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Chapter Fourteen

THE CHILDREN OF:
ALBERT HOPE LEA & FANNY MARIA CURTIS


Forward now to the family of Albert Hope Lea, my grandfather, and his wife Fanny (née Curtis).

Their eldest daughter is Edith Emily, born at Stroud in Gloucestershire on the 8th of February 1897.   “Auntie Edie” as she was affectionately known to my family married Fredderick Woolford on the 23rd of January 1919 and their first home was in a cottage which was one of two that stood at the end of Tilley’s Lane and West End Road, Stratton St. Margaret.   Unfortunately both cottages have since been demolished.   I found it incredible that our ancestors lived in a farm adjacent to the cottages in 1730.   Auntie Edie and Fred had one daughter, Violet, with whom she lives today in Cricklade Road, Swindon.   Vi and Ernie Johnson, her husband, have one son, Mervin and many grandchildren.

I have during the last two years visited them fairly regularly discussing the family and know that without their help this work would not have been possible.   I have been made most welcome and realise now what loss it has been to myself not to have stayed closer to them over the years.   Auntie Edie has graciously given me my grandfather’s pocket watch with a silver chain attached that belonged to her second husband George Humphris, who she married in July 1939.   She also gave me a gold dress ring which belonged to George, that, with other artefacts, will pass on with time as family heirlooms.

Arthur William Lea was the first son for Albert and Fanny.   He was born on the 29th of May 1898.   Arthur married Ethal Jordon, whose mother and father ran a coal merchants business in Cricklade Road Swindon, and had two sons Bob and Ronald.   They lived a great part of their lives in Argile Street, Gorse Hill, Swindon.

Albert Henry Lea was the next child in their family.   He married Dorris and had three children Raymond, Murial Jean and Janice.   They too lived in Argile Street, Gorse Hill.

It is unfortunate that the next two children, Percy and Minnie both died at very young tender ages.   Percy died at Tythe Farm, Longcot, and Minnie in the hospital in Cricklade Road, Swindon.


My favourite photo of Auntie Edie taken when she was approximately 16 years old.



Edith Lea’s wedding to Fredderick Woolford 1919.


Missing photograph of crashed train
Missing newspaper cutting

Just one of many chats with Auntie Edie

Mother went shopping one day, I had to whitewash a boarder about six inches wide around the porch.   When we lived at the farm, Longcot, one of the boys spread some dirt over it, and when I told them off they decided to teach me a lesson, and gave me a hiding.

Our George lay across my feet because he was too small to do anything else and the other boys laid into me.   They really gave me a thumping.   When mother came home later she told us all to wash, which we did ourselves, and she would then inspect us to see if we had cleaned ourselves properly.   She noticed all the bruises I had over me and I had to tell her what had happened.   She in turn told father who after tea put two on them.   They treated me like I was one of themselves, each week they would get out the boxing gloves and I had to take my turn like the rest.   I was always glad when they had given me an upper cut because that usually meant my turn was over.

Our Percy was the best boxer, he was fearless and when he did something wrong like the day he couldn't get his show on and threw it across the room in temper, it hit a large picture of the Queen that was hanging on the wall and broke the glass.   Later when father came home, Percy went over to him and said “I got it coming, make it a good un”.   I was in bed with Percy the day he died.   I wasn’t too well either.   The doctor came in and mother told me to go and get in one of the other beds in the other room.   Percy was buried at the church in Longcot but he doesn’t have a headstone.   He was only eight years old.

Albert was born at Stanton Fitzwarren when we were living on a farm there.   We would push him in the pram to the pond down the road to catch minnows.   When we lived at the house in the woods at Cowage sometimes Arthur and I had to go to the ‘Slappy’, a pub at the other end of the woods, to get beer for father, One night someone was amongst the trees with a candle inside the case of a vegetable that had eyes and a mouth cut out of it.   We were so scared we run all the way back to the house, we never found out who it was.

Minnie my sister died when she was eleven years old, she was a well built girl and was very chatty, but caught scarlet fever and had to go to the isolation hospital at Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill.   I think Pneumonia had developed and after a short while she was gone.

