Mabel Victoria 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

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.”

Hilda “was educated at the Misses Pitman’s school in Hackney until 1890, then at Lady Eleanor Holles’ School, which she left in 1895. In 1894, 1895 and 1896 the family went on holiday to Margate (by "Eagle" steamer from Tower Bridge). These were the first family holidays they had had, which suggests that Thomas Bearman probably retired from the shop in 1894.

About 1900 Hilda met Edward Middlemiss, as the Middlemiss family was at that time living next door at 10. Tudor Road. They became engaged in 1901 and married in 1907. Hilda, having a clear soprano voice, was in the choir at Mare Street Baptist Church, took part regularly in the Nonconformist Union Choir Festivals at the Crystal Palace, and sang in several Handel and other oratorios. This was with her fiance, who had a good baritone voice. In addition she was a fairly competent pianist. She was also an excellent draughtswoman and was often employed by her father to make detailed drawings of his coins. She was a keen tennis player and, in the winter, a skater on the lake in Victoria Park.

After their marriage, Hilda and Edward lived for 3½ years in rooms at 32, Poole Road, Hackney, London, and here their first child, Edward Thomas Middlemiss, was born. They moved to 38, Canterbury Road, Leyton on the 11th March 1911. Here Edward was able to indulge his interests in gardening, carpentry, photography and in having a dog - the Airedale Bob was the first.

Hilda was a less assertive person than her sisters Kate and Edith but was a woman of strong principles and knew her own mind. She was more concerned with fundamentals than with more trivial matters; she was not worried if the house was a bit untidy or about such details as the precise time of meals as long as her children grew up with the right principles in life. Like her husband and like her sister Kate, she was very fond of animals and we grew up in close contact with dogs, cats, tortoises, etc. Many of her letters from the time of the second World War have been preserved and shed a vivid light on what housekeeping, shopping and travelling were like in the dark days of the Blitz. On reading them, the word "indomitable" comes to mind as descriptive of her.”

Frank Middlemiss’s online notes

Edward “was educated mainly at Mrs. Press's Oxford House School in Leytonstone and the Leyton Technical College. Leaving school at 16 he was first apprenticed to the plumbing firm of Alexander Grant (an old family friend) but had great difficulty in settling down and passed through many and varied jobs during the 20s and early 30s. About 1926 he started to train as a draughtsman by correspondence course, but soon gave it up. Finally, about 1935, he found his niche as a car repair fitter with Stewart and Ardern, the Morris specialist in Ilford.

“In 1938 he transferred to John Knight, the soap manufacturers of Silvertown, for whom he worked until retirement. For many years he maintained their vans and lorries at their Silvertown depot, acting there as Air Raid Warden during the 2nd World War. His value to the firm is shown by the fact that his job was a reserved occupation, i.e. he was exempt from service in the armed forces. He was, however, a member of the Home Guard from 1942, in addition to his Air Raid Warden and fire-watching duties. When he became too old to climb under the lorries he was made gate-keeper of the depot until he retired about 1968.

“He was a very keen sportsman, especially swimming, cycling and tennis, and claimed that there was not a sport that he had not at least tried. He was also an expert ballroom dancer.

“Ethel May Smith (16th August 1907-16th February 1991), always called "Elsie" (although her husband always called her "Apple" or "Ap"), came from a rather overcrowded home at 53 Cambridge Road, Walthamstow (demolished after the 2nd World War), and round about 1930 moved in with us at 38, Canterbury Road.

“Ed and Elsie married in July 1937 and eventually the house was divided into two flats, Ed and Elsie downstairs, my mother and I upstairs (this was in 1940). This arrangement continued when the Canterbury Road house was destroyed by bombing in 1940 and we moved to 204 Hainault Road, Leytonstone.

“Ed was a heavy smoker, as his father had been, and died of lung cancer at the age of 66. After his death in 1975 Elsie remained at Hainault Road only one year and in 1976 moved to a house at Lindfield, Sussex, close to her sister Emily (and Emily's husband Eric Ditton and their daughter Christine). For the last few years of her life Elsie was in a home at Shoreham, Sussex.”

Frank Middlemiss online notes

Donald “was a sturdy lad, much like his father and elder brother. One day in early February 1919 he went up to the snow-covered Forest with his brother and got thoroughly chilled. Unfortunately this was in the midst of the terrible diphtheria epidemic of 1919 and he contracted the disease and died within a few days.

“The bill for his funeral makes interesting reading. The bill is for ‘An elm coffin, covered with white swansdown, with nickel fittings and ornaments and an inscribed plate, and lined with cambric. To be drawn in a glass coach by a pair of horses; undertaker in attendance’. The total cost of this was £4.10. 0 (£4.50 in 1990s money) - a quite astonishing comment on the inflation of the late 20th Century.”

Frank Middlemiss online notes

Frank “was born at 38, Canterbury Road, Leyton and educated at Canterbury Road School, Leyton, and the Leyton County High School, along with his cousins Ernest and Douglas. He spent the 2nd World War in the Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in all the countries from India to Italy. He was taken prisoner on the Anzio beachhead in February 1944 and spent fourteen months as a prisoner of war in Italy and Germany. When he eventually came out of the Army he was fortunate enough to obtain a Government Further Education grant and went to London University, where he took his B.Sc. (and later his Ph.D.) in Geology.

“He was taken on to the staff of his own college (Queen Mary College) and remained there for the rest of his working life, gradually rising through the ranks of Assistant Lecturer, Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, University Reader and finally Emeritus Reader. He loved his job, as he always got on well with students, and went on working until he was 76. From 1981 until 2004 he was Chairman of ACE Residents' Association, the residents' association covering the whole of his part of Woodford.

“In his first week at the College he met fellow student Florence Fozzard (9th February 1919- ), from Oldham, and they were married in 1949. Florence had spent the war years as Secretary, Bursar and Assistant Matron at a boys' boarding school in her native Oldham and had come to College as a mature student. Afterwards she had a variety of jobs, mainly secretarial, including being Personal Secretary to the man who ran the National Industrial Relations Court, and she finished up by being an Inspector in the Department of Health and Social Security until she retired at the age of sixty.”

Frank Middlemiss online notes

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

Not 100% sure on Eric, evidence from bmd, mother’s maiden name Marshall