|  HOME  |  FOOT  |
Titles       Preface       Chapters: 1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17    

Chapter Seventeen

THE FAMILY OF:
DONALD EDWARD LEA & ALICE PATRICIA ENNIS


Please note   - some photographs have been omitted from this page until those in them have been asked if they mind their faces being shown world wide!   Although written many years ago, this chapter has since been updated with more recent photos.



27 October 1973, outside Swindon Registry Office, Milton Road


Missing marriage certificate

MEMORIES

I suppose it is not unreasonable to assume that one day my grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on may be curious about myself as I have been about my ancestors, but the task of portraying one's life leaves me feeling rather disconcerted.   Will the future generations of my family find my lifestyle and the material things around me as old-fashioned as I have found them to be, not only in my past families but also in my childhood?

Born on the ninth of June nineteen hundred and thirty three, at one hundred and seven Bright Street, Gorse Hill, in a two-bedroomed terraced house that I still have difficulty in believing could accommodate a family of two parents and eleven children.   Of the two rooms downstairs, the front room was only used at Christmas time and the room to the rear was in daily use as a living room.   There was only gas lighting in the house being supplied from a meter kept under the stairs that separated the two rooms.   Periodically the meter would be emptied by a man from the gas company who would count out its contents of old pennies into units of twelve, making a shilling (5p today) for each pile before putting the entire amount into his brown leather case.   A wooden white topped table on which a bread board and knife were always available enabling us to cut bread and spread jam, Marmite or dripping, stood at one side of the room.   A firegate made of red quarry tiles was the main focal point of the room giving out its comforting heat from the wood or coal burning in its basket, and when butter was available a home made fork would be used to make toast from its glowing embers.

I well remember sitting on a leather settee or wooden chair (father’s) that was by the window to listen to the ‘radio relay’.   This was a wooden box fixed to the wall that had two switches, one for the volume and the other gave a choice of two programmes, “the home service,” or the “light programme.”   Two broadcasts that were eagerly looked forward to each week were ‘Dick Barton’ a hero who could do no wrong and the ‘Billy Cotton Band Show.’   This service came via a wire that would run from the radio relay company in Swindon to any house that wished to have it as a rental.   I believe this was a shilling a week.   It seems we were easily pleased in those days.   Without doubt the most exciting entertainment during my childhood and youth was the cinema even if the films were only black and white at first.   The cinema was so popular that one was never surprised to see a queue from the ‘Palace’ almost up to our house which was at least fifty yards up into Bright Street.

My earliest recollections of existence are of being taken to a fruit and vegetable shop owned by a Mr Matthews on the corner of Bright Street and being bought a banana.   I remember Mr Matthews’ face which carried a thin dark moustache and the cost of my treat being a half penny (old money).   I must have been no more than three years old when being taken on a visit to my grandmother Glass in Old Town, I could hardly reach the handle of the pram that I assume held my younger brother Dennis, and upon reaching Drove Road had to keep watch while my mother fixed a broken suspender strap in a shop doorway.

I started school at the tender age of three years, at Gorse Hill School in Avening Street and am still not amused.   Three incidents of that experience have stayed with me all my life, the worst was being told to lay on a raffia mat in the floor of the hall for a sleep during the afternoon with all the other new starters.   It was so hard and uncomfortable I can still feel the pain.   The second incident was of having to wait in the playground during playtime until the doors were re-opened, God I was cold.   I complained to the teacher, a Miss Jones I believe, who told me that if I ran around I would be warm.   I remember she was dressed in a thick tweed suit and thick brown woollen stockings, all right for her I thought and how does one run around when you can’t even feel your toes or heels of your feet? My third recollection of early days are still of school but a little later on.   A fonder memory this time whilst in the class of a Mr Shott whose classroom was in a green hut that stood at one end of the playground.   He let us, his new class, know on our first day of term that he stood for no nonsense during lessons, whilst brandishing a thick brown stick in the most menacing manner, but also pointed out that he was a fair man and the well behaved had nothing to fear.   Well he, or that stick, had me convinced.   I behaved and actually enjoyed the writing and arithmetic lessons he gave although I found reading a chapter from a book a rather daunting task.

I was six years old when the second World War broke out, this proved to be both a scary and exciting time for children, everyday bringing something new into our lives.   Most of our fathers were away in one of the services so for quite some years we were solely dependant on our mothers.   The only contact with men we had was with the elder members of the community who watched over us as fatherly figures, and what a good job they did keeping spirits high with their daily stories of how well the war was going for us.   Vivid memories of the Garage Balloon being blown up in the recreation field in Gipsy Lane next to the school, only to break loose from its mooring some months later and completely deflated came to rest on the house of Mrs Welsh in Cricklade Road.

