RENNIE FAMILY HISTORY

Paul John Rennie

The Rennie Family Historical Home

Morayshire ( Formerly Banffshire ) Scotland

RENNIE FAMILY HISTORY

Foreword
My name is Paul Rennie. Im part of a large close-knit family of Rennies that is proud of its Scottish name. Until recently, we knew very little about the family history, in spite of repeated attempts to trace my Great Grandfather James Rennies origins. He was rather secretive about his background, prompting dark rumours and suppositions. Now, with the availability of on-line searching and publication of records, Ive been able to piece together the Rennie family roots back to the 1700s, and even gain some insights into who they were and what they did during their lives. Its mostly a tale of impoverished Highland crofters and labourers scratching a living in hard times, and spanning a period of great social and technological change. When I set out on this exercise, I planned to cover the family history going back via all four of my Grandparents. As I uncovered details about James Rennie, I realized that I needed to focus on that thread, and leave my mothers side of the family (the Walters) for future research. Apologies to those who were hoping for a complete family history. It is a paradox that it is easier to research older generations than recent ones, because of the 100 years rule. At time of writing, available census data are restricted to 1911 and older. Without the census information, tracing people is much harder. The Rennie records are Scottish, which are more comprehensive than the English ones, with transcriptions on the Scottish Peoples website done by people with local knowledge of names and places. On the other hand, the English Ancestry.com records are full of transcription errors that can often obscure connections or lead to false trails. Some of the research involved amazingly lucky breaks and leaps of faith. We are also fortunate that the Rennie name continues at all. My father, Alfred John Rennie, was the last male Rennie in his line, and when he was 18, he nearly died during a stomach operation. He also survived Diphtheria. Fortunately for us he lived, married my mother, Dinah, and had three sons; Michael, Jonathan and me. Between us, weve produced six sons and two daughters with the Rennie name. My sisters, Veronica and Catharine, have three sons and three daughters, so at present the family future looks more secure. We were all born in the Twickenham area, near London, and moved to Surrey in 1963. My fathers parents were from London, and my Great Grandfather, James Rennie moved down from Aberlour in Morayshire in his late teens. He was a true Highland Scot. He died in 1952, 3 months after I was born. One of my favourite photos is of him holding me as a baby at my christening, with my father and Grandfather standing next to him - four generations of Rennies. Although my Grandparents were born in the south, and had London accents, there is a thread of Scottishness running through our veins. My Grandmother taught my mother to cook, and some of the food had a Scottish character. We had porridge for breakfast, lamb barley stew, smoked haddock, kippers, and occasionally, haggis. At Christmas, my Grandfather would toast the queen with whisky, and we were allowed a small splash under the lids of our mince pies. His toast as he lifted the lids was Hats off to the Queen. A few Scottish words and pronunciations invaded our vocabulary, and we had a few tartan items of clothing, such as bow ties and socks for the boys and kilt skirts for the girls, mostly bought from the Scotch House shop in Knightsbridge. I remember my father looking up the Rennie clan on a chart there. He liked to suggest that he was related to John Rennie the famous Scottish engineer (which he wasnt!). My father used to play Cock of the North on his harmonica, and we would dance a Highland fling to it. Finally, I have always cheered for Scotland when they played against England in football or rugby matches maybe Im just cheering the underdogs! In spite of the affinity with Scotland, I never travelled there until in my 20s I went on a weekends skiing trip to the Cairngorms. We travelled overnight by coach, and all I saw was snow and fog! In the 1990s, my sister Catharine moved with her family to Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire. It was on visits to see her, and my mother, who moved up there after my father died, that I fell in love with the Scottish landscapes, especially the mountains and glens. Im now the most frequent entry in my mothers and Catharines visitors books. Kennethmont is only about 20 miles from Aberlour, and knowing my Great Grandfather was from there, I decided to make another attempt to trace his history. What emerged is a story of a family with simple poverty-stricken crofters roots, at a time of great strife and injustice in Highland Scotland, rather ironically progressing towards the professional classes of southern England via education, hard work and a little luck. Here and there is a little spice and scandal, some mysteries and tragedies, and a few odd coincidences. Most of the story in Scotland takes place in Banffshire and Aberdeenshire, close to where my mother lived and my sister still lives. Maybe its just chance, but I like to think that something else drew them to that area from the south of England. This is the Rennie story.

Index
Page Foreword The Shearers and Andersons Isabella Shearer Jnr Elizabeth Shearer George Shearer William Shearers Ancestry Isabella Anderson Origins of the Shearer name James Rennie (Rannie, Rainnie) Snr James Rennie Snrs Ancestry Origins of the Rennie name James Rennie Jnr The Melvilles The Huntingtons First hand account of James Rennie by Dinah Rennie James Rennie medallion story by Jonathan Rennie The Rowes Origins of the Rowe name Alfred Edgar Rennie The Hemsons The Cumberlands Origins of the Cumberland name Alfred John Rennie Dinah Marion Walters Paul Rennie Memories Michael Rennie Memories Veronica Jefferies (nee Rennie) Memories Catharine Coursey (nee Rennie) Memories Jonathan Rennie Memories Mary Philomena Maw (nee Rennie) Memories History of Aberlour MacDonell of Glengarry Present day Rennies John Rennies Sisters John Rennies Children & Grandchildren Addresses Whos Who Epilogue 2 5 9 17 26 27 28 28 29 36 38 39 44 44 46 46 49 51 52 76 79 81 82 89 96 100 101 103 105 107 111 115 117 118 119 120 122 124

Cover: Millers Cottage & Mill of Syde, Kennethmont Croft illustrations: Jamie Rennie

The Shearers & Andersons

The story of the Rennies starts with the Shearers, a poor family living in Aberlour, Banffshire (now Morayshire). The Shearer family were agricultural and domestic labourers, who scraped a living in hard times in Scotland. They may have had land in the past, but, possibly as a result of the clearances, were now working for others. Head of the family was William Shearer, my Great Great Great Grandfather, born in New Mills, Keith around 1825. In 1845, he married Isabella Anderson from Rothes, Banffshire. She was 2 years older than William. In 1841, William was aged 18 and working as a farm labourer in Outhouse, Lichinton, Rathven, Banffshire. By 1851, William and Isabella were living at 3, Windy Hillocks, Boharm, and already had three children; John aged 5 years, Isabella aged 3 years and Elizabeth aged 6 months. They had a total of eight children, although some died young and dont appear in the census data. Their first child was John, born 1846, then Isabella Jnr was born in 1849 in Keith. They went on to have six more children, Elizabeth, born 1851, William, born 1853, Alexander, born 1855, Ann, born 1859, Robert, born 1860, and George, the youngest, born 1863. Isabella Shearer Jnr was my Great Great Grandmother, and the mother of James Rennie, my Great Grandfather. The earlier children were born in Keith, the middle ones in Boharm, and the younger ones, where the family settled, in Aberlour.
The Shearer family 1851 census (Shearer name transcribed incorrectly as Srebas by Ancestry)

In the 1851 census, there is also a James McWilliam, aged 10 years, living with them. He is described as Isabella Snrs son and was born in Rothes, her home town, so it is probable that he is a child from a previous relationship pre-dating William and Isabellas marriage. The name McWilliam crops up later. In 1861, the family was living in Aberlour at the Old Manse, although on the night of the census, William was away at Whitehouse, Aberlour, where he was employed as a ploughman, with John, aged 14. In 1871, they are listed as living at 83, High Street, which in those days was probably the Old Manse, as the High Street has since been renumbered. As well as William and Isabella Snr, there are their children; Isabella Jnr, aged 22, Robert aged 11, George aged 8, and James aged 10 months, who is Isabella Jnrs son. James is my Great Grandfather, and at the time of the census had not been registered with his fathers name.

William & John Shearer 1861 census

Isabella Shearer & children 1861 census

The Shearer family 1871 Aberlour census page 1

The Shearer family 1871 Aberlour census page 2 with James Rennie (Shearer) aged 10 months

The Old Manse was on the slope above the river off the main road near the cemetery, and almost opposite the current Aberlour distillery. It was severely damaged by the flood of 1829, and the main building was demolished in 1869. The remaining building is a two story stone built steading with slate roof, which was the original stables. This, and the stone wall, is all that remains and is a listed site. From the dates, it would appear that the Shearers lived originally in the condemned building before it was demolished, and then in the stable block afterwards. Their future moves were all in close by dwellings. Unfortunately, I havent been able to find any photographs of what the Old Manse looked like. There is another Manse at the other end of the High Street next to the Free Church. That would have been new at the time of the Shearers, and is a substantial house, so unlikely to have been available to them.

Site of Old Manse, Aberlour

In 1881 they were still living on the High Street, but the house number isnt specified. By then they had started to assemble a collection of Grandchildren and lodgers, so living must have been rather cramped. Isabella Jnr is now 32, and as well as James aged 10, has another son, Alexander Souter aged 3. James now has his fathers name Rannie. Also in the household are George Shearer aged 19, and two children of Elizabeth, the Shearers younger daughter. They are Robert Laing and Helen McWilliam.
The Shearer family 1881 Aberlour census

The father of Helen is John McWilliam. Could he be connected to the James McWilliam that was living with the Shearers aged 10 in 1861? James McWilliam is Elizabeths half brother, and perhaps the Shearers had maintained contact with his father, and John came from that family. From the Kirk records, John McWilliam was in Edinvillie, which is near Aberlour and Mortlach. There is also a lodger, John R. Murphy. Like George, his occupation is a plasterer, so he may be a workmate. Elizabeth was staying a few doors away on the High Street, perhaps where she worked. The Shearers were still relatively poor, and were receiving poor relief from the Kirk. In January 1872 they received 15 shillings. Five years later in January 1877, they received 5 shillings. Presumably they were deemed less needy at the later date. By 1891, the family had moved to 2, Grants Close. This no longer exists, but must have been off the High Street, possibly what is now a small alleyway next to the Manse House. At that time, William was 66, and Isabella Snr was 67. Isabella Jnr was aged 40 and still living with them with her children, Alexander Souter and Robert Grant, but James has left home and moved down to work at Bramley Park in Surrey.

In 1901, William and Isabella Snr, aged 77 and 78, were still in Aberlour, at 4, Wellfield, and the children and Grandchildren had finally left home. Wellfield is a small alleyway off the High Street, about half way between the Square and the cemetery.

The Shearers 1891 Aberlour census

The Shearers 1901 Aberlour census

Aberlour Kirk Poor Relief Payments William Shearer family January 1872 William Shearer family January 1877

Isabella Snr died in 1902, aged 80, at 7 oclock on the morning of 10 December. Cause of death was cerebral softening, with 2 years onset. William was with her when she died, at 9, Broomfield Square, Aberlour. This is a terrace of houses off the main square of Aberlour, next door to the Mash Tun Pub, which now a famous whisky bar. At the time it was called the Station Hotel, and the owner built the cottages next door in a similar architectural style. As the name implies, it was next to the Station. William lived for two more years, dying at Braeside, Kininvie, Mortlach at the age of 82. He died of senile decay at quarter past twelve th in the afternoon of May 13 , and his son William Jnr was present.

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9, Broomfield Square on the corner next to the Mash Tun

Isabella Shearer Snr Death Certificate

William Shearer Death Certificate

Isabella Shearer Jnr

Isabella Jnr was born in Keith, Banffshire on September 11 1848, and her parents were William Shearer and Isabella Shearer nee Anderson. At this time, Queen Victoria had been on the throne for 11 years, Lord Russell was the Prime Minister, and the Highland clearances were still taking place. The Irish potato famine was drawing to an end, the Californian gold rush started, and the Crimean war was still 5 years away. In that year Marx and Engels published the Communist manifesto, Wyatt Earp and Paul Gaugin were born, and Emily Bronte and George Stephenson died. Isabella Jnr was the elder daughter of William and Isabella. Her sister Elizabeth was born when she was 2 years old in 1851, her brother, Alexander, 2 years later, Robert in 1860, and finally George in 1863. George is key to unravelling Jamess background, because he appears in London, living with James at the time of the 1901 census, described as an uncle. From Keith, the family settled in Aberlour, where William worked as a farm labourer. They lived in various houses in and around the High Street, including the Old Manse. Isabella Jnr worked as a domestic servant. th In 1869, at the age of 20, she became pregnant, and on May 16 1870 at 06.30 in the morning, James was th born. He was registered illegitimate as James Shearer, on May 28 . These dates are significant because they coincide with records from the Aberlour Kirk Sessions, where Isabella was summoned before the Kirk on a charge of fornication. This was surprisingly common at the time. She was summoned while pregnant, but by the time she eventually appeared before a session, James had already been born and registered. The rd absent father was established to be James Rainnie (Rannie), a soldier in the 93 Regiment, who was originally from Aberlour. By then, he had returned to his Regiment. James Jnrs surname was changed in subsequent records to Rainnie, where it eventually evolved to Rennie.
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James Shearer (Rennie) Birth Certificate

The transcripts of the Kirk sessions are held at Aberdeen City Council Office Archives, Town House, Broad St. Aberdeen: CH2/1337/6/321 3 May 1870 The clerk was instructed to summon Isabella Shearer, Charlestown, to appear before the meeting on th Monday 9 inst. And answer to a fama of fornication. CH/1337/6/323 9 May 1870 The clerk reported that he had caused to be summoned Isabella Shearer as instructed but, on being called, th she appeared not. She was ordered to be summoned pro secundo to a meeting of session on 13 June. CH/1337/6/324 13 June 1870 Appeared at this meeting, as summoned pro secundo, Isabella Shearer, Charlestown, to answer a fama of fornication. She explained that she was unable to appear as summoned to last meeting, and now declared, after being cautioned to speak the truth, that James Rennie, formerly resident in this parish, and now in the rd th 93 regiment is the father of an illegitimate male child whom she brought forth on the 16 May last. She professed penitence for her first lapse in fornication, and was pointedly rebuked and admonished, and th summoned apud acta to appear at further discipline before the meeting of sessions to be held 15 Aug next, and to bring evidence of the paternity of the child. CH/1337/6/331 9 November 1870 Appeared at this meeting, Isabella Shearer, pro secundo, and declared that she was unable from bad health to attend the meeting to which she was summoned, which was sustained by the session. The session sustained the letter of James Rainnie as acknowledging the paternity of the child. The first e in Rennie is circled, so may imply a correction was required. The spelling Rainnie is probably the correct one, since it comes from the letter written by James Rainnie, rather than Isabellas word of mouth. James Snrs family name was spelt as Rannie in census records. Although Isabella suffered the humiliation of an admonishment by the Kirk Elders, this didnt stop her going on to have four more sons out of wedlock and by different fathers. Each time they were registered as Shearer, but then reverted to the fathers name. The first, after James, was Thomas, born on February 8 1873. His father was Donald Robertson, a ploughman from Elgin. They were both summoned by the Kirk, where it was described as her second lapse into fornication (James being the first). The offence supposedly took place in Knockando. Aberlour Kirk record CH//1337/6/438 Dec 1873 Compeared at this meeting Isabella Shearer, Charlestown, as summoned, declaring that she had given birth th to a male child in fornication on 8 February last, and that Donald Robertson, ploughman Elgin, is the father. That this was her second lapse and that the sin was committed in the parish of Knockando. She was pointedly admonished and rebuked for the impropriety and levity of her conduct, and therefore dismissed and remitted to the Kirk session of Knockando for further discipline.
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Isabella Shearer Kirk summons 3 May 1870

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Isabella Shearer Kirk second summons 9 May 1870

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Isabella Shearer first Kirk appearance 10 June 1870

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Isabella Shearer second Kirk appearance 9 November 1870

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Isabella Shearer further Kirk appearance December 1873

The baby, Thomas, was given the Robertson name. He tragically died on November 27 1879 aged 6. The cause of death was Laryngismus stridulus (a childhood disease similar to whooping cough), and congestion of the brain (possibly meningitis). It appears that Donald Robertson took responsibility for Thomas, because the child retained his surname, and Donald is shown on the death certificate. Isabella must have kept contact because her father, William Shearer, (Thomass Grandfather), was the informant. The death of his half brother must have affected James, because they were only 3 years apart in age, and James would have been 9 years old when it happened.

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Thomas Robertson Shearer Birth Certificate

Thomas Robertson Shearer Death Certificate

The next son was Alexander, who was born on December 11 1877. He later became Alexander Souter, or various spellings including Sutor and Suter. He is of interest because he was present at Isabellas death in Lumsden in 1949, where he was aged 72. His father is unknown, since the Kirk records held at Aberdeen dont cover this period, although it is safe to assume that his surname was Souter.

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Alexander Souter Shearer Birth Certificate

Robert George Grant Shearer Birth Certificate

Isabellas fourth son was Robert George Grant, born Jan 24 1886. On his birth certificate he was registered as Grant Shearer, so we can assume the father was known at the time. By this time, James was 16, so he must have had a notion of what his mother was up to. The Grant name was associated with well-to-do folk in the Aberlour area at that time, some of whom were the whisky family, that had a distillery in Aberlour. Even the birth Registrars name was Grant! Whatever happened, Robert George stayed with Isabella, and was still with her when she had moved to Huntly by 1901. Isabella never married, and lived with her parents until at least 1891, when she was 40 years old. They were living at 2, Grants Close, Aberlour. At the same address is a lodger, John Taylor. He seems to have taken a shine to Isabella, because he got her pregnant with her fifth son. The child was named William and was born st on January 31 1893 at her parents address. John Taylor is on the birth certificate, where he is described as a labourer. At the time of the birth he would have been 35, and Isabella 38.

