Frimley Road to Empress Avenue

Mother, me and cousin Michael at Frimley Road. 

 We left 2 Frimley Road in July 1936.  I visited it in about 1942 with Grandma Parker. There was just the front door step left. It had been bombed about a year earlier. A good friend of mine was killed. He was the grand father of the Parrish kids at no: 4 and had lived off to the other side of our garden. He had made me a green baize covered game where you rolled balls down a slope and up into brass cups.  Mr Beamish had lived in N.Z. and was a relation of the Hawkes Bay/Gisborne Beamishes. 

Here's one at 12 Empress Av.  Taken about 1933 I think it was Mamie and Alex's wedding. They are on the right. Mamie is obscuring Alex's face.  In front of them is my cousin John and his sister Jose sitting on a knee. In the middle is Grandpa Steeds with white moustache. On his left is Grandma looking round to me standing in the doorway, being shy. On Grandpa's right with back to camera must be Chris, baby Michael on her left held by his Mum, Auntie Mary. Where my parents are I don't know. I can only guess about all the ladies on the left. Grandpa had five sisters and five brothers.  

At another time in their large drawing room, on the left beyond the conservatory, Grandpa was sitting in an upright chair.  I was at the 'why?' age.  His reply, 'Paul, why's got a long tail.' Shame, he could at least have told me the meaning of Life the Universe and Everything. He died in 1935 just before I was five. Chris had a pianola in that room. It was great to pump the pedal and watch the perforated roll turn and play 'The Blue Danube'. It was there too that I first met my brother Martin.  He was lying on the settee and about a week old.  I'd been sent away to Barford for six weeks. But that's another story. 

    Then there was the lady next door, at 10 Empress Ave . I was sent in there occasionally to say hello.  She was Belgian and I think she'd lost a husband and /or son in the 1914-18 war.  The only English she knew seemed to be  'na-eece leeddle boyee'  It was a bit embarrassing for a six year-old. 

1940.

 I was still nine in the summer of 1940 and after Dunkirk there was a plan put into operation to evacuate children to the overseas Dominions.  I was booked to sail to Australia where I was to be sponsored by  (later Sir?) Henry Jones the IXL 'Jam King' in Perth.  Auntie Chris gave me my first watch.  I was fitted out with my first suit.  I was given a Panama hat too.. to preserve my English pallor?  These are July 1940 photos of Mum, Dad, Martin and me at 12 Empress Ave. Wanstead with Grandma Steeds.  Then the Germans sank a boat loaded with children going to Canada and the scheme was cancelled.

…And, at that time, with Grandma there is her sister Auntie Emmie and Chris, Dad’s sister, (neither of whom married). There's my cousin Michael on my right. And sitting with Martin is Auntie Mamie. I guess Uncle Alex was taking the photo. These might have been my farewell photos!