Between the Wars

Since ?????? WILLIAM GEORGE (1877-1933) and Sarah Annie (1878-1928) and their six children had lived in Harders Rd, Peckham (Honor Oak Park), London SE23 and continued to live there, the house being passed down through the family for several generations.  As they grew up, the children stayed south of the river, moving further into Kent and Sussex, as they grew up and moved away to have families of their own.



The Other Children of William and Sarah Annie

 Emily Grace (1898-1990)

I clearly remember Auntie Em as a warm and friendly person and although I didn't see her very often, she always left a fond impression.

Born on the 3rd of October 1898 1 she was a year younger than the eldest child WILLIAM (1897-1916) and married Edward Stephen PLATT (1894-1988) - known as Ted - in the early 1920s.  She was always called Em.



Emily Grace circa 1906

Ted's birthday was on the 5th October, two days after Em's, making him three days short of being three years older than her. Ted's birth was registered in Rotherhithe, South London 2 like Em's was.

 

Em in 1920s, maybe around the time of her marriage to Ted.

Ted was a policeman, although my dad thinks he wasn't a 'bobby on the beat', but did something more 'exotic' in the force!  This picture is believed to have been taken in 1929.

Em and Ted had two children, Irene Marjory (known as Rene -pronounced Reenie) born circa 1924 and, Derek born on the 9th April 19263.  I have no recollections of Rene, but do remember Derek as a warm and generous person, and like Em and Ted did, remembered me on my birthday and at Christmas.  I believe has was a gardener.  Derek lived with his parents all his life, did not marry or have children.

They lived in London and then moved to Polegate, Sussex

Hand-coloured picture of Rene and Derek circa 1928

A day at the beach circa 1925 from L to R: 

William Gilbert (1977-1933), Sarah Annie Gilbert (1878-1928), Emily (1898-1990),

Joan (1923-2003) daughter of Alf (1903-1974),  
Ted Platt (1894-1988), Rene (b circa 1924)

Derek Platt died on 19th April 1985, ten days after his 59th birthday and before both his mother and father died.

Em died on the 16th March 1990 5 in Orpington (Kent) Hospital of bronchopneumonia aged 91 years old.

Ted had died in the same hospital 18 months earlier, aged 93, following a heart attack on the 15th September 1988 6.










 Lillian (1900-1974)

Lillian was the next child to be born.  She arrived on the 29th August 1900 7 in Camberwell.  Known as Lily, I saw her the most of all of that generation, apart from my grand-parents.  She was a regular guest at family teas and celebrations and used to pretend to read the tea-leaves.  Of course, as a child I didn't know she was pretending and was in awe of her powers of divination, not realising the information had been given to her earlier in the day!


Lily circa 1906

 Lily was a Shorthand Secretary and Typist for all her working life.




 
 Lily early 1920s

About 1923,  Lily married R. Norman and they had a daughter Josie.  But the marriage did not last, and Lily instigated divorce proceedings against him in 1933 8.  Divorce was unusual in those times carrying quite a stigma and I don't know how Lily managed as a single parent.


Lily and Josie circa 1925

Josie (also called Jo) was a very talented dancer from an early age.  She would have only been about 10 years old when her parents divorced.







Josie 1930

Josie also was a Shorthand Typist. She married George Edward Persson and they lived in Rectory Green, Beckenham, Kent. 9  I remember her having a problem with her legs and I think that contributed to her early death in the mid-1960s.  Josie was never forgotten and George was included in family events, even after re-marrying, remaining in Beckenham.

Josie 1945

Lily 1960s

Lily died on 27 October 1974 from heart failure.  She was 74 years old and living at Carhdue Road in Forest Hill SE23.  Her Will (1968) and handwritten note of her securities (1966) showed that she was comfortably off and shared her chattels around the wider family and her closest friends.

She had asked that she be cremated,  which was carried out on 4th November 1974 at Honor Oak Crematorium, Brockley Way SE4, and her ashes scattered on the family grave in the ajoining Camberwell New Cemetery 10.  An entry in the Book of Remembrance at the crematorium for 27 October 1974 says:

 NORMAN (nee GILBERT)  Lillian

1900-1974

Dearly loved mother of Jo, 

and much loved sister of Willy, Em, Alf , Albert and Tom. 

Alfred Henry (1903-1974)

Alf was born on16th January 1903.
I remember Alf as very handsome and charismatic but not that warm towards me.  I don't remember seeing him very often as I grew up.
Alf grew up with the others in Harders Road, Peckham, becoming the eldest living son at the age of 13 when WILLIAM (1897-1916) died.


At the age of 17 he was charged with playing cricket in the street to the annoyance of his neighbours.



Alf originally married Jenny and had a daughter Jean circa 1923. He was a Credit Trader - a business which I believe his father had passed onto him.

Jenny and Alf divorced and Jean went to live with her mother and was consequently disinherited by Alf 9.

Sometime later he married Mabel Forence (known as May).

Their first born was a son named WILLIAM GEORGE ROGER.  (It is with some relief for me in compiling this that he was known as ROGER.)  He married Barbara and had twin daughters Lynne and Kim.

JOAN IRIS was born in 1923.  She married Vic Horton and had Vivienne.


The cousins were very close in age in the 1920s and would regularly play together.


Alf was a really good artist painting mainly sea-scenes and his Christmas cards would be a photo of one of his latest paintings.






 Albert Edward (1904-1998)

 Thomas Joseph

Youngest
1947 - Rationing coupons have him at 86 Addington Road, West Wickham, Kent

Married Hilda May - William is still in phot0 so before 1933.  Jenny (alfs ex) in photo.  woman in back - dont think it is Sarah Annie - she died 1928.....

Picture of Tom on beach (see above with Rene and Joan).  He is a school boy around 12 years old and they are about 3-5 years old.


Adopted Peter Richard (known as Richard) on 26/3/1947.  He had been born on 18 / 4/ 1946 in Caversham, Reading

Richard was very intelligent (newspaper article).  gaiing 6 o'levels.  In 1971 aged 24 he was packing furniture in a Bermondsey factory and living in Pitcairn road, Mitcham (Daily Mirror., Saturday Jan 19th 1971) p5  Disappeared..... (when?) no contact ever since.

Sarah Annie (1878-1928) died aged 50 on 1st March 1928 of heart failure following influenza. She died at home - still 12 Harders Road, Peckham - and was buried on 21st March 1928.  She was interred at Camberwell New Cemetery in the Family Grave12

 

 WILLIAM GEORGE (1877-1933) died five years later on 1st September 1933 aged only 56, in Guy's Hospital, of complications following appendicitis. He was still working as an Engine Fitter and living at 12 Harders Road Peckham. My grandfather ALBERT (1904-1988), living at 8 Parbury Road, Peckham at the time, notified the Registrar of his father's death. The funeral was the same day as he died and he was interred in the family grave with his wife.


Nevertheless this WILLIAM GEORGE is not on the same headstone as his wife as sometime, probably in the five years after Sarah Annie died, an inscription to their son WILLIAM GEORGE (1900-1919) was added.



Footnotes
1.





(Note that William is cited once again as WILLIAM GEORGE.)