We had two horses at the farm, one was called Bubbles, the other Violet.   Violet always came trotting over to me when she heard my voice.   I didn’t name Vi (her daughter) after the horse but after the flowers at the cottage in Tilley’s Lane where we were living when she was born.   I was born in Stroud after father had moved there to look after mother and the three children.   Uncle Harry had died and father had kept his promise to look after them when he had gone.   Myself, Bill, Alice, and our Fred lived together until they found work elsewhere.

Fred and Bill went on the road once, Bill played the accordion and Fred collected the money, they got as far as Birmingham and Fred’s feet were so sore Bill gave him his share of the money so that he could come home on the train.

Alice married Harry Orchard and lived in Swindon.   Fred married Alice and they lived in Birmingham.   Bill never married and was sent to France during 1914-18, the first World War.   He used to play his accordion in the trenches and said that even the Germans used to sing to his playing during quieter times.   Bill survived an exploding shell even though he was half buried by the flying debris around him but his accordion didn’t, it was smashed to pieces by the explosion.

Within a few weeks an officer had managed to get him another one sent from behind the lines.

For a lady of such great years it is remarkable that my aunt Edith has been able to retain so many memories of her life, some going back to her childhood.

I have listened in wonder to some of her tales and know that I have been privileged that she should take the trouble to tell me of so many incidents that have occurred in the family.   I also know that no matter how I might try, I could never relate on paper these stories with the simplicity and grace that she tells them with.

She was asked a little while ago of her earliest memory, she readily replied “I don’t know where we were moving from nor where we were moving to, but on the first of many moves from house to house as we did when father changed jobs, I was feeling very special at being allowed to sit on the leather settee that was on one of the two carts used for moving the furniture.   Half way along the journey we stopped outside a pub to have some bread, cheese and ginger beer.   We didn’t have butter then mind and ginger beer was a real treat, that’s probably why it has stayed in my mind.   I am not sure how old I was, perhaps about three years, but it is my earliest memory.   It must have been at the turn of the century.”

One of her proudest moments it would seem was when she bought her first car, a Singer.   She could not drive herself but bought the car for days out with her daughter Violet and son in-law Ernie, who would be the driver.

Auntie Edie has been able to play an accordion, mouth organ and piano during her life and still keeps her accordion with her but unfortunately is too frail to be able to lift its weight.

She has been very kind to me during the last two years, giving me much information and keepsakes of the family.   I felt very honoured when she wanted me to have a dress ring that belonged to her second husband, George Humphries.

Auntie Edie, my father’s sister, is the eldest member of the family today and I dearly hope she will see her centenary birthday.

       
Edie, and wedding invitation




       
Left: Arthur William Lea and wife Ethal, née Jordan.
Back of card reads: “To mother and dad, with love Ethal and Arthur”.
Right:Arthur and Ethal with their children Ronald (left) and Bob


       
Mr & Mrs Jordan, Ethal Lea’s parents and (right) Arthur Lea with Father-in-Law



The Wedding of Albert Henry Lea and Dorris (née Wells)



Dorris with her children Murial and Raymond



Dorris Lea, née Wells, wife of Albert Lea



Bill Gladwin (sitting).   Photo taken during First World War.



George Lea at the coal yard belonging to Mr Joran in Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill, Swindon.   Photo approx. 1920


Missing photograph

This photograph that appeared in the local newspaper, The Evening Advertiser, during 1991 is of workers employed by Colbourne Bros, builders, approximately 1922.

Extreme left of the photograph is George Lea, stood next to him is Bill Gladwin and Albert Lea is sitting in the front row wearing a trilby hat.


Back:Albert & Dorris, Jessie, Queenie & George
Sitting: Fred Gladwin, Bill Gladwin & Arthur Lea
Photo taken in Swindon Road, Stratton. St Margaret



A Wedding photograph of Edith Orchard’s sister.   There are many recognisable family faces in this photograph, such as my mother and father, Queenie and George, Albert and Dorris, Edie and Fred Woolford, Bill Gladwin, Granny Lea, Ethel Lea


       
George Lea                                                                                    



Arthur and brother George with Arthur’s son Bob



Auntie Edie’s wedding to George Humphris.
Edith, George, Edie & Violet


~~oo0oo~~

Additional material in the folder, not showing on this page due to copyright regulations:
Photograph of crashed train.
Newspaper cutting.
Photograph of building site workers.
Newspaper cutting.
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This page was last updated on 10th April 2007.