Abrahams galore, Alf and Ernest

 A look back at some early Garners

The earlier Garner men all seem to be called Abraham, which makes everything rather confusing - The Ancestry Hunter helped me make some sense of them. - So starting with the earliest known one at the moment.

Abraham Garner(1) 1730 ish to 1789

No actual Birth details to be found, but it can be inferred from other documents…

I think that this is most likely his marriage to Mary Wallington in All Hallows Church, Harringey, on 23 October 1770

 

The church, pictured above, dates back to the 12th century, making it the oldest building in the Haringey area. It was built as All Saints but rededicated as All Hallows in the 15th century 

You’ll note he was shown as a widower and the marriage was by License - this  was usually because one or both of the participants were under 21, because the marriage was more private without three weeks of Banns being read out in church and/or as a sign of social standing - a license costs more than Banns, so proved a certain level of wealth.

 We already know that his son became a School Master, which required an education so we can note that both Abraham (I) senior and his new wife Mary signed their names - this itself is confirmation of some education at a time when that only happened to the wealthy or the lucky few.

And then we come to what I’m reasonably confident was his first marriage which occurred on 24 September 1757 in the same All Hallows church.

His bride was a Jane Davey - it seems an enormous coincidence that one of the daughters of his second marriage should carry the maiden name of his first wife otherwise.

If he was marrying in 1757 that makes him born around the mid-1730s but I’m 

struggling to find a birth in that area that matches 

Whilst I can’t find his birth, I think I’ve found his burial at Shoreditch on 21 January 1789.

His son Abraham Garner (II) was born on November 1st, 1771, possibly in Shoreditch, London, and was baptised on 23rd August 1771, some 5 miles north of Shoreditch again at All Hallows, Haringey (these days Tottenham).  The family was living on Old Street Road.

Other children from the marriage are 

Mary Wallington Garner 1776

Jane Davey Garner 1778

So now we come to Abraham Garner (II)

On December 12th, 1796, he married Jane Hood in St Leonards Church.

Below is Abraham Garner (II )'s likely burial.

Their son,  Abraham John (III), was born in 1799, 

Abraham John Garner married Eliza Clarke in St Luke’s, Finsbury, on 19th March 1826. Whilst the marriage certificate doesn’t give a clue as to his line of work, the baptism of one of their children, Eliza Sophie, on 28 February 1830 at St Mark’s Kennington, has him as a Schoolmaster. 

They had made the move out of London by the time that Alf arrived in 1835. The census returns have them staying in Sunninghill until at least 1861, and the screenshot below from that year shows him as a National School Master.

Abraham was buried in Sunninghill on 5 April 1865; Eliza joined him on 25 February 1879.

Alf Charles Garner

Was, I think, born in Sunninghill - but he was certainly baptised in Sunninghill on 20th September 1835.

In 1851, he was living at home, which was The Terrace in Sunninghill, right next to St Michael's School, likely where his father, Abraham, taught.

By 1861, the census shows he is still living in the village working as a postman, and married to “Mary Ann Hawthorn,” who I first thought was from Winkworth, and it now looks like was a different person. It looks as if she was working as a House Servant to the Benstead family in Wokingham before joining with Alf

 I can’t find either her baptism or their marriage, but they must have married around 1859, given the birth of their firstborn - always assuming that they got married at all. Their first child, Clara Jane, was baptised in Sunninghill on 13 May 1860, and the transcription from the birth registration in Windsor shows the mother’s maiden name as Hawthorn.

1862, the birth of Twins, Mary Ann, who marries Thomas Nunney, a "Club Steward," and Amelia Garner, who marries "Arthur Drink" (born 1843) on August 21st 1889

1866 sees the birth of yet another Abraham John Garner (IV) see later Blog on his colourful life.

1868 is when William was born

1870 The birth of Florance Lilian (Alcock), who dies in 1943

In 1871, he was still in the village, now calling himself by his middle name Charles, but working as a “labourer” - this could well be as a "Nightsoil Collector", which was the family lore passed down to me by my mother. Nightsoil in the area of Ascot could well have been mixed with horse manure from all the stables in the area. This was laid out to dry in special places to be reused for agriculture and was quite a profitable business.