Breaking the ice on the tops of huge round tubs that were placed in the ground ready for use against incendiary bombs should they be dropped from enemy planes was always good fun.   Having to rush from bed to air raid shelters made of thick brick walls and reinforced concrete roofs when the sirens wailed out their warnings of impending danger wasn’t so pleasant though.   These shelters were built in the street or someone’s garden, and in our case it was up an alley to reach one of these damp dark havens.   Of course most of these air raids took place at night, the enemy taking advantage of the cover of the darkness.

Meat was a short commodity during war years and one way of earning a shilling for perhaps a trip to the cinema was to get up at five thirty to six o clock in the early hours of the morning, joining a queue outside Mr Carpenters, the butchers shop and purchasing a rabbit for a neighbour.   Queues were a common sight in those days even for the common potato.

I was conscripted into the army for a two year period when I reached the age of eighteen; most of this time was spent in Germany, a most memorable and pleasurable period of my youth.

My first employment was with a wholesale fruit and vegetable firm, my first wage packet containing the sum of one pound five shillings.   Saturday was part of the weeks work although we did usually finish earlier that day.   I have, during my working life, worked for various building companies, one in particular worth mentioning is that of Tydeman Bros, one of Swindon’s oldest established building firms.   British Rail, Pressed Steel Co, Unigate Dairies, as well as being in the general grocery and ice cream business, have kept me in full time employment through the years.   So there, although fairly incomprehensive for a life span of fifty nine years it may give future generations an idea of one of their forebears life.

I asked a friend just a few weeks ago if he was able to look into the future two hundred years or into the past for the same period, which would he choose? “Into the future, and which way would you go?” “Definitely into the past” was my answer, then I could see what some of my ancestors were like.   “Yes” he said “that would be great but if you looked into the future you could see what your great great great grandchildren are like.”   Thank goodness we do not have the choice!


Donald Edward John Lea, born 1st June 1971


Missing birth certificate


Tracey Anne-Marie Lea, born 5th August 1972



Sean Joseph Mark Lea, born 25th July 1973



Billymartin Lea, born 16th December 1976



Nicholas Mark Lea, born 29th December 1977



Pat with son Billy, 1977



Donald with sons Nicky (painted face), and Billy (funny face).   Photo: 1988



Thomas Ennis (stepson), Sean, Donald Junior and Tracey   Photo: 1977



Nicholas, left, with friend Wayne and father Donald at Barry Island on a family outing, 1990




Teresa with husband Keith Lydon and children in Australia, approximately 1982
Teresa, known as Terri-Lea was the eldest child of Donald Edward Lea and his first wife Pamella Wallace
Terri-Lea died in April 2003


     
Left: Terri-Lea with grandaughter Imagyn Faith Lea, approx 1998.   Right: Terri-Lea with Imagyn and brother Nicky, City Beach, Perth, W.A., May 2000


     
Grandaughter Charmaine Lydon, daughter of Terri-Lea.   Right: Charmaine with her second daughter Abygail Rose McGhee, approx 2001


           
Left & Centre: Imagyn 1998 & 1999.   Right: Abygail.   Daughters of Charmaine




       
Left:   Duncan and Mandy (nee Lea) Ball on their wedding day, 4th April 1981 and Right:   Twenty Five years later their silver wedding anniversary at Gretna Green, 4th April 2006, with daughter Michelle and father Donald

Mandy is the second eldest daughter of Donald and first wife Pamela Wallace.


       
Michelle Ball, aged 4 in 1988 and aged 13

Michelle is the daughter of Duncan and Mandy, and third grandchild of Donald Edward Lea.


Michelle started dancing when she was just five years old and from the age of seven decided she would be a dancer when she grew up.   She followed that dream, taking her through sixty dance examinations, a two year course at Swindon Dance and three years of professional training at the prestigious world renowned Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, (at Brunel University) London.

Michelle is now part of the Swerve Dance Company.   Previously she has run courses in a local school and volunteered her choreography and dance teaching skills for a local youth project.

                       
Far left photo, taken in 2000, curtesy of Paul Biggs, Performance Photography -   Thanks Paul.   Next two photos taken at Rambert 2005 and 2004, and final photo taken at Michelle's Graduation, 8th July 2005.



