A Letter to a Returning FEPOW (13th October 1945)

My father, Robert (Bob) Percy Edmunds,  was a prisoner of the Japanese during the Second World War. I have a number of letters written by family members upon hearing that he was alive and coming home ...

The following is the text of a letter sent by Hannah, the wife of my Dad's brother, Albert. The letter is addressed  to "a.c, 2 R. P. Edmunds, Ex P.O.W. C/o PO Box 164, London". It is dated October 13th (1945) and the senders address is given as "137 Barkers Hill, Donhead St Andrew".

"My Dear Bob

We are all eagerly counting the days now time doesn't really go quick enough to please us, but the weather is lovely at the moment, lovely sunshine all day and hot too. We shall have a lot to talk about and when you see all these boys around, Arthur is much taller than Bert and Bertie he thinks he is quite grown up. Bert is just outside Bremen now waiting to be disbanded, he says he may come back over here, he has had his medical for demobbing so it won't be long now before we get him back and Cliff. I had a nice day in Salisbury with Cliff while he was home, I really never thought he meant to take me, your Dad is off to auntie May for the weekend. I am just about to go to work so will say cherio and all the best till we see you, from Hannah & family"

Notes:

Bert is Dad's older brother (Albert Edmunds)
Bertie and Arthur are Bert and Hannah's sons (Dad's cousins)
Cliff is also Dad's brother (Clifford Edmunds)
Auntie May is Dad's auntie, his father's sister.

Ernest Edward Edmunds (1885 - 1915)

Ernest Edward Edmunds was my second cousin twice removed; his grandfather William Edmunds (born 1806) was the brother of my great great grandfather John Edmunds (born 1814).

Ernest Edward Edmunds was born in 1885; he was the son of Henry and Eleanor Rachel (nee Conduit) of The Road, Boscombe. Ernest worked as an agricultural labourer and enlisted in the 2nd Battalion, The Wiltshire Regiment at Devizes on 28th December 1914. He was given the service number 18267. After training he embarked at Southampton on the 4th May 1915 with the 14th batch of reinforcements and joined his Battalion four days later. The Battalion were not in the forward trenches when he joined but on the 16th May he had his first experience of real warfare, the whole Battalion was engaged in fierce fighting for two days. The next few months saw the Battalion in a number of major offensives with long periods spent in the trenches. On the 25th September the Battalion were in the Verquin area and marched via La Bourse and Sailly to occupy a reserve line of trenches South East of Noyes at about 3 am. Preceded by an intense bombardment of the enemy lines, the Battalion advanced at 6 am to occupy front line trenches. The fighting was fierce from the start with many casualties suffered by the 2nd Battalion. At dusk the Battalion was relieved by the 9th Devonshire Regiment, but only to take up a new front to the right. The fighting lessened during the night and the next day, the 26th September, the Battalion took up new positions to support the 1st/4th Cameron Highlanders. On the 26th September Private Ernest Edmunds was first reported missing and then killed. He was 29 years old. Ernest Edward Edmunds has no known grave and is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, Pas de Calais, France, Panel 102.

With thanks to Tony Lyons for his assistance

Divorce of Elizabeth Fanny and Herbert George Norris Confirmed in High Court Documents!

I now have in my possession copies of documents pertaining to the divorce of my maternal Great Grandparents, Herbert George Norris and Elizabeth Fanny Norris (nee Darby).

It is now clear that in 1924 Elizabeth Fanny Darby made application in the High Court of Justice to be admitted as a Poor Person under the 20 & 22 Rules of the Supreme Court for the purpose of prosecuting a suit of divorce. This application was successful and on 29th of January, 1925 made oath "In the Matter of the Petition of Elizabeth Fanny Norris the lawful wife of Herbert George Norris for the Dissolution of Marriage". Here, Elizabeth is stated to reside at "10, Richmond Terrace, Clapham in the County of London" and oath is made as to the veracity of statements that she had made in support of her petition. Elizabeth also makes oath to the effect "That there is not any collusion or connivance between me and my husband Herbert George Norris in any way whatever".