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1911 Huntly census William Taylor Shearer Birth Certificate

By the time of the 1901 census, they were living together at 50a George Street, Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Isabella is aged 47, and John is a general contractor. William Taylor aged 9, is there, but John and Isabella are not married. Robert Grant, her earlier son, is also there, aged 15 years. Robert is a licensed grocers apprentice. Coincidently, Huntly is the nearest town to where my mother and sister Catharine live. Catharines children go to school there.

50a George St, Huntly

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In the 1911 census, Isabella had moved to 14 Cross Street, Fraserburgh on the North Aberdeenshire coast. She is living with the Gray family as a housekeeper, aged 64. With her is William Taylor, aged 18 years, who is by occupation also a Tailor! John Taylor is not present. The house at number 14 was an outfitters shop called A.J. Russell, so its probable that William was employed by the shop.
14, Cross St Fraserborough

Isabella Shearer 1911 Fraserborough census

We dont know what happened to Isabella in the intervening years, but she ended up in Lumsden, Aberdeenshire, around 1936, where she died in 1949, aged 100. Lumsden is a small village on the A97 between Alford and Huntly. It is only about 6 miles from where my mother and sister Catharine live.

Lumsden 1912

She lived in a house called Craigroyston on the main street, opposite what is now a garage. The house has been demolished and replaced with a modern chalet style house.

Modern day Craigroyston

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Isabella must have been a celebrity because of her unusual age, and was th mentioned in a press clipping from the Peoples Journal on January 29 1949. She was described as Lumsdens oldest resident.

A further press article says that she had moved to Lumsden 12 years previously, and that she had been bedridden for years. It also mentioned that she had received a congratulatory telegram from the King and Queen th th on her 100 birthday on September 11 1948. Isabella died at Craigroyston at 7.30 pm on January 20 1949. On the death certificate she was described as single and a retired domestic servant. Cause of death was cardiac failure, arteriosclerosis and hypostatic pneumonia. Her second son, Alexander Sutor was present.
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She was buried at Auchindoir old churchyard on January 24 at 1.30pm. Her friends were invited. There is no gravestone at the cemetery, although cemetery records confirm she was buried there. From the dates on the surviving gravestones, it is possible to work out the gap in the plots where she is probably buried. It is against the far wall of the churchyard, on the far left as you enter the gate from the road, opposite the ruins of St Marys church, and about half way up the line of graves.
Auchindoir Churchyard Isabellas unmarked grave is probably in the gap against far wall

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Isabella Shearer Death Certificate

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Elizabeth Shearer
Elizabeth was Isabellas younger sister, born in Boharm, Banffshire in 1851, so they were 2 years apart. In the records she is variously called Betsy or Elspet. She was 18 at the time of the 1871 census, but was living a few doors away at No. 105 High Street, Aberlour, where she seems to be working as a domestic labourer. Her life and loves appear to be just as colourful as Isabellas, and between them they must have tried the patience of the Kirk Elders with their repeated summonses for fornication. She produced five children with three different fathers, and made three appearances in front of the Kirk to be th reprimanded. Her first child was a boy, born on 11 April 1972. The father was William Laing who was a bank clerk at the Union Bank, Elgin. He was summoned to the Aberlour Kirk sessions via the Kirk at Elgin, but did not turn up. Instead, he went off to the West Indies. Elizabeth applied for alimony and financial help through the Kirk, and they agreed to provide a certificate, which she did not have to pay for because of poverty, but they realized they were powerless to make the fugitive pay. Poor Elizabeth had to live with the scandal for two years, before she was finally released from it. In spite of that, the baby was named Robert Laing, after the father. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/415 10 June 1872 Compeared to this meeting Elizabeth Shearer presently residing in Charlestown, confessing that she had th brought forth an illegitimate male child on 11 April last, and on being solemnly charged to speak the truth as to the paternity of said child, she declared that William Laing Clerk to John Cran Elgin Union Bank, Elgin, is the father of the said child and on being cautioned to beware of any false accusations, she again and again repeated the declaration that the said William Laing is the father of said child. She was rebuked and admonished as to her misconduct and sin, and summoned pro acta to appear at the th meeting of sessions to be held in the circumstances on Friday 14 next at 12 oclock noon, to which meeting the Clerk was instructed to have the said William Laing summoned through the Clerk Officer of Elgin to answer the above charges laid against him.
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Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/416 14 June 1872 The clerk reported that he had, as instructed, caused William Laing, clerk Union Bank, Elgin, to be summoned to this meeting, and that he had received a letter from the session clerk of Elgin that he had so been summoned by the Kirk Officer of Elgin to appear at this meeting. Compeared at this meeting as summoned, Elizabeth Shearer, and on being againsolemnly questioned as to the paternity of her illegitimate child, she repeated her declaration that William Laing is the father of her child. The said William Laing on being called on, compeared not. The clerk was instructed to cause him to be summoned pro secundo, at Elgin with the usual certification to appear at a meeting of session on Monday the first day of July at 12 noon. The said Elizabeth Shearer made application for a certificate to enable her to prosecute in forma pauperis in the sheriff court of Elgin, William Laing, clerk, Union Bank for alimony and other expenses of an illegitimate th male child, born by her on 11 April last, of which she declares he is the father. The session being satisfied of the inability of the applicant to prosecute because of poverty, grant the certificate as craved. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/418 1st July 1872 The clerk intimated that he had caused as instructed to be summoned William Laing, clerk Union Bank Elgin to appear at this meeting, and laid on the table a letter from the session clerk of Elgin that he had been so summoned. The said William Laing, on being called, appeared not. The session having learned that the said William Laing is about to emigrate to the West Indies considered any further summons useless, and resolved to hold him as a fugitive from discipline. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/500 31st August 1874 Compeared at this meeting Elizabeth Shearer pro tertio whose case was before the session as for minute of th 14 June 1872. She again renewed her declaration that William Laing is the father of her illegitimate male child. Finding that the said William Laing was a fugitive from discipline and had gone abroad which indicates an appearance of guilt, and that the said Elizabeth Shearer had now been upwards of two years under scandal, the session sustained her declaration and appearances as satisfying discipline and agreed that she be now held as released from scandal which was announced to her accordingly. Elizabeths second child out of wedlock was Helen McWilliam, born in 1875. At the time of the 1881 census, Helen and Robert Laing are living with their grandparents, William and Isabella Snr, their aunt, Isabella Jr, along with James Rennie and Alexander Souter, at 91 High Street Aberlour. Robert is 8 and Helen is 6. Elizabeth is not present and must have been working away. Helens father was John McWilliam from Edinvillie. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/524 28 April 1875 Compeared at this meeting John McWilliam Edinvillie, acknowledging that he had been guilty of fornication with Elspet Shearer midtown of Buchmont Mortlach. He was admonished and having professed penitence and promised to walk more circumspectly in future, he was absolved from the scandal which is hereby recorded. Elizabeth was not admonished in Aberlour, so perhaps this was done in Mortlach where she seems to have been living. Elizabeths third child was a girl named Isabella, born on 17 August 1876. This time the father was John Fraser, a stone cutter from Inverness. Once again, she was summoned by the Kirk. John Fraser attended the session and was duly admonished along with Elizabeth. There is a slight disparity in the record, in that it was stated that this was her second lapse. This might be because the second one with John McWilliam was committed outside the Aberlour parish, at Mortlach. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/560 17 August 1876 The clerk reported that as instructed he has caused to be summoned Betsy Shearer residing in Charlestown, who did not compear. The Elders, having heard that the said Betsy Shearer had for the present gone to Edinburgh. The clerk was instructed to have her summoned pro secundo for the next meeting of session. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/567 7th November 1876 The session understanding that Betsy Shearer Charlestown has again returned to the parish after having given birth to an illegitimate child , instructed the clerk to have her summoned to a meeting of session on Monday next at 2 oclock pm.
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Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/570 13 November 1876 Compeared at this meeting, as summoned pro secundo, Betsy Shearer residing in Charlestown, confessing th that she had brought forth a female child in fornication on 17 August last. This being a second lapse. On being solemnly cautioned and questioned as to the paternity of the child, she declared that John Fraser, stone cutter, Seafield Inverness, and lately for a time residing in this parish, is the father of said child. And she further laid on the table a letter from the said John Fraser acknowledging that he is the father of the child as declared. She professed penitence, was pointedly rebuked and admonished and summoned apud acta to a future meeting of sessionat which she said John Fraser would also compear with her. Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/571 2 January 1877 Compeared at this meeting John Fraser, stone cutter, Inverness, acknowledging that he is the father of the th illegitimate female child of the said Betsy Shearer, born on 17 August last in testimony whereby he signed this minute in presence of the session (Signed John Fraser) They both professed penitence for their lapse and promised amendment of life. They were both admonished and exhorted, and in consideration that the said John Fraser had come voluntarily from Inverness to satisfy discipline, the session agreed to dispense with a second appearance therefore. They were therefore, after due warning and exhortation, held as released from scandal, which was announced to them and is hereby recorded. The said John Fraser expressed his desire to have the child baptized, and though he had unknowingly omitted to obtain a certificate of character from Inverness, he solemnly declared that there was no charge or scandal against him anywhere. He declared his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ who had died and had risen again for the salvation of sinners. The Session judging favourably from his appearance and declarations, and considering that the distance is so great from Inverness, that he promised to send a certificate of character, agreed that the ordinance of baptism be dispensed to the child at the conclusion of the meeting.
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Elizabeth Shearer first Kirk appearance 10 June 1872

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Elizabeth Shearer second Kirk appearance 17 June 1872

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Elizabeth Shearer third Kirk appearance 1 July 1872

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Elizabeth Shearer fourth Kirk appearance 31 August 1874

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Elizabeth Shearer fifth Kirk appearance 25 April 1875

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Elizabeth Shearer sixth Kirk appearance 17 August 1876

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Elizabeth Shearer seventh Kirk appearance 7 November 1876

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Elizabeth Shearer seventh continued & eighth Kirk appearance 13 November 1876

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Elizabeth Shearer ninth Kirk appearance 2nd January 1877

Isabella and Elizabeth both appear on the Kirk communion roll on 21 October 1969. They were among five applicants making their first communion. The session was satisfied with their moral character, although they cant have known that Isabella was 2 months pregnant with James!

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Aberlour Kirk record CH/1337/6/302 21st October 1877 Tokens of admission to the Lords table were distributed to communicants on the roll and those duly certified from their parishes. The Minister now laid upon the table a list of applicants for admission to the ordinance and full communion of the church for the first time and intimated that he was on the whole satisfied with their Christian knowledge and views in this prospect and the Session being also satisfied with their moral character agreed that they be admitted to the Lords supper and full communion of the church, and that their names accordingly added to the communion roll. The applicants were as follows: 1. John Gauld Lyne of Ruthie 2. Helen Grant Polduie 3. Elizabeth Shearer Charlestown 4. Isabella Shearer do 5. Jane Strachan Simpson Paddochpeels

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Isabella & Elizabeth Shearer Communion Roll

Elizabeth married John Fraser and moved to Inverness, living with his mother, Ann Fraser. At the time of the 1881 census they have two more children; Margaret Ann aged 2, and David aged 7 months, as well as the 4 year old Isabella. Also in the household is 16 year old Alexander Fraser, who is Johns younger brother. John Fraser is 24 and is a mason. At some stage they must have returned to Aberlour. In 1886 on July 17th, Elizabeth sadly died aged 35 from enteritis. This would have left John with young children to look after. The place of death was Aberlour, and she is buried in the Aberlour cemetery. The gravestone is granite and fairly substantial, and is against the wall closest to the main road. The text reads John Fraser in loving memory of Elizabeth Shearer. She is the only Shearer from that family who has a gravestone at Aberlour cemetery It is possible that the stone has been moved from its original position. rd Buried with her is John Fraser who died January 23 1922, and Elizabeth th Hay who died June 28 1914 (the text is difficult to read). Elizabeth Hay was the second wife of John Fraser. Also on the gravestone is Walter Charles Fraser who th was killed in action in France July 27 1919. Again, the text is difficult to read and is odd because the war would have ended by then. John Fraser went on to marry a third wife, this time Helen McLean. His parents were David Fraser and Ann Fraser. Helen lived until 1948 and died in Aberlour aged 78.

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Interestingly, on the same page of Aberlour death records, James Shearer, died on July 19 . He was Isabella and Elizabeths Grandfather, and widower of Isabella George. The informant was Adam Shearer, who would have been William Shearers brother.

th

Elizabeth Shearer Death Certificate, also of her Grandfather James

George Shearer
George Shearer is very important to tracing the ancestry of James Rennie. He was Isabellas younger brother, born in 1863. He is, therefore, Jamess uncle, although only 7 years older than James, and would probably have been more like a brother. By a stroke of fortune, he happened to be living or staying with James and Agnes Sarah Rennie in London on the night of the 1901 census. On the census form he is described as Jamess uncle, so establishes a critical link between James and the Aberlour Shearers. His occupation was a stud groom, so it appears that he had remained in manual labour, like his father, whilst James had progressed to a higher social level, by that time a butler. George was born in Aberlour and was living at 83, High Street when James was born. He was still living at home in 1881, aged 19, and was an apprentice plasterer. By the time of the 1891 census, he had moved to London, living as a boarder with the Crouch family at 13, Redesdale Street, Chelsea. His occupation was as a drapers assistant. At the same time, James was working as a footman at Bramley Manor in Surrey. It would seem that after they moved south they stayed in contact. Perhaps Georges living in the Chelsea area was a factor in Jamess move there. The house in Redesdale Street is in SW3, and a very smart address, typical of the area, with 4 floors in a Georgian style with railings and a basement. It is very close to the Clockhouse at Chelsea Embankment, Dilke Street where James was living 10 years later, and also the Rowes at Blantyre Street.
George Shearer 1891 London census

After 1901, in spite of extensive searching, I can find no definite record of George in England or Scotland. The 1911 census records are rather patchy, so he may not be in the available ones. It is possible he may have emigrated, but he doesnt appear on passenger lists. He did not die in Scotland, but there is a record of a George Sheerer who died in Oct/Nov/Dec 1914 in Clerkenwell. This is near the Chelsea/Battersea area, further along the Thames, so this may well be him. There are no other candidates for George Sheerer or Shearer in that area in 1911, nor does a George Sheerer show in 1901. This leads me to believe that the Clerkenwell death was indeed our George Shearer. This would have made him 51 when he died.

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William Shearer s Ancestry

From the marriage and death records it has been possible to trace William Shearers ancestry back three more generations. His father was James Shearer who was born in 1805 in Keith. His mother was Isabella George born in 1791 in Mortlach. This is quite an age difference, so he may have been previously married.

James Shearer birth 1805

Isabella George birth 1791

James Shearer Isabella George marriage

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Jamess father was William Shearer, born in 1785 and his mother was Elizabeth Sellar, born in 1785. William Snrs father was John Shearer and his mother was Margaret Martin. There are no birth dates available, but assuming they were around 20 years old when they had William Snr, they would have been born in the 1760s. In that decade, George III succeeded George II, James Watt invented the steam engine, Bonnie Prince Charlie had lost the Jacobite rebellion, but continued to pursue his claims from France. The slave trade was still active, and James Cook didnt reach Australia for another 20 years. The Shearers would have experienced the deprivations of the Highland clearances, but as the surname suggests, they found a new trade with the influx of sheep. John Shearer would have been James Rennie Jnrs Great Great Great Grandfather, and my Great Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather. Elizabeth Sellars parents were John Sellar and Elizabeth Weir. William Shearers mother was Isabella George, who was born in 1791 in Mortlach. Her father was James George and her mother was Margret Low.

William Shearer Snr birth 1785

Elizabeth Sellar birth 1785

Isabella Anderson
Isabella Anderson, William Jnrs wife and Jamess Grandmother, was born in 1823 in Rothes, Morayshire. Her father was James Anderson, born in 1791, and her mother was Isabella Russell, born in 1782. Their parents are unknown.

The Andersons 1841 Rothes census

Origins of the Shearer Name

Recorded as Shearer, Sherer, Sharer, Shirer, Shera (English and Scottish), Scherer, Scheerer, Scherrer (German), Sherer, Szerer (Polish and Ashkenasic), and possibly others, not surprisingly this is an occupational surname. It derives from the pre 7th century Old English word "sceran" and describes either a sheep shearer, or more likely given that sheep shearing happens only once a year for a limited period, to a skilled textile worker who used shears or scissors to trim the finished cloth, and to remove any excess knots or nap. Occupational surnames were not originally hereditary. They only became so after the 12th century when usually a son followed the father into the same line of business or skill. One of the earliest of all surnames and early examples in surviving rolls and charters both of the British Isles and Germany includes Konrad Scherer of Baden Baden in Germany in 1251, William le Scherer of the county of Hampshire, England, in the year 1305, and William Scherar of Berwickshire, Scotland in 1324. The first recorded spelling of the family name in any form is believed to be that of Robert le Sherer. This was dated 1231, in the tax rolls known as the Feet of Fines for the county of Cambridgeshire, during the reign of King Henry III.

