Our Roots by Mark Jermyn

Our Roots A Family History

Margaret Ridolfo 1

Margaret aged 3 in 1941

...and aged 72 in 2011

Acknowledgments This record could not have been completed without the help of my brother John who spent many hours researching the family history. Also to my dear husband Tony for his patience and assistance with the photographs. To grandson Mark for his computer and graphics expertise.

Our Roots This is a record of the Wooler/ Foxwell/ Ridolfo family written by me, Margaret Ridolfo/nee Wooler. I hope that the information will be of interest to our children, grandchildren and future generations. So far as I know the dates and information are factual; inevitably there are gaps but I hope to show that our ancestry is of historical and social interest. The Wooler Dynasty Sometime in the 1990s my brother John sent copies of his research into the family history. He knew I was interested and I welcomed the detailed information he sent. John had spent many years doing his research which involved joining several history societies and other organisations. This has resulted in the discovery of our ancestry going back to circa 1560. My parents were John Wooler and Marion Irene Foxwell. They married in 1935. The Foxwell line is that which goes back to 1560 but the Wooler line has been much more difficult to research. As John has done such a lot of work already going back to 1560, I am intending to start my story with my Great Grandfather Samuel Wooler. Samuel was born in Douglas, Isle of Man about 1860 and married Annie Smith on the 24th June 1883. At the time of the marriage Samuel was an Engineer. Samuel and Annie had a son Harry Douglas Wooler, my grandfather, who was born in 1887 and the next year, 1888 Annie Wooler died at the age of 27. She was buried in the grave plot with her adopted parents Catherine and William Fargher in the Old Braddan Church cemetery IOM. 6

Braddan Braddan is an elongated parish in the sheading of Middle in the Isle of Man, stretching from the parishes of Michael and Lezayre in the north, bordering on the parishes of German, Marown and Onchan in the middle and bordering on Santon in the south.

The mother church of Douglas set in a beautiful wooded valley by the River Dhoo. The churchyard is full of Georgian head-stones and dominated by an obelisk designed by Steuart to Lord Henry Murray.

Brother John also discovered a link with the Wooler ancestors and Bradford, Yorkshire. It would appear that the original Woolers came from the North of England near the Scottish Borders and had, in their line of decent reached a stage where the last owner of all the lands and estates was an unmarried woman a Miss Wooler. There being no heirs to inherit the properties, she married a gentleman of the Fairfax family who changed his name to Wooler by deed poll. This is probably the Fairfax family who were the famous associates to Oliver Cromwell!! circa 1670 In 1790 a lady named Elizabeth Wooler married Edmund Tempest. The Tempest family originated as Tong near Bradford. In the 14th century John- de-Tong of Cowling Manor and the subsequent Tempest family were lords of the manor until 1933 when it was acquired by the Duke of Devonshire. Records also show a Margaret Wooler being a witness at the marriage of Charlotte Bronte. Charlotte went to the same school as Margaret Wooler at Roe Head and in 1853 Charlotte stayed with Margaret at Hornsea. So back to my grandfather Harry Douglas Wooler. It is not clear when he came from the Isle of Man to England but on 30th July 1906, aged 19, Harry joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Leading Seaman. The Naval record shows that he was 5ft.4ins tall, chest 35Â˝ins, dark complexion and brown eyes. He had a blue tattoo on his right arm and a steamship tattooed on his left arm. So Harry was a small man with brown eyes, a trait that has continued down through the generations. In 1909 Harry was living in London and married Beatrice Stolber that year. His home address was given as Guinness Buildings, Glasshouse Street, Vauxhall, London. They had a son, Harry, born 6th November 1909 and on 4th August 1912 Beatrice and Harry had twin boys John and Frederick William; my father 8

and uncle; and 2 years later on 22nd April 1914 they had a daughter, Alice May/or Mary. On the 16th October 1914,the year the First World War ( known as the Great War) broke out, grandfather, Harry was called up to service in the Royal Navy. He served on HMS.Brilliant, HMS Pembroke, HMS Pekin and HMS Orcades. On 14th April 1916, aged 29 years, Harry was killed when his ship HMS Orcades, a converted fishing boat and now a minesweeper struck a mine and was sunk. He is buried in Lambeth cemetery, Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17.

This is a picture of the war memorial in the cemetery. There are 217 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war and 145 of the 1939-1945 war here. 9

Poor Beatrice was now a widow with a son Harry, aged 7, twin boys aged nearly 4, and a daughter, Alice May, aged just 2 years. My father’s birth certificate gives the place of birth as 3 Gregory Road, Custom House which is an area in the Borough of Newham. It is named after the Custom House of the original Royal Victoria Dock, a very important Docks area for London. This area used to be called West Ham and is where the West Ham football club originated. It is not clear how long the family resided in Custom House but by 1918 things changed considerably. Beatrice was now living at 11 Townley Street, East Lane, Walworth, London and for some reason, maybe because of her mental state, arranged for the twin boys John and Frederick to be admitted to the Port of Hull Society’s Sailors’ Orphan Homes. They were admitted on 18th November 1918, aged 6 ½ years. The Port of Hull archives were very helpful and I received copies of the papers Beatrice had to complete for dad’s admission (See following pages). I was not able to have the papers for twin brother Fred, but assume the same applied to him. The Sailors’ Orphanage was founded in 1837, financed by benefactors and endowments, for fatherless children whose father had served in the Navy. In 1893, because of the great demand for places, the Home known as Newlands was created in the form of 12 cottages. As far as I can gather the regime was very strict and dad used to talk of “being thrown in the coal hole” if you were naughty. He seems to have also become interested in early wireless processes and spoke of creating a crystal wireless set, shinning up a tree or pole and getting a signal. Dad stayed at the Orphanage until 9th October 1928 when he was discharged aged 16, into the care of a Colonel Walker, 10

to be employed as “Houseboy”. The story becomes rather vague at this point and questions arise. Did Uncle Fred also leave at this age or earlier? Did both boys go in the Navy? In later years dad’s health was always quite frail with many chest problems. Maybe he was not fit enough to go into the Service; I have not been able to find any mention of him serving in the Navy, although mention of his brother’s service in the Merchant Navy is available.

