Bernard and Edna

This page officially starts in 1920 and goes up to around the start of WW2.

After the war, Bernard completed his degree; he was awarded a War Degree of Bachelor of Science as an external student on 18/May/1920 from the University of London. He became certified as a teacher 01/Sep/1920, but I do not know if he actually did any more teaching.

Meanwhile Edna was excelling at music, and in 1921 was award a Licentiate from the Royal Academy of Music for playing the pianoforte playing, which qualified her to teach it too.

She appears to have lived at 276 Mount Pleasant up until she married. Te house is still there.

At some point, Bernard got a job at the patent office. Before they married, he was in a house in Ilford, 18 Brandville Gardens, the house Anne and Sheila would later be born in. It looks like it would be pretty new in 1925, and I am guessing he was therefore working at the patent office by now, and he bought the house with a view to settle there with his new wife.

We have a letter Edna sent him just before they married (30/Jun/1925). She does not come across as quite as eloquent as Bernard, but in fairness in the context she was writing about trivialities - and she uses paragraphs far better!

276 Mount Pleasant

Redditch

June 30th 1925

My Dear Bernard

I am sending you the key of that box just in case the railwaymen have any lock on it. if so will you unfasten it and take out my two coats if you have time please. If you are rushed do not worry about it for they will only get a bit creased. The box left here yesterday afternoon may it arrive whole. The top part of it is quite truthful.

Thank you for your letter. I'm glad you have finished with the dentist today and lost that toothache.

Nothing particular has happened here. I have had several letters. Evelyn writes to say she may be able to come after all. Maurice says almost the same and is not going to decide what time he is coming until he hears more from Evelyn.

My Coventry Aunt still intends to come, so it seems as though my guests are coing up to scratch after all. I'm rather glad and I'm going ti ask the Auntie to stop a day or two to keep mother company afterwards.

My other Aunt has sent me a cheque instead of the spoons and forks. She says I shall be able to get just what I like. That is what everyone seems to think isn't it?

I went to town this morning, Redditch town I mean, and brought sme new shoes, pretty ones! since dinner I have been cleaning out my summer house. Isn';t that a mad thing to do when I ought to be in the house sewing[? or saving?]. But it was a much nicer job, and we made friends with a small robin in the garden. A cheeky little thing almost tame enough to eat from our hands I fed him on a few crumbs and sent him home.

After that I attended to my letters and I have only one more to write now.

I can't think of anything else I want to tell you. Everything seems to be going on is a satisfactory manner this end. I hope it is the same with you.

Now its teatime so I must stop. We are both going to excuse hasty letters this week aren't we.

You loving

Edna

The wedding was 6th July 1925

We have a couple of photos from weddings that have been photocopied and then annotated, and some with writing on the the back, allowing several people to be identified. The wedding is our Rosetta Stone! Note that both Bernard and Edna, had a brother called Maurice. 

We start with Edna and Bernard. Edna is the one sat down. That was easy!

Edna and Bernard's wedding again, I guess now sat on the bench visible at the right in the earlier photo. On the back row, Joseph and his wife Jess (Bernard's parents), Maurice Benson, Elizabeth and Phillip Young (Edna's parents). At the front, Kenneth (Bernard brother, and perhaps the best man), Bernard, Edna and Celia (Bernard's sister, and I guess the pridesmaid).

Even more people added to the scene. The back row now is Ronald (another brother of Bernard), Evaline (Ronald's wide), Joseph, Jess, Maurice, Elizabeth and Phillip Young, unknown and George Wright (husband of Enid). The front row is unknown, Kenneth, Bernard, Edna, Celia and Enid (another sister).

The notes I have do not mention the children! Maurice's children were born later. Ronald had seven, while Enid and Celia had one a piece; I am going to guess there are Ronald's oldest, Jonathon and Viola.

For the honeymoon, they stayed at a hotel called the "Dudley", on Capstone Street, in Ilfracombe. Apparently they drove there - they cannot have been many cars on the roads at the time.

Which leads us to this photo, which has the caption "July 13. No. 5, The Dudley":

Bernard is the guy wearing a tie on the right, Edna is just to his left. Quite why all these people are here I cannot say.

Another car; Edna and Bernard are second row, right side of the car. Do not recognise anyone else.

Edna and Bernard, with Anne in a pushchair.