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The Rennies: James Rennie ( Rannie, Rainnie ) Snr

James Rennie Snr was my Great Great Grandfather. In 1870, at the age of 26, He had a brief fling with Isabella Shearer, resulting in the birth of James Rennie, my Great Grandfather. He was born in Aberlour, and rd was a soldier in the 93 Regiment. Before the birth, he returned to the regiment. It is not clear whether he had any further contact with Isabella, but he probably visited Aberlour, because his parents continued to live there, so it is very likely he would have bumped into her. It is easy to see why Isabella might have been attracted to James, as he would have seemed rather sophisticated compared with the farm labourers and tradesmen who were the norm in Aberlour. He had travelled, serving time in Gibraltar and in India, where he would have picked up some colonial attitudes, and he would certainly have had a military rd bearing. He might even have been in the striking uniform of the 93 with red jacket and tartan kilt very different from the drab and worn clothes of the locals. He would also have some money in his pocket from his military pay, which was more than a labourers wage. So, all in all, he would have been an attractive proposition to Isabella, and probably the other girls in the village. Isabella would have known him from when he grew up in Aberlour, so would have been surprised by the changes when he returned five years later. James was born in 1844 in Aberlour. His parents were John and Jannet Rannie (nee Geddes). John was born in Aberlour, whilst Jannet was from Bellie. As throughout this family history, the name changes from Rennie to Rannie or Rainnie, depending upon the nature of the record. Johns name is variously listed as Rannie and Rennie. At the time of the 1851 census, they were living at Sunnybrae, Aberlour, and John was a master carpenter. John and Jannet were both 48. James, aged 7, was the youngest of 4 children living with them at that time. Margaret was 22, Ann was 21 and William was 10. Margaret was born in Elgin. Ann is interesting because she was born in Devonport, England. This suggests that John may have been associated with shipbuilding and had travelled south for work. All of the other children were born in Scotland.
John Rannie family 1851 Aberlour census

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At the 1861 census, John and Jannet were living at Parkside, Aberlour, with Margaret aged 33, Jessie aged 25, and two Grandchildren; Anne McPherson, aged 2, and James McKimmie, aged 1. James has left home, and was working as a ploughman, aged 18, at Little Ribrae, Forglen, Banffshire. His birthplace is given as Marnoch, which is close enough to Aberlour that it is likely to be him.

Rannie family census 1861

James Rennie Snr 1861 census

In 1865, aged 21, James enlisted into the 93 Regiment with the rank of Private, on 13 January 1865 at Elgin. His full Military record is available. He was initially passed fit at Elgin, but this was questioned by his Staff Sergeant Major, because of defective vision in Jamess right eye. He attended an Edinburgh Medical Board, where it was decided that he did not labour under the disability to a sufficient extent to be disqualified from service, and was passed fit. He signed up for 10 years, and his number was 2029. The transcript of his service is as follows: 93 Regiment th st Attested Private, 13 January 1865 to 21 April 1869. nd st Continued Private, 22 April to 31 May 1870 st th Forfeited 1 G.C. pay 18 December 1869 st Transferred to Army Hospital Corps 31 May 1870 Army Hospital Corps st th Transferred Private, 1 June 1870 to 12 October 1873 th Re-engaged Private 24 September 1870 st th Restored G.C. pay at 1 , 18 December 1870 nd th Granted 2 G.C. pay 18 December 1872 nd th th Promoted 2 Corporal 13 October 1873 to 11 August 1874 th th Promoted Corporal 12 August 1874 to 19 March 1875 th th Continued Corporal 20 March 1875 to 24 March 1875 th th Further service 25 March to 12 April 1875 when finally discharged. Total Service 10 years and 90 days. In the discharge papers, he is described as Corporal and Lance Sergeant. During his time in the 93 regiment, he served 5 months in Gibraltar, and 2 years 4 months in India. This would have been at the time of the Indian Mutiny.
rd rd

rd

th

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James Rennie Snr Military Papers

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He was discharged from the army at Cork, on the 12 April 1875 due to medical unfitness. His disability was quite serious abdominal aneurism, which is a weakness of the aortic artery, which could rupture at any time. It was stated that this was most likely a result of his military service in India, where he was exposed to the hot climate. It was decided that his disability was permanent and that he would be unable to earn his livelihood in civil occupation. His condition wasnt aggravated by intemperance or vices! In his discharge papers, his character was described as very good and he was in possession of two good conduct badges. He was not in possession of a school certificate. He had been entered once in the regimental defaulters book, but had not been court martialled. A further page gives some details about James. At recruitment, he was described as a farm labourer born in rd th Aberlour, and attested to the 93 Regiment at Elgin on January 13 1865, aged 21 years. At his discharge in st Cork on 31 April 1875, he was aged 31 years 2 months, so would have been born February 1844. He was described as 5 feet 7 inches tall, fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair, and no distinguishing marks. His intended place of residence after leaving the army was near Elgin, Morayshire. The mention of a forfeiture of some of his pay in 1869 for 1 year, and a possible absence without leave is interesting. Could this coincide with his liaison with Isabella Shearer in Aberlour? We know that the Kirk contacted the regiment during proceedings relating to her pregnancy with James Jnr, and that they received a reply confirming that James Rannie was the father of the child. It is possible that the forfeited pay could have been sent to her to help pay for upkeep of the child. Alternatively, it could be that he was on leave back with his family in Aberlour, became stricken with Isabella, and was late returning to the regiment. There is further information to be had from census data: During his time in the Army Hospital Corps (now the Army Medical Corps), he ended up at Alverstock, near Southampton, at the New Military Barracks. In the 1871 census, he is 28 years old and is described as a soldier from Scotland. He next appears on the birth certificate of a daughter, called Isabella in 1873. James had married Annie Stewart from Bellie, Moray. He is described as a Corporal in the Army Hospital Corps, based at Netley, in the parish of Hound, Hampshire. The baby Isabella was born in Enzie, Banffshire, which is near where Annie was th from. She was born on October 15 1873, at 11 am. th James and Annie were married on April 29 , 1873, so Annie was already pregnant with Isabella.
James Rennie Alverstock 1871 census

th

Birth Certificate of Isabella Rennie daughter of James Rennie Snr

By the 1881 census, James had left the army, and was working as a rural postman in Banchory-Ternan, Kincardineshire. He remained in that job until he retired, living with Annie and the family on the High Street.

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He went on to have a total of 10 children, including James Rennie-Shearer, but they were beset with th tragedy. They had another son who they also called James, and who died on 9 March 1877 aged just 2 year Another son, called John, sadly drowned in the river Dee at Drumoak on th Saturday 13 May 1882. He was only 3 years 8 months old. The death certificate is difficult to read, but it seems to say that the drowning was at Braeside of Drumoak. Braeside means hillside, and although no such place is shown on the Ordinance Survey map of the area, there is a Sunnybrae close to the river between Crathes and Drumoak, and on a track leading back to Banchory. The river there is renowned for its salmon fishing, and is typical of highland rivers, shallow, fast flowing and very very cold a dangerous place for young children. Any child falling into the th water would be quickly swept away, and very difficult to rescue. In the May 16 edition of the Dundee Courier, there is a mention of the tragic episode.

Death Certificate of James Rennie Snr s son, John Rennie, son of, who drowned in the River Dee

In 1881, they were living at 25, Kirkland house, Banchory-Ternan. James is aged 37, Annie is 35, and they had three children; Isabella aged 7, Jessie, aged 4, and John, aged 2. In the 1891 census, they are at Kirk Crathes (cottages) Banchory. James is aged 48, Annie is 44. Isabella, who would have been 17, is not at home, possibly away in employment. Jessie, aged 14 is with them. There are new children; Annie, aged 9 and William, aged 3 years. There are also two other children, with different surnames, but described as son or daughter. They are Nellie Douglas Rennie, aged 8, and George Stewart Rennie, aged 6. Stewart is Annies maiden name.
Banchory High St 1800s

James Rennie & family 1881 Banchory census

James Rennie & family 1891 Banchory census

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In 1901, they were living at Kirk Cottages. James is aged 58 and was still a rural postman, whilst Annie was 54. With them are Jessie, aged 24, and William, aged 13. Jessie is a domestic servant. In 1911, they are at St Nicholas, Banchory. James is 68, and Annie is 65. James is described as a retired postman and pensioner. William, aged 23 is still with them, but the others have left home.

James Rennie & family 1901 Banchory census

James Rennie & family 1911 Banchory census

James is mentioned as one of the beneficiaries of a will of James Hunter, who was a prominent merchant in Banchory-Ternan in the late 1800's-early 1900's. He lived at Montague Cottage which is across the street from the parish church on the east side of town on the main road to Aberdeen. James Hunter had no children, but he had numerous brothers and sisters. There were many beneficiaries, so it is likely that the amount James Rennie received was small. James died aged 75 on January 7 , 1918 at 09.45 am at his home at St Nicholas Cottages, High Street, Banchory. On the death certificate his name is spelt Rennie and he is described as a retired postman and army pensioner. Cause of death was enlarged liver and heart disease. This may be the heart disease that caused him to be discharged from the army, although he lived with it for a further 43 years. His son, George Rennie was the informant, and is described as from the No 2 Auxiliary School, Aerial Gunnery, Turnberry, Ayrshire. He may be the George Stewart who was with them in 1891. James is buried at Banchory Ternan Kirkyard. th Annie died on 29 July 1928 and is buried with him. The stone is number 455. The gravestone is in very good condition, and fairly substantial with lead filled engraving. It is also in a premium spot in the graveyard, with a little more space around it than most, and close to the watch tower which was built to stop grave robbers.
th

My sister Catharine at grave of James Rennie Snr

The inscription reads as follows: Erected by JAMES RENNIE in memory of his sons JAMES d. Kirkland House 9 Mar 1877 aged 2, JOHN d. 13 May 1882 aged 3 yrs. 8 mths. Above JAMES RENNIE retired postman d. St. Nicholas, Banchory 7 Jan nd 1918 aged 75. ANNIE STEWART wife of the above d. 29 July 1928 aged 82. JANET 2 dau. of above d. 16 Sept. 1941 aged 63. Janet is called Jessie in the census records, and this is a common variant of Janet. She was born 1878, so must have been the twin sister of the baby, John, who was also born in 1878.

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James was the rural postman at Banchory for many years. This would have brought him into contact with almost everyone in the area, and he would certainly have been well known. Jamess estate amounted to 135 -15s -2d, comprising furniture and effects, a post office savings account, a bank account and 25 war stock. This was all left to Annie.

James Rennie Snr personal estate

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James Rennie Snr s Ancestry

James Snrs father was John Rennie (or Rannie in some records). John was born in Aberlour in 1803 and th baptized 11 June 1803 at Mortlach parish church. He was a master carpenter, and like his son, had a nd military background. In March 1827 he was a Private in the 2 Battalion Rifle Brigade. Around this time he married Jannet Geddes from Bellie. Their first child was Margaret, who was born in 1828 in Elgin. Their second child was Ann, born in Devonport in 1830. This suggests that he was associated with the navy, perhaps as a ships carpenter. Their third child was William born in 1841 in Aberlour, and then James born in 1844, also in Aberlour. Jamess parents, John and Jannet, stayed in Aberlour. They were impoverished by this time, and received poor relief payments from the Kirk of 7 shillings and sixpence in 1877.

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John died on June 8 1879 at 11.30pm at Parkside, Aberlour, aged 76. On the death certificate, his father is William Rennie, a crofter, and his mother is Ann Rennie (nee Donaldson). Cause of death was old age. The informant was James McKimmie, Grandson, the same one as in the 1861 census aged 1 year. Jannet Geddes died in Aberlour in 1890. There is no gravestone for either John or Jannet in the Aberlour cemetery.

th

John Rennie Death Certificate

Jamess sister, Ann, married William McPherson in Aberlour in 1856. She was aged 26, and he was 22. His father was Paul McPherson (the first Paul Ive come across in the area!) and his mother was Catherine Christie. Ann moved to Conval Street, Mortlach . In 1861 she had two children, John aged 4 and Jessie aged 2. In 1871, she is still in Conval Street with John aged 14, William aged 9 and Alexander aged 4. There is no sign of her husband William or Jessie. Ann is aged 42 and is a washerwoman. In 1891 she is on her own at 37, Fife Street, Mortlach, and still there in 1901 aged 71, where she is a school janitor. Jannet Geddess father was Andrew Geddes, born in Banffshire in 1763. He died in Elgin on 8 Nov, 1850. th His wife, Jannets mother, was Margaret Duffus, who was born in Banffshire in 1762 and died in Elgin on 19 rd October, 1851. They were married 23 February, 1788. Andrew Geddess father was also called Andrew and his mother was Katherine Duffus. She thus shares the same surname as Andrew Jnrs wife, suggesting close family connections! Margaret Duffuss father was Alexander Duffus, and her mother was Helen Burgess. They would have been born around 1740 at a time of great turmoil in Scotland - the Jacobite rebellion and the slaughter of the Highland army at Culloden in 1746. Throughout our history, the Rennies seem to have rather fortuitously avoided direct involvement in most of the wars and skirmishes of their times, which is probably why were still around today..and also why none of us have ever become landed gentry. John Rennies father was William Rennie and his mother was Ann Donaldson. William appears in some th records as Rannie, and was born in Dec 1764 at Berrylies, Mortlach. He was baptized on 16 December st 1764 at Mortlach. On 1 June 1788 he married Ann (or Amy) Donaldson in Aberlour. No further information is available on her background. They had six children; John, Alexander, William, Margaret, Elizabeth and James. Most were listed as Rainy.
th

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William Rennies father was Alexander Rainy, born in 1731 at Edinvillie, Aberlour. He was baptized on 8 April 1731 at Aberlour. He married Margaret Findlay in April 1756 at Mortlach parish church. They had five children; William, Evan, Ann, Elizabeth and Isabella. Alexanders father was James Rainy. He had 2 children; Alexander and Thomas. The above information on the Rainys was obtained from a family tree published on Ancestry.co.uk. I havent been able to independently verify it.

th

Origins of the Rennie Name

Recorded in many forms including Rainy, Rainey, Rany, Rennie, Renny, Rennison, and Renison, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname. It is or rather was, an endearment form of the original personal name "Reynold", a compound of the Germanic elements "ragin" meaning "counsel", and "wald", rule. This name was first introduced into England by the Viking-Scandinavians of the 8th century, and later reinforced at the time of the Norman Conquest (1066) by the French equivalent "Reinald". Early examples of the surname recordings include Thomas Renie in the 1279 Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, whilst in 1362, Symon Renny who was recorded as being the bailie of Inverkeithing, Scotland, is believed to be the first known recording in that country. Surname holders as Rany or Rainey held large estates in Angus in the 15th century, whilst the patronymic as Renison or Rennison is recorded in the Glasgow area from the 17th century. Examples of famous nameholders include Sir John Rennie (1761 - 1821), the famous engineer, who was born in East Lothian, Scotland. He designed both Waterloo and London Bridge. The first known recording of the family name is believed to be that of Henry Raney, which was dated 1275, in the "Hundred Rolls of Derbyshire". This was during the reign of King Edward 1 of England, 1272 - 1

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James Rennie Jnr.

James Rennie was my Great Grandfather, whose background had always been a family mystery. We knew that he came from Scotland, and that he went to school in Aberlour. James never spoke about his family, although we know that he used to get upset when asked about his mother. He never revealed her name or his upbringing, nor was his father ever mentioned. After he died, the family myth was that he was an orphan and that something had happened in the past between him and his mother. Hazel Block, one of his grandchildren, lived with James and her parents in London. She claimed to know some scandal about Jamess mother, but mischievously refused to reveal what it was. As you can imagine, this caused a lot of speculation within the family. Because of Jamess reticence about his background, we assumed that he had been cared for in the Aberlour orphanage, a famous orphanage school, although, in spite of extensive enquiries, we found no records of him being there. We now know that he was born in Aberlour and brought up by his mother, Isabella Shearer. His father was rd James Rennie (Rannie or Rainnie), who was from Aberlour, and who had left in 1865 to join the 93 Regiment. He had a relationship with Isabella in 1869, when she was 20. She became pregnant with James Jnr, and James Snr returned to the regiment. His parents remained in Aberlour, so it is likely that James Snr met James Jnr at some point. He never returned to live there, and settled 50 miles away in Banchory-Ternan after his military service. th James was born on May 16 1870 at 06.30 in the morning in Aberlour, and was registered as James th Shearer (illegitimate) on 28 May 1870. Following a Kirk enquiry, James Rainnie (Rannie) Snr was established as the father, and James was legitimised as James Rainnie, the name that appears on subsequent census records. In later records Rainnie became Rennie, as it often did when transcribed from spoken word. In 1870, at the time of Jamess birth, Queen Victoria was on the throne and William Gladstone was Prime minister. Also that year, the Franco-Prussian war broke out, the Education act provided for schooling of children aged 5-12 years, and Rome became capital of a unified Italy. Vladimir Lenin and Hilaire Belloc were born, and Charles Dickens and Robert E. Lee died. Aberlour was an up and coming town, with street lights and a railway station. James lived with his parents, grandparents and uncles in the same house in Aberlour. At the time of the 1871 census, he was 10 months old, living at 83, High Street. This address is now Gammacks ironmongers, but the street was renumbered, so this is not where the house was. It was further down the High Street, near the Old Manse. The census shows that also living there were; William Shearer aged 46, Isabella Shearer Snr aged 48, Isabella Shearer Jnr aged 22 (Jamess mother), Robert Shearer aged 11 and George Shearer aged 8 (uncles of James). Those of working age were agricultural labourers or domestic servants. Elizabeth Shearer aged 18, and who was Isabella Shearer Jnrs sister (Jamess aunt) was away on the night of the census, working as a domestic servant at 105, High Street. In the 1881 census, James is still living in the extended household on Aberlour High Street, although the house number isnt specified. The Ancestry.com transcript has him wrongly transcribed as James Romine, although the original record clearly shows it is Rainnie or Rannie. James is aged 10, and he has two half brothers Robert Laing aged 8, and Alexander Souter aged 3 (the Ancestry record also has Alexanders surname wrongly transcribed). As well as Jamess mother, the Grandparents are both there, and also uncle George Shearer aged 19. There are two other residents; Helen McWilliam aged 6 described as a Grand daughter of William, and John R Murphy aged 25. John Murphy is probably a workmate of George, because both are described as plasterers. As we now know, James was not schooled at the Aberlour orphanage. There was a small village school just off the square, very close to their house, and it is probable that he went there. He seems to have received a good schooling because he was well spoken and literate, enough to attain the respected position of butler in a well-to-do house.

