Mitford Genealogy

My work on the Mitfords' was originally fueled many moons ago as a young girl, sitting working out who was who with my  brother, Father and Grandma [Ethel nee: BELL] sitting in my Grandparent's parlour on a Saturday afternoon , at 74 Brighton Grove, Fenham, Newcastle upon Tyne.  Grandma would bake in her belovedAga, and it was always such a hot room with the 'furnace' constantly running!  

I remember it like yesterday, even though it was the early 1970's, as my Granddad, [Fred Mitford] a keen and competent footballer in his heyday [who tried out for Newcastle United], would sit avidly watching his black and  white TV, craning his neck sideways to see what was happening on the set high upon the sideboard.  He would "shush" my brother and I [and even Grandma!] as he  worked on the football results for his pools!  How I miss those trips every Saturday, we'd get a shilling and a bar of Galaxy, and I guess my parents got some peace  and quiet!  

The house was a large terrace, with 4 storey's, so they rented out to student-teachers and social workers all the time I remember visiting there!  Granddad was still sprightly well into his twilight years, and I can recall the horror of seeing him up repairing loose slates when well into his 80's!  He didn't stop cycling until into his 70's!  He worked with Percy Shaw on the development of the now infamous "Cats Eyes" in the 1930's, but unfortunately wasn't registered on the patent!  He built Caravans and Houses all over the north east, one of the caravans still stands [out!!] at Blyth caravan site!  It's now about fifty years old!

My Grandma was 5' exactly, and us grandchildren would measure ourselves against her height!  She was a fit woman, well  organised and lived by her routines, out every morning by 9.30 am to get fresh groceries for the day. They celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the biggest family 'bash' I had ever been to!  Held in the Royal Station Hotel, it was a fantastic celebration of the lives of two very special people. 

Both were keen Ballroom Dancers for many years until ...alas, age took it's toll and Grandma had a very severe stroke, that left her comatosed for 11 days, and must have given her the innermost torment for the four years or so until she passed away on their 63rd Wedding Anniversary, Christmas Day, 1985.  

Granddad lived until September of the following year, and he and I talked more in those few months than we had in my lifetime ... I miss them both dearly ... and regret so many things never said ... never asked ... now forgotten.

It was a strange experience to search about people I had met and remembered throughout my childhood, my  Granddad came from a very large family, the 7th of nine, although his youngest sibling was actually a half-sister, as his father died shortly after he was born, and his mother remarried.  

Most of Granddad's siblings I had never met, probably due to age, although there seemed to be some kind of isolation or alienation, if I sensed correctly, as my Dad seemed only in regular touch with one cousin, who was his Aunt Lily's daughter, [Ethel's sister's child] Joan.   The two sisters, Lily and Ethel, seemed to spend most holidays together with their families, and considering the times, were quite the weary traveler's  around the country.

Auntie Nance [Granddad's Sister - No: 6] was a very domineering woman, who lived with a very  placid man [Smith LYNHAM] in a lovely bungalow on Stamfordham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne.  I remember visiting there occasionally, all open fields around, it was a small girl's idyllic house ... for some reason I remember it as being a bit like the house of sweets in Hansel and Gretal!  - probably because we were totally spoilt and got lots of 'Ketts' [sweets] if we behaved well! All on one level, with lots of space and huge explorable  gardens, it was almost magical - however this all changed as the Council built a housing estate around it, and now it looks such an oddity to view on the rare occasions I drive past.  They had a Huge Boisterous Dog, called "Roger", that used to knock me off my feet when we visited, he ended up being given to the 'Bin-man' as they found him too much to cope with!  The bungalow itself had a very 'olde-worlde' cosy feel to it, with copper kettles, blackened Aga, and other 'old' kitchen appliances as they were even then!  I remember playing on Auntie Nance's knee, pat-a-cake and a ditty about "my mother taught me not to play with the Gypsy's in the woods ...", I wish I could remember it now!

Anyway, back to nearer the future, [if that makes sense], Fred and  Ethel had two children - my Dad, Raymond, in 1925, and then Myra in 1931.  

Dad was born in Prudhoe Street, Newcastle upon Tyne on 28 August 1925 and lived there until they moved to a brand new council house in Cowgate in 1926.  In 1928 they moved to a flat in Monday Street and took a shop in Barrack Road just up from Newcastle United football field.   

