Notes
Note for: Annie Josephine Owens, 19 MAR 1912 - 11 APR 1995
ANNE SMITH
Mum was quite young when she came over from Ireland and her sister, Mary,
got her a job in service.
The last house she worked in before she got married, the lady of the
house gave her the wedding veil , which is now believed to be 100 years
old.
She met Dad through Mr. & Mrs White at whose house I was born.
We moved to Addison Cottage in Woolborough Lane, Northgate, and from
there moved to West Way, Three Bridges in 1935/36.
During the Second World War Mum took in evacuees and over a period of
time we had 6 children. When her sister Mary's house was damaged
during the War Mary and her son, Gordon, came to stay. Stan was serving
in Burma at the time.
Mum used to do housework for people whilst we were at school. On our
holidays we used to go to the Isle of Wight where we used to rent a
Chalet.
When we were older Mum worked full time at Bowthorpes and then after that
worked part-time in the stock room at Boots until she retired.
Notes
Note for: George Alfred Ballard, 29 MAR 1909 - 18 FEB 1967
The following account of George Ballard was written by his brother,
Thomas James Ballard.
George contracted Meningitis at an early age which left him with a
hearing disability and a slight speech problem - later confirmed by the
school doctor. he was sent to Old Kent Road Deaf School.
From there he was enrolled at Anerley Deaf School on the outskirts of
London. It was a boarding school and he chose shoe repairs and making his
trade. He was very popular and became the school's Headboy. The family
visited him regularly and he used to come home at school breaks. From
Anerley he was awarded a place at Cordwainers Technical College, London
where he furthered his learning of shoe making. Somewhere amongst his
papers is a report showing he came top of his group. When he left college
he did a few repairs at home. My father and I used to watch him and we
learnt the basics that enabled us to carry out our own repairs at a time
of need. George later took a shop in Chiswick but unfortunately it had to
close down through lack of capital which would have enabled him to buy
materials at lower prices and increase profit margins. Something the
family never knew until later
About this time he would have met Kathleen who lived at Tooting - some
seven miles away. Many a time he walked the distance and I am certain
Kathleen helped him with the return fare. I cannot recall much about the
wedding. Two things do come to mind. firstly, unknown to my brother, 3
years older than me, I borrowed his silver grey trousers which I had to
hitch up as high as possible to prevent tripping up. Secondly, my father
would sing hymns on the top deck of the tram taking us home. My sister
most prim and proper took a dim view of this. Other passengers might have
been amused.
George and Kathleen moved to Crawley and I believe I would be correct by
saying they lived above the shop at which George worked. Later they took
a cottage at Horley - Charlwood Cottage I believe. They made a further
move to 2 Wineham Cottages which, although new, had an outside toilet.
Here he erected a shed / workshop, got in touch with Lobbs, a very well
known shoe maker and started making their shoes, travelling to and from
London to collect the making materials and back with the finished
article. for which he was paid one guinea a pair ( œ1.05 ). The shoe
would retail for about œ10. Today the selling price would be in excess of
œ100. Lobbs are still going today.
About this time war would have been much in the air and our visits
curtailed. I will Therefore give you information of George's character.
And ability.
He was a very genuine person and trusted others. A keen and useful
sportsman playing both Football and Cricket. Being the only member of the
team to be able to speak he was automatically chosen as captain. both he
and Kathleen were keen dancers ( the tempo given to the deaf dancers was
through the vibration of the music on the dance floor ). He also
organised other functions for deaf people both home and away. St Bedes
church at Clapham North being the home base.
He refused help to no-one. If he never knew the answer on enquiry he
would seek the information elsewhere. Perhaps the most remarkable thing
about him was his determination to get with any task undertaken. He would
start immediately and carry on regardless until completion. many a time
he would have to improve and would be most pleased and proud of his
ingenuity's. I am sure others were as well. He once took down and put
back his car engine. Knowledge came from books and information given by
others. It was the same with gardening. Vegetable seeds grown in soldier
like lines. Kathleen would see the plots were weed free. I am sure the
weeds stopped growing. He also kept chickens and having spare ground was
able to change the hen runs quite regularly.
I would like to mention here that on a group holiday something unpleasant
must have happened. Rather than let the grievance continue, George held
court for several hours in my mother's kitchen. A verdict was reached :-
" that the group would continue as friends but would not holiday together
again." What a wonderful way to end a dispute.
He was called up for war service and put through gruelling tests to prove
disability. Exemption was granted.
During the war period he would have given up shoe making for Lobbs and
returned to local shoe repairs. His workshop was offered to a deaf tailor
friend on the understanding that it was to be used for a full day's
working. When we visited we would just pass the time of day unless it was
before or after the allotted expected working hours.
One day an advertisement appeared in the local paper for a deaf welfare
officer for Surrey County Council areas. George applied and was given the
post, but first was warned of likely opposition. They the council, did
not realise that he had been doing similar work quite voluntary and knew
many deaf people that he would be required to call upon. He officiated at
various functions which included a young man accused of an indecent
offence. George and I prepared a winning defence and the lad got off with
a caution.
George was now extremely happy, but fate dealt him a cruel blow. Taken
ill with a stomach disorder, later to be diagnosed as a growth. He
entered Smallfield Hospital and I was summoned by the matron.
Quite bluntly she told me the growth was malignant. I tried to give it
the reverse meaning. Matron gave me a cup of tea in her office. I was
dazed and when she returned , rebuked me for sitting there. I told George
she wanted to see me about NHI. Mary and Shirley were contacted and they
decided the news should be kept from Kathleen for the time being. When
she was told, although displeased by the delay, accepted it was right at
the time. George was transferred to St. Lukes Hospital in Guildford for
radium treatment which was very harsh. He was offered occupational
therapy and this was the only time he refused a challenge. He was allowed
home at the weekends and I was able to transport him.
About this time our sister Bob visited him. ( The name Bob was given to
her by me when I was a baby and unable to pronounce the name of Alice. It
stayed with her for life. ) She was shocked when she saw George . It was
not long afterwards she died. George did not seem to understand. They
were very close and I expected greater reaction. I like to believe she
went ahead to receive him when he was called.
When Guildford completed treatment he was sent home to be nursed. The
council were good enough to erect cover to the outside toilet.
His condition worsened and he told me he believed the flesh burned by the
radium treatment would be objectionable to those around. He asked to be
sent away and we were fortunate to get him into the Marie Curie rest
home. Once again George had considered others before himself. The nurses
at the home did everything they could for him. Nothing was too much
trouble for them. They encouraged visits and welcomed George's Priest to
give bedside services. Members of the family kept up visits.
Shortly before the end, a member of the nursing staff asked Kathleen to
take away any valuables that George had. Apparently having difficulty in
getting or choosing the right help they had to rely on what was available
and things were known to go missing. It seemed a terrible thing in a home
like the Marie Curie whose sole hope was to ease the sufferers of cancer.
George slipped peacefully away.
His watch was given to me after he passed on and strangely enough it
would not go when I wore it. Its time had run out as it had for George.
Later a memorial service to George was held at a church in Redhill.