Dad standing, and Uncle Fred sitting. circa 1925 11

Going back to 1920 the records show that Beatrice had another daughter Ethel I. Wooler born mid- 1920, registered in Camberwell. Since Harry, Beatrice’s husband had been killed in 1916 it is obvious that Ethel was not his. It might be assumed therefore that Beatrice had Ethel by her soon to be second husband Walter L. Hayton, but to avoid the stigma of an illegitimate child named her “Wooler”. Beatrice and Walter were married in 1921 in the registration district of Paddington, probably in the registry office. In 1925 Beatrice and Walter had another child Reginald L.Hayton, registered in Lambeth. I have no knowledge of these relatives and do not know what happened to them. This is particularly relevant as on November 17th 1926 Beatrice was admitted, by Mental Health Order, to Cane Hill Asylum. The London Metropolitan Archivists did a thorough search for me and sent copies of admission papers and case notes. In summary it seems that Beatrice was in very poor physical health and she had delusions and “mental exaltation”, later the symptoms seemed to indicate what nowadays would be described as Schizophrenia. In 1933 Beatrice was transferred to the Leavesden Mental Hospital, Abbots Langley, Watford, Hertfordshire. She lived there until her death aged 64, in 1954. What happened to the children? Leavesden would have been typical of most Victorian asylums. They were like small villages, complete with workshops, laundry, possibly a farm; people tended to stay for many years and went to work in the grounds in one capacity or another. The idea of rehabilitation was very remote and hardly ever considered. The terribly sad thing about this is that, I, and probably none of my siblings were aware of Beatrice’s history. I was 16 years old in 1954 and did not know I had a paternal grandmother still alive.

Beatriceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, death certificate

Father told us her name, gave the impression that she was of German extraction, and had always given the impression that she had died when he was a boy. I can only conclude that there is a lot about my father’s boyhood and young life and that of his brothers and sisters that remains a mystery and it is unlikely, or at least very difficult, to trace them all these years later. I do know that, after carrying out all this research, the stories my dad used to relate were probably just that, stories. He used to tell stories of daring – dos when he was abroad etc. but there is nothing to say he was ever in the Navy. It seems fairly certain that his health was much frailer than that of his brother Fred. Maybe he would never have passed the medical exams. Perhaps this is why he was discharged from the Orphanage into the care of Col. Walker, as “Houseboy”. It also seems likely that Dad was somewhat bitter about being placed in an orphanage; maybe he could never bring himself to forgive his mother for putting him away and that is why he never spoke of her and made up stories that he thought would be more acceptable. Also was this why he became estranged from his brother? Anyway it is unlikely that any true facts will be revealed after all.

This is Leavesden Institution where Beatrice lived from 1933-1954. Now demolished the land is a park. 18

The newspaper cutting tells of a sea rescue which dad happened to see on T.V. The family met Uncle Fred who visited Paignton, but the rift did not seem to have been mended. This brings me to 1935 when I can confirm that John Wooler married Marion Irene Foxwell my parents, in Torquay. 19

The Foxwell Dynasty Once again my thanks go to my brother John for his extensive research into the Foxwell and Bell ancestors. John discovered that our “Foxwell” ancestors came from Otterford, a small hamlet in the district of Otterford, Taunton, Somerset. William Foxwell born 1718 is the earliest recorded ancestor. Move forwards to the year 1815 when James Foxwell was born. He married Mary Searle in West Monkton parish church in 1827. James and Mary’s third child was Henry, born 1842 and he was my Great Grandfather. It would appear that Henry started his working life on a farm but left to join the Royal Marine Artillery where he rose to the rank of Sergeant. Henry was stationed at Portsmouth at the time and then he met and married Helen Aris born 1852 and who also came from the Taunton area; Sharford, a parish of Taunton and about 3 miles from Hawks Moor, in 1871. Henry and Helen Foxwell had two sons and a daughter Harry James Arthur Foxwell born 25th Sept. 1872 at Portsea, Portsmouth; my grandfather. His brother was William and his sister Helen. Harry served for many years as sailor in the Royal Navy and was discharged sometime before 1911. He was subsequently called up for service in the First World War in 1914. This time Harry served as a medic in the Royal Army Medical Corps. Harry had married Annie Bell, born 1872, in Devonport, Plymouth in 1902. They had 6 children Dorothy, Edna, Victor, Leslie, John (who died when an infant), and Marion Irene. Marion was my mother. They lived in Devonport and the 1911 census show them as newsagents in Ker Street Devonport. There were also relatives who lived at Tamerton Foliot on the outskirts of Plymouth. Mother spoke fondly of playing 20

in the orchard at Tamerton and also helping her mother with the newspapers at the shop, when she was a child. After the war Harry and Annie moved to Torquay and Harry worked as a driver of a horse drawn cab, possibly for his father-in-law who had his own cabbie business.

The Bell Family Brother John has traced the Bell ancestors back to 1560 when Judith Tucker was born in North Petherton, Somerset. Judith had a daughter Agnate in 1580, who in turn had a son Richard born 1604. Richard married Mary Robins and they had a daughter, Edith, who eventually married John Speede in 1666. All these generations lived in North Petherton. Elizabeth Speede was born to Edith and John in 1670. Around about 1691/2 Ffrancis Bell arrived on the scene. He was born in Scotland circa 1650. It is not known why Ffrancis came to North Petherton but he seems to have settled there and married Elizabeth Speede in 1692. And so the surname “Bell” came to North Petherton. Elizabeth and Ffrancis went on to have 5 children, the 3rd of which was Robert Bell born 1697, and it is Robert from who I am directly descended. (5 generations distant). North Petherton has an interesting history. There are links with Alfred the Great who is said to have “burnt the cakes” while taking refuge from the Vikings in 878 at nearby Athelney. North Petherton is mentioned in the Domesday Book as Norperet 1086 (meaning the North enclosure of the river Parret). King John went hunting in North Petherton Forest, staying at Bridgwater Castle in the 1200s. Also under King Richard 11, the great English poet Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) was appointed Clerk of the Kings Works and his last official post was as deputy forester of the royal forest of North Petherton.

Old Fore Street, North Petherton

Present day Fore Street

Move on to 1872 and Annie Bell, my grandmother was born. Her parents were James Spillar Bell and Sarah Bell. James was born in North Tawton, Devon. This is an old town lying about 6 miles from Okehampton. Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 the settlement goes way back before then and was occupied by the Romans. There is evidence of early settlement in the church yard of St. Peter’s. The river Taw runs to the west of the town and the name is probably derived from a “farmstead or village on the River Taw”.“Ton”, being the old English for “Town” and Taw, the river, hence Tawton. After their marriage James and Sarah lived in North Newton, Somerset and they had two children Elizabeth and Suzanna born in Wellington, Somerset; but at some point around 1863 they moved to Torquay as this is where they had 2 sons, James and Emanuel then my grandmother Annie was born in 1872, followed by Ernest, Ellen and Maude. So there were 8 children in all.

I recall mother speaking about her aunts who, apparently, were quite austere and I have an image of very straightlaced women dressed all in black. Grannie Annie was also quite a strict lady, staunch Baptist and quite the matriarch despite being only about 4ft.10.ins tall. Mother and her sister Edna on the other hand were fun-loving modern girls.