Berkshire Chronicle - Saturday 30 January 1864

Also at home, which I think is still in The Terrace, are the twins Amelia and Mary Ann, now 9, Clara aged 10, and Abraham (IV), 4, with a 6-month-old Florence. They also have two lodgers, Samuel Wyatt a 64-year-old accountant (?), and William Collins, a 19-year-old groom.

The screenshot below confirms the names of their children, two of whom carry through to the 1881 census, suggesting it is the same family. It looks like Alf died in Croydon towards the end of 1899.

Not sure at this stage when Mary Ann  died

It's not exactly certain when Alf and his family moved to London, his son Edward Ernest Garner, my grandfather, was born in 1875 in “St Pancras”, and by 1881  the census shows them living at 23 and a half, Lambeth High St. Which is above the grocery belonging to Arthur Dunk.

I do wonder if Arthur Dunk is the same man that Amelia marries, shown on one record as Arthur Drink? Needs further investigation, both are odd names.

Arthur Dunk is in a newspaper report as a witness to an accident near the grocers, so that at least seems correct - and indeed here they are at 2 Arthur Rd, Beckenham in 1901, so it is their landlord that Amelia marries.

  

This is the Windmill Pub, which is at 44 Lambeth High St, as painted in 1837

Another view of Lambeth High St around the time Edward Ernest was living there.

Edward went to the Walnut Tree Walk School (below) at age 8. He left school before the age of 16, by which time the family had moved to 1 Waddon New Rd in Croydon, and he was soon working as a clerk.

Walnut Tree Walk School today

In the 1891 Census, the Family are living at 1 Waddon New Road. Mary Ann (29) and her husband Thomas Hanney with their 9-month-old daughter Elise. Florence (19) is a dressmaker and her future husband is living there as a lodger, Robert Alcock (27), who is a harness maker. Edward Ernest is also there, aged 16, and a mysterious grandson, Arthur Garner, 3 years old, but no clue to his parentage.Alf and Mary Ann are 54

At the age of 21, Edward Ernest married Ruth Emily Jane Lock, and in 1898, they had the first of ten Children.

Edward, who was born and sadly died in 1898

Evelyn Gladys was born on February 26, 1900, but died at only 20 years of age.

The family now moves to 5 Ainsworth Rd, Croydon

Ruth ( Known as Betty) was born on June 8th, 1901

Edward (Ted) was born on October 22nd, 1903

Florence (known as Joan) Dorothy was born in 1906

Robert (Bob) William was born on November 14th, 1908

In 1909, he is recorded as working on 26th October for “Sheen Estate Limited” about which I can't find any information.

Maurice Alfred (my dad!) was born on October 1st, 1910

In 1911, they are shown living at 101 Sydenham Rd, Croydon, which is above where this charity shop is today.

Birth of Cyril, on September 27th, 1912

22nd April 1913, he is appointed Liquidator for Anglo-Russian Drilling Co, Maikop Mainline Syndicate. His office address is given as 8 Princes St, EC2

It is notable that the chairman of most of the companies he subsequently liquidated (and many others) was John Sidney Smith-Winby, who diedin February 1920, leaving an estate of £53,605 (£3.1 million today) - see below.

11th November 1913, He is  appointed Liquidator of Oil Fields of Mexico, his office Address now 523 Salisbury House, London

Salisbury House

13th December 1913 Also appointed Liquidator of the Phoenix Investment Trust, which seems to have invested (badly) in various oil, gas, and mineral companies.

Birth of Rowland in 1914, who sadly dies the next year.

I don't know what the family did during the war. Ernest would have been 39, too old to serve, and Ted, the oldest boy, was only 11.

The family is now living at 4 Northcote Rd, Croydon

4 Northcote Rd, Croydon

14th May 1915, he is shown as the liquidator of Standard Consolidated Tin Mines of Cornwall, and still with offices at 523 Salisbury House

Consolidated Mines

Birth of Vincent Charles on December 28th, 1915

On 11th January 1916, he was also working as the Liquidator of Gwinear Tin Mines

I am not sure when Edward Ernest bought Cranleigh at 20 Stafford Road, but the bankrupt sale of furniture there in 1919 suggests that it was around then when it was purchased.

Croydon Advertiser for 1919.....

SALE WEDNESDAY NEXT  “CRANLEIGH,” 20, STAFFORD ROAD, WADDON., 

ROBT. W. FULLER, MOON & FOLLER Will Sell by Auction at the above on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1st, 1919, at One o'clock. 