Shortly after Sheila was born, the family moved to 17 Highfield Way, part of Metroland, and markets on the basis that it was close to Ricky station, which is only 26 minutes from Baker Street. How times change... Just 90 years later, and it takes only 32 minutes. Yes, trains today are slower today than they were 90 years ago.

We have a shed load of photos of Anne and Sheila, but thus is a nice one of them on holiday, to finish the post.

We have a rather odd letter from Bernand's youngest sibling, Celia. It is not dated, but it from after Sheila was born.

Hall Cottage

Langley

Maccesfield

My Dear Both

Are you feeling quite fit and are the children safe for a moment? Because I have a shock in store. Its useless to beat abot the bush or try toi break it gently. I have gotten myself engaged to one Jim Simpson - probationary[?] minister from Studley - here I am visiting his home, as witness the above address!

There were many reasons for my not saying anything about this matter before - all of which I will explain some other time, but suffice it to say that I have not forgotten what I said when with you last concerning my having to be very far gone before I would marry a minister it is alas! all too true and as Dr Dow deliveried his formible[?]  vendich[???, a sermon maybe] a week or two since there didn't seem anything to do but tell other people the news only of course I've not much time for writing at present, you understand.

I can't presently begin to tell you everything just now as this is just a short note because I just wanted you to know, don't you see?

I haven't managed to write to Harold and Marian yet, and shan't tell Olive and Maurice until their wedding is out of the way - they think like a lot of others, that I'm in Oakly[?] - but I changed all that!! I came here with Paul - (I couldn't call him Jim 'cos I don't like it, so I just Christened him with a name I do like) on his new bike - by name Lizzie[? or dizzy?] - last mon. morning early, having spent the week out with Girtie.

We went for a gorgeous turn[???] through the moors around about yesterday - and the afore mentioned Lizzie was not well behaved so Paul and his father[?or brother?] have her to bits (in a thoroughly Benson style) in the backyard  and hence the time for this letter to you.

Paul's people are along[?or away?] nice - real old somewhat crusty Methodists - ??? and ??? but quite uneducated. Paul has had to make his own way all along you see, and has not had an easy time, as you may well imagine.

When we go to Ireland next week he will join us at Heyshaw, complete with Lizzie - Ron hollered with delight another mo. bike on the horizon needless to say! They were amazed at my tidings and immediately followed up by thanking me for arranging a meeting by bringing him with us!!

Mother likes Paul quite a bit already and is very pleased about it all now she's got over the shock, and Enid is very pleased though she hasn't met Paul very often and Ken is delighted and he liked what little he saw of Paul and will see more of him in Ireland of course,

I think I shall go up and see your mother before we leave for Ireland, Edna, only I haven't let the town know as yet - of course I thought the other wedding could get over first, however if you come to tell him in just letters and ask him not to pass in on, it will be alright.

I've a horrid dread of congratulations - so silly - still there it is, and I part hate he idea of everyone chewing it over as the latest sensation.

I think if from ??? any more about it ??? better write and ask questions and I'll answer them - but I'll ??? ??? from a bref description ???. before I drink a dish[?] of tea which is in the making I see - oh I get such lots and lots of cups of tear here, its lovely!

Paul - aged 29 years (19 days my senior) ??? - 6ft high - quite handsome - ???, nearly bald - large mouth - nce expression - can't think of anyhung else to say so I'll stop now.

I shall be here until Sat. (in case you should write), and then home till the Wed  following.

Give my love to Anne and Sheila - if the shock is too great try bromide.

Lots of love

From Celia

I am not sure when Maurice's wedding was, but from the above, I guess the thirties.

This looks to be from the wedding, and they seem to have used pygmies for the bridesmaids (okay, maybe they are kneeling). Edna and Bernard are stood behind the bride; I think Edna's parents are are the two to the left, suggesting quite a strong connection between the Benson's and the Youngs. Is that Celia, the bridesmaid on the left?

I think this is the same wedding. The photo is not good, but you can see Celia in front of the bride. I do not recognise anyone else.

This will be Celia's wedding (some damage to the original). The smallest bridesmaid might be Anne.

Celia ended up in Redditch, but it sound like that was after Edna had left.

Enid (I think it was) at some point ended up in an impressive house called the Forge in Redditch, and it become something of a meeting place for the Benson family. I think the house passed to Stanley Wright, Enid's son, and his wife, Jo. I think she remarried about 1990 to George Fisher, and so it fell out of the family, however I did visit once, around 2000.

In the next post we will look in more detail at Edna's family, and then move on to Bernard's family.