Aunt Edna with mother on the left 26

As already mentioned under the” Foxwell” section, above, Grand-dad Harry and Grandmother Annie had 5 children by the time the 1911 census was taken and then mother, Marion Irene came along in 1912,all born in Devonport, Devon. I think it is safe to assume they remained in Devonport at least until the end of the First World War and later, date not known, moved to Torquay. In 1931 my mother had a child. The birth record gives his name as Alexander Douglas Foxwell White. The last name “White” it can be reasonably assumed was the surname of the father and included for decency’s sake. This is my elder brother who has always been known as Alec. It was many years later that I learned of this and it seems for Alec’s first 4 years he was virtually brought up as a member of my Aunt Dorothy’s family. The story becomes rather vague at this point. Presumably mother met father at some point between 1931 and 1934 as this is the year my brother Roger was born, and they married in 1935. For as long as I have ever known Alec was called “Wooler”, did dad adopt him? Or did they just change his surname? All I know is Alec was always the big brother and, as I say, throughout my early years, it was assumed his natural father was my dad.

The Wooler/Ridolfo dynasty I was born on 1st November 1938 in Paignton, registration district of Totnes. My earliest memories are of living behind and above the shop at 320 Torquay Road, Preston, Paignton. We were mum, dad Alec, Roger and me and then when I was 22months old along came the twins Pauline and Christine in 1940. John arrived in May 1943 and 15 months later in August 1944 Janet came along. So that made 8 of us in a tiny 2 bedroom flat. We had a sitting room but no bathroom; there was a toilet and kitchen behind the shop. This led out to a narrow yard which opened up to the back lane.

320 Torquay Road, Preston, Paignton, as it is today. 28

Our maternal grandparents, Annie and Harry Foxwell together with Aunt Dorothy and Uncle George lived just across the road at 2 Headland Park Road. They had a large, 4 bedroom house which was very modern for the time; bathroom and separate toilet upstairs, and an inside toilet downstairs. Dorothy and George had two sons Francis and Ivor who were great pals with Alec.

2 Headland Park Road, Preston, Paignton, as it is today. 29

Uncle George served in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War, and fortunately, came home unscathed. Mother’s other sister Edna lived in Paignton and had a relationship with “uncle” Reg Andrews, whom she later married. Mother’s brother Leslie and his wife Eva had three children, George, Pamela and Heather. They also lived just up the road in a large upstairs flat. Uncle Les was called up to the Army for the War so was away a lot. Aunt Eva was a great help to us because she also had a bathroom and we children were taken there each Friday to have a bath and wash hair. Only one bath a week in those days!! The evening was usually rounded off with a special treat, fish and chips from the local chippy. So you see all our significant relatives lived very close and consequently everyone helped each other out. Mother, in particular, relied on this help as she always seemed to be either having a baby or just had one, plus her housewifery skills were very limited. The other significant people for me when I was very small were gran’s next door neighbours Arthur and Gertrude Toms (nickname Gertie). He was related by marriage to Reg Andrews (Arthur’s sister was Reg’s first wife and had died some years before the war). It seems that when mother had the twins and I was not yet 2 years old “aunt” Gertie and “uncle” Arthur as they became known started to help out by looking after me. Gradually this relationship grew and I spent a lot of time with them. They had no children of their own and enjoyed looking after me and helping to keep me clothed etc. By now it was 1941 and so everyone was feeling the effects of the war. We had an “Anderson” shelter in our kitchen into which we all had to go if the sirens went off. Food was rationed but between the extended family we seemed to manage. I remember powdered milk and eggs 30

and chocolate powder. We kids used to love condensed milk sandwiches!! But hated the margarine, the only butter was such a small ration that dad seemed to hog that. But, being in the South West and close to farms, the sea, and the countryside things didn’t seem too bad. There were a few incidents when bombs were dropped and some houses were destroyed but compared to Plymouth, which was completely flattened, we were very fortunate. The men who were not in the forces formed a Home Guard company (very Dads’ Army!). My dad, being only about 5 foot 7 inches looked very comical with his tin hat on parading up and down our back lane staring at the sky. What he would have done if he saw anything goodness only knows. He and “uncle” Arthur did have to help to patrol the gasworks which was very hazardous as any incendiary device dropping on the Gasometers, giant gas storage containers, would have destroyed the whole area, us included. Fortunately that did not happen.

Hollicombe Gas Works 31

Because of the close proximity to the coast-line the road layout in this part of Devon has remained unchanged. From the Torquay direction the main road comes down the hill to Hollacombe where there used to be the gasworks. Up another hill and you arrive at the top of Preston main street. Many shops have changed over the years but, surprisingly, dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little shop is still a wireless and television shop! When I was a little girl we had a greengrocers on one side of us and a wonderful bakers on the other, where we could get freshly baked bread and the most wonderful meat pies straight out of the oven. Across the road there was the butchers, a sweet shop, a dairy and the newsagents, and up a bit the doctors surgery. About 50 yards down the road is still the crossroads at the junction with Headland Park Road and Seaway Road. Seaway Road led down to the railway bridge under which we walked to the beach. This was our main play area and during the summer months we kids were on the beach most of our time. We used to be as brown as berries and hardly wore any clothes or shoes. Like most children of our era we made our own enjoyment. We had all kinds of group games; skipping, chasing around, hide and seek etc. plus much time spent in the sea or clambering over the rocks. Rising up from our street away from the sea the area is very hilly and was mostly fields and lanes where we often roamed as an alternative to the beach, but nowadays it is all built up with mostly bungalows and modern houses. The views out to sea from up there are still quite spectacular. One of my best friends was Joan who lived with her mum in the flat above the butchers. I was never sure if Joan knew who her dad was, but if she did she never spoke of him. I also remember Billy, who lived with his mum above the big grocerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shop nearby, with great fondness. He was 32

a bit simple minded and came in for a lot of stick from the other boys but I always seemed to be defending him in my little girl ways. My brother Roger and our cousin Ivor were pests as most boys are!! Always teasing and getting us into scrapes. I remember one time when we all went scrumping apples and it was me who got pushed up the wall and nearly caught by the owner of the house. Also when we were on our way to school, which was about half a mile away, we girls were always coming in for the ribbing.