Old School House, Aberlour

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By 1891, James had moved south and was working as a footman aged 20, at Bramley Park, Surrey. The owners were the Ricardo family, who were wealthy and well known. The house was a very large mansion, which sadly was demolished in 1951, although there is a Ricardo court close to where it stood. It is famous as the childhood home of Gertrude Jekyll, the garden designer. She was still working and living in Bramley at that time, so they may have crossed paths. There was a total of 21 people living at the Bramley Park, most of whom were servants. His move to the Surrey Hills is another coincidence. It is only two miles from where we, and the Jefferies, live now in Godalming.
James aged 21 There is a strong likeness with my brother Jonathan

Bramley Park

1891 Bramley census

We dont know how James got the job so far away from Aberlour. However, we believe that prior to this he worked at the Melville estate near Stirling in Perthshire, so perhaps there were connections through that. Children from the Aberlour orphanage often ended up working in service with wealthy families in the south, mainly because they were well educated and were taught social skills and good manners. It is possible that someone associated with the orphanage had connections, and arranged for James to go into service, even though James wasnt a pupil. However it came about, this was clearly Jamess first step to becoming a butler. At the time of the 1901 census, James was a butler living at 31, Ashcombe Street, Fulham. He is head of the household, and is clearly not living in at his place of employment. With him is his wife, Agnes Sarah Rowe, 6 month old Alfred Edgar (my Grandfather), and George Shearer, Jamess uncle. Georges occupation is a stud groom.

31, Ashcombe St

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1901 London census

At the time of the 1911 census, they were living at 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea. There are six in the family; James aged 40, Agnes Sarah aged 37, Alfred Edgar, aged 10, Elsie May aged 7, Leslie Melville aged 4, and Dorothy Sybil (Dolly) aged 2. There is also an unnamed child mentioned on the census sheet that had died. The choice of Melville as the middle name of Leslie is interesting. Could it reflect Jamess time working for Viscount Melville?
From Left; Leslie, Alfred, Dollie, Elsie

1911 London census

The house at Dilke Street was very small, with only 3 rooms, excluding the bathroom, so it would have been very cramped. James was still a butler, employed by the Huntington family at the Clock House on Chelsea Embankment. Before Dilke Street, James and Agnes lived in a flat at the back of the Clock House. It was over what used to be the stables and a coach house. Opposite the flat was a narrow lane, called Paradise Alley, which was described by Agness niece, Margaret, as pretty sordid at the bottom end. Margaret also recalls visiting the family at the Clock House and walking along the Embankment, seeing the clock fixed to the wall. She passed on a postcard sent by Agnes to her sister, Margarets Mother.
8a Dilke St

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The Clock House, Chelsea Embankment

Later, the family moved to 7, Chipstead Street, Fulham, a house that may have been bought for the family by Lady Huntington.

7 Chipstead St, Fulham

During the Great War, James joined the army as a Private in the ATC. He would have been 44 at the outbreak of war, so would have been too old for active service, and would have been a volunteer. There is one photograph of him at a barracks dressed in uniform, and where someone has labelled it Sunny Jim, suggesting a cheerful popular character (or the writer was being ironic!).

We also have a painting of him in uniform seated in a rural setting. The artist is S. Hyde, and it was painted towards the end of the war in August 1918. James has the rank of sergeant on his sleeve. The story goes that he asked the artist to paint an extra stripe on the picture, and that he had not attained that rank. The top stripe does look like an after thought. The painting also has a slightly odd look, as if Jamess head and neck dont quite fit with the body. We think that these paintings were probably produced en masse, and the bulk of the picture was painted in advance. The head was then added to personalize it. This would have reduced sitting time and costs, particularly if they were to be sold to common soldiers. Aside from that, it is a reasonably good likeness of James, with strong features and grey hair, and his sense of humour coming through. He shares facial features with my Grandfather and Father, and has that fresh-faced look about him that Ive often seen amongst Highland Scots. One of his photos in uniform is printed on a Spanish postcard. This is odd considering Spain was supposedly neutral. Perhaps the Corps was involved in logistical work at the end of the war.

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James received a service medal, which I still have. The front has the image of George V, and the back has a classical man on horseback stepping on a deaths head. Around the edge is his service number A84 42886, Pte J. Rennie, A.S.C. The ASC was the Army Service Corps, which was responsible for supply of food and munitions.

Elsie & Leonard wedding with James & Agnes on left

The family suffered tragedy. Lesley died in in March 1922, aged 15, and Dolly died in March 1929, aged 20, nd both we suspect from TB. Agnes Sarah died on 22 December 1945 aged 72 years. She is buried at North Sheen Cemetery in plot LC 33, which is south west of a small chapel. The grave has a small curved headstone with some carved features either side, and a stone rectangle around the whole grave. The inscription reads In loving memory of my beloved wife. After Agness death, James continued to live at 7, Chipstead Street. He was a frequent visitor to my Grandfathers house at 33, Longford Close Hampton Hill. He used to sleep on a bed in the front room. 0n th 16 Sept 1952, Mary, his Granddaughter, left with her fiance Vernon, who was in the Army, to travel to Jamaica where he had been posted. James was staying over at the house, and because Mary was leaving, he used her bed. That night James died suddenly. He was buried in the same plot at North Sheen as Agnes.

The author at James and Agnes grave North Sheen cemetery

The probate for his will lists his effects as 2592 and 18 shillings. He left the house at 7, Chipstead Street and all household effects equally to his surviving children, Alfred and Elsie. He left 50 to his daughter-inlaw, Mary, and 20 each to his Grandchildren; John, Joan, Mary, Peter Evans and Hazel Evans. The will th was drawn up on the 16 April 1947, five years before his death.

He lived long enough to see me, his first Great Grandchild, born, and I have a silver christening mug that he bought for me. There is a photo of him holding me at the christening. He is standing next to John my father, and Alfred Edgar, my Grandfather four generations of Rennies. He is about 5 ft 7 inches tall, medium build and with thinning white hair, smartly dressed in a suit.

Letter accompanying wedding present to John & Dinah My Christening present from James A silver mug that is a bit battered because, as children we used it for bubble blowing mixture in the garden

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The Melvilles
Family memories consistently point to a connection between James and the th Melville family. At that time this would have been Henry Dundas, 5 Viscount Melville. The family estate was Melville castle between Edinburgh and Sterling. The castle was a bit run down and not used as the main family home. They owned Cotterstock Hall in Northants, and as a country retreat, bought 20,000 acres at Duniera in Perthshire in 1784. This initially consisted of farmsteads, but they had a large house built with garden, and in later years, a 9 hole golf course and putting green. The house was destroyed by fire in 1948. Henry Dundas was Viscount until 1904, and was succeeded by Charles Saunders Dundas.
Duniera

The name Dundas has cropped up in past family history investigations. My Grandfather suggested the name as possibly Jamess mothers name (we now it that was incorrect), and also the Blocks had suggested it in a family tree. My Grandfather also mentioned Stirling as a place where James had connections. Duniera or Dunira is just north of Stirling. The fact that James seems to have indulged in the leisure activities of landed gentlemen is interesting. We know that he had learned to shoot, he had a fly fishing rod, and also had a golf handicap. These are activities that would be associated with Scotland. It looks like for a time he may have been with the Melvilles in Scotland, where, perhaps unusually for a servant, he had been allowed to engage in these sports. Maybe he had a role as a ghillie. We know that in 1891, James was a footman at Bramley Park in Surrey, so if he was with the Melvilles before then, he would have been in his late teens and a junior servant. The Melvilles were involved with politics, and probably had connections with London, so perhaps James moved south with them. Another possibility is that he moved to Bramley first, then back up to Scotland to work for the Melvilles. This is less likely, because by 1900, he was married and employed as a butler with the Huntingtons in Chelsea.

The Huntingtons
One of the enduring mysteries surrounding James is his relationship with Lady Huntington. I recall my Grand father Alfred Edgar, mentioning her. James worked for the Huntington family, who were from Darwen near Blackburn. They made their money from a wallpaper and paint business. Charles Huntington was made a Justice of the Peace in 1878, and in 1892 he became the Liberal MP for Darwen. On June 28, 1906, he was made a Baronet, but lived only six months longer and died in January 1907. The Huntingtons had moved to London when he was elected. The family home was the Clock House in Chelsea, which was, and still is, a substantial house. At the back was a mews with stables underneath, and living accommodation above. We were told that when James was living in, this is where he had rooms. The Huntingtons daughter, Amy Beatrice Huntington, is of interest. She became Lady Huntington and was a larger than life character. At the time of the 1911 census, she is living at the Clock House aged 32, with her widowed mother Jane, and 10 servants. Two are footmen, two are ladies maids, one a nurse, and one a cook. The others are housemaids. The house had 31 rooms! No butler is mentioned, which is consistent with James living at his own house. In spite of the upstairs/downstairs relationship, she became a personal friend and benefactor of James, which lasted even after his death. Maybe, as a Northerner, coming from the Black Country, she didnt suffer from the airs and graces of the London upper classes. By this time the family were living at 8a Dilke Street in Fulham. Lady Huntington gave James some money to buy a house at 7, Chipstead Street. She also took a great interest in young Alfred Edgar, helping with his education. Mary Maw (Rennie) told me that the Huntingtons even proposed adopting Alfred when he was born. Whether this is related the to fact that Agnes Sarah was already pregnant with Alfred when James and she were married, we dont know. James continued to live at Chipstead St after Agnes Sarah died. With him lived his daughter Elsie and her husband Leonard. James lived downstairs and had a bedroom at the front, while Elsie and Leonard lived upstairs. They had been out in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and when they came back had nowhere to live. Their children were Hazel and Peter. Leonard worked for the Foreign Office and was a keen opera singer.

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Elsie seems to have adopted habits from a warmer climate because Aunt Mary told me that she would walk around the house naked. I dont know what James would have made of that. Even after James retired from service, he still stayed in touch with Lady Huntington. Lady Amy Huntington (known as Trix, presumably after Beatrice) was a Sealyham Terrier breeder and enthusiast, and in the beginning of the 1920s she moved to a place in Henley-on Thames, where she established a kennels. She th bred champion Sealyhams until her death on 16 January 1961. She died at Dunedin Nursing Home, Bath Road, Reading. In her probate, granted to Charles Patrick Norton, Baron Rathcreedan, she left 666012 2s 5d. Miss Huntington held the record for Sealyham Club Service with The Sealyham Terrier Breeders Association, serving as President for more than 30 years. There records of some of her entries at Crufts. James used to arrange for Fortnum & Masons hampers to be sent to her in Henley by train from London. She sounds quite a character. Profoundly deaf, she wore a hearing aid. As President of the S.T. B.A. she presided over club meetings. If during the meetings there was any unpleasant discourse or if Lady Huntingdon got tired of unnecessary discussion or exchanges, she would simply turn off her hearing aid and adjourn the meeting.
Lady Amy Huntington 2 from the right
nd

When James died, Lady Huntington sent my Grandfather a charming hand written letter of condolence, th which I now have. It was dated 17 Sept 1952 and her address was Binksholme, Stoke Row, Henley-onThames. This was only one day after he died, so she was notified, and responded, very quickly. She clearly had a great fondness for him and took an interest in the family. Dear Alfie, I hope you dont mind me addressing you thus, but this is always how I have thought of you and spoken to you to Rennie, when we talked about you. Thank you very much for your letter and the details about your father I am so thankful he was spared a long illness, even though such a sudden death is distressing to those left behind it is far preferable to the one who is gone and that must be some consolation when the first shock has passed. I feel very sad at losing an old friend who always took such an interest in all that concerned me and mine. I saw him last in July when he met me for a day when I was in London, and then he looked in splendid form considering the heart trouble he had suffered from. When people reach the age he was, there is always the risk of a sudden attack, but upsetting as it must have been for you, I am glad it happened when he was with you. He was very fond of your wife and you can comfort yourselves that all that could be done for him was done. I have written to Annie to break the news. I am afraid she will be a little upset. She is on a visit to a friend at Bedford at the moment, but is living with her nephew at Lewisham. Her sight has become very bad and I am afraid she may not be able to write to you. Return the basket at anytime. There is no hurry. You will have to reverse that label on the lid. With all sympathy to you and the family, Yours sincerely, Amy Huntington A couple of things stand out in the letter. Firstly, she considers James to be an old friend, but she still refers to him as Rennie, as one would have done to a butler who had been in ones employ. Secondly, she speaks in very affectionate and informal terms to Alfred, calling him Alfie. Clearly she has known him since he was a child.

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First hand account of James Rennie by Dinah Rennie

Granddad James married Agnes Sarah Rowe. James Rennie was a footman on the Melville estate in Scotland. He was born in Scotland, but later moved to London and became butler to Lord and Lady Huntington at the Clock House, Chelsea. He married Agnes, and Alfred, Elsie, and Leslie were born. Lesley died young, but Alfred and Elsie both married. Elsie married Leonard Evans and Peter and Hazel were born. rd st Alfred, born 3 September 1900, married Mary Philomena Hemson on the 31 July 1926 at the Church of Our Lady, probably Fulham. Mary, or May as she was usually called, was a Catholic, so Alfred converted to the Catholic faith in order to marry her. They lived with Mays mother on the top floor of 14 Moore Park Road, th Fulham. Mays mother lived in the basement. Twins John and Joan were born on the 4 August 1927, and Mary 3 years later. And that was the John that became my husband. When John and I were first married, we shared a house with my grandmother and aunt and family. We rented two rooms at the top, and made them quite cosy. Paul, our first son was baptized in the same church that John and I were married in at St Margarets. We had a christening party in my Grandmothers house. Johns parents and family attended and also his Grandfather, a rather distinguished Scottish gentleman, very well spoken, but quite a bluff hearty character with a sense of humour. He had been born in Aberlour up on the north east of Scotland, and started work as a footman on Lord Melvilles estate. They treated him as one of the family, and he learnt all the good things of life such a shooting, fishing, golf (he had a handicap), and other sporting events. He eventually moved down to London to a big house the Clock House, Chelsea, and became a butler. This was a very prestigious position, which you could definitely tell by his manner. The house belonged to Lord and Lady Huntington, and he eventually inherited quite a number of antique pieces, which were passed down to us, and will be passed on to our family. I first met Johns grandfather when I was nineteen. We had just become engaged and John took me over to meet him in his tall London house. He had retired by that time. I was very nervous especially as he also had living with him his daughter Elsie, her husband Leonard, and children Hazel and Peter. They were about my age. They had all lived in Rhodesia during the war years, so life for them had been very good, a large bungalow, servants etc. Leonard worked for the diplomatic service while in South Africa, but on returning from London, they had no house so moved in with Grandfather until such time as they bought their own property. Peter, Johns cousin was a tease, and I can remember him snuggling up to me on the sofa. John took exception to this, and there was a bit of a skirmish between them. I can remember Grandfathers Now now boys to this day. Johns parents would occasionally invite him to dinner on Sundays and sometimes he would stay the weekend. He actually died in their house during one of these times. John and I had gone on a weeks holiday on the Isle of Wight, when Paul was 3 months old. We stayed with a Mr & Mrs Matthews and their young daughter, Marion. Granddad, Johns father picked us up at Portsmouth in his car. On the way home he stopped the car and asked John to go for a little walk with him. Grandma then told me that his Grandfather had just died. That was Sept 1952. John was very upset.

Other snippets and anecdotes about James Rennie

My father and Grandfather told me very little about James, or maybe at a young age I didnt ask the right questions. They were certainly unaware of his early years and family background. All my Grandfather could tell me was that he went to school in Aberlour, but didnt know who his mother or father were. The impression from the limited information Ive managed to glean from those who knew him first hand is of a kindly gentleman, confident, well spoken and mannered, a taste for the good things in life, and a great sense of humour. He smoked a pipe, and I remember a collection of them that had belonged to him, including a Meerschaum pipe in a leather case, in my Grandfathers display cabinet. The best family stories about him all seem to involve cats. My father told me that when James was in Scotland, there was a Scottish Wild cat in a tree on the outskirts of the village, and people were afraid of it. James went home, got his gun, and shot it. He possibly contributed to the extinction of the species. In London, James continued his war on cats. One evening, he went outside to deal with a cat in the garden that had woken him up with its wailing. He booted what he thought was the dark shape of a cat on the path, and broke his toe on a rock. One of his party pieces was to pick up the pet cat, hold it under his arm with its tail in his mouth, and pretend to play the bagpipes.

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James had somehow acquired a stuffed golden eagle. This ended up adorning the Anderson shelter in the garden in London. It can be clearly seen in the background of some photos of James and Agnes in the garden, and he is holding the Meerschaum pipe.

James & Agnes in front of the air raid shelter with the stuffed Golden Eagle on it.

In the account below, my brother, Jonathan, describes a trip that James made to Scotland around 1950. We cant be certain, but it may have coincided with his mother, Isabella Shearers death in 1949 in Lumsden. James was rather secretive about his upbringing perhaps he was too proud to admit his background and details of Isabella. My mother and Aunt Mary both mentioned that James would get upset and even cry when his mother was mentioned. We had assumed it was because he had been abandoned as an orphan (which we now know was incorrect). It is possible that her flings, multiple pregnancies and admonishments by the Kirk were a factor in why she eventually left Aberlour, and maybe she had one run-in with the Kirk too many. Perhaps this was a source of embarrassment to James in his butler position. Alternatively, it could be that the recollections of my mother and aunt coincided with Isabellas death, and they were just seeing James grieve.