In November 1933, they moved in to a new house and shop Granddad had built on Stamfordham Road.  

In 1936 he managed to get a place in Pendower Commercial School and was happy there until the war started and the school  moved to the Lake District on a part time basis.  In ‘39 his parents put him into the Framlington College in Leazes Moor area for about 15 months and this is where he met Jimmy White, who 11 years later, would be his best man.  

He started work in 1940 with a job in the building trade and ended the year with a company in Walker.  At about the same time Dad started night school at Rutherford College in Bath Lane, Newcastle with the aim of going into Surveying later.   

He volunteered for RAF aircrew in June 1943, and was accepted as PNB (Pilot  Navigator Bombardier) and sent home to await the call.  In November 1943, he was called to Enrol and was pressurised to accept Rear Gunner status, which he declined having passed the higher standard and falsely thinking he would still get trained as a pilot! 

After three interviews, Dad was talked into training as a Flight Mechanic with the chance of training later in Aircrew.  The Mechanics training was at Blackpool, 20 weeks of instruction at  the airfield whilst living in private digs full of mill girls on their breaks, it [by all accounts] was a great time!  Once trained it was on to Airfield after Airfield, a total of six or seven until June of 1945, when, he together with a few thousand more transferred into the Fleet Air Arm ready for the big push that was reportedly going to happen in the Far East.  However, Japan capitulated before he could get there, and his own war ended sooner than anticipated.

Mam was born in 97 Armstrong Road, Benwell on 20 May 1926.  She was raised by her Grandparents and Aunt Sally, as her father moved down south to Oxford when she was three.  He only reappeared when her Grandmother died when she was 16.  He asked her to go to Oxford to live, but she said she was needed here in the North-east to look after her Aunt Sally, [who was in very poor health and needed her support, and she wanted to be there for her].  

Mam did hear of her father from time to time through her other Aunt, Mary, who was a nursing sister in East Grinstead.  When Auntie Mary died in 1968, any information regarding her father died with her and she never heard any more ... until I started my genealogy research!  

At 14, Mam started work at a milliner’s on Adelaide Terrace, then at 15, she moved to the Church Bookshop in the centre of Newcastle.  Following that Mam became a machinist at the Co-op until she got married.

Meanwhile, back on the home front, it was during his time in the Fleet  Air Arm that Dad met Mam whilst on a leave.  Mam had gone to the Brighton Dance Hall with her friend Ruth on 20 April 1946.  Ruth was courting Alf, a friend of Dad’s, and that’s how they were introduced, and I guess they swept each other off their feet, having several dances together that night, and chatting in-between.  Chivalrous as ever, Dad asked to take Mam home after the dance, which she accepted … she thought he looked great in his navy uniform, Quote “Bell-bottoms suited him!” and “I could hardly see his sailor hat for his shock of blond wavy, curly mop of hair”.  They kissed goodnight, tsk tsk! … And the rest is history.  Well, not quite, because that night he promised to meet Mam at the Brighton in July by which time he hoped he would be demobbed.  As it happened the Navy had nothing for so many to do and Dad was de-mobbed in June 1946, a full 18 months ahead of his demob date had he stayed in the RAF.  

When Dad was de-mobbed with six weeks leave; he took the opportunity to cycle round England living rough in haystacks or hedges at nights, as the weather was good.  When he returned home, he went back to work with the company he had left in 1943.  He recommenced night schools again with a more definite idea of what he wanted to do.   

While he was away gallivanting around the UK … Mam went to the Brighton Dance every week in July and he never turned up, and I think she had almost given up ever seeing the dashing, curly-mop-headed young chap again, thinking it was just like a sailor to let her down!  Mam kept going to the dances, in September Dad did reappear, and they rekindled and developed their relationship.   

Dad was a member of the Barnesbury Cycle Club, cycling on weekends, and said he would teach her to ride and get her a bike.  First off, he borrowed a tandem, George, and he took Mam out on that a few times.  Then a Claude Butler Cycle arrived and Dad took Mam out on that several times, holding on to the back of it while she got the hang of it.  One day she lost her cool and told him to let go … and of course off she went on her own!  Next, Dad got Mam to join the cycling club and they went round with the Mixed Section, whilst Dad did a little racing on the Sunday mornings.  They had quite a social life, and Dad’s sister Myra was a member too – quote, “We had some great times and lots of fun!”  One of the best nights out remembered was the annual Barnesbury Club Dance at the Old Assembly Rooms, Newcastle.   