Preston Sands

The famous Beach Huts on Preston Sands 33

I suppose I was about 4 years old when I first became aware of the Baptist Church. We went to Sunday school each week. The boys didn’t go for it much although they did all belong to the “Boys’ Brigade” and stuck at that for years. I loved Sunday school, singing the choruses and hearing the Bible stories. My gran and aunt Dorothy (always known as Dolly) went regularly to church and gran insisted that we children all went too. At about the same time some of the church ladies started a Girls’ Life Brigade Company. There was Florrie Davey and Mrs Mason who became Lieutenants and Miss Ethel Webber who became Captain. There was also a couple of other ladies who helped out with crafts etc. At the age of about 5, I became a Cadet and loved it. I remained in the Brigade until I was about 15 years old, and feel that my views on life and how to conduct oneself etc. were very much nurtured through this contact and loving support. My dad developed his interest in wireless and became very successful in meeting the needs of the local community. You have to remember that the invention of the wireless set and communications was still relatively new for the general public. Wireless sets consisted of valves and condensers plus accumulator batteries to supply the power to receive the signal. These batteries were a bit like the old car batteries and contained acid. They also had to be regularly charged up. This is where dad came in. He acquired the necessary equipment to charge batteries and also a little Austin 7 van. He then went around the district collecting the batteries, bringing them to the shop to be charged up and returning them to the owner. For this service he charged 6d (2and 1/2 pence in today’s currency). I remember one occasion when my brother Roger, the twins and I went out with dad in his little van, to do some of the deliveries. We had to 34

wait in the van but were messing about and somehow the handbrake was let off and the van began moving down the hill. I have an abiding memory of seeing dad charging after us, jumping in and pulling the brake up. How he did it I shall never know but it was a close shave!! Dad also developed the business with his skills in repairing radios and anything else electrical and became quite successful. The radio was very important to everyone in those days and I particularly loved Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hour, Dick Barton etc. The adults relied on the radio too, for news of how the war was going.

Austin 7 Van 35

Mother, as I said previously, was very good at producing babies. She seemed to enjoy being pregnant. But unfortunately, as I look back, poor mum never actually did the motherly things that most other children enjoyed. I cannot ever remember mother teaching us anything or nurturing us particularly well. These things were performed by the significant others in our lives. Granny was always in charge. The aunties provided structure for us and dad did what he could. The skills of housekeeping, sewing, knitting personal hygiene etc. etc. were learnt from the extended family and the church folk, in particular, for me, the Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brigade officers, who became lifelong friends. It was years later that I learned that Miss Webber, a very wealthy lady, provided financial support for us to go on trips and outings. In 1945 the war ended and although there was still food rationing and hardship with many people unemployed, dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business flourished. So much so that in about 1946 he bought a house in Paignton, 74 Elm Park. This is in the Kings Ash area and about a couple of miles from our old flat. It meant we had a modern house with bathroom etc. and was a great improvement. We had to change schools and now went to Hayes Road Primary, about 2 miles walk away. We, that is the twins, and I walked each way along quiet country lanes in all weathers. Roger was now at secondary school and went to Tweenaway Secondary Modern, a bit further on than us. In those days the area was mostly fields and the grounds of the Paignton Zoo backed on to the school. Now the whole area has been built up with many houses and new roads. It was probably on these walks to school that my love of walking and the countryside was nurtured. We learned a lot about nature seeing new lambs being born and crops growing through the seasons. 36

Mother continued to struggle with running the household and Aunt Edna came frequently to help out. I, being the eldest girl, was also called upon to help out with housework, cooking, shopping. The winter of 1946/47 was one of the worst that the country had ever experienced and the South West did not escape. We had terrific snowfalls and everything stopped. No coal deliveries, no traffic able to move, no hope of going to school. Also mother was pregnant again, this time with Raymond. The main source of heat was coal fires, but no coal merchants could get up the very steep hills. So, as a last resource, Roger and I and some of the neighbours children, took wheelbarrows and old prams down to the local coal and coke depot and collected some. The only way down the hill was to slide down on our bottoms and this event made the front page of the local newspaper. It was not all doom and gloom however. Dad always had some vehicle or other and I recall one time when he decided to take us up to Dartmoor. I cooked my version of pasties, more potato than meat, and we set off. We got to the hills leading from Bovey Tracey to Haytor and the car stopped!! It couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the hill with all of us on board, so we kids had to get out and walk while mum and dad progressed to the top. We had great laughs and I remember it well even today. That particular area is still a favourite now some 60+ years later. Raymond was born in August 1947 and things went along O.K. until the spring of 1948. Roger had begged dad to let him have a bicycle and I think he had it for Christmas. Roger was always quite a tearaway and full of beans. One day he and a couple of mates rode their bikes to 37

Torquay and the Daddyhole Plain area, which overlooks Meadfoot Beach. The hills are very steep and, I guess, a suitable challenge for boys of 13 years old. Anyway Roger came down too fast and went head over heels over the handlebars. He gashed his knee and bumped his head but somehow managed to get to grannies house at Preston, about 3 miles distant. Gran was worried enough to get dad to come and take Roger home. They cleaned him up and he went to bed as normal. Sometime during the evening/night dad checked up on Roger and he was dead!! Apparently he had suffered a fractured skull and no one knew. In those days you did not automatically go to the doctor or casualty department. Dad woke me up and was crying inconsolably and mother was nearly off her head. It was the most terrible time. Roger had always been a terrible tease to me and I was always complaining about him but I missed him dreadfully. The church people were a tremendous support and on the day of the funeral the ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Sylvia Mason, took charge of the smaller children. I was not allowed to go to the funeral but I recall that on the following Sunday at church I broke down and wept. I was 9 years old. Roger was buried in Paignton cemetery, which was just a few hundred yards from our house and we could see it from the front garden. This was all too much for mum and dad and we had to move. At the time, partly maybe, because of his grief, dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business went downhill. It was said he was talked into making wrong choices about who he bought supplies, but still keen to have his own business. The upshot was that we were all moved to South Street, Torre, Torquay. Alec went into the R.A.F. and so I was the eldest at home. I was 10 years old by now. 38

Paignton Cemetry So a new phase in our lives began. The house was a very ramshackle property behind and above a shop and dad did his best to make a business but it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go very well. He ended up having to take paid employment and rented out the shop to a nice Polish watch and clock mender. We children went to the local school, Torre parochial school which was supported by the parish church. I loved it and did really well, took my 11+ at the age of 11 and passed for the grammar school. We made lots of friends, and spent many a summerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s evening playing in the street or park. There were lots of skipping games when we strung a rope across the road and two swung the rope while others jumped in and out; we had no problem creating our own entertainment.