On the 4th of February  the following petition for dissolution was filed: "To the Right Honourable the President" "IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVORCE & ADMIRALTY DIVISION (DIVORCE)": 

"The Humble Petition of Elizabeth Fanny Norris suing as a Poor Person the lawful wife of Herbert George Norris SHEWETH: -

1. That on the 21st day of October 1894 at the Parish Church of St. James the Great in the County of Middlesex your Petitioner was lawfully married to Herbert George Norris.

2. That after the said marriage your Petitioner lived and cohabited with the said Herbert George Norris at 19, Cooks Road, Walworth in the County of London and at divers other places and there are now living issue of the said marriage eight children viz:- George Herbert born 11th April, 1896, William born 20th June 1899, Florence Elizabeth born 20th August, 1901 Herbert Albert born 22nd March, 1903, Cecil Charles born 7th June, 1906, Gladys Marie Maud born 28th March 1908, Oliver Leonard, born 3rd July, 1910, Doris Ivy born 30th June, 1912.

3. That your Petitioner is now living at 10, Richmond Terrace, Clapham in the County of London and the said Herbert George Norris is a decorator and is now living at 19, Cooks Road, Walforth, aforesaid and they are both domiciled in England.

4. That no previous proceedings with reference to the said marriage have been taken in the Divorce Division of this Honourable Court by or on behalf of any of the parties thereto.

5. That the said Herbert George Norris has frequently committed adultery with Sarah Rogers of 78 St Paul's Road.

6. That on divers occasions between the 12th day of August 1923 and in or about the middle of March, 1924 at 19, Cooks Road, Walworth aforesaid the said Herbert George Norris committed adultery with Sarah Rogers.

Your Petitioner therefore prays:-

1. That the said marriage of your Petitioner with the said Herbert George Norris may be dissolved.

2. That the Petitioner may have the custody of Oliver Leonard, Cecil Charles, Doris Ivy, Gladys Marie Maud children of the said marriage.

3. That your Petitioner may have such further and other relief as may be just".

According to the Court Minutes the petition was filed on 4th February 1925 and the Cause Set Down on 30th April 1926. The Petition was not contested and the Minutes go on to record that the Decree Nisi was issued on 30th July 1926 and the Decree Absolute on 14th March 1927; the whole process taking over two years.

Looking through the documents, I notice that:

1. the identification of the named woman, Sarah Rogers (who Herbert George Norris later married) was made by my Great Grandparent's son Herbert Albert Norris.

2. an order was made in the High Court of Justice - dated 1st of April 1925 - "that the respondent do pay to the Petitioner Alimony pendente lite at the rate of 15/- a week to include the maintenance of the child Ivy Doris". The Order went on "Arrears as from the 26th February 1925 to be paid off at the rate of 5/- per week. Payments to be made weekly. This Order to be without prejudice to any final Order".

3. an order was made in the High Court of Justice - dated 30th April 1925 that "the Respondent do, within seven days from the service of this Order lodge in Court the sum of £5 estimated ... to cover the Costs and Expenses of the Petitioner of and incidental to the Hearing of the Cause as a Poor Person".

4. on the 30th July 1926, the Judge - the Honourable Sir Rigby Swift -  "sitting at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, in the county of Middlesex", "having taken the oral evidence of the Petitioner and of the Witness produced on her behalf in support of the Petition filed in this Cause, and having heard Counsel thereon, the Respondent not defending the Suit at the hearing pronounced that the Petitioner had sufficiently proved the contents of the said Petition, and decreed that the Marriage ... be dissolved by reason that since the celebration thereof the said Respondent has been guilty of adultery ... unless sufficient cause be shown to the court why this Decree should not be made absolute within Six Months from the making thereof, and condemned the said Respondent in the costs incurred and to be incurred on behalf of the said Petitioner in this cause". On the same occasion it was ordered that "Doris Norris youngest issue of the marriage between the Petitioner and the Respondent, do remain in the custody of the Petitioner until further order of the Court".