     
Donald and wife Sam (nee Piper).   They have two sons – Harrison and Corey


     
Left: Harrison with cousin Callum.   Right: Corey


     
Left: Tracey with husband Neil Loader.   They have three children – Jennifer, Matthew and Callum.   Right: Jennifer and Matthew


           
Left: Jennifer.   Centre: Jennifer playing piano - she has progressed to Grade V in piano and also plays the violin.   Right: Callum


           
Left: Sean with wife Julie (nee Curtis).   Right: our new grandchildren Ross and Brittany.   Photos: 31st July 2004



Family gathering for wedding of Sean and Julie.   Photo: 31st July 2004


     
Right: Marriage of Nicky and Jo (nee Green).   Nicky has one son, Cameron Howard (right).   Photos: 16th December 2006



THE ANNUAL HOLIDAY

The family outing has now established itself as an annual event.   It takes the form of a day spent at one of the many seaside resorts within a two or three hour journey of Swindon.   The trip to the chosen destination is one of much noise and excitement with the children eagerly trying to break the previous years record for eating a days supply of snacks and treats in the shortest possible time after leaving home.

A double-decker bus with a capacity for carrying seventy four passengers has for most years been hired from the local transport department in order to accommodate the number of people wishing to participate in this increasingly popular event.   So popular in fact that it has often meant some children sitting three to a seat and babies having to sit on their mothers laps.   An event that I am sure will remain forever in the memories of their childhood.   Of course not all participants are family, most are, but many are friends who from the first day’s outing have joined us each year, often enquiring before the family as to when the next outing will be taking place.

It is impossible to organise a trip at a time that will suit all of the family as everyone has their own holidays arranged, some of them may be having babies, or perhaps not feeling well.   Some of course may not be able to get time off from work, but generally at least eighty percent are family, and who knows, one day it may well work out that everyone can come.

A much larger event is the Christmas party held at one of the halls in the local clubs or pubs that will accommodate up to one hundred and twenty people.   A disco seems to be the popular choice for music these days, particularly by the younger generations, although I prefer a live band or group as we have had on occasions in the past.   Father Christmas is of course very popular with the children, who each receive a present from his big sack which has been placed there earlier in the evening by their parents.   Father Christmas usually being one of the family dressed in the hired costume.   It’s an occasion when getting together as a family means a little bit more to everyone, after all that’s what Christmas is all about isn’t it, family?


I would in conclusion like to thank everyone who has been so helpful and sympathetic to my cause, for it would be almost impossible to compile such a comprehensive study on a family the size of ours without assistance from so many people.   Perhaps one may feel a certain enthusiasm may be forthcoming from ones own family and relatives but for strangers to be visited and bombarded with questions over such a long period, I feel must have been quite testing, yet never once, wherever I went, did I feel anything but a warmth of friendship and love.   Even strangers who I had never met before, when knocking on their doors have given me a welcome to their homes that have left me astounded.   My only regret is that after four years of making so many new friends and acquaintances, it would seem the train, so to speak, is slowing down.   I still feel that, apart from the following list I intend to write, it would be a shame to mention individuals separately in these final sentences, such has been the valuable help of so many people, except for my long suffering wife Patricia who I am sure must think that she is sharing her husband with a competitor who has left her at times totally defeated and wondering if she will ever have a full time husband again.   But regardless of the odd murmur now and again she has been perfectly wonderful in helping me where she could and encouraged me to carry through a project she knew was very close to my heart.   I would beg your tolerance for any errors in this work.   I am not, nor profess to be, a writer, compositor or academically merited, but merely wanting to pass on to anyone who may be interested some knowledge of the ‘Lea’ family which I have incurred, that otherwise may have been lost forever should pen not have been put to paper now.

Many thanks to:

My mother
My brothers and sisters
Auntie Edie(for supplying photographs)
Vi and Ernie (cousins)
Dennis (my father’s cousin)
Mr & Mrs Leonard Ing
Mr & Mrs Norris (Griffins Barn)
Wiltshire Family History Society
Swindon Reference Library
Trowbridge Record Office
Commerce and Industry Library
Albert Fishlock and Wife
Aubrey Clark
Doctor Barbara Carter
John Box (second cousin)
Plain Dealer Publishing Cleveland
Arthur Bick (Brokenborough)
Mr & Mrs Saunders (Brokenborough)
Edie Orchard and Husband
Peter Burton (Abbey Vicarage, Crudwell)
Fred and Lil Gladwin (Birmingham)
My daughter Tracey
Bobby Prince (Malmesbury Museum)
Raymond Ealey
The Evening Advertiser Swindon
The Wiltshire Registry Office, Cheltenham
31 January 1998

~~oo0oo~~

Additional material in the folder, not showing on this page for privacy reasons or due to copyright regulations:
Marriage Certificate.
Birth Certificate.
Photographs
Titles       Preface       Chapters: 1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9    10    11    12    13    14    15    16    17    

HOME       Contact Us       Introduction       Rabbits       Surnames Search       Us       Xmas Newsletters       TOP

This page was last updated on 10th April 2007.