I continued visiting “aunt” and “uncle” Toms. They were very good to me not least by taking me to the Queens Park Sports Centre where Arthur was a leading light. It was here that I was introduced to cricket, rugby and athletics and watched many matches and enjoyed many an afternoon tea!! This was a time when Paignton Athletics Club hosted quite prestigious meetings during the summer regatta and many of the country’s leading runners used to attend. Also Paignton Rugby Club produced several county players. When I passed for grammar school the Toms’ also helped to equip me out with uniform, hockey stick, satchel etc. Throughout all these years I continued to attend the church and Girls’ Brigade at Preston, often walking the 3 miles from Torquay to get there. At the age of 14 I was Baptized by full immersion into the membership and also continued to attend Youth Fellowship. My attending grammar school created quite a lot of tension between me and the twins and I guess our lives began to drift apart a bit. The twins lost interest in Girls’ Brigade, they went to Secondary School and we did not really share any interests; I always felt there was some resentment towards me, that I had gone to Grammar and they didn’t, but that wasn’t up to me. Also, I suppose like most twins they had each other and went their own way. Another of my passions was reading and I obtained books from all sources available, plus there was the homework to do and, inevitably, a new circle of friends from school developed. So the years passed along and when I was 15 and 1/2, in 1954 I had to leave school because mother was pregnant again with Robert and I was required to help out at home. 40

Mother was going on 43 years old and was very tired. I remember well the night Robert was born. Both dad and Alec were pacing the floor and the midwife came and showed mother how to use the gas and air. However, she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get quite how to do it (there had not been such a thing with her other pregnancies), dad tried it out and got high on the gas!! At least it made his anxiety level decrease!! Mother managed it and I was appointed amateur nurse, helping mother have a bath, and looking after the baby. By this time the rest of us were virtually bringing ourselves up, the twins were 13, John 11, Janet 10 and Raymond 7. Dad had tried to do various alterations to the rambling house, not least to the electrics, but not very efficiently. I remember a very traumatic incident when young Raymond was helping out by using a small vacuum cleaner on the stairs. I suppose it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t properly earthed or faulty, anyway it went wrong and caused Raymond to get electric shock burns on his hand, mother tried to go to his aid and she too got a shock. I raced to help and automatically turned off the switch. Poor Ray had to go to hospital, me again, the doctor thought I was his mum!! That poor boy seemed to be the unluckiest chap I have ever known.

Once I turned 16 I was old enough to get a job and was lucky enough to gain a position as a junior clerk at a major store in Torquay. The pay wasn’t very good and after a while I got a better job as a booking clerk at the local dairy “Devonshire Dairies”. This job entailed checking the books from the dairy rounds men and getting the book to tally with the money they had taken. It was particularly busy on Saturdays and we were often late leaving. It was here that I met Eileen Clarke, another checker and was to be the instigator of the most important development in my whole life. This was the “Big Band” era and we were fortunate to have such bands as The Ted Heath orchestra, Sid Phillips, Sid Lawrence etc. come to Torquay. Also the beginnings of “Rock and Roll” were showing up. Both Eileen and I loved dancing and we got together and made circular skirts with big, sticky out petticoats underneath. We thought we were the “bees” knees. On one occasion Eileen asked me to go on a blind date to a dance at Totnes. I was a bit apprehensive but was allowed to go and this is where I was introduced to this tall lanky chap called Tony, Eileen’s cousin. We had a wonderful evening with lots of dancing and laughing and on the way home Tony and I snogged in the back of Arthur’s (a friend of both Tony and Eileen) car. He asked me out again and so started the romance and love of my life. We regularly went to the dances at the “400” ballroom near the harbour in Torquay and sometimes in the Town Hall. Then Tony would walk me home. I soon learned that Tony was into every sport imaginable Football, Table Tennis, Snooker, Water Polo and Cricket and as time went on I found myself being a spectator at most of these. I also met his parents and was impressed by the neat little house, with an outside toilet, but always very clean and welcoming. 42

The Ridolfos Peter Anthony Ridolfo was born on 24th July 1915 in Plymouth to Italian parents. His birth name was Pietro Antonio Ridolfi. He had 2 sisters and 3 brothers and his father was Fiori and mother was Louisetta. The parents had come from Italy around the 1900s and had their own Ice Cream business. Peter went to Torquay for summer seasons, and worked as an Ice Cream seller. Dorothy was the 3rd child of Thomas and Caroline Langmead and was born in Chudleigh Knighton, near Newton Abbot, Devon, where her maternal family ran the bakery. Sometime before the 1911 census the family moved to 7 George Street, Torquay. I believe this street was demolished some years ago to make way for a car park. In 1933 Peter and Dorothy married. He was 18 and she 27. They had 2 children, sadly stillborn. In 1935 they were able to adopt a baby who they named Derek Anthony, known to everyone as Tony. Obviously all the immediate family were aware of this at the time but were apparently sworn to secrecy. It was not until after Peter and Dorothyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deaths that the adoption started to become known and only in 2012 that we made enquiries about his origins of birth. The circumstances about the adoption were recorded at the court where the order was made .We now know that he was born to an unmarried girl aged 18 called Violet Hamblyn. The child was born in Plymouth General Hospital and was named John. The court papers show that the child was given up for adoption and into the care of Dorothy and Peter at the age of 6 weeks but after a few weeks the natural mother changed her mind and took her baby back. After a further 3 weeks the mother changed her mind again and the Order was granted. Could this terrible emotional 44

experience possibly explain the reason for all the secrecy and apparent deception? And why Tony was never told of his origins. Perhaps the experience of having and then losing this lovely boy made such an impression on Dorothy that she always had a feeling, however irrational, that her beloved child would be taken away again, even though the court order made the child legally hers. Regardless of these traumatic beginnings for the parents Tony was brought up to have a very loving and caring childhood and as far as he is concerned Dorothy and Peter were his parents and the extended family were and are his. Tony was encouraged to become involved in sport from a very early age and spent most of his waking hours playing football in the street or on the local field. His dad was called up to fight in the Army in 1940 and so was away for most of the next 5 years. Peter spent those war years in the Artillery Regiment and went with them the full length of Italy, south to north, where his knowledge of the language must have been very helpful. Like many other soldiers who had experienced terrible atrocities Peter never spoke about the war. He did however feel very let down by the Catholic Church as he had seen terrible poverty alongside great opulence in the churches. He could not accept the priests and the Church attitudes when the Christian beliefs he had been brought up to believe had very different values.

Peter in 1941 46

Dorothy with Tony aged about 8 months 47

Tony was apprenticed to an engineering firm in Torquay and had to stay until he was 21 when he would be fully qualified as a Toolmaker. Then he would be called up to do his National Service. Early in 1956 we became engaged even though I was only 17. Then we heard Tony would be called up to the R.A.F. in January 1957 so we decided to get married on July 28th 1956 and take advantage of the wifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s allowance which was paid to married service personnel. I was still not quite 18 but quite mature for my years.

Most people in our part of Devon were still struggling to get over the war years and there was a great deal hardship and unemployment. So our wedding was a very low key affair, no money for wedding clothes, photographers etc. and we were wed in the registry office at Newton Abbot My dad took us to the Cott Inn at Dartington for lunch and then in the evening had a party in the Half Moon, in Paignton. I recall my mum had too much Guinness and got quite merry. It had been agreed that we would live at 9 Plainmoor Road with Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents as he would be away for the 2 years National Service and I would carry on with my job. It all worked out well enough. Tony hitch-hiked home as often as he could; he only had 14 shillings pocket money ( 70 pence in decimal money) and I had ÂŁ2.14s allowance. I managed to put all this into savings and it made up most of the deposit for our eventual first house. Fortunately, because of his sporting skills Tony was never sent abroad and seems to have spent most of his time representing the regiment in several sports.