James Rennie Medallion Story : Jonathan Rennie

When the Second World War ended in 1945, James Rennie was 74 years old. His wife, Agnes Sarah, had died during the war and he was living at 7 Chipstead Street, Fulham, with his daughter Elsie and family. Alfreds family was at 33, Longford Close in Hampton Hill, Middlesex. In the house were Alfreds wife Mary and their three children John, Joan (the twins) and Mary. They had all moved from their previous house at 14, Moore Park Road, in Fulham, to escape the risk of bombing. Even so, a stray flying bomb had exploded across the street and caused significant damage in the house, knocking ornaments over and pictures off the wall. Those pictures still show the damage from the fall. Alfred had been in a reserved occupation as Engineering Supervisor at the London Transport bus garage, but his experience as a Marconi radio operator in the Merchant Navy in the early 1920s placed him as a captain in the Home Guard in charge of communications. I was told that he went off most evenings with his service revolver strapped into his polished Sam Browne belt. James sometimes stayed in the small front room in a bed with a horsehair mattress, the same one that I remember sleeping on when I stayed with Alfred and Mary, my Granddad and Grandma, in the 1960s. Sometime around 1950, James decided to take a coach tour to Scotland. We now know that he was born and raised in Aberlour in Morayshire, but we dont know how often he had returned in later life. We were told that he was a real old Scot and one of his possessions was a stuffed Golden Eagle. Whether he considered this his last chance to visit his homeland, we dont know, but he must have realised that he wouldnt have many more opportunities. We also know that he was fairly emotional about his upbringing so we can imagine that this was a fairly poignant trip for him. Which route the tour took we dont know, but the people on the bus must have formed something of a bond because when they came back over the border at Gretna Green, a bit of fun was organised, where the oldest person on the tour, James Rennie, went through a mock wedding ceremony with the youngest a lady called Lorna Mitchell. Apparently the two had become friendly on the trip and were encouraged to take advantage of Gretna Greens reputation as a destination for runaway lovers. The service may have been a joke, but James took the friendship seriously enough to give Lorna a parting gift. He gave her a bronze medallion that commemorated the famous 18/19th century Engineer, John Rennie. Whether James took the medallion with him on the trip (which seems unlikely), or whether he acquired it on the trip, or even gave it to her later is a mystery. However we know that sometime in the 1970s, Lorna decided that this was too

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valuable and precious item to remain in her possession, and she returned it to Alfred Rennie at Longford Close. In the meantime, she had emigrated to Canada where she lived at 173, Cooper Street Apt 807, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P OE9. James had died in 1952 so the medallion came to Alfred and then subsequently John and then me (Jonathan). John Rennie, my dad, wrote some of this up in a note kept with the medallion in December 1993, and told me the rest. So the question is: Why did James decide to give Lorna the medallion as a gift? It would seem a strange choice of gift if the medallion had been a long time possession and could be conceived as a family heirloom. If the medallion was unique or valuable it suggests that there was quite a strong attachment between James and Lorna, but then if it were, why would he not want to pass it to his own direct family, especially considering the family name connection? Otherwise, perhaps the medallion was not valuable; a souvenir perhaps, picked up on the trip or at some other time, that he thought would make an amusing keepsake for Lorna. However, she certainly thought that it worth returning to the family. Well, the medallion is not unique but it may at least be rare or unusual and even slightly valuable. One identical medallion is held in the Royal Portrait gallery, off Trafalgar Square in London. It is not on public display (with the bust and oil portrait of John Rennie) but it is held in the archive and an appointment is required to view it. The archive is available on the internet and you can see the medallion at http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw05276/John-Rennie It is identical to the one in our family possession, right down to the small fault in the moulding. The National maritime Museum in Greenwich has two similar medallions, but they have a different portrait and are in not such good condition; one appears mis-struck. http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/explore/object.cfm?ID=MEC2802 The American Numismatics society has one: http://numismatics.org/collection/0000.999.42753 And one in the British Museum: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objecti d=947657&partid=1&searchText=edward+vii+bust&fromADBC=ad&toADBC=ad&numpages=10&orig=%2Fr esearch%2Fsearch_the_collection_database.&currentPage=8 One came up for auction in UK this year with an estimated value of 100 to 120. One sold for 45 at auction in Scotland in 1999. Another medallion, with the same profile on one side, but with an obverse commemorating John Rennies work on the Chatham shipyards is held at the Sheerness Heritage Centre. So the medallion is not unique, but at least reasonably unusual and definitely not worthless. Certainly there are enough of them in circulation that having one in the family doesnt necessarily indicate a family connection. It could just be a collectable. Our copy at least has had an interesting history.

As Jonathan pointed out, the connection between James and Lorna seems mysterious. He must have given her his address as well as the medal, and also details of his family, including Alfred. It is possible that James had gone to Scotland to visit his relatives. It was fairly late in his life, and may have coincided with Isabella, his mothers death in 1949, or at least when she was in decline. Could Lorna have also been a relative of the Shearers, and visiting for the same reason? Certainly, a lot of Scots emigrated to Canada, so it is conceivable that Lorna was from a branch of the family that had done so.

James Rennie at Gretna Green with the mysterious Lorna Mitchell

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The Rowes
Agnes Sarah Rowe was my Great Grandmother and was from a Suffolk farming family, living at Sizewell near Leiston. Her father was Alfred Rowe who was born in 1852 in Leiston. He was one of four children born to Robert and Sara Row. Robert was born in Darsham, Suffolk in 1819, and Sara was born in 1822 in Sternfield, also Suffolk. Agnes Sarahs mother was Harriet Barker who was born in Middleton, Suffolk in 1854. She had four brothers and sisters.
Agnes Sarah Rowe

Alfred Rowe

Harriet Barker

Jessie (Agness sister)

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Robert Rowe 1851 census

The Rowe family 1861 census

The Rowe family 1881 census

Harriets parents were George Barker born in Westleton Suffolk in 1828, and Harriet Noya born in Middleton in 1829. Georges parents were John and Sara Barker, both from Suffolk. He was born in 1796, she was born in 1802. Harriet Noyas parents were Richard and Matilda Noya, both born in Suffolk in 1801.

Harriet Noya 1841 census

John Barker 1841 census

Harriet Barker 1871 census

The Barker family 1861 census

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The Rowes were close to their cousins. Agnes Sarahs sister, Matilda married George Bloss in his first marriage. George was from Benhall, Saxamunden, Suffolk. Mathilda died aged 46, so he remarried to Lilian Howard, and one of their children was Hilda, who we heard referred to as Aunt Hilda. She stayed in touch with Aunt Mary and sent her following letter: Harriet Barker married Alfred Rowe. They lived at Sizewell near Leiston, Suffolk. They had nine children, I knew of, may have been more. The ones I knew were Rose, Agnes Sarah (James Rennies wife) Alice, Alfred, Billy, Ada, Annie, Jessie and Bertha. George Bloss married Matilda Barker, Harriet (Barker) Rowes sister his first marriage. They had six children; George, Richard, William, Harriet, Ellie, and Eliza. His second wife, Lilian Howard had four children; Arthur, Alice, Hilda (Aunt Hilda) and Elsie. This is how the Bloss family was related to your Nana Rennie. Sarah Agnes, Harriet and Matilda were sisters, so their st children were all 1 cousins. The children of the second marriage were not real cousins. Arthur and Alice died in infancy. Hilda and Elsie were always accepted as cousins. We were always treated the same by all st the 1 cousins. We were always a close family, and never really lost touch with any of them. Jessie Rowe lived at the Old Lodge Farm with Hilda and Elsies mother and father when we were small, and helped mother with us. Your Great Gran used to walk from Sizewell to visit us at the farm, which was at least ten miles. She always stayed the night and my father took her home next day in the pony cart. We used to visit your Great Gran, and sometimes go by train to Leiston, then walk back to Sizewell. She was a lovely little lady, so nice looking. Rather like your Nana. Always so kind to us. The last time I saw her was when I was about twelve. She was very ill in bed. She was being nursed by her daughters Jessie and Bertha. I do remember what she said to me. It was Your poor father was ill like me, dear. She died very soon after I saw her. My father died when I was not quite three years and Elsie only 15 months. So I never really knew him. After he died, the next year my mother moved out of the home as George the eldest took over the far. And married. So we went into a cottage. Our step sisters Hatty, Nelly and Eliza made their home with my mother, and spent their holidays with us. So, we were brought up together. Now I am the only one left of the Bloss th family. (Hilda Bloss 15 July 1995). Hildas Grandmother Howard had 21 children and lived to be 92. Hildas mother lived to be 91. Agnes Sarah Rowe was a nurse during the Great War and must have moved to London, where she met James Rennie. There is a photo of Agnes Sarah in her uniform. Later Hilda was also a nurse based at Paddington, and was in service at Pimlico, which must be why she kept in touch with the Rennies. In her photos, Agnes Sarah looks very elegant, but always slightly sad. Perhaps the loss of three of her children affected her. She wears formal but stylish clothes, has long hair neatly arranged in a bun, and pearl necklaces.
Agnes Sarah having tea with daughter Dolly & daughter-in-law Mary

Origins of the Rowe Name

This ancient surname recorded as Rowe and Row, is English. It has at least three possible origins. The first is topographical, and as such it may have described a person who who lived either by a hedgerow, or possibly a row of houses. Either way it derives from the Olde English pre 7th century word "raw" meaning row. Secondly, and more likely we think, it may derive from either the medieval given name Rou or Roul, both from the ancient Germanic personal name Rolf, or from a short form of the given name Rowland, a Germanic or Frankish personal name of the time of Charlemagne the Great in the 8th century ad. Rolf translates as 'renowned wolf' whilst Rowland means 'renowned land'. The surname in England is late 12th century (see below), making it one of the very first of all surnames. Other early recordings include Richard le Rowe, in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1226, and Walter le Rowe in the Pleas of the forest of Epping, Essex in 1246. Early surviving examples of church recordings include Gedeock Rowe who was christened on March 13th 1552 at Allhallows, in the city of London, and Anne, the daughter of William Row, who was christened on July 29th 1556 at St. Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey. Maria Rowe, aged 30, was an Irish famine emigrant, who sailed from Liverpool aboard the ship "John-Robert" bound for New York, on June 1st 1846. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Geoffrey le Ruwe. This was dated 1195, in the Pipe Rolls of Leicestershire, during the reign of King Richard I of England, and known to history as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199.

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Alfred Edgar Rennie

Alfred Edgar Rennie was my Grandfather. He was the first child of James Rennie and Agnes rd Sarah Rennie (Nee Rowe). He was born on the 3 of September 1900 at 31, Ashcombe Street, Fulham. At the time, James was 30 years old and working as a butler at the Clock House in Chelsea. James and Agnes were married July/Aug/Sept 1900 in the District of St George Hanover Square. This means that Agnes was already pregnant when they were married. An interesting anomaly is that, on Alfreds baptism certificate, his mother is named as Adelaide Rennie. This might be an error by the registrar, but it is quite a big one, considering that Agnes normally used her middle name as well.

A very young Alfred

Alfred Rennie birth certificate Alfred Rennie Baptism certificate Note: name of mother is Adelaide not Agnes

Agnes Sarah with Alfred in christening gown

When Alfred was 4 years old, he was joined by a sister, Elsie May, and then in 1906, by a brother, Leslie Melville. Finally in 1908, Dorothy Sybil (Dolly) was born. The latter two died young in tragic circumstances, we think from TB.

Left to right: Leslie, Alfred, Dolly, Elsie

Alfred went to the Peterborough School, Clancarty Road, Wandsworth in South West London. In 1908, he th was 12 out of 53 in the class, and doing well at all subjects. In all his schools he seems to have been a good student, hardworking and punctual. By 1911, he was at the Cooks Ground Boys School, and by 1913, th he was at Ashburnham Chelsea Central School, where he continued to do well, and was 8 out of 30. Cook's Ground School, in Old Church Street, was originally opened in 1885 as the third school in Chelsea, followed in 1890 by the Ashburnham.

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Alfred Edgar Rennie School Reports

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At the age of 17, Alfred was enlisted into the Royal Flying Corps, the original RAF. The family was living at nd 8a Dilke Street, Fulham. He joined on the 2 of November 1917 as a Boy Wireless Operator on pay of 1 shilling per week. His Airforce number was 240913. We only know a few details of his service. We know he went to France, and he told me that he flew as a navigator in the FE2B biplane. This was known as the Gunbus. It was primitive even by those days standards, having a large propeller behind the cockpit. I remember my father taking me to see one at an airshow. It had a canvas cockpit and wooden skids rather than wheels. The navigator or observer sat in the front, with the pilot behind. I dont think Alfred was involved in any dogfights, but he did crash. The biggest fear with the FE2B, was that it would tip forward on landing, because the engine being at the back would crush the occupants. Alfreds job was probably to radio troop movements to headquarters.
Alfred far right with RNAS colleagues

At some stage he was a rear gunner, which would have been a different type of plane. Later he was in the Royal Navy Air Service. On January 13 1920, after the war, he was transferred to the RAF reserve with the rank AC 1 RAF RNAS. On his service photo ID card he is described as 5ft 7 inches tall, with brown hair and grey eyes.
th

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In 1920, Alfred signed up with Marconi International Marine th Communications, and on 30 June 1920 he joined the SS Intombi nd (Liverpool) at Poplar. He was employed as a 2 wireless operator, th number 8841. The voyage lasted until 27 November 1920, and they visited Durban, Kenya and Mozambique before returning via the Suez Canal back to Liverpool.

SS Intombi

Alfred (left) with Merchant Navy Colleagues

On September 1 1920, he crossed Equator and was given a handwritten note for crossing the line, addressed to Brother Rennie and signed King Neptune.

st

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Sometime before his first voyage, he had met Mary Philomena Hemson who was working in the pension office at the Tate gallery. She became his sweetheart, and they went dancing together, where he made sure his name filled up her dance engagement cards. They wrote flirtatious little comments to each other on the cards. On one, at the Tottenham Municipal Hall, she had written I hate you and Im going out with a lot of fellows when you go away. He had changed the hate to love and fellows to girls. On another, at a private dance at Australia House, (in a fore runner of text speak) he wrote: U R the sweetest girl in the world. She wrote; You are a big flirt, men are all alike. He still managed to monopolise her dance card both evenings.