They continued courting, dancing and cycling.  In August of 1948, they, together with most of the club members, went to the Olympic Games in Windsor Great Park for the weekend.  On the 14th August, on the way back on the bus, Dad proposed, and I guess Mam accepted!  That night they went to friend’s 21st birthday party and celebrated there!  

In January 1950, Dad left the building trade and joined the Civil Service Ministry of Works Department in Newcastle upon Tyne.  

They got married on 25 March 1950 in Benwell Parish Church by Canon Mould [no comment regarding the name will be made by the narrator!].  The reception was held in Fenham Community Hut, and with rationing still in full swing it was a case of beg, steal or borrow to put the food on the tables!  They prepared the meal with help from friends and family.  About 90 people attended, and a 3 piece live band played, all went smoothly, a great success by all accounts!

The folks escaped in the late evening to a friends house in order to change before going to the Haymarket Hotel for the night.  Apparently, the road outside their hotel window was dug up all through the night with road-breakers!  That taught them for “escaping” from the friend’s house via the back door, and thus avoiding a tin-can send-off!  We’ll close the curtains at this point on the night ……  Next morning, they enjoyed breakfast comprising half a sausage and a  tiny rasher of bacon each, then at noon boarded the bus to Edinburgh for a weeks’ honeymoon at the Brunstsfield Hotel.  Dad openly admits the tax refund enjoyed as a married man paid for the honeymoon!  The bus took ages, they didn’t arrive until 6pm, and the only sustenance was a packet of sugar-almonds!  However, once they had arrived in Edinburgh they were lucky enough to find a restaurant open that had mixed grill on the menu, so a second breakfast was enjoyed!  Of course, they then got to the hotel, and were offered a meal!!  The hotel was ‘nice’ but it soon dawned on them that everyone knew they were newlyweds, probably due to the different names on their ration books!

They lived with Dad’s parents for 2 years, then moved into Mam’s Aunts’ flat  while she was in hospital.  In September 1952, they got a flat in Leazes Terrace, but within a fortnight, Dad was submitted to a promotion board, in which he was successful and offered a post in London.  They decided to go, as Dad would gain far better experience that would help towards his qualifying as a Chartered Surveyor.  

They moved to Camberwell and Dad worked in Central London until October 1955, when they moved to Ranskill in Nottinghamshire, where they were offered a wooden-built bungalow for £1 per week rent, inclusive of electricity and heating.  At this time, Dad found out that he had passed his final exams and was now ARICS. 

In October 1957 they returned to London, and stayed with friends in Camberwell until they could buy their first home.  A suitable property was found at 12 Ivedon Road, in Welling.  It was a long day for both of them, with Dad commuting for 3  hours each day into the centre of London.  

Mam & Dad decided that they would go for adoption, and a friend of Dad’s at work, Nobby Clark, had a wonderful contact via his wife, Lily, as she was a personal friend of ‘Auntie Vi’, a lady who ran the ‘Homeless Children’s Aid & Adoption Society’.  Mam and Dad became good friends of Auntie Vi, until she passed away in 1974.

In May of 1960, my brother, Antony appeared under the gooseberry bush in the back garden.  He was a little delayed, being 6 weeks old, I can only presume the stork got delayed along the way, must have been trying to track them down after all their moving around!  

I followed in June of 1962 at just over two weeks old.  The stork was obviously better trained by then!  Dad was actually putting a new mint bed in the garden at Auntie Vi’s when my birth grandfather and mother turned up with me. 

Eventually, Dad was fed up with hardly seeing his family, as us kids were ready for bed by the time he got home at 7p.m. or so.  They decided to return to the Northeast in 1964.    

Dad rang Newcastle Corporation and was asked to go in for an interview when he was next up north.  He did so and was offered a job straight-away.  We lived at Armstrong Road for a few weeks until the house in Redewater Road, Fenham was bought, and spent many happy years there.