Tony in the R.A.F. 1959 49

Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discharge from the RAF and my becoming pregnant occurred almost simultaneously. Our darling Carol was born August 25th 1959, in Shrublands Maternity Hospital, Torquay.

No complications and Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents were over the moon, partly because they had had 2 stillborn babies and they were anxious that I should not repeat that experience. My parents were also pleased but never seemed to show 50

much willingness to be part of things. I guess they had had enough of babies!! They also had moved to Paignton, the White Rock area, to be nearer to dad’s work at “Standard Telephones”. Dad began to have great problems with his chest and was diagnosed with bronchiectasis, causing him eventually to give up work altogether. Tony found work in the Toolroom as a skilled toolmaker with the firm “Centrax” in Newton Abbot, and bought himself a Lambretta Scooter to get to and fro. We went everywhere on the scooter charging around the Devon country and coast roads without helmets, they were not made compulsory until sometime later. We had a great life going to cricket at the Babbacombe Cricket Club and then to the pub or for late night supper afterwards. During the winter it was Football and Snooker, I didn’t go to those very often. We made several new friends and also continued to go dancing. We were also very fortunate that Carol had doting grandparents who loved looking after her. I also enjoyed many outings to the Babbacombe Downs overlooking Oddicombe Beach, meeting up with other young mums and sharing some good times, as well as lots of baby talk. In April 1961 our lovely son, David, arrived. I had to go to Broomborough Hospital, in Totnes for the birth as no complications were expected. We still had the scooter and Tony persuaded his mum to ride pillion on it to come and see me and the baby, about 10 miles, she was really game and quite enjoyed it. Tony, however found it very nerveracking as his mum would keep bending the opposite way to him on the corners!! Cousin Eva also rode down to Totnes on the scooter but was terrified and chose to return by bus!! 51

Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s christening in 1961 and a family photo taken in Cary Park, Torquay. With two infants and lots of laundry we invested in a twin-tub washing machine which proved 52

to be an absolute boon. We were now 4 sharing a small bedroom and had to think seriously about getting our own house. I had saved up £250.00 while Tony was away (a large sum in those days) and this was just about enough for a deposit on our first house. In 1962 we purchased 60 The Reeves Road, Chelston, about a mile and a half from Plainmoor. The road is one of the steepest in Torquay and the house was up several steps, quite a feat with the pushchair, but no chance of getting fat with all that exercise!! We bought secondhand furniture, (the first 3 piece suite cost £5). Our double bedstead was old but we had a new mattress, and gradually got a comfortable home together. Carol was now 3 and David just over a year old. Everything went along fine. I had a part-time job and mother-in-law looked after David while Carol went to a lovely little nursery a couple of mornings a week. This involved me walking from Chelston to Plainmoor pushing the pushchair, or sometimes taking the bus. The neighbours were very friendly and helpful, there was a park and some shops nearby and we were happy. During the winter of 1963/64 I became very ill with a grangrenous appendix and nearly died. Fortunately the skill of the surgeons and nurses at the Torbay hospital brought me through and I made a full recovery. Tony took the children to live at his parents’ while I was in hospital and my younger sister, Janet, who was about 18 at the time, came and helped with the children once I was back home. Later that year I became pregnant again and our lovely daughter, Jenny, arrived on May 18th 1965.

Jenny at her christening 54

Jenny aged about 8 months Life continued and we made ends meet with part-time jobs and taking in foreign language students during the summer months. Summers were spent at the local seaside and the children grew strong and healthy. Meanwhile my brothers and sisters married; Alec to Yvonne (later divorced and second marriage to Barbara), Pauline to Fred, Christine to Bob (later divorced and second marriage

to Eric), Janet to Bob and Raymond to Janice. Sadly Raymond died at the age of 41. Robert, the youngest never married, and sadly he died at the age of 50. So we come to 1969 and major events which changed our lives dramatically. Tony’s firm, Centrax Engineering changed their working practices and the Tool-room where Tony worked no longer provided the job for which he was employed; this resulted in redundancy. What were we to do? There were no other precision engineering firms in the locality so we had to look further afield. This resulted in us finding an advertisement for a firm known as Herbert Ingersoll in a place called Daventry, Northamptonshire. Where was that?? We thought about it hard and long and as the pay was good, and a house could be provided for skilled staff, on a temporary basis, we decided to take the plunge. Tony was invited to go to Daventry on a month’s trial. He was put up in the Dun Cow public house. An ancient pub from the time when stage coaches went through the town travelling from London to Birmingham, the floors were very uneven and when it rained the roof leaked but he stuck it out. Having lived in Devon all our lives, as had most of the relatives we had visions of going to an industrialised part of the country; all black and dismal!! But Tony reported that Daventry was a small market town and the surrounding district very rural and green countryside. In deed the history of Daventry was quite important. There is evidence of a Roman settlement but it is the remains of the Iron age hill fort on Borough Hill which it is best known for. In the 17th century the town was a major stopping point for stage coaches aided by its location on the roman highway known as “Watling Street” linking London with the north west of England. 56

In 1925 the BBC built a huge transmission station on Borough Hill which relayed radio signals via the World Service around the empire. Famous people including Winston Churchill had their voices shot into the ether from this site and the radio announcement of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daventry callingâ&#x20AC;? made the town well-known throughout the world.

The trial proved positive and Tony was offered a permanent position in the tool room. Also the house was brand new on the Southbrook estate, schools nearby and we moved. The farewells were very tearful but throughout we did not feel at all fearful; we had each other, and our marriage was secure, we were all healthy and prepared to look upon it as a great adventure. The house contents were loaded up and I took our three children on the train. The journey went smoothly and we set up home in Daventry.

The Moot Hall 58

Daventry Parish Church 59

It was a very new experience being surrounded by strangers and we were terribly homesick for the seaside and the family. We were soon back to visit our beloved Devon; Buckfast railway and Dartmoor ponies. Summer 1970. 60

Most of our neighbours were from Birmingham and some had difficulty coping with modern facilities but we nevertheless made some friends and the children soon became integrated. Carol and David were enrolled at Southbrook junior school and I guess their Devonshire accent caused some amusement, especially as most of the other incomers were from Birmingham. I remember well the day David came home with a bloodied nose after some scraps with the other boys. Jenny had to wait until after her 5th birthday to start school as there were so many new children coming to the area. Quite soon we established ourselves in the Methodist Church which was located on the old New Street. There was no Baptist church in Daventry but we were made very welcome and within months other families moved to the area and we made friends some of whom have remained so for all the 42 years we have been in Daventry. David joined the Boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brigade run by Joyce and Richard Jermyn and met their son Alan. Southbrook Estate was still being developed and the comprehensive school was nearing completion. I got a job as assistant cook in the school kitchen and Carolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class was part of the first intake when the school opened. We returned to our beloved Devonshire as often as possible and family members often came to stay. After a few months we decided to sell up the house in Torquay and arranged to buy a new house still under construction at St. Augustin Way. We watched the house being built with anticipation and eventually moved in early 1972.