5. Dated 30th March 1927, the following Order was made in the High Court of Justice "that Herbert George Norris the Respondent do, out of his present income, and until further order of this Court, pay or cause to be paid to Elizabeth Fanny Norris the Petitioner during their joint lives Maintenance at and after the rate of £1.5.0 for herself and 5/- for the youngest child of the marriage, both sums per week, to commence from the date of the final decree in this Cause, to wit, 14 March 1927 and to be payable weekly".

Recent Visit to Barkers Hill and Donhead St Andrew

Monday 11th November saw us in The Donheads for the funeral of my mothers dearest friend Amy Ruth Mitchell (nee Else). Finding ourselves with time to spare we knocked on the door of Hilltop, the old Edmunds family home on Barkers Hill. We couldn't have had a warmer welcome from Martin, the present owner. He gave us a guided tour of the cottage and Mum was able to tell how it had changed from the time when Dad had lived there. It was good to know that, although the inside of the property had been somewhat opened up, many of the original features remain. Mum was able to point out where Mrs Edmunds had her shop and remembered that my Grandfather had dug a well in what was now the drive.

The present owner moved to the property in 2010 and told us that they found that the house had very little insulation in the roof and on the front of the house, being very difficult to keep warm their first winter there.

Work on the house, however, has revealed some interesting Edmunds memorabilia! Whilst work was going on in the loft three wage slips were found in the name of Edmunds. The earliest is dated 29th October 1937 and the latest 2nd June 1939. As the wage slips are for the Wiltshire and Dorset Bus Company it is certain that they relate to Dad's brother Clifford, my Uncle Cliff.

Also found, were some cigarette packets and cards, these  possibly having belonged to my father - Dad was never a smoker but he was an avid collector of cards in his youth and we still have his collection today.

We are very grateful to Martin for his kindness to us and for his interest in the history of those who used to live in his house! We are also very pleased to have an invitation to tea when the weather is better!

Donhead St Andrew Church Choir c.1930

This is a photo of Donhead St Andrew Church choir, taken (I would guess) around 1930. My father, Robert Percy Edmunds (usually known as "Bob") is seated in the middle of the front row. Dad identified those in the picture thus:

Back Row Boys - Left to Right: Roy Scammell, Tom Gray, Clyde Higgins, Walter King, Lewes Bartlett & Jim Gray

Next Row (Men) - Left to Right: Reg Wagstaff, Mr Lovett, Tom Sanger & Reg Andrews

Next Row - Left to Right: Norman Gray, Ernest King, Major Hill, Canon Clark, Frank Logan (?), Ern Howell & Reggie Head

Front Row - Left to Right: Frank Lampard, Bob Edmunds & Peter Mullins

1925 - Elizabeth Fanny Norris Petitions For Divorce

I have tonight discovered that in 1925 Elizabeth Fanny Norris petitioned to divorce my Great Grandfather, Herbert George Norris - this confirms my thoughts / findings as recorded else where on this blog

The Will of Herbert William Edmunds

I have in my possession a copy of my grandfather's will. The text is given below (the punctuation, grammar etc is as per the original):

“This is a true copy of the will of me Herbert William Edmunds builders labourer retired of Semley Wilts made this 12^th day of August One Thousand nine hundred and 53. I appoint my daughter Dorothy Mabel Edmunds to be my executor and direct that all my debts and funeral expenses shall be paid as soon as conveniently may be after my decease I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Dorothy Mabel Edmunds the small thatched roof cottage to be hers absolutely for her past services and great devotion to her dear mother in her long illness and to myself over a period of 5 months as some small compensation for such service. My Will also is that as soon after my death as is convenient my daughter Dorothy Mabel Edmunds shall sell the house as occupied by myself and after paying all expenses in connection with my funeral and any other outstanding debts retain for herself the sum of £200.00 pounds that she has loaned on the above mentioned house and any surplus remaining after she has repaid herself the above mentioned Two Hundred pounds to be equally divided between all my children my above mentioned daughter Dorothy Mabel Edmunds also to take her share of the surplus if any in addition to the sum of 200 pounds as aforesaid stated in this my will".

Herbert W Edmunds

& two other signatories