The writing continued, and while Alfred was away at sea, he wrote incredibly poignant love letters to her. He clearly hated being separated from her and found the long voyages very dull. From her photos, its easy to see why. She was strikingly beautiful. In spite of that, on 21 December, after 3 weeks leave, he set sail again on the Intombi from London, this time for the West Indies and USA. He visited Barbados, Galveston, Virginia and Demerara in Dutch Guyana. Before leaving the Thames Estuary, they picked up 50 tons of explosives, which must have been a bit th worrying. He returned to Victoria Docks on the 11 March 1921. For both voyages his ability and conduct was described as very good. Coincidently, the Intombi was part of the Harrison-Rennie line. Intombi (Zulu name meaning sweetheart) was built by William Hamilton and Co Ltd, Glasgow in 1912, and initially entered service on the Harrison-Rennie line. In 1914 she was requisitioned by the Shipping Controller and attached to the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron as a store ship based at Scapa Flow. During the recession she was laid up at Preston between 1930 and 1932. In 1949 she was sold by Harrisons and renamed Saraykoy, sold again in 1954, and renamed Sapanca. In 1956 she collided with the liner Blommersdyk and sank. Robert Barnes Scarrow was Chief Engineer on Intombi between 1929 and 1930. The letters from Alfred to Mary (May) from the Intombi are quite personal and are essentially love letters. I agonized over whether I should include them, and in the end decided to. As well as providing details about life on board ship, they also reveal the strong love and affection that they had for each other, and which was a feature of their whole marriage. Such a notable feature, indeed, that it would be difficult to describe their lives without referring to it. Perhaps strong loving marriages are a trait of later Rennie generations, since Alfred and Marys three children, (including my father) and all of us Grandchildren have had lasting marriages. Im sure my father and I would have written similar letters to our wives, if we were as good at expressing our feelings as Alfred. I have transcribed the letters in their entirety. Alfreds grammar and spelling were very good, and Ive only had to make few corrections for clarity. He uses language to describe locals that, although the norm then, would be frowned upon today. He certainly wasnt racist, even by todays standards.
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The font Ive chosen is quite similar to Alfreds own handwriting. There are a few in-jokes in the correspondence. At first glance it may seem there is a bit of sexual innuendo. Alfred refers to giving Mary socks when he gets home. This has always intrigued our lurid minds, but I dont think it is a euphemism. Throughout his letters he jokingly refers to play fighting with Mary biting her, hitting, ducking etc. I think socks is the same. He does recall Wimbledon Common with a bit of a wink, and there is also mention of a sofa with springs that make a noise, so they certainly werent just platonic. Alfred also mentions Marys father chasing around after her when Alfred kept her out at night. I suspect that Marys parents might have wanted to read her letters, so Alfred would have to be discreet. A.E. Rennie Wireless Operator S/S Intombi st July 1 1920 My Darling May, I have just arrived on board and have obtained these addresses, so if you will write to me accordingly I shall be very pleased. Do write, May. 1st 2nd 3rd weeks from now C/o J.F Rennie, Durban, South Africa 4th week C/o Thompson & Watson, Cape Town, South Africa 5th 6th 7th Weeks C/o Hamilton & Co,Tenerife I hope dear you will understand as I shall be dying to hear from you by the time we reach these places. You see, by writing at these different times the mail will catch us, so I shall be off to these addresses like wild fire as soon as we land. My Dad came down to the ship with me and had a look round, but he has gone now so I am all alone. May darling, I love you. There is not another girl in the world like you and you are everything to me. I can hardly bear to leave you darling, but I must. It will be for the best. So long till I return Yours ever Alfred Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PS Please write. Excuse pencil, I am posting this before we start. SS Intombi th Sunday July 4 1920 My Darling May I have been thinking that today being Sunday it would be a very nice day on which to commence writing to you dear. I have made up my mind that each day from now I will add a lttle to this letter and post it when I arrive in Durban. May darling, I miss you terribly. In fact, I can hardly bear being away from you. I feel most miserable and fed up. Since I have been away, I have been recalling little incidents of our past, and it has made me feel vey discontented with my present lot. I am dying to get back already dearest. How I wish that you were with me now. I love you with all my heart and soul. I love you. I cannot write any more, so I think I will go to bed and sleep. Monday July 5 1920 My Darling May I have just come off watch, so I think I will continue with my letter. First of all I will tell you how things are on board. My chum that is the other radio operator is a decent sort of chap, and we get on well together. He comes from Southwark and knows nearly all my old haunts. Also he is well acquainted with Wimbledon Common. Sounds all right doesnt it !? I wish I was there now with you dearest. Well, to resume, our wireless cabin is not so bad. Certainly it is none too big. There is just about enough room to have a good stretch. Our cabin or dug-out is quite good. Well, in fact its posh and one of its articles of furniture is a sofa. Sounds familiar to me, but it has not got springs so it doesnt make a noise when you move about , get me? Us two operators work in watches of 6 hours. I am on duty from 2am till 8am and from 2pm till 8pm, and my chum does the intermediate watches. It seems ever such a long time, six hours, but I help pass the time by thinking of you dearest, and of the times we have had together.
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The other Officers on board are quite a nice set of fellows, and with the exception of two of them who are apprentices, they are middle aged chaps. The two apprentices are chaps just about my own age, and needless to add, we get on all right. The food is very good indeed, and we mess in the saloon with all the other Officers and our one passenger. I believe I told you dearest that the crew was made up of Lascars. They are quite a respectable lot as far as their class goes you know, and they are very obliging. They do everything for us. All one has to do is tell them and it is done. Must close now for tonight dearest as duty calls. Love xxxxxx Alfred Wednesday July 7 1920 My Darling May I was unable to continue with my letter yesterday owing to pressure of work Ha Ha! Quite a change isnt it. So tonight I shall try and make up for it. I think I had better begin my adventures since we left the docks. We eventually got up steam so to speak about 1pm on Thursday (1st July) and soon after two tugs came up to tow us out of the docks. I took us nearly two hours to get out into the river. I was quite surprised, as I had no idea the docks were quite so big. When we were well out in the river, the tugs left us and we commenced our journey. I had a long look round as we came down the river, and I shall be absolutely raving mad with delight when I can have another look only it must be going up next time. Just after we passed Gravesend, I had to go into the wireless cabin and commence work, and I thought to myself the boat doesnt seem very unsteady, I hope it will always be like this. What hopes. Then we got out into the channel and things began to happen. The old boat started kicking up her heels and I began to feel miserable because I was going away from everything. Also it was jolly cold, and what with one thing and another, I got fed up right up to my eyes. At 8pm that evening I came off watch and went to bed, but I never slept a wink. The bed was hard and it wouldnt keep still, and the noise of the engines and other mysterious bangs and bumps absolutely kept all signs of sleep from me. Eventually my chum came in and I went on duty again and watched the sun rise the first time since I did a guard in the service. On Friday, I began to feel sick and went right off my food and smoking. I felt jolly rotten on the quiet, well I must have been or else I would have been able to smoke. It takes something to put me off that too. However, I managed to get along somehow or other and nothing of particular interest happened. I began to feel better towards the evening and actually slept OK. The next day, Saturday, I felt much better and beyond feeling miserable over being away from home and you darling., I was quite myself again. I mean from a physical point of view. The sea was still very rough as we were now in the Bay of Biscay, but I was not troubled with sea sickness again. Sunday was a lovely day and it was beginning to get warmer, The sea had calmed, and towards the evening we sighted Cape Finisterre on the Northern point of Spain. This was the first land we had seen since leaving Broadstairs, and it looked good too. I must draw to a close now for today as it is nearly bedtime for me. Goodnight dearest. I will resume tomorrow Xxxxxxxx My Darling May Today I feel miserable and fed up with everything, and I think it is due to my being away from you dear. I know that if only you were here I should be quite happy and contented, but I suppose I shall have to bear up and make the best of things till I get back to you again dear. Then Ill have to make up for lost time. I am constantly thinking of you and every time I look at our clock I try to imagine what you are doing. We are not very bus, so I get plenty of time to think of you dear, and admire your photo. I have got my little collection of flowers with me too, and that pansy is still in fine condition, so you see, dearest, I have one or two consolations. May darling, you are the best and dearest girl in the world to me, and I love you dearly. I could be perfectly happy with you alone. But I am afraid I am not much good at letter writing. I cant seem to express my thoughts as I would like to, but I love you and want you. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Wednesday 14 July 1920 My Darling May To continue with this epistle which I am afraid I have neglected this last two or three days to my regret. I have had toothache rater badly just lately and it made me feel disinclined to do anything. However, I have recovered myself now and feel quite fit. We are nearly on the line and well I know it. Talk about warm, as it is I only dash about now with a shirt and a pair of trousers, and ye gods, I am nearly baked even now. You remember that hot day when we went down to Richmond and tried to find the park Ha Ha. Well I thought that was a scorcher, but it was a winters day compared to this weather. I have been sitting out on deck watching the flying fish and sharks etc. Guess I wouldnt care much about falling overboard here. These sharks dont seem at all friendly. They are evidently not of that variety that eat out of ones hand. This old tub of ours is not at all steady on her pins, so to speak, as she rolls and pitches all over the place. Last night she gave a good exhibition of buck jumping or something like that, and it was rather a difficulty to get to sleep, as every now and then she would give an extra large roll and deposit me up against the wall with more or less violence. We passed Tenerife the other day, and I had a good long look at it through the Old Mans glass (ie the Captains telescope). It seemed decent sort of place, but I wished to myself at the time that I was looking at dear old London. My Darling May This trip is beginning to tell on me, meaning to say I am fed up with the monotony of it. It is the same thing day after day. Nothing but sea everywhere. Nothing to do, and all day to do it in. Really, I shall go dotty or something soon. We have crossed the line, and quite expected to get a good doing, but nothing happened. I believe everyone is too fed up to take any notice of me. In a day or twos time we shall sight Cape Town, and it is only 3 days to Durban. xxxxxx 27 July 1920 My Darling May At last we have passed CapeTown, and we are now running along in sight of the coast. It has seemed an awful long time since we last saw land, and I feel a bit more cheerful now. We expect to get into Durban on the 31st, and I think we shall stay in there about 10 days. The coast looks awfully barren. It seems mostly sand hills with little patches of grass here and there. We are keeping about 3 miles out as it is rather treacherous here, so you see we are able to have a good look at it. I must close now as I am just going on watch and there are one or two ships about. I think I will get into communication with them and see how things are going. Please excuse the awful scrawl but I have hurt my arm rather slightly and it feels a bit cramped now and keeps wobbling about of its own accord. May dear, I wish you were here now. I wouldnt half put you through it. I reckon I could just about squeeze the life out of you now. Saturday 31 July 1920 My Darling May We arrived quite safely at Durban about 7 am this morning. I was on watch t the time so I was able to to take stock of the town as we came into the harbor. The town itself is not so dusty. Its after the style of an ordinary common or garden English port. I had a bit of a scrounge round before dinner with my half section, I mean my pal, and we got just about baked so we came back to the ship to get away from it. The white people out here seem an awful swanky stuck up lot, well thats the impression we collected, and from all accounts its about right. There are plenty of black specimens here too. Some of them gave me fits talk about funny. And the way they dress. One chap we saw this morning had on a funny little coat with daisies and bits of wood dangling on, a pair of football knickers, all camouflaged, a bowler hat with two big horns sticking out the side and a bunch of feathers round his neck, no boots, and stockings painted on his legs. Also a little cane, with a piece of ribbon tied round it, tucked under his arm. Hed got pieces of wood about 6 inches long hanging on his ears, and another piece through his nose. So you see, they believe in making themselves look pretty. When I saw this beauty coming along, I nearly collapsed. I have just received your letter, May darling, and I can hardly express my delight. I would have loved to have been with you when you were writing it, but never mind, soon I shall be home. One third of the time has passed, and now my only wish is that time will absolutely fly until I get back to London. They say parting or absence, one of the two, makes the heart grow fonder. I reckon thats just about right in my case. I seem to think more of you every day dearest. I love you May, honest, theres no getting away from it. I wish you were here now, I should be absolutely perfectly happy. Well darling, I think I will end up now as I may possibly be able to catch the mail. I wish I was coming home on the next boat. Heaps of love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxx PS If Gus annoys you I shall bash him when I get back. Ha Ha . What a life.
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Another PS Does your father still chase you round? Remember when he used to come after us. xxx I sincerely hope you will be able to read this awful pen slashing of mine. I cant. SS Intombi Durban 10th August 1920 My Darling May There has not ben any mail leaving here since we arrived, as the shipping traffic is very congested. Boats are held up all the way along the coast and they dont seem to be able to get them away at all. The harbor here is full up, and there are boats waiting outside to get in. Our boat is in an awful state just now as we are discharging cargo and coaling. The decks are thick with coal dust and straw, and there are big cranes lifting cargo out of our holds. They kick up an awful row about it too. I am just about fed up with Durban now dear. There is nothing much to do here except play billiards and swim, and one cant even sleep decently owing to the heat and the row. Our cabin gets like a hothouse. We shall be leaving here in the morning for Delagoa Bay, and then we go to Beira. They say Beira is one of the hottest places going, so I have still something to look forward to. When we are finished at Beira, we start on our homeward voyage, calling at Delagoa Bay, Durban and Tenerife, so I reckon to be home in about 8 weeks time. I shall be happy as a little sandboy when I get home, as I am dying to see you dearest. Must close now as I want to write home with this mail Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PS Keep writing May, please SS Intombi Delagoa Bay th Sunday 15 August 1920 My Darling May Pleased to say that we arrived at Delagoa Bay quite safely after a fairly rough trip. After we left Durban, the sea began to play about with us, and as we were nearly empty, of course the boat showed her appreciation by rolling in the most astounding manner hem. I am very pleased to get away from Durban because every port we leave is helping to bring the trip to a finish. I shall be right down pleased to get back again. I am dying to see you darling, and Id just love to go to a dance with you. I feel very lonely this morning dear. I wish you were here, then I should be happy. Id just love to have you in my arms now darling. I reckon you wouldnt be able to get away very easily.xxx. This place here, May dear, is a rather desperate cosmopolitan specimen of a town. Its a Portuguese town you know, but I think nearly every nation in the world is represented in its inhabitants. Its quite easy to get into trouble here too, and I have had several adventures which I will tell you about when I see you darling. Its not a very big place, but theres plenty of excitement. Its very hot here too, and there are plenty of mosquitoes, but I have not had such a doing as we got at home Ha Ha! I wish I was at Wimbledon now darling with you. Id chance getting stung by them. Yesterday I went for a long walk along by the sea with my pal, and I was thinking to myself if only it was you darling, what a lovely time we could have had. But I shall have to wait with as much patience as I can muster till I get back to you dear. It wont be such a long time now. I think we are sailing for Biera tomorrow, that is, if a certain ship from Calcutta arrives. We are waiting to change crews with her, as our crew is due back in Calcutta soon. Just before I left Durban I received your second letter dear. I was ever so pleased and it cheered me up wonderfully. So you are still busy at your office are you, and you havent got the sack yet. Have you been early lately dear? Ha Ha! Hold that one. I wish I was coming to Eastbourne with you May. I think we would need a chaperone though. Ill give you go for a ride on my motorcycle, you wait, young May. I wont half pay you. So you went to the club display after all. I am pleased you had a good time, but I shall try to give you a better time when I come back. I think we shall have to show them all how to dance, dont you dear. I expect your Dad will be chasing me when I come back, as if I had my way Id keep you out all night. May Darling, I miss you such a lot. I love you, I adore you., and I feel awfully proud of you. I think I must be very lucky to have met you. Must close now darling. Will write again from Biera. Heaps of Love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxX PS Write again dear xxx

S/S Intombi Beira, Portuguese East Africa th Sunday August 29 1920 My Darling May

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We arrived at Biera quite safely last Thursday week and since then I have been working very hard. We have been busy discharging cargo as usual, but this time I have been doing a bit. They were short of tally clerks, that is chaps who check the cargo, so they asked me if I would mind doing it, so I have been very busy. Its awfully hot here, and there are millions of flies, mosquitoes again, and other things with wings. I reckon nearly everything up here has got wings. I have been stung all over with mosquitoes again. They seem to take a liking to me. Biera is only a small town with about 200 or 300 occupants. Its infested with fever of all kinds, so really its not a very popular sort of place. If you go about 2 miles out of the town into the bush, its a proper wild place, with snakes, leopards, lions roaming about. I didnt believe it at first, but its right. Makes you feel like a machine gun would be quite welcome. The Kaffirs and Zulus up here are quite wild too. Great big chaps they are. I had eight of them working with me when we were discharging. Its a good job they are afraid of white men, otherwise we wouldnt stand a chance. I think we are leaving here on Tuesday or Wednesday for Durban, and I shall not be sorry either. I am just about sick of Africa and the sea. All I want is to be home and to be with you dear. I expect we shall be starting home about the 10th of September. That means about six weeks from now I shall be home, thank God. A mail boat came in here yesterday with our letters from Durban. I was very excited about it. I got one letter from Dad, but I felt disappointed in you dear. Still I suppose I mustnt expect too much. I am looking forward to getting one from you though when I get back to Durban. Must close now darling as I havent much to write about. Best Love Yours Ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SS Intombi at sea th Tuesday September 7 1920 My Darling May Once again we are at sea, and I must say I am not very sorry to leave Biera. We left last Saturday afternoon for Durban and at present we are just about 60 miles away from there. We were supposed to get away from Biera last Tuesday but owing to a shortage of cargo and one thing and another, we were delayed until Saturday. I expect we shall get into Durban about 3pm this afternoon. I sincerely hope we do, as then I shall be in time to catch the mail, because it leaves at 4pm. It seems quite refreshing to be at sea again after nearly three weeks at that awful hole of Biera, but our troubles have not quite ceased. At Biera we suffered from pests of flies and mozzies, but now are chased about by rats. The ship seems over run with them. At night time they come out in young battalions and roam about the decks and come in our cabins and try our coats on etc. The reason for this is that now the ship is nearly empty, they have nothing to feed on down below, so they come out on deck, as normally there are tons of them among the cargo. I wonder what the next lot will be. There are several rumours running around to the effect that we are not running straight home from Durban, as we are supposed to, but we are going to out India. Another version is that we have only come back to Durban for coal to take us up to Mombassa and Tanga, and from there through the Suez canal into the Mediterranean and home to Liverpool. However, I dont think either of these two are definitely settled, but at any rate it will make the trip considerably longer, and thats whats worrying me, as I shant be able to see you darling as I had reckoned on. I have been thinking about you dearest quite a lot just lately as I have felt very discontented and lonely. I wish with all my heart that you were here. I would endure anything then. I feel particularly love-sick this morning and I have been looking at my small collections of flowers, you know, those pansies that you pressed are still in good condition. I guess Id press you nearly as much as that pansy, if I had you now darling. I hope you have written again to me dear, as I am looking forward to finding one waiting for me in Durban. It seems a very long time since I last had one from you. Oh I wish I was home. I believe I love you more than ever darling. Must close now Heaps of love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X 20

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SS Intombi Biera th Sunday September 19 1921 My Darling May You will no doubt be surprised to hear that once again we are back at that lovely place called Biera, but I do not expect that your surprise will be any greater than my regret. I thought that when we got away last time we had got away for good, but no such luck. I think I told you dear in my last letter that according to previous arrangements we were sailing for Mombassa from Durban, but of course things were altered at the last moment and we find ourselves here again. What a life. Now the arrangements are that we go to Mombassa from here, and home through the Med, but I would not be at all surprised if we go back to Durban again, and start all over again. With all the alterations on board, it will mean that we shall not arrive in England again until the first or second week in November. Isnt it rotten all this changing about. In the ordinary course of events, we would be half way home by now dear. We have been here since last Wednesday, and this is Sunday, and so far we have done absolutely nothing, neither taken any cargo in or discharged any. So you see, May, that it is a sheer waste of time. There are ten ships in here now, and that means a busy time for Biera. As a rule, they can only manage to work about 3 ships at a time, so I dont expect we shall get away before the end of the month at the earliest. While we are in port like this May, us wireless erbs have absolutely nothing to do. That means I have got a good 2 weeks holiday now. I wish darling that we were in England, then I could be with you. Fancy, a whole fortnight. I should be the happiest fellow alive. But its not my luck. Here I am 8,000 miles away from home, 8,000 miles away from the girl I love, and in one of the remotest corners of the globe, well in fact 8,000 miles from everything. Occasions like this makes one realise things, because you look at things in a different light, and from a different point of view. I wish darling you were here. The evenings and nights are glorious. It makes me properly love-sick, I can tell you. The mozzies etc are still as bad as ever here. I am suffering as usual with them. Do you remember that time when you were affected by them. I mean your ankle. Do you get bitten at WORK?! Ha Ha, what a game. I was pleased to get your letter at Durban, Darling. I was looking forward such a lot to it, and I was not disappointed. I have only had one from home. You are far more considerate than my people. I was sorry to hear that your mother has been ill. I sincerely hope that you, I know it would be you, have got her well again. I hope you had a good holiday, only Id have liked to have been with you. So you too, darling feel lonely. Isnt it rotten. I reckon its one of the worst things, loneliness. Never mind, it is so ordained the time will come. So your brother Fred is married, lucky man. I wish I was. Must close now darling x With love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx X PS Ill strangle any fellow that asks you to go out with him. I heard a band in Durban play until I meet you again. You know, that waltz they used to finish up with at the club dances. I nearly went dotty. Xxx Au revoir S/S Intombi Beira, Portuguese East Africa th Sunday 26 September 1920 My Darling May Another Sunday has come round and we are still at Biera, worst luck, and I expect we shall have another one here at least. I generally write to you on Sunday mornings, better the day better the dead so as to speak. It has been very hot here this last week as the Summer season is starting some heat. We nearly all go about in pyjamas, and find it very warm at that. We are still idle here. I mean we havent taken any cargo in yet and there are still about 15 ships in the stream. We have bee taking a little exercise this week in the shape of rat hunts and cricket practice. We had a good chase after some rats the other day down in one of the lower holds. We managed to get 16 big ones. There are simply hundreds of them down below. The day before yesterday we thought to ourselves we would have a game of cricket. So we made a bat and some balls and played away on the after deck. We had some fun too. The balls were made with iron bolts and rope, and on the iron deck they shot all over the place. I went to catch a ball and it sprained my little finger on my right hand and took off the nail at the same time, so it is a bit awkward to write. So dearie please excuse this mass of hieroglyphics some word. Yesterday we were very busy painting out our wireless cabin, so we have been doing a bit this week.