A happy coincidence occurred when we discovered Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cousin, Sheila and her family moved in two doors down, completely by chance. We established a good friendship and enjoyed many outings, events and holidays together. By now I had a part-time job as clerical assistant at the Social Services Department based in Daventry. I had also become very friendly with Lesley and David Finney and their children. Lesley had agreed to become the captain of the Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brigade Company based at the Methodist Church and I was persuaded to take the exams to become 62

the Lieutenant. Lesley and I had a lot in common, both having been in the Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Life Brigade (which became the Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brigade), both had 3 children, and we became great friends. Both Carol and Jenny joined GB and so began several years of service. The Social services department was made up of all the welfare services including the Children, Mental Health and Elderly departments. There was much objection to this amalgamation and it took some time to settle. There was also a call for more staff and I applied to become a 63

Social work Assistant to work mainly with the elderly and disabled. Gradually my experience increased. The area I covered was vast and there are many memories of visits to numerous villages. This became a bit “hairy” during the winters and I was encouraged to carry a shovel and old piece of carpet to ensure I did not get stuck in the snow. We had some particularly vicious winters in the 70’s. I attended several courses and became proficient in working with mentally ill patients and problem families. We became very settled in Daventry, enjoying the very attractive countryside, the nearby canal and the close proximity to several large towns (Coventry, Birmingham, Rugby, Northampton), all within easy access. In 1976 I obtained a place at Oxford Polytechnic (now Oxford Brookes University), with full secondment, to study for a professional qualification in Social Work. Having always regretted that I had my grammar school education cut short by family circumstances I was thrilled to at last, at the age of 38, realise my ambition of experiencing higher education. This was a huge commitment and I could not have completed it without the wonderful support from Tony and the children. Carol was about to start her course in Northampton to study Nursery Nursing; David was about to do his GCSE’s and Jenny was just going to Comprehensive school. My course included placements at a Mental Hospital, Probation Service and a Young Offenders institution. The two years rushed by and by 1978 I was fully qualified having gained the Certificate Qualification in Social Work and the Professional Diploma in Social Studies. I returned to work in Daventry and now had a much more complex workload 64

including Child Care, Court Officer Duties, fostering and Adoption, and Mental Health Officer. In 1980 I was promoted to Team Leader at the Towcester, South Northants Office. This was a huge responsibility which I coped with until 1988 by which time I had had my fill of very difficult casework involving many instance of Child Abuse etc. etc. together with the management duties. I was fortunate to gain the position of Manager of the Grange Old Personsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Home and the team of Home Helps working in the Daventry community. This position came with many responsibilities and different hurdles to overcome, but was much more manageable than Child Care Services. In 1993 the Social Services hierarchy decided to hold a major review of all managerial posts. Anyone over the age of 50 years could be considered for early retirement. Yes please!! So I retired in April 1994. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough about me and my career. Back in 1974 Tony had taken on the task of running a Youth Club at the Methodist Church, supported by Alan Kirkham and George Manchester. The Club was a great success and had as many as 50 + members at any one time. The youngsters played football against other youth teams, table tennis, billiards etc. etc. and it was also decided to embark on taking a group of them on camp. Alan and his wife Sue, George and his wife Pat, and Tony and I, plus an ancient minibus and a couple of cars took the party of youngsters to Tenby, South Wales, and twice to St. Ives in Cornwall. Staying in church halls and catering for ourselves this was great fun, very hard work for the leaders, but nevertheless great fun. Our 3 children came of course and when Carol was about 18 we became aware that she had become very close to Alan Jermyn (the same boy we had met when we 65

first came to Daventry in 1969). They announced their wish to become engaged, while at camp. We advised waiting a while before getting married as they were very young. Both families were involved in the preparations which all went smoothly. The wedding took place on September 29th 1979, and relatives from Ireland and Devon came which made it a very festive occasion. Carol and Alan set up home in a small house newly built on Brook Street, Daventry and were very happy. Then in October 1980 along came Catherine, our beautiful first grandchild. 1981 proved to be quite eventful. My dad died that year; we moved house to 17 Ashby Road; I moved jobs to take on the management of the Towcester Social Services office; and Carol and Alan, who had a new job, had to move up to Westhoughton in Lancashire. Then in 1982 Mark was born. Life moved on with all the usual ups and downs; we had some good holidays and generally got on with life.

Sadly the older relatives in the picture have now passed on

In 1983 Jenny and Andrew were married. Their first born, Joseph, arrived in 1985. He was born with Downs’ Syndrome which, of course, brought its worries and problems. But from the start Jenny, Andrew and all the family consciously vowed to bring Joseph up as normally as possible. During the 1980s we bought Tony’s parents’ little house in Torquay. It was still in its rather primitive state, with outside toilet, no running hot water etc. The property, having been built prior to 1914 therefore became eligible for grants from the Torbay Council which enabled us to modernise it. Tony and his cousin Bob Heath spent several weeks building an extension at the back to include a bathroom and modern kitchen plus we had the house re-wired and central heating, and double glazing installed. Mum and 68

dad came and spent some time with me and the children in Daventry while this was going on. The changes to the house made a great deal of difference to the old folksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; comfort and they carried on for some time. Mother, however, was showing signs of dementia and eventually we were able to arrange a move to Daventry under the mobility housing scheme which encouraged frail folk to live nearer their relatives. We found them a very nice flat in Sheltered Housing and moved them in. Father was thrilled to have us nearby to help but mother became more and more disorientated and eventually, after some very stressful events, was placed in a nursing home in Northampton. In 1988 I moved jobs and took over as manager at the Grange Old personsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Home in Daventry. It was good to be working close to home and to take on a new challenge. It also made helping the elderly parents much easier. 1990 was the year that David met and married Alison and Dean their son was born in November that year. Unfortunately the birth did not go well and Dean was born with multiple problems including severe cerebral palsy. There were all sorts of problems and complications, not least within the relationship between David and Alison and eventually they were divorced. We had another grandchild that year too when Jenny and Andrew had a beautiful daughter, and called her Hannah. So now we had 5 grandchildren. We continued to support Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents, and his mum passed away in 1992. Father seemed almost relieved to 69

