Henry Middlemiss

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

“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.”

Edward “was born on Michaelmas Day , September 29th, at 58 Brownlow Road, Dalston. London.

“He left school at 13 and was mainly self- educated. He spent some time working in his father's glass factory (he was working there in 1901, when the census describes him as a glass silverer) but also worked in about 1902- for Ever-Ready Batteries at Tottenham. He married Hilda Bearman on the 7th September 1907. From 1903 he was in the finance department of Yardley (soap and scent), Carpenter’s Road, Stratford, London.

“They gave him a handsome canteen of cutlery as a wedding present, some items from which are still in use in 2009. He remained with the firm for the rest of his life, latterly ranking as Cashier. His salary in 1931 was £600 per annum.

“He was a keen gardener and fond of travel. He had a good baritone voice and was active in the Nonconformist Union Choir Festivals at the Crystal Palace and sang in several Handel and other oratorios. Although he never learned to read staff notation and relied always on Tonic Sol-Fa, he became for a time Choirmaster at Cann Hall Baptist Church, Leyton, which he and his family attended during their early years at Leyton.

“However, something very unpleasant happened (I was never able to find out exactly what) and he not only resigned the Choirmastership but gave up forthwith all interest in the Church and all interest in music. This must have been some time during the 1st World War.

“In 1925 he left his family and went to live with a Miss Flo Bedwell, a fellow employee at Yardleys. It is an interesting comment on the customs of the time that, although I knew her quite well, I never learnt her Christian name; I used to call her "Auntie Bed". They lived first at Pinner, later at Thundersley (Essex) and finally at 27 (or 29) Winchester Road, Northwood Hills Middlesex.

“He always fully maintained his family, visited us regularly every week and often came on holiday with us. He was bitterly disappointed in 1925 when a promised business trip for Yardleys to New York failed to materialize, but later travelled extensively on holiday (presumably with Miss Bedwell) to the Channel Islands, a Mediterranean cruise, the Rhineland and especially Switzerland, which he loved.

“In 1926 he bought his first car, a Wolsley YO4854. He was the first in the family to have a car. He learned to drive but never did in fact drive, always leaving the driving to his son Edward. He underwent an operation for cancer of the colon in London Hospital (Royal Ward) but a few days later an abscess on the site of the operation necessitated a second operation, which he did not survive. He died on Easter Sunday, 9th April 1939.”

Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

On his death at London Hospital, Whitechapel Road E1, Edward, of 25 Winchester Road, Northwood Hills, Middlesex left £1152 14s 4d to Edward Thomas Middlemiss, motor mechanic, according to probate records.

Another probate grant the same day showed Edward “3 July to Florence Mabel Bedwell spinster. Effects £975. Resworn £900. Another Grant same day.”

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