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I have been thinking about you darling quite a lot this last week. I seem to want you mre than ever. The more I think of you, the more I want to get home to you. May darling, I dont expect I shall have a letter from you now for the rest of the trip as we have altered our destinations, so please write to Liverpool, so that I can have one as soon as we touch old England. Write SS Intombi Harrison Rennie Line, Liverpool. I shall be very pleased if you do, darling. Write as soon as you get this please. Must close now, hope you are well Yours with love Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX PS Does your Dad still chase you around, and I hope your Mum is OK SS Intombi Mombassa th 8 October 1920 My Darling May We have eventually left Beira and arrived quite safely at Mombassa. I am very pleased to get away from Biera as I was just about sick and tired of it. We had a very good trip up to Mombassa. The sea was very calm. It is still hot as ever around about here, even coming up the coast the ship was like a young oven. Mombassa seems all right, well we are not in the town as one might call it, but we are anchored in a sort of a creek called Kilandeni. Its rather a pretty place plenty of trees and coconut palms, not like Biera all sand. We have started working already and we have only been in just about an hour as it seems they are rushing us a bit. I reckon to be home in about six or seven weeks from now darling. I hope the time goes quickly as I am fed up with this trip. I wish you were here darling. I want you more than ever. Roll on six weeks. Im afraid I cannot write a very long letter this time, May, as the mail goes out quite soon. So I am writing this in rather a hurry, so please excuse scrawl and shortness. Will write again in a day or two Love xxx Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PS Please May dear, dont forget to write to Liverpool xxx PS If you see any of my people, tell them Ive arrived at Mombassa OK, as I havent time to write the this time. SS Intombi Port Said st Monday 1 November 1920 My Darling May Just a few lines to let you know I have arrived quite safely at Port Said. I have been very busy since we left Mombassa, so I havent really had time to write you a decent letter, and I am in a hurry now dear, so I hope you will excuse me for writing in pencil. We had rather a decent time while we were in Mombassa, and although I never once went into the town, I really enjoyed our little stay there. Its a very pretty place and absolutely ideal for sailing and swimming. Everyday we used to take the ships boat out for a long trip up the creeks and explore different places, and I think everything that is possible as far as boating in concerned happened to us. We were wrecked, capsized, run ashore, had one or two collisions, and all said and done didnt miss much. We used to swim every morning and evening, and some good fun we had out of it. We went exploring into the jungle one day too, and had one or two frights, so that after that we left the jungle strictly alone. We then sailed up to Port Sudan in the Red Sea, and a more god-forsaken hole one couldnt wish to strike it. It was rotten and hot too. During the daytime the sun was anything from 120o to 140o and at night 90o to 100o, so I have had a pretty good scorcher. We left Port Sudan last Thursday and now we are in Port Said, and the next stop is Liverpool. We have been lucky so far, as we have made good time since leaving Mombassa., and yesterday we came through the Suez canal without stopping once, which is a very rare performance. You know young May, I am dying to see you. I could just about kiss and squeeze you to death now. They say Egypt is a romantic place. Well I think it must be affecting me. Last night was simply glorious and I wished ever much to have you with me. I want you more than ever darling. Still, I shall be home about the 16th or 17th, so I shall see you then, thank God. I expect we shall be leaving here in a few hours time, so I think I will close now darling. I hear there is a bit of trouble at Rome with the strikes etc. Still we have just about got enough coal to get us home, so who cares. I hope, darling, you have written to Liverpool as I havent had a letter for over 2 months, so please write dearest. Hope you are as well as I am. Love Yours ever

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Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX PS Hope you will be able to read this. May, I expect it will puzzle you a bit. Never mind darling, I love you more and more each day So long xxx Alfred had less than one month leave, and then had to return for a second voyage. He travelled by train up to Liverpool, but the Intombi seems to have sailed from London because he describes calling in at Gravesend. This is odd because the voyage was across the Atlantic, and Liverpool would have been the normal starting point. Perhaps, because their destination was the Caribbean and South America, it made little difference. In his letters to Mary, Alfred was not happy on the voyage, and was very home sick, especially missing Mary. He was also away over Christmas and the New Year, so this seems to have made it worse. They also had to cope with two prolonged gales on the trip, which must have been scary. Letters from his second voyage on the Intombi SS Intombi Liverpool nd December 22 1920 My Darling May Pleased to say I have arrived here on board quite safely. It seemed such an awful long way in the train. It nearly always does when one is going away from home. It is very hard to me darling to leave you behind. I feel I want to be with you always. I feel quite miserable now I am away from you dearest. May darling, you would not believe how much I love you. I adore you and I feel ever so proud of you. I want you dearest and you alone. You are the only girl in my world and the loveliest and dearest. I am fearfully jealous too. I felt perfectly happy ever minute I was with you darling, and I am longing for the time when I get back again. Thank God it will not be long. I have found out that we are not sailing till Wednesday morning. Its rather upsetting isnt it, but of course one cant go against the Capts orders. Please May dear, dont forget to write will you. SS Intombi Harrison Rennie Line West India Dock London S.E. I am hoping to get those letters of yours that you sent to Tenerife dear. You know I think an awful lot of those letters. Must close now May so long-Love x Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx May, youre a perfect darling xxx SS Intombi Harrison Line Barbados Monday 10th January 1921 My Darling May We are expecting to arrive at Barbados about noon tomorrow, so I think I must occupy some of my time now in writing to you dear. I miss you awfully, May darling. I can hardly bear being away from you. I must say I was very happy while I was with you May dear, and also that you now mean everything to me, I cant get on at all away from you darling. I feel I would always like you near me. I love you. I adore you. You are the sweetest and best girl in the world. I want you for my very own. You are always in my thoughts, and I cannot find words to express my great love for you. I felt it very much that night I came away from you dear. I just about gave out after you had gone. Well I suppose I must get on with an account of the trip, so here goes. I managed to get my gear down to the ship all right. It was a bit of a struggle, but with the exception of being about 2 hours late, I was quite safe. As soon as I got on board I was fed right up. What with leaving you behind dearest and being away for Christmas, and also the old boat was in an awful state coal, ashes, mud and stuff all over the decks and store and things in the cabins. I really felt like running away from it all. I expect it was about noon when we got clear of the docks and out into the river and started on our journey. I went out on deck and watched the familiar old works and factories fade away, and I would have given anything to have been with you darling. We stopped at Gravesend to take in about 50 tons of dynamite and other explosives, and the lads on board had the breeze up a little, as 50 tons would make a nice little bang if it happened to go off. However, everything went off all right and we left Gravesend about 5pm. As soon as we got in the channel it started to get very rough, and on Friday night it was very bad indeed. I thought to myself, once when I got soaked through with a big sea that broke over the deck, this is a nice way to spend Christmas eve. I reckon Christmas is a time when everybody ought to be allowed to go home, dont you. All day Friday the sea was very rough and I never slept a wink that night. My thoughts kept me awake, without the sea being rough. Christmas day was worse than ever. I nearly went dotty. All the decks were under water and big seas kept

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coming over, and the wireless cabin was nearly swamped out. Oh it was a merry Christmas. They had put some holly and mistletoe up in the saloon, just to cheer us up a bit. It seemed an awful farce. However, we had a very good feed, so that was something. I hope darling you had a nice time Christmas, only I wish I had been there to bite you Ha Ha. On Monday Boxing day, a terrible gale came on and we had to slow down to 2 knots because it was so bad. During the afternoon I got a distress signal from a ship called the Rio Negro whose propeller shaft had broken. I went up and told the old man about it, and we stood by the ship for a while until a big ship called the Mallais went to her assistance. We couldnt do much ourselves, as it was as much as we could do to stand up to the gale. It wasnt half rough, I can tell you. The old ship was pitching and jumping about all over the place. It was nearly impossible to stand up, and the wind was blowing like mad. On Tuesday it seemed to ease up a bit, but not very much, and I managed to get a good sleep in. And then, Im blowed, if it didnt get rough again, and altogether we had it bad for 12 solid days and nights. I got absolutely fed up with it, and I might say that when I saw the sun again I felt quite relieved. New years day was rough of course and really, May. I can truly say it was the most unhappy Christmas and new year I have ever spent, and I dont want another like it. But now, though, the weather is just like a nice hot Summers day at home. It seems funny to think there could be such a great change in so short a time. I expect today in England, people are going about with big overcoats on and feeling half frozen, while here it is lovely. I wish you were here with me darling, as I would enjoy myself so much and be ever so happy. We have only seen one ship since we left the channel, so you can imagine what a lot of work I have done. I have only sent four messages and one of these was to you dear. I hope you will excuse that note of mine, May dear. You know that one I wrote after I had arrived on board. I never had much time to spare. I gave it to one of the shipping office fellows to post, so I hope you received it all right. The third Officer on board here is teaching me the violin, and I kick up an awful row practicing scales, enough to give anybody the earache, so the other fellows say, and I quite believe them too. I am also putting in some tome on the mandolin. Its something to pass away the time, even if I dont get much music out of it. We have been doing a bit of boxing on board, as my mate brought some gloves away with him. He and I had a big scrap, and we were both out of action for a couple of days. I, as usual, sprained both my thumbs, and they are not quite well even yet. Well May, Barbados is in sight, and I expect we shall be inside in about another hour. It is a lovely day, ever so warm, and the sun is lovely. I only want you now, then I should be quite contented. Our ports of call are Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Demerara, and then back to Trinidad or Barbados. We are not quite sure which one yet. I dont expect we shall be away so very long this time. The old man thinks we shall be home about the end of February. Well, May darling, I must close now as there is a ship in the harbor sailing for London today so I want to post this as soon as possible. Please excuse the scrawl. I hope you, darling, and all your people are well as I am OK now. So long dearest Love Your ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx SS Intombi Demerara st Friday January 21 1921 My Darling May We have just arrived at Demerara and I think there is a boat leaving for home, so I must write you a few lines. I expect you were surprised at my first letter, as it would be posted in London. One of our Companys boats was just leaving as we put into Barbados, so we just took all our ships letters over to the steward who promised to post them in London for us, otherwise it would have meant about a weeks delay before they were dispatched. We have been to Barbados, Grenada and Trinidad within the last week, only saying a day or two in each place. The only place I went ashore was Barbados, and it struck me as one of the dirtiest places I have ever run across. Its a proper n-----s town. Its nearly all hotels. Well, thats the name they go by, but my opinion of them is a low-down drinking house. There is practically nothing to see, and the women pester the life out of you, so I was quite glad to get back on board. On the second day, however, we went for a lovely swim. We got a boat and went a little way up the beach and found an ideal place for a swim, all nice sand and water as clear as glass. We stayed in the water all the afternoon and had a fine time. Its different altogether to the swims you get in England. There is nothing to touch it. You feel you could live in the water, and out here it looks so inviting too. I wish, May, you had been with me. I wouldnt half have given you a good ducking. The next day we arrived at Grenada, which looks a lovely place from the harbor. Its built up on a hill and looks great. But I expect it is a very different place on shore. These places look better from a distance. As soon as we dropped anchor at Grenada, the ship was swarmed with n-----s. Then women and children, all with different stuff to sell, mostly fruit, which seems very plentiful. It took us about 2 hours to get them all off, because as soon as we cleared one party away, another family would swarm up the other side. We had a proper game. All these ns out here speak English after a fashion, and the names and remarks they passed about us would not bear description. We did not stay very long in Grenada, only about 10 hours, and we arrived at Trinidad the next day. Trinidad is rather larger than the other two places, but I never went ashore, as we anchored about 4 miles out to sea. It looked all right from the ship, but the boatmen wanted about 10/- to take us ashore, so we told them to go and fish. By the way, we had nice swims in Grenada off the ships side. Very good it was too. We never risked it in Trinidad, as there are too many sharks to be pleasant.

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The weather seems to have altered now, May. I believe the wet season is just starting. These last 3 or 4 days it has been raining nearly all the time. You can always tell when its going to rain out here, as a mist comes on before hand, and then the rain comes. And I might say it rains. It seems ever so long since I left you darling. It was just a month yesterday, but it seems about three to me. I am always thinking of you dearest. I feel I would like to always have you near me May. I am quite happy when I am with you. I believe I love you more every day. You are really a lovely girl, May darling. I wish you were here now. Its Friday afternoon, and I can recall certain events. I hope you have not been putting any more methylated on that fire Ha Ha. I have not received any letters yet, May, from you darling or from home, and it seems as if it will only be by a stroke of luck that we will get a mail this trip as we are dodging about from place to place. There have been one or two alterations made in our routine. Now, instead of going back to Barbados, we are going up into the United States to Galveston and New Orleans, which means we shall very likely load cotton and then come on home. I expect it will lengthen our trip a little. I am dying to get home again, May darling. I miss you terribly more than ever I could express. I love you darling. Well, May darling, I must draw to a close now as its getting near dinner time (swank!) I hope your Dad is better by now. You can give him my kind regards. Ask him if he wants anything done in South America Ha Ha. I suppose all the Christmas and New year celebrations have died down by now. I hope you had a good time. I have sent nearly everyone mad with my violin, so I am progressing. Must close now Best love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Galveston Texas United States th Thursday 10 February 1921 My Darling May Pleased to say that we have arrived at the above place quite safely after a good trip from Demerara. It is a good job that we had fine weather coming up here, as the ship was absolutely empty, so if we had struck bad weather we would have felt it all right. Well, May, things have altered a little bit lately. We are going to load a full cargo of grain for London. Nearly every day we hear of some alteration in our orders. Originally, we were going to take sugar from Demerara to London, then cotton to Liverpool, also grain to Antwerp, and so on. I thought I would wait until I was certain before I wrote, but everything is so long-winded and uncertain that I could not wait any longer. We are not absolutely sure about going to London yet. On our way home we are calling at Newport, New England States, for coal, so I will write to you from there as I expect we shall know for sure then. At any rate, I hope to be home about the second week in March. I shall not be sorry to get home again, I might tell you, as I am fed up with this trip. It seems such an awful long tme ago that we left London. I wish that I could always stay at home with you darling. I should be happy then. I am always thinking of you and wishing you at half past six. Its rotten being away like this. Life on a ship is not much to jump at at the best of times. Last week I sprained my back boxing with Fanny. Thats our 3rd Officer, and I was really quite helpless for a couple of days with it. I had to stay in my bunk and darent move. It wasnt half rotten. I wished you could have been there. I wanted a nurse rather badly. However, I am quite OK again now. We have been doing a lot of boxing his time, well thats about all we have to do at sea. I was very glad to get away from that rotten mouldy place called Demerara, as the mosquitoes were something awful, enough to drive anybody mad. I got bitten all over as usual, and it was impossible to sleep at nights what with the heat and those confounded mozzies. You remember that dose, may dear that you got at W________. Well I came up just like that, so with one thing and another, I was really glad to quit South America. Also, my mate, the Captain and 3 others went down with malaria, and I consider myself very lucky to miss it, touch wood. Now we are in the United States in the State of Texas down Texas way so to speak, and I cant for the life of me see anything here to make a song about. Its a proper American town like you see on the pictures. The Boys off the ranches come down and shoot the town up now and again. At any rate, we have got back into civilization once more. It is a fairly big town, with two big skyscrapers, and one feature of the place is the number of cars, or automobiles as these Yanks call them. Nearly everybody has got one and they park them up at night along the streets. One good thing, they know how to feed you. You can get a good tuck for 90 cents. I shall be glad to be with you again darling, and I hope to be within another month. I have got a lot to make up for. I wish you were here now, May, I wouldnt half give you socks?! I have not had a letter from you or home yet. We seem to have missed all the mails this time. Only one fellow on board has had a letter, so May dear, please write to the West India Dock again C/o of the Harrison line, SS Intombi, so I can get one when I get home, as it is rotten not having even a line from anyone, and letters mean such a lot when I am away like this. Especially yours darling. Please dont forget. Must close now Best Love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx PS I hope you dear and everybody at home are quite well. So long xxx