be free of the burden of looking after his wife. He moved to a new flat in Warwick Court which was a stone’s throw from the town centre and the Conservative Club where he enjoyed the companionship of other men and playing his much loved snooker with Tony and David. In 1994 I took early retirement and took up various hobbies and interests, not least as a member of the Daventry Choral Society. I had been in various choirs since school days and very much enjoyed taking it up again. This was also the year that Jack was born and I enjoyed helping to look after him. We spent many a morning watching “Telletubbies” and “Thomas the tank engine” together. We continued to support Tony’s dad, having him for meals each Sunday and it was on one of these visits that we noticed he was very unwell. We also noticed an increase in the incidents of leaving things on the gas stove and dropping cigarette ends on the carpet while they were not properly stubbed out. It became necessary for him to go into the old peoples’ home and he spent the last part of his life there; he passed away in March 1997. There was a great furore in the country as a whole about the coming millennium. We had arranged to go to Torquay and celebrate with Eva. In the event however, Eva was taken very poorly and spent the New Year in hospital and Tony and I sat and watched T.V. and the local fireworks at midnight. So 2000 came in like a damp squib as far as we were concerned!

Early in 2001 I attended for a routine mammogram and was shocked to be called back again for more tests. It transpired that I had a cancerous lump in the left breast and so started a traumatic time for us. After two operations and 20 sessions of radio-therapy plus 5 years monitoring at the hospital it is now 2012 and I am pleased to say I â&#x20AC;&#x153;feel as fit as a fleaâ&#x20AC;?. In 2002 our mum celebrated her 90th birthday. The Nursing Home where she and Aunt Dolly ( 98 years old), now lived made the day very special.

Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart had been causing problems for quite some time and in 2003 she passed away. Tony and I happened to be in Devon at the time and, together with Janet and Bob and Alec and Barbara, were at the hospital where she died quite peacefully. Meanwhile David had been forging a new relationship with Linda and we were thrilled that in September 2003 they were married. Linda was the manager of Warwick Court sheltered Housing scheme in Daventry and had a rented house so David moved in to share her home. They continue to be happy together.

David and Linda cut the cake at their wedding reception

Catherine, our eldest grand-daughter, graduated the same year from Manchester Metropolitan University and started her career as a Primary Teacher. She, like the rest of the family, continues to be fanatical supporters of Bolton Wanderers Football Club. This goes back to the time when the family were living in Westhoughton and Carol and Alan took the children to football most weeks. 2004 was another landmark year for the extended family when Aunt Dolly reached her 100th birthday. The local paper did an article about Dolly and George. He had been in the Navy as a boy sailor in the First World War and served throughout the Second World War. He survived the sinking of two ships and later served on the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious. George died in his 60s.

Dolly had a full life and lived the last years in the Belle Vue Nursing Home in Paignton together with my mum. Dolly lived until almost 104. This picture is of her 100 years celebration.

Throughout the years since moving to Daventry Tony and I have enjoyed many wonderful holidays around the Mediterranean and to Southern Ireland, sometimes with the family but mostly just the two of us. We also continued to go to Torquay as often as we could and enjoy the hospitality at Eva’s home where we were always made very welcome. The family continued to flourish despite the setbacks of having two disabled grandchildren; everyone has always pulled together and offered much mutual support. 2004 saw Mark reach his 21st birthday.

Here is Joe and Alan with Mark plus birthday cake Joseph had been attending a course for special needs young people and they had a super “graduation day” in July 2004 76

Here is Joe, aged 21, all dressed up in his suit 77

The next major event in our lives was our Golden Wedding on July 28th 2006. The family did us proud with a super party mainly in our garden. The sun shone and we had a great gathering for family and friends.

One of the treats was a ride in this classic Rolls Royce. We felt like “royalty”. Later that year, on my birthday actually, Tony and I set off for a “Trip of our Lifetime”. We were away for almost 3 months and visited Canada (Vancouver and Whistler); Seattle, where we picked up a train which took us all down the west coast of America to Los Angeles; then we flew to Tahiti; then to New Zealand for 4 weeks (2 weeks in each of North and South Islands); then on to Australia where we spent 2 weeks in Melbourne including Christmas and 5 days watching the England Cricket Test match (we lost!!). Next it was Sydney for the New Year celebrations in Sydney harbour on board a boat with lots of other cricket fans and the final Test Match (we lost again!!). 78

Our next stop was Singapore and while we were there we visited the Changi prison site where so many British people were held in the war. Also the Burma War graves which was particularly moving as Tonyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uncle Frank had worked on the Burma Railway. After a few days we boarded the Orient Express train for our final leg of the journey to Bangkok. The train was wonderfully luxurious but the scenery was very disappointing as most of the land had been made over to Palm trees to produce oil. There are hundreds of photos and some CDs to browse for photos of this trip if you so wish. Here is a small selection.

A gala evening in Tahiti where all the girls were lovely and very friendly.

This helicopter took us up to the summit of Mount Cook, Franz Joseph, New Zealand. We walked in the snow.

Here we are on the Orient Express in Malaysia 80

This is the River Kwai. The train went on the bridge but we had to get off for safety reasons.

The trip took up most of our savings but was well worth it for all the experiences and happy memories. 81

In 2007 Mark graduated with a BA (Hons) Interactive Arts degree from Manchester Metropolitan University. 82

He is very artistic and has since set up his own business in Screen printing and graphic design, in an old mill in Manchester. Our grand-daughter Hannah also did very well in school and attended the Rugby High School for Girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. She passed her â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aâ&#x20AC;? levels and was all set to go to University but, having decided to take a gap year, she was employed temporarily at Cummins Engines Company in Daventry as a systems analyst, and, having been offered a permanent position has put university on hold. Her brother, Jack, is well into computers and is currently at college in Daventry. Dean meanwhile, having grown very tall and heavy, reached a stage of needing more care than was able to be given at home. After much deliberation and decision making by the authorities he was offered a place at the Badby Park Neurological centre in Daventry. The building used to be a Nunnery but had been allowed to become quite dilapidated. The new owners have virtually re-built it, integrating the original frontage and grounds, and it has become a state of the art facility for all kinds of people suffering from severe disabilities. We are all very pleased that Dean is settled, likes the staff, and is near enough for us all to visit easily. Carol and Alan now live in Banbury and Alan has a very responsible job in Marketing which involves much travelling to all parts of Europe and other parts of the world. Carol no longer works but is very involved with various voluntary activities.

We are very fortunate that all our children and their families are close by, settled in their relationships and happy. No mean feat in these days when so many families seem to split up very easily. This record of our family history is the current situation as at 2012, and inevitably it is incomplete, but I hope it will be of interest to everyone who reads it. It has certainly been interesting to research and compile. I will end it with pictures of each of our grandchildren, one from their earliest days and one as they are now, of whom we are very proud.

Catherine and Mark 85

Joseph

Hannah

Dean

Jack