, Alfred, Wilfred and lastly Norman.
The Mockett family taken in 1919
Back Row, Harold, Horace, Leslie. Seated: Alfred, Alice, Frank, George, Wilfred and Norman sat in the front, aged about 6.
His elder brothers had already left home, and were in the navy by the time my father was born, so he did not know them well growing up. He was always close to Alfred and Wilfred – they being closest in age to him. Being the last child, he was rather fussed over by his mother, so I was told, and she even turned his socks in the right way for him to wear!
His father was a builder in Deal. I think that Norman had a pretty happy childhood and went to school at Dover Grammar (which is now the girls school building). His brother, Alfred, also went to Dover Grammar & was there at the same time as Athol Voizey – Jeremy’s father. I understand from my cousin Kathie, that her father won a scholarship to the school, but do not know if my father did so. I imagine he might well have done so, as his parents were not well off in those years, and so would have had trouble finding the school fees.
I don’t know a great deal of his childhood, but his brother, Alfred, told Hugh that he was pretty ill at one stage having cut his leg badly on barbed wire. Apparently Norman was about 8 years old and went into a farmers field with Alfred and Wilfred. (I imagine that they were scrumping apples!). The farmer caught and chased them and as Norman was much younger than his brothers, he was left behind by them. He caught his leg on the barbed wire fence in trying to get out. This was in the days before penicillin, and so he was off school for a year. He was lucky to have survived!
Dad always used to tell us that when he was young he did not have toys, only a wooden train engine. How times have changed for the children of today.
When he started working he was offered a job in Broadstairs, working for Daniels, an estate agents which I always thought was along from Pierremont Hall but having just found it on the internet, appears to have been in Station Approach Road, I believe that Norman lived in digs in Broadstairs during the week. He appears to have returned home to Deal on a Saturday evening, and gone back to Broadstairs in time for work on Monday morning. He seemed to enjoy this work. His brother, Alfred, had emigrated to America at this stage and from a letter that Norman wrote to him, Norman was at one stage thinking of going to join him there.
However, before Norman could go to America, he met Teddy when she first came to work in Broadstairs, which must have been about 1935.
From letters written to Alfred, I have found out much more about my father’s life as a young man. The one thing that shocked me was to read that in the summer of 1933, when Norman was aged just 20, the Doctor gave him just 48 hours to live. He was thought to have a brain haemorrhage and Florence was advised to get people in to say goodbye to him. From Kathie, I have also learned that the Doctor – Alfred Mason – was born in 1877 so would have been aged 56 when Norman was so ill, and was a surgeon who lived at The Limes, 6 Broad Street, Deal. According to Kathie, this was pretty close to where they were living. but I am unable to find a Park Lane now in Deal. There is a Park Avenue and a Park Road. I was unable to find a Park Lane in Deal until a second cousin, Judith Davies, who lives in Deal was able to find it for me in old maps. It is now called Beechwood Avenue. I believe that the house that our Grandparents lived in and also built another beside it, has been demolished.
When I told Cheryl that Norman had been given just 48 hours to live, she said to me “Thank goodness he pulled through or none of us would be here, and what would she (Cheryl) have done?” How true!
Norman was obviously enjoying his work at Daniels and he often wrote to Alfred and some of the letters which begin in 1929 when he was still only 16 and at school, give some idea of his life then. I have put them all in a separate post.
It appears he was taken ill just after Whitsunday that year, which I have looked up and found was on June 3rd. Dad wrote to Alf on 23rd June, and then Florence wrote about him on 25th August telling more about it. Norman’s letter tells us about his sailing exploits with two friends, Bert Fielder, who was best man at Dad’s wedding, and a Ted Goodburn and they seem to have had an extremely energetic weekend. I wonder if that was the cause of his illness, as the Doctor said he had a brain haemorrhage, and in October he was still having headaches.
Norman’s parents moved to Broadstairs to be near him & Wilfred on 29th December 1934 (and also because there was so little work in Deal due to the Depression). Both Norman and Wilfred moved into Inglewood with them. According to Kelly’s directory his father continued to work as a builder here. Norman’s brother, Leslie, who was married and was living in Deal at the time of his son, Peter’s, birth in Deal in 1929, also eventually moved to Broadstairs and lived in Howard Road, just behind Chaucer Road where I was born. Leslie was a painter and decorator.
George William bought Inglewood, in Vale Road, across the road from the Police Station and Haddon Dene school. It would seem from the letters, that Norman was instrumental in finding the house for them, as he was working at an estate agents. The asking price had been £800 and they purchased it for £650. Today in January 2022, Hugh has just told me that it is up for sale for £700.000.
INGLEWOOD, VALE ROAD, BROADSTAIRS
He and Florence lived there until their deaths from flu in March 1949 – two weeks apart. I do remember my parents going to the funerals as at the time Hugh, Richard and I were ill in bed with mumps. My parents had a put-u-up in the dining room, and we were all in that bed together.
From the letters that Florence wrote to Alfred, it appears that Norman had a busy social life and went to clubs – not the night clubs of today – but to Toc H which was opposite St Peters Church for many years.
Norman met Teddy on her first evening working in Broadstairs, and five years later they married on April 1st 1939 – just 5 months before WW2 was declared.
William and Elizabeth had eleven children that I have been able to trace.