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SS Intombi Newport Virginia rd Wednesday 23 February 1921 My Darling May Pleased to say that we arrived at Newport quite safely on Monday evening after a very rough trip. We ran into a North East gale and were pretty badly knocked about as we left Galveston with the ship loaded right down to her marks. Of course we took in plenty of seas on the fore and after decks. I was not at all sorry to get into harbor again and get dry. It seems very cold here too after the other places. In 24 hours the temperature dropped 30 degrees, some change that. We have come here to load up with coal to bring us home, and when we leave we shall be very low in the water, so I hope we dont get any bad weather. We are leaving this afternoon for dear old London, and perhaps when we arrive there I shall begin to feel happy again. I have been very miserable lately. Love sick. I want to get back to you darling. Anyhow, we shall be home in about 16 days, or very likely less, depending of course upon the weather. That means it will be round about the 11th of March. I am just longing to be home again darling and to be with you. I feel I like to have you somewhere near. I am sick and tired of being away from everything like this. Perhaps one day things will alter and become more convenient. Just before we left Galveston, I received four letters from you darling. They had been forwarded on from Barbados, and arrived in time. I was ever so pleased to get them. They cheered me up wonderfully. You cant realize what a lot you mean to me, May darling, and I thought I wouldnt even have a letter from you. But I was lucky, and I shall have to bite you when I get back again. I was pleased to hear everything is going OK and that your Dad is alright again. I think youre lovely, May darling. I love you and simply cant help loving you, and I cant find other words to express my feelings. I also had a letter from home. It was from Leslie, and will have to write one to him now. I havent had one from my Mum or Dad yet. Well, May dear, I cant seem to think of anything much to say today except that all I want is you darling. So I must close now. Hoping all are well Best love Yours ever Alfred xxxxxx PS I will come round for you May as soon as I get the chance. So long. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Roll on March After arriving back in March, Alfred decided he didnt want to go back to sea again, and got himself a job as an electrician in London. Even though he seemed miserable and bored in his letters, at least he was able to see parts of the world that his peers never could, so I suspect he gained from the experience. In the Summer of 1921, Mary went on holiday to Bognor. By this time, the two families seemed to get on well. Dolly, Alfreds younger sister went with Mary. Alfred joined them for a week, staying in a house at 9, Mons Avenue. He also mentions, his Mother joining them later in the week. Alfred cycled down from Fulham to Bognor, starting out at 1am and arriving about 8 hours later - a tough journey in the dark. In the letter there is mention of socks again. 8a Dilke Street Chelsea th 13 July 1921 My Darling May, I received your second letter quite safely this morning, and I thank you very much for them. The first one I got on Monday evening, and I noticed you put SW10 on it instead of SW3, which accounts for me not getting it until the evening. May darling, Im pining to come down to see you. I havent quite known what to do with myself without you. It seems strange not to see you. Ive been round your house several times and it seems desolate without you. I had a sit on our sofa this morning. I wished you were there. I just felt like having one or two bites. I saw your Dad on Monday evening and I thought he looked ever so well. He told me about the charabanc business. Your Mum was in bed on Monday as she had not been very well Sunday night, but she is alright again now. I went round 3 times on Monday in the morning, afternoon and evening, and I was unlucky on the first 2 occasions as everybody except your Mum was out, and she was in bed. I managed to get in in the evening and had a talk to your Dad, and then Vic asked me to go over to Hampstead to see Sid, but he wasnt in. So we went up Parliament Hill and had a look round, and then came home. I told you mum this morning that you wanted your blue shoes and swimming cap, and I am going to get them in the morning. I shall put them in my bag, so that will be all right. I am going to get my things ready tonight, as I want to send them off in the morning. I shall send them down by train, and go and fetch them when I arrive. I wrote to those people with whom Vic and Cyril stayed on Monday, but so far I have not had a reply. I expect to hear this evening. Even if they dont reply, I shall come on the chance of getting a room somewhere. My Mum is coming down on Tuesday next, and I shall get a place for her when I come down, so dont you worry about that.

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I am beginning to feel rather excited. I want to see you again. Darling, I wont half give you socks when I come down. I havent been able to sleep at nights since you went away. Im always thinking about you dearest. Im going to stay as long as I can, if I even have to sleep on the beach and live in love. Anything so long as I am near you dear. I have scrounged a map of Sussex off Charlie, so I will not get lost on the way down. I am going to start from here about one am on Friday morning and make a non-stop run of it. I shall take it easy and be down about 9 or 10 oclock. And if you like, you can be at the station say about 10 oclock. That will give me heaps of time, and at that rate I shall not be tired. I wont half be pleased to see you sweetheart. The thought of seeing you darling will urge me on. Ive been getting into training on the bike just lately. Yesterday I went to Ashtead Common and back, which is on the way to Bognor. It was very hot, but I went in the middle of the day. I ought to have known better. I passed by Wimbledon Common and the part over past the windmills was on fire in several places. I really dont wonder at it as everywhere is so dry. They have been firing rockets up on Hampstead Heath to try and make it rain, but last night they let off so many, but it did not rain. I expect it will rain Friday morning as I come down. What a lark if it does. I shall be quite a mudlark if it does, wont I. I am very pleased to hear you are having a good time. I quite envied you yesterday when it was so hot. Have you started to peel yet? If so, I shall have something to pick, as you say. I will bring a couple of films down with me and take your photo several times, as I want to have a real good one of you dear. I hop e I can work the camera, though. It is rather an awkward one to hold still isnt it. When I come down we must go for some rides. You must hire a bike if possible, but not until I come down dear will you. We will have a lovely time I am sure. I feel so excited I can hardly write fat enough. We shall have to have one of our honeymoons. I must really close now, sweetheart. I will write again in the morning if I find there is anything more for me to say or any instructions or information. Heaps of Love Yours Alf xxxxxxxx PS Just received the reply from those people whom I wrote to about the room. The lady whom Vic stayed with cannot take me, but she has fixed me up with a Mrs Richards at 9, Mons Avenue for a week. So everything in the garden is lovely. Love xxx AER PPS I shall stay as long as I can PPPS Roll on Friday Give my love to Dolly and tell her she is going to get a tanning when I come down. Ill give her get off. Thank her for her note. Mum will write to her. She also sends her love. After leaving the Intombi in 1921, Alfred got a job as an electrical fitter, and then moved on to work as an electrical engineer for London Transport Buses, based at the Fulwell Depot. He worked there until his retirement, becoming a Chief Engineer. th Mary worked from 29 of April 1918 as a clerk at the Pension Issue Office of the Ministry of Pensions at Bromyard Avenue, Acton. By the rd time she was demobilised on 3 October 1924 she was a Temporary grade III Clerk, and her reference number was E10373. Her duties consisted of work with the award and issue of pensions to soldiers and sailors widows and dependents. In her reference letter, her conduct and character were described as very good.
Alfred (far left) at Fulwell Bus depot

Alfred wrote a further series of love letters to Mary (May) in 1924 when she was recuperating from illness at 13, Branksome Wood Road, Bournemouth. Mary seems to have contracted a respiratory infection and was taken by her mother away from Londons smog to Bournemouth for the clean sea air. Alfred also mentions concerns about her having lost weight. In his letters he switches from calling her May to Mary. At this time they are engaged to be married, and Alfred is clearly besotted with Mary and misses her terribly while she is away. He writes frequently, sometimes daily. We dont have Marys letters to Alfred, but it would appear those from her were equally loving. Mary may have had to return to Bournemouth later in July. Alfred seemed to be close to Marys father, George Hemson, and also visits her brothers Gus and Sidney. He also had begun the process of converting to Catholicism (a necessary prerequisite for mixed marriage in those days, especially if your father-in-law was a preacher in the church). Alfred mentions meetings with Fr. Brown, a Catholic priest. Another interesting snippet is that George does some work at the Clock House, where James was Butler. He is a French polisher and seems to have been called in to repair some stains on the floor, prior to a charity dance.

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8a Dilke Street, Chelsea

9th March 1924

My Darling May, Have just received your most welcome letter. On my way home from work I was wondering if you had written, and I was very pleased to find a letter waiting for me. Pleased you arrived safely. Hope you had a pleasant journey. I am so sorry darling that you are disappointed with the home. Theres an old saying Theres no place like home. But never mind Mary, cheer up and be a brave girl. You will doubtless feel much better for your change and rest. You know I want you to come home fat and rosy, so just you bear that in mind and dont go worrying yourself too much. I feel it terribly you being away from me. It surprises me to think you mean so much to me. I never realized I could miss you so. I feel downright miserable and dissatisfied without you dear. Your absence makes my life seem void and empty. I wish so much that I was with you, Mary. I miss you meeting me at the tram. In fact I shall go mad if I dont see you soon, so dont be surprised if I am a bit dazed when you return, Ha! Ha! I thought that perhaps while you were away, I would be able to do some wireless, but I can assure you I dont feel like doing any one little bit. I feel more like thinking of you and wondering what you are doing. Mary darling, I can never let you go away from me again. I cant bear it. When you are at home, I feel you are always near me even if I dont see you for one evening. But now you seem so far away. It makes a lump come in my throat when I think of it. I saw Fr. Brown on Saturday, and we had quite a homely conversation. He expressed my feelings exactly, so I think we shall get on fine. He has not commenced any instructions yet, but I think we commence on Saturday next. Afterwards, I went and saw your Dad. It seemed so lonely at Number 14, I can tell you. I missed you dreadfully when I was in the downstairs front room. I also saw your Pa on Sunday at 12 oclock Cheyne Row. As soon as I got inside, the first person I saw was your Dad, so he let me sit next to him. Then I walked to the Town Hall with him and we had a wet and he went off to Sids. I expect I shall see him tomorrow night again, that is if I am not too busy. I have got some more work to do, so Im going to be well occupied during your absence. Mary Darling, I cannot express how much I love you. Words simply fail me. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, guess that saying is right. We have had good weather since Saturday, dear. Hope you have had the same. I hope you are beginning to feel an improvement. Sorry you have been rotten. Mary darling, hurry up and get well and strong, theres a love. Must close now, love, as I must hurry to catch the post. Goodnight darling Yours ever Alf xxxxxxxxX PS Kind regards to your Mum PS Dont get downhearted Mary dear. Think how much I shall love you when you come home Goodnight again Best Love Alf 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 11th March 1924

Dearest Mary Thank you for writing to me again. Its very nice of you darling. I am so pleased with you, and such long letters they are too. Mary, you must think a lot of me. Pleased you are getting more used to the place. I expect you will settle down alright. You must remember you are there for your healths sake, so darling make the most of the opportunity and please dont worry. I expect you find things a bit on the dull side with your Mum, but there, you always were an excitable little girl werent you. Mary, darling, I want you more than ever, and I miss you lots and lots. I miss our little goodnight cuddle. Mary darling, hurry up and get rid of your cold and become a strong girl. It worries me so when you are not well. Please dont play with the cat or else I shall get jealous and go into a rage Ha Ha. I really havent heard bears talk, but I expect they do especially in Spring time. Ive heard them growl though. You used to tell me I was like a bear didnt you. I hope your voice isnt as husky as mine. If you wee here now Mary, I would bite you so hard, I feel I could eat you all up, just like a bear in fact. Mary sweetheart, please be a good girl and take care of yourself. Remember, that to me you are the only and most beautiful and valuable girl in the world. You cannot dream or imagine how much I love and care for you. It hurts me terribly you being away from me. I expect you think of the times we had at Bournemouth together. Do you remember that wet stormy day when we sat in that old hut, and afterward got nearly drenched through. What a nice time that really was. Never mind, darling, we have many more pleasant experiences to face together, for are we not pledged to go through life side by side. Mary, I am so proud of you. Mary darling, you really mean you would trust yourself out in a boat with me; you seem to be changing lately. Please dont dance on top of the cliffs or else you might slip down, then I would be worse than ever. Id rather you nurse old Tim than that. Do you miss the drop of rum in your milk? Still you are better off without it you know. You say you will jump on me when you come home - Please do I like it. I have been quite busy since you have been away, pet. I have got quite a lot of work to do. I shall not be able to do anything to the wireless just yet. When I get a minute or so to spare, I think of you.

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In your first letter, you said you were fed up. Theres a good hiding in store for you for that remark, when you come back. I shall not forget it, dont you worry Ill teach you my girl. Please right lots of letters Mary. Write instead of meeting me at the tram. Be a sport. I called and saw your Dad tonight, but I could not go out with him as we arranged as I want to get the work cleaned up before you come home dear. When you come home dear, all will be fair. Life seems dull if you are not there (poet). The weathers still fine here, darling. Hope you have a fine fortnight. Anything you want please say so, and it will be sent to you. Let me know how much you weigh wont you Mary, then I shall know how strong I must get to be able to fight you. I feel so strong now, wish you were here. I must pack up now as its getting late and I must go to Bye Byes. Goodnight Darling Girl Yours ever Alf xxxxxxxxX 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 14th March 1924

My Darling Mary I am writing you a little letter again tonight sweetheart, as I promised yesterday. I hope you were not disappointed with the last one. You know I cant write letters for nuts. Mary, sweetheart, hurry up and come back to me. I feel so lonely and miserable without you. You are my own darling girl and I want you so badly. I hope that you are feeling better by now. Please write and tell me that you are. I cant bear you to be out of sorts. It worries me so. Mary, beloved, I love you truly with all my heart. I cant live without you. Its unbearable. When you are away from me I feel as though all my life has left me. Mary, I adore you. God grant that we may always be together. Your Dad came and saw me tonight dear. He has asked me to go with him one day next week to see about that will, you know, concerning Lily and Beatrice. He also wants me to go with him to Sids on Sunday. We are going straight after 12 oclock. He has been busy since your Mum and you have been away, and he is going to do a job in the Clock house tomorrow. Theres a charity dance on Monday, so he is going to do a part of the floor, which is badly stained. I have also got a big job on tomorrow. Ive got a 12-way fuse board to change and re-equip, so I shall be busy. I am trying to get all my jobs cleared up before you come home darling, so that we can spend all of our time together. I want such a lot of cuddles too. I am so pleased the weather is being good towards you. I hope it continues. Mary darling, you never said whether you felt any better in your last letter. Darling, I hope you are getting stronger. I want to fight you and I want you to win. So drink your milk up. I am just going to bed sweetheart. If only you were here now, how happy I should be. Never mind, soon. Goodnight Beloved God bless you Yours ever Alf xxxxxX 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 18th March 1924

My Beloved Mary I must thank you for your nice letters sweetheart. You have been so kind to me by writing so often. It has been such a joy to me to find a letter waiting for me when I get home from work. Beautiful Mary, I am waiting impatiently for Friday to come. I am longing to feel you in my arms again and to hear your voice, and kiss you. I feel I could hold you and kiss you forever. Mary darling, I love you so, with all my heart. I crave for you. Mary, loved one, I can find no consolation now you are away. I feel all my spirits have left me. Mary, you bring all happiness into my life. Without you I am nothing. I live for you my angel. I shall feel so proud to be your husband. I shall have the loveliest and dearest wife in the world, and Mary beloved, how I shall treasure you. My thoughts stir an emotion within me, which overcomes me. Mary dear, I want you so. I have never been possessed with such a longing in all my life. Mary, I am trying to get all my work cleared up so we can devote all of our time to each other. I would love to visit our tree on Friday evening. I think the moon will be about full as well dear. What a pleasure to look forward to. And sweetheart, we will go to the pictures on Saturday. The thought of such happiness is turning my head. I have such a lot of news to tell you darling, but I will leave it until you come home. But Leonard is ill with tonsilitis, Elsie has been to see him. I am still busy at work and have had two very late nights. I am going to bed early tonight dear, to prepare for your homecoming. Goodnight my Love From your devoted Alf xxxxxX 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 19 March 1924
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My Dearest Mary Just a few lines as promised. I am pleased the time is getting near when I shall see you again. I feel weary and fed up dear. I keep thinking of the fine times we have had, and it makes me feel excited, Roll on Friday. I havent seen you Dad since Sunday. He said he was going to write to me about some business but so far I have not heard from him, and I have been unable to go and see him. I think he has been busy this week. Mary dear, as you were saying, we shall have to have our holiday together this year as last. Lets go wild and go somewhere away from the crowds of people. I like being with you alone. Then we can have some fine rambles. Well sweetheart, I am glad you have had fine weather and I am really looking forward to seeing an improvement in your health. I hope you are feeling better for your rest. Darling girl, I am very tired tonight. Please excuse me for not writing a nice letter. I wish you were here, beloved. I should be more happy then. Never mind, Friday will soon be here. Hope you have a pleasant journey. All the news when I see you. Goodnight Darling Yours ever Alf xxxxxX Ive such a lot to tell you angel girl and I love you more each day Love Alf xxxxxX 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 23
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March 1924

My Beloved Mary Darling, I am so lonely without you. I think of you all day and night. I cant feel content without you. I am longing to see you again. Mary, I love you so much, more than I ever realized. Darling, sweetheart, I want you ever so much, you are such a lovely girl, such a treasure to me. I went and saw Fr. Brown last night. He is interesting me very much, and he is very nice. Your Dad and I went to Sids to dinner and tea, your Dad and I are great pals now. He had tea with my mum yesterday, as he was doing a job in the Clock House. I am still busy. I was working up to 1:30 am last night, and I feel so weary tonight. I have been to Benediction at Cheyne Row tonight dear. It is at times like that that I miss you more than ever. I am so glad you are getting better dear. I love you darling Mary. Please give my kindest regards to your mum. I hope she is making a speedy recovery. Mary dear, must close now Goodnight Beloved Think of me Yours ever Alf xxxxxX 8a Dilke Street, Chelsea 11th July 1924

My darling May It seems ages to me since you went away and I am missing you ever so much. Yesterday, I felt quