Douglas Henry Middlemiss

“A favourite story of Aunt Lil's was how her parents Edward and Elizabeth first met. Elizabeth (then Stone) travelled with a Sunday school party to Chingford Plain one bank holiday. Then, as now, there was a fair on the Plain and she, goaded by her friends, visited a fortune teller. This lady foretold a sudden meeting in the very near future with a handsome man who would become her husband. While they were still giggling about this outside the tent, Elizabeth turned to walk away and bumped into a handsome young man who, of course, turned out to be Edward. The girls all cried "Oh, the gipsy, the gipsy", and doubtless Edward wanted to know what it was all about. Anyway, the story goes that he raised his hat and apologized and the acquaintance went on from there. They had four sons and a daughter at two yearly intervals and then a gap of nine years before Mabel was born. During those nine years, four babies were either still born or died soon after birth. For some time during their married life (certainly during Mabel's childhood) Grandma Stone lived with them and, presumably, helped with the household chores.

“The family moved frequently. In 1879 they were living at Dalston, in 1885 at Clapton Park, in 1894 at 34, Glaskin Road, (a turning on the north side of Well Street - now demolished), Hackney London. 

“At the turn of the century they were living at 10, Tudor Road, Hackney, next to the Bearmans. Thus Edward Stone Middlemiss and Hilda Bearman met and became engaged. Alexander William and Elsie Nora Bearman were also interested in each other during 1900 but this was apparently vetoed by Mrs. Bearman.

“In July 1903 they moved to 83, Dongola Road, Tottenham and, some time between April and July 1904 to 43, Cadogan Terrace, Homerton, London from where Edward Stone Middlemiss was married in 1907. In later years, Edward and Elizabeth had rooms in Alexander William's house, first at 76, Devonshire Road, (now Brenthouse Road) Hackney, London then, after Elizabeth's death in 1923, at 154, Kyverdale Road, Upper Clapton. London 

“Grandma Elizabeth became blind in one eye later in life through glaucoma and had a glass eye which Aunt Lil used to take out and clean for her. Edward was much disabled by arthritis in his last years. He died during the great frost of 1928-29 as a result of falling down the four steps from the hall to the dining room and hitting his head against the fender.”

Lived in Hackney in 1891 census too along with Alexander D, Edward S, Elizabeth H, Ernest H and Albert Henry

Edward ”spent some time helping out at the Swiss Cottage dairy farm; later he was a sorter in the General Post Office. Still later he had his own plate and sheet glass business at Chilton Street, Bethnal Green. The mirrors in the overmantles at Beach Crest were produced by his firm, but later the firm fell on bad times. From 1900 he was complaining of poor business and he sold the business in late 1902 or early 1903.“

“... A favourite story of Aunt Lil's was how her parents Edward and Elizabeth first met. Elizabeth (then Stone) travelled with a Sunday school party to Chingford Plain one bank holiday. Then, as now, there was a fair on the Plain and she, goaded by her friends, visited a fortune teller. This lady foretold a sudden meeting in the very near future with a handsome man who would become her husband. While they were still giggling about this outside the tent, Elizabeth turned to walk away and bumped into a handsome young man who, of course, turned out to be Edward. The girls all cried "Oh, the gipsy, the gipsy", and doubtless Edward wanted to know what it was all about. Anyway, the story goes that he raised his hat and apologized and the acquaintance went on from there. They had four sons and a daughter at two yearly intervals and then a gap of nine years before Mabel was born. During those nine years, four babies were either still born or died soon after birth. For some time during their married life (certainly during Mabel's childhood) Grandma Stone lived with them and, presumably, helped with the household chores.”

Dr. Frank Middlemiss - personal notes

Baptisms of children on Ancestry - some still to document

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