Ethel Miller

Albert “like his two elder brothers, was a glass silverer in his father's factory, according to the 1901 census. He served in the Army during the 1st World War- stationed at one time in Dover Castle. In 1917, he was in Naval Squadron no. 9. He, like his brother, worked for the Hackney Board of Guardians. He married Ethel Miller (always called "Effie") on Easter Saturday 1912. He and his family settled before the 1st World War at

191, Essex Road,

Leyton.

The house suffered severe damage on several occasions from enemy action during WW2. In Autumn 1940, a parachute mine landed in the small hours about a quarter of a mile away and took out all their windows. They retreated to a cottage at Tring (see Mabel Victoria Middlemiss) until the house was habitable again, but more damage occurred in 1941 and they stayed for two months with George Whitbread in Epping. Finally, in Autumn 1944, a V2 rocket landed just 30 0 yards away and brought down all ceilings, windows, doors, etc. Astonishingly, they continued to live in the house together with Brian and Grace after this, without windows and without daylight. They did have an air raid shelter which they dug and constructed themselves in the garden, although at times, when the air raids were less severe, they slept in the living room, which had been turned into a sort of fortress. They moved away from 191, Essex Road after the war and lived with Bert and Grace (their son and daughter-in-law) first at

86, Larkshall Road,

Highams Park

and later at

34, Underwood Road,

Chingford.

Finally, about 1969, they moved to a bungalow at

Lyminge,

Kent,

near to Bert and Grace.

Dr Frank Middlemiss online notes

Albert “served in the Royal Armoured Corps from July 1940. He was in Egypt by January 1941, spent some time in Malta during 1943, and was in action more or less throughout the North African and Italian campaigns of the 2nd World War. His civilian occupation was on the Stock Exchange. Bert married Grace Tuck in March 1937. Grace was a highly intelligent and resourceful woman, who had a responsible position in the Housing Department of Hackney Council. She used to go to great lengths to visit Bert while he was still stationed in the Army in this country, in spite of the great difficulties in the way of travel under wartime conditions. While Bert was away Grace lived at first with the others in the cottage at Tring, but by August 1941 she was back at 191, Essex Road, Leyton with her parents-in-law in spite of the daunting conditions there. In August 1942 she acquired a flat at

3, Forest View,

Whipps Cross,

Leyton,

where she and Bert lived for a time after the War. Bert and Grace were always great friends of Ed and Elsie. They never had any children. Many years later they moved to Lyminge, Kent, from which Bert used to commute daily to London in all weathers. Here Grace died in 1983. Bert re-married and settled at Elham, Kent, with Dorothy (nee Hart).”

Dr Frank Middlemiss online notes

Ernest “worked in the office of the electricity service, latterly the London Electricity Board. He was a keen sportsman; as a boy he had been especially good at gymnastics. He was exempted from military service during the War, but took an active part as an officer in the Air Training Corps and also joined the Home Guard. He married Joan Clark and in later years they lived at

378, Larkshall Road,

Chingford,

Essex.

Joan died on the 30th December 1992. They had no children. Towards the end of his life, Ern was in a BUPA home near Stowmarket. He died after a short illness.”

Dr Frank Middlemiss online notes

Douglas “was educated at Canterbury Road School, Leyton, and later at the Leyton County High School, like his brother Ernest and like myself. The three of us were all at these schools at the same time. Douglas had a clerical position with the London Electricity Board. He married Irene ("Renee") Furnish in August 1940, when they were both only twenty, and was called up into the R.A.F. immediately afterwards. Only two months later he was posted to Canada and Renee was accorded the rare privilege of going with him. However he did not actually go until December 1940 and Renee did not accompany him. Soon afterwards he was reported to be living in 30 degrees below zero, and he arrived home from Canada in October 1942. Meanwhile their first child, James Middlemiss, had been born in August 1941. They later had two more sons - Frank (1944) and Robert (Nov. 1945). Doug was the only one of Albert and Effie's family to have children, but he made up for it by producing a large family of descendants. In the early 90s he was Chairman of the Resident's Association in Upper Walthamstow Road, where he and Renee had lived for many years. About 2002, they left their Walthamstow house and moved to Ditchingham, near Bungay, Suffolk. Doug suffered from Parkinson's disease in his last years.”

Dr Frank Middlemiss online notes