The whole of the MODERN & EXPENSIVE FURNITURE (in nearly new condition), comprising HANDSOME BEDROOM SUITES in solid mahogany and white enamel, bedsteads and bedding, 

OAK JACOBEAN STYLE DINING ROOM SUITE, an 8ft. mahogany bookcase, lounge and easy chairs, Chesterfield settee. 

A BABY GRAND PIANOFORTE (by Benthoff), Empire writing cabinet, inlaid walnut commode with several medallions, old gilt Louis XVI chair, clocks, hall wardrobe. INDIAN, WILTON PILE, AXMINSTER and OTHER CARPETS, and domestic utensils. May be viewed - the day prior, and catalogues obtained at the place of sale and at the Auctioners’ Offices, 83, High Street, Croydon, and branch offices

I think he may well have purchased many of these items, as well as buying the house; I remember very hefty furniture there that was almost impossible to sell or move when Auntie Elsie sold the house around 1969.

On his death, the house went to the eldest child, Betty, who subsequently sold it to Robert, my Uncle Bob. 

Cranleigh was a big house over three floors with a large attic (full of a vast Marklin train set). There was a porch to the rear and a long garden lawn, then trees and beds for shaded plants. A garage to one side and a small “drive” with an entrance and exit to the main road. All that's left now, in 2023, is the tree next to one of the gates.

 

Death of daughter Evelyn aged 20 in 1920

1923, 13th April 1923, he was appointed Liquidator of the British Broken Hill Proprietary Co with his office at  87 Old Broad St, EC2. This was an unsuccessful attempt to emulate the very succesful Broken Hill Mining company, now one of the largest enterprises in the mining world.

British Mine, Broken Hill.

J.C.Goodhart (1873 - 1952)

Happier Times follow in…June 1933 

WEDDING BELLS 

Mr. Edward Garner and Miss Vera A. Head 

A beautiful dress of parchment satin embroidered with pearls was worn by Miss Vera Annie Head, daughter of Mrs. Head and the late M. Charles E. Head, of Wellesley Road, West Croydon. When she was married to Mr. Edward Garner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ernest Garner of "Cranleigh" Stafford Road. Waddon. at Sanderstead Parish Church on Saturday. 

As the Rector of Sanderstead is in charge of a parish at Horton. Bristol, the Rev. F. G. Mitchell of Lingfield, conducted the wedding ceremony. The service was fully choral, and two hymns," O Father All Creating" and "O Perfect Love, All Human Thought Transcending,” were sung. 

The bride, who was given away by her mother, wore a veil and orange blossom (lent by her friend, Sra. E. D. S. de Musto of Buenos Aires) and carried a bouquet of lilies of the valley. Coral pink organdie net and ribbed.; Dolly Varden hats, and mittens, were worn by the bridesmaids, Alice Head (sister of bride), Grace 

Hughes (friend of the bride), and Valerie Whitworth ( niece of bride). They carried Victorian posies of pink carnations and love-in-the-mist with streamers of pink and blue 

Mr. Robert Garner (brother of the bridegroom) carried out the duties of best man, and two other brothers of the bridegroom. Messrs. Maurice and Cyril Garner were groomsmen. 

A reception was held at the Selsdon Park Park Social Club. after which, the newly married couple left on their honeymoon. the bride wearing a beige georgette and lace frock with hat and coat to match. 

Among the large number of guests were: Miss Joan Garner and fiancé, Miss Betty Garner, Mr. Robert Garner and fiancée, Mr. Vincent Garner, Miss Eva Head, and Miss A. Tysoe. Mr. and Mrs. T. Bytes. Mr. and Mrs.J. Whitworth, Miss May Hamer. Miss Pamela Coath. Miss Cicele Scarth, Mr. and Mrs. Staples. Mrs.Murray-Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Cocks, Mrs Leleu. son and daughters, Mrs. M. Whitworth, Mr. A. Whitworth. Miss H. Whitworth. Mr. and Mrs. Tigg. Mr. and Mrs. Compton, Mr. and Miss Harris. Mr. and Mrs. Hansen. son and daughter. 

And another marriage!

1933 September  

Marriage of Joan Garner to Percy Hadaway

PALE GREEN, LEMON AND WHITE, Waddon Bride's Colour Scheme 

A cool colour scheme of pale green, Bison and white was seen at the wedding of Mr. Percy Hadaway, son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Hadaway, of Wallington. and Miss Florence Dorothy Garner. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ernest Garner of "Cranleigh." Stafford Road, Croydon, at St. Mary's Church, Beddington, on Saturday. The Rev. E. V. Bond conducted the ceremony. "The Voice that breathed o'er ' Eden" was played and sung as the bride walked down the aisle with her father, and the "Lohengrin  Bridal March was played as the wedding party left the church. Mr. Maurice A. Garner (a brother of the bride) carried out the duties of best man and four other brothers. Messrs. Edward, Robert, Cyril, and Vincent were groomsmen.

Miss Garner wore a dress of Ivory lace with pearls, and her tulle veil was trimmed

with orange blossom. The white roses in her bouquet were mixed with lilies-of-the-valley and white heather. Her sister, Miss Betty Garner, who was chief bridesmaid, was attired in a dress of pale green net; the second attendant, Miss Elsie Knight, was dressed in pale lemon net, and both bridesmaids wore picture hats and shoes to match their gowns. They

carried apricot carnations. The bridegroom presented them both with gifts of lingerie.

The reception, at which about fifty guests were entertained, was held at thehome of the bride. When Mr. and Mrs.Hadaway left for Shanklin, Isle of Wight, where the honeymoon is being spent, the bride wore a nigger brown georgette and beige lace dress, a brown hat and shoes, and carried a malze travelling coat. The newly-married couple have been the recipients of over sixty useful gifts.

1934 July 21st Marriage of Robert William to Elsie Margaret Knight

1935 Death of the amazing and probably exhausted Ruth Emily Jane Garner from TB

1939 - On the census, Edward Ernest's occupation is given as “Secretary, Chamber of Commerce” Living at Cranleigh, 20 Stafford Rd, Croydon

1943 January 9th Marriage of Cyril to Joan Estelle Greville

1943 August 18th Marriage of Maurice Alfred to Joyce Wellburn

Below - a letter from E.E to my father in December 1944

1945 January 12th Death

1945 Probate to Ruth (Betty) Garner, spinster £1349 5/11 (equal to about £75 k in 2025)

The Puzzling Life of Lewis Wellburn (a work in progress)

 

That's me and my Grandad in 1968

Here is what I have been told, remembered, or found out about him, and my Grandma whom I never met, and the various mysteries around their lives.Plus some new discoveries courtesy of The Ancestry Hunter.

Let's start with his Mum and Dad, who lived in Cayton just above Scarborough when they first married...

Views of Cayton

William Henry Wellburn was born in Cayton on August 6th, 1870. He married Nellie Smith in 1897, and on 21st June 1898, young Lewis Wellburn was born. The family was then living at 25 Aberdeen Road in Scarborough.

These are two views of Aberdeen Walk.

Lewis was born on 21st June 1898 and baptised on 16th July here at Saint Mary's with Holy Apostles, Scarborough (Church of England) a fact that is of interest later in the story.

The 1901 Census shows that on 2nd April 1901, the family was living at 13 St Thomas Walk, Scarborough, a busy thoroughfare. 

In 1903, when Lewis was five, the family was joined by his brother Clifford (1903–1956). Then, in November 1906, by his sister Ivy (1906–1981).

In 1907, he was registered at Gristhorpe C of E School (on 29 April 1907). Most likely Gristhorpe Infant School, which was opened in 1899 in the church building. of St Thomas's Church. In all its 72 years in existence, it had only four regular teachers. It started with around twenty-nine pupils, but by the end, this reduced to just ten, and so it was no longer viable to be kept open as a school.

Here is a 1910 article about his father's effective policing!

POLICEMAN COMMENDED HOW A SCARBOROUGH OFFICER TRACED A THIEF.

THIRTY MILE CHASE AND ARREST AT LANGTOFT.

At the Scarborough Police Court today, before the Mayor (Councillor W. Ascough) and other magistrates, William Potts (29), of 26, Seamer Street, and Samuel Borrows (28), of no fixed abode, both labourers, were charged on remand with stealing a fowl, valued at 2s. 6d., the property of Edward Leng, dairyman, 149, Victoria Road. Both pleaded guilty.

Chief Constable Basham, in relating the facts, said that the prosecutor kept a hen run on Seamer Road. On October 6th, P.C. Wellburn was in Mere Lane when the prisoners saw him and doubled back. The officer caught Borrows and asked him what he was doing there, and he replied, "I am here." As he had nothing on him, the officer chased Potts and on him found the fowl, dead, but warm. Borrows left the town and was eventually arrested at Langtoft.

P.C. Wellburn bore out this statement, adding that he traced Borrows to Ganton Carr, then to Willerby Woods, on to Thwing, and to Kilham, where he lost trace of him, but on the Monday he picked up the trace and arrested the prisoner at Langtoft, where he was milking a cow. The chase extended some thirty miles.

Potts told the magistrates that Borrows caught the bird and put it in his pocket, remarking that he was going back after tea and would clear the lot.

Borrows replied that he never touched the bird, and said Potts was telling a wilful lie. Potts then asked him to get one of the fowls, and he replied, "You can do as you like, but I have done with that game now." Potts then went across the road, got one of the fowls, and put it in his pocket. He heard there was a warrant out for him because of his child, so he said he was going to clear off. Borrows added, "I hope God will strike me stiff if I know anything more about it."

The Clerk asked: Was there a warrant out against him? Chief Constable Basham: No.Has he any arrears? - He always has, as he never pays. Borrows: If I were innocent, I would say so -(laughter)- I mean if I was guilty.

The magistrates retired and, on their return, the Mayor said that they had given careful consideration to the case, and had considered each point of doubt, but they felt that they must put a stop to these petty thefts. There was nothing more mean than stealing a neighbour's fowls. Borrows had a very bad record. Each would be fined 7s. 6d.. and, failing to pay, would have to go to prison for fourteen days.

The Mayor added that P.C. Wellburn deserved great commendation for his work in tracing Borrows. It would be an unfortunate thing if any man, being guilty of a crime, could feel that he was going to escape. P.C. Wellburn did his duty in a manner that deserved commendation from the Bench, because that arrest would act as a deterrent to other criminals

Following this chase, in the 1911 census, the Family were living at 56 Falsgrave Road, Scarborough, presumably in the flat above what became the paperback shop.

1914 and WW1

At the outbreak of war, he was 16 and living with his parents, and now living in Falsgrave Road in the flat above the paperback shop.

Eventually, he was conscripted under the terms of the Military Service Act 1916 and was called up thirty days after his 18th birthday.

He was posted to the Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport) in March 1917 as Private M/298843. After training, probably at Grove Park, he was posted to the British Expeditionary Force to an unknown destination. However, on 28th September 2017, he was admitted to 18 General Hospital at Camiers (near Etables) suffering from a sprained right ankle and a 'colles fracture right' (that’s his wrist). He was repatriated to the UK on the 8th October on a hospital ship.

The hospital record of this states he had "one year's service and 13 months" with the field force, which makes no sense. It then shows he was next with 181 Labour Company, but then Labour Company is struck through. So it's a bit of a mystery what happened next.

The medal roll then shows his number as EMT/43012, which is a post-war re-enlistment number for an additional one year's service for the Armies of Occupation. This tells us he re-enlisted on the 4th March 1919 and was discharged on the 17 March 1920, free from further military obligation.

In 1919, there are two references to him in the absent voter electoral rolls for 56 Falsgrave Road – in one, he is shown as being "Private 298843 1st M.T. reserve depot." In the other "M.T. RASC 76th aux H.P. coy" 

There is a lot of information about the reserve depot here, and as much as I can find about the 76th here. I am still trying to find out more about Labour Company 181 or whatever he did for the rest of the war.

It is quite possible that he served in Ireland during this year, and it is just possible that the IRA story below could actually be true.

1920  

Then at the age of twenty-two, he married Maude Lonsdale, four years his senior, in October 1920.

The young couple moves in with Maud's mother and sister. He is working as a "motor driver" for the popular Robinson Motor Tours company

As well as Maude’s widowed mother, Josephine, 69, there is Lottie Lonsdale, 33, who is single and works at E. T. W. Dennis printers as a stationer's apprentice. Seen here, the building is burning after an air raid - it's quite a substantial building.

Also in the house are two tenants, John McKeag, 34, and married, a visitor from Newcastle upon Tyne while working for Wallsend Slipway and Engineering Ltd, and Harold Wildbore, 32, from Leicester St Leonards, who is a Machine Tool Maker.

Below are some photos of the charabancs operated by Robinson Motor Tours near the Grand Hotel and at the station.

In January 1924 his mother-in-law, Josephine Lonsdale died, just before she would have met her granddaughter Joyce, who was born around midnight on the 24th of February

He and Maud are living at 102 Hoxton Rd in the same house as Joseph and Alice Standing.

In May 1924, Lewis’s father William, the publican at The Scarborough Arms is prosecuted as his wife sold a jack of Brandy to Edith Knox at 8:30am, outside licensing hours.

From an undated newspaper clipping.

EVIDENTLY, in the early 1920s, Scarborough's Chief Constable, Henry Windsor, and his policemen spent countless hours trying to catch publicans who served intoxicating liquor during prohibited hours.

However, they generally failed miserably to do so, In fact, they seldom managed to nab anyone unless some disgruntled drinker or trusty teetotaller tipped them off, as happened in May 1924.

At 8.30 am on Saturday, 24 May, acting upon information received, Sgt Herbert Nalton and PC Jeromiah "Taller" Taylor began to watch the Scarborough Arms, on North Terrace. Its licensee was William Wellburn, who had been a Scarborough policeman for 25 years.

After seven minutes' surveillance, they saw a woman knock on the public house's side door and enter the building. They recognized her as Edith Knox, who lodged at 119 Castle Road.

When she left the Scarborough Arms at 8.55 am, Mrs Knox was stopped by the policemen, who discovered a flask hidden beneath her coat. Questioned by Sgt Nalton, she admitted: "I was served a 'jack' of brandy." (A "jack" being equal to a gill.)

Taking Mrs Knox with them, the policemen marched into the Scarborough Arms, where they accused Mr Wellburn of selling alcohol during prohibited hours. He replied: "I know nowt about it," and called his wife, who said: "The woman was ill, so I gave her the brandy."

Mr Wellburn declared: "You can see the woman's ill - I always give her some brandy when she's ill." Whereupon, to emphasize his declaration, Mrs Knox had a "fit of noisy hysterics" and fell to the floor in a swoon.

PC Taylor promptly administered first aid by rubbing her lips with soda water from the siphon on the bar top. When she remained in a faint, he was forced to revive her with a tot of brandy.

After threatening Mr Wellburn with prosecution, the policemen escorted Mrs Knox to the police station (at the north end of St Thomas Street), where she signed a statement as follows: "Mrs Wellburn served me with brandy. I owed her 4/- (20p) for it and was to pay later in the day. Yesterday (23 May) and the day before, at about 8.30am, I was served a similar quantity of brandy. I know who gave me away; it was my landlord, Reuben Panther."

On Wednesday, 4th June, Mr Wellburn was charged with supplying intoxicating liquor during prohibited hours, to be consumed off the premises. He pleaded "not guilty", but changed his plea to "guilty” after hearing Mrs Knox's statement.

In a convincing speech, Welburn said: "I know nothing about Mrs Knox being an habitual brandy drinker. She calls at my house every morning and I give her a cup of tea - she has no gas in her room and cannot make a hot drink. On the 24th May, she was ill so my wife gave her a gill of brandy."

The Scarborough Arms, which the police placed under surveillance after a tip-off that alcohol was being sold outside licensing hours.

The mayor, Alderman George Whitfield, as chief magistrate, announced the decision made by him and his colleagues, Miss Mary Hopkins, Christopher Graham and George Rowntree.

He said: "We do not believe the brandy was a gift - it was obviously a sale made by your wife. You are responsible for her actions and are fined £2. If you had personally made the sale, the fine would have been much more."At the same court, Knox pleaded guilty to the charge of taking intoxicating liquor from licensed premises during prohibited hours.Alderman Whitfield told her: "You were the cause of Mr Wellburn being convicted - we hope a fine of £2 will deter you from ever again committing a similar offence.

In 1925, they can be found living at 47 Highfield

Then in 1926, the couple had a son, Lew (is) John Patrick Wellburn.  

In 1929 They are living as a family at  55 Hinderwell St, which I believe has since been demolished and replaced with council housing.

In 1931 Lewis converts to Catholisim and  Joyce is baptised as well and then sent off early the next year to a Catholic Childrens home in Middlesbrough. Lew stays at home a little longer then goes to a placement in Hull. The assumption is that it has become apparent that Maud is not going to be home anytime soon and Lewis is not coping alone with his two children.

My mother, Joyce, was sent off to a Catholic Children's home, ‘Nazareth House’ in Middlesbrough - the records show she entered on 8th February 1932 and was there till 7th January 1936. It sounds as if it was as bad as what the Catholic Childrens homes of that time are famous for.

Lew is later sent to somewhere in Hull and has a slightly easier time there.

Later in 1932, Lewis is living in what looks like "rooms" in the house of Doris and Gertrude Neil at 94 Tennyson Avenue.

Sheffield Daily Telegraph 1929
SCARBOROUGH. —Spend Autumn Holidays at Scarborough; full board £2 weekly; near Peasholme Park, Floral Hall and sea.—Wingerworth, 94, Tennyson avenue. SCARBOROUGH ...

1n 1933 he moves in with his mother Nellie and his brother Clifford at 4 Elmville Avenue

I think in 1934 he moves into 28 Mayville Avenue, where he will live till his death.

At some point Lewis takes up with Bertha Deyes from Sculcotes in Hull and she moves in with him. Its possible that they met as a result of Lew living in Hull, but whatever, they are living "secretly" in Mayville Road. She calls herself both Elizabeth and Betty and apparantly living under the surname Wellburn, though Maud is still living and no marriage has taken place. 

They soon had two children, Wendy, who was born in July 1934, and June, who was born in her own month in 1936, and its in 

My mother remembered with horror her time in the home and had persistent nightmares about it throughout her life. The horrors especially came back during thunderstorms and would often be of people in a long line being harshly judged as sheep or goats for tiny misdemeanours and sent to heaven or hell for eternity. She had to keep herself spotlessly clean for the nuns and sometimes had her hands tied at night so she couldn’t “touch herself”.  She remained a catholic but had a very odd relationship with religion all her life.

This is what I heard from The Sisters of Nazarath about my mothers time there.

1. Middlesborough Children’s Register (FDB/00/06/X)

There is an entry for Joyce in this register at number 1579. The entry indicates that your mother entered the House on 8th February 1932 and stayed there until 7th January 1936. The entry records that she was born in Scarborough and baptised at St Peter’s, Scarborough. Her parents were Louis Wellburn who worked as a chauffeur and Maud Lonsdale. She was recommended to the care of the Sisters by a Reverend P. Loughran. The Observation column notes that her parents were living at the time.

2. Middlesborough Girl’s Disposal (FDB/00/10/X)

The entry in this register indicates that your mother was 11 years old when she left the house and that she was taken by her father to live at an address in Scarborough.

3. Middlesborough Baptismal Certificates (FDB/00/19/04)

I found a baptismal certificate for your mother recording that she was baptised on 20th February 1931 at St Peter’s Catholic Church, Scarborough. Interesting to note that the priest who signed the certificate is likely to be the same person recorded in the Children’s Register as recommending your mother to the care of the Sisters.

For four years, she was away from home. 

She told me she was only brought back to Scarborough as Bertha was finding it hard to cope with baby Wendy, and another baby was on the way.

Although still young, she acted as mother to Wendy and June and did most of the housework. Lew was needed back to “bring some money into the house” by getting a job, and he also returned, though I am not sure when.

In 1936, somehow Bertha get on the electoral register as Elizabeth Wellburn (both names false).

In 1939, Lewis is living with Bertha Deyes, Joyce, Wendy, and June at 28 Mayville Avenue.

  

 Wendy, Wendy and June and June  

There are so many other puzzling things about this time. I saw an article in the local Scarborough newspaper when Lewis was in an open-air theatre presentation of Hiawatha, probably in 1947. The things he claimed to have done are legion. 

They include him being captured by the IRA in Ireland. They kept him and another soldier imprisoned naked in a house. Luckily, he escaped by hitting their captor on the head with a boot before escaping into the night. He said he drove the first bus into Scarborough as well as the first Rolls-Royce. Also, he was given a medal from the Society of Pharmacists for his skill in a crash involving a charabanc he was driving, which saved the passengers' lives.

He supposedly fought a duel with a "Belgian Count" and was often a leading light in the open-air theatre in Scarborough as a swashbuckler. I am not sure now how accurate these stories are .

I tried in vain to confirm his escape from the IRA with the "Police Museum" in Belfast- they had no record of him serving in Ireland, but now I know more about his likely unit, in the ASC or Labour corps I might try again.

He was a motor mechanic and chauffeur, trained in the RASC, according to the census, so the driving claims could well be true.

My mother said he was a quartermaster of stores in WW2, tasked with finding old barns and factories to store essential items in the area near Scarborough, and he held a similar post in the Local Council when I met him, probably in 1962.

He certainly showed us around the sheds where the battleships used in mock sea battles on the lake in Peasholm Park were stored and got us a free train ride on the little narrow gauge railway. Everyone seemed to know and like him.

As I said Joyce acted as a mother to Wendy and June and did most of the housework. Unsurprisingly, she did not get on well with Bertha, and told me of things such as when her periods started, she had no idea what was happening, and her stepmother just threw a sanitary towel at her in the bathroom.

She told me how she would go to confession and confess everything sinful she had read about in the bible, things a 12-year-old couldn't possibly do, just to be certain she had no sins “on her” should she suddenly die.

In the 1939 Census, they are living on Mayville Avenue and his occupation is given as “Driver Mechanic - Incapacitated.” I think this is the paralysed arm story that my mother told me, She said just she and her father prayed together over his arm and that it was miraculously healed.

Her Father cruelly prevented my mother from going into teacher training despite her having a scholarship after she left school.

From around 1931 till 1948, Maud disappears from the records - in 1948, she is in a mental hospital near York, dying from Syphilis.  Clifton Hospital without.

There are so many questions unanswered here - how did she aquire the disease, - did Lewis have it? It was curable by the time of her death, although she obviously and sadly wasn't cured.  

Other questions hang over family life, as Wendy always had strange relationships with much older men, but always continued to live at home, not even when she married did she live with her husband; her relationship with my mother was alternately intense and then distant. 

Clues about what he Lewis did in WW2 are found in this photo taken much later, but possibly showing his career.

The cap badge appears to be the British Military Provost Cap Badge of the WWII period, and the last ribbon appears to be the WWII Defence Medal. This is usually followed by the WWII War Medal, which is not evident. This suggests to me that he might have been in a reserve occupation, such as the police. In summary, "GR" on civilian cap badges during wartime would have typically indicated a connection to the monarchy or the nation's support for the war effort, with some badges explicitly displaying "GR" and others using a similar symbol. I was told he might have been a “A Quartermaster of Stores in the Scarborough area,” finding places to store crucial war-related items.

His father, William, died in June 1946 at age 75

Then, in 1948, Maud died in the asylum outside York.

A member of the Sangwin family (Maud's mother's family) gave me this information

A death certificate reports Maud Wellburn, female, died on 24 Feb 1948, at North Riding Mental Hospital, without Clifton R.D. Her home address was given as 55 Hinderwell Road, Scarborough, wife of ( no first name given) Wellburn. aged 54 years.

Cause of death:

a) general paralysis of the insane

b) chronic Nephritis P[ost] M[ortem] by J Iveson Russell MD.

Sadly, the diagnosis confirms what you were told: Syphilis. Antibiotic treatment was in its infancy, but it was in use during World War II and could have saved her. 

So Lewis marries Bertha “Betty” Deyes on February 28^th just four days after Maud’s death. 

Clues about what he did next are found in this photo taken much later, but possibly showing his career.

The cap badge appears to be the British Military Provost Cap Badge of the WWII period, and the last ribbon appears to be the WWII Defence Medal. This is usually followed by the WWII War Medal, which is not evident. This suggests to me that he might have been in a reserve occupation, such as the police. In summary, "GR" on civilian cap badges during wartime typically indicated a connection to the monarchy or the nation's support for the war effort, with some badges explicitly displaying "GR" and others using a similar symbol. I was told he might have been a “A Quartermaster of Stores in the Scarborough area,” finding places to store crucial war-related items.

Joyce marries my father Maurice Alfred Garner in August 1943, but he is soon overseas in Europe. Joyce continues to live at home till ????  Joyces mother dies on her birthday in 1948.

Clifford died in  December 1956, aged 53, and Ivy died in Wales in 1981, aged 75, with Lewis passing next March (198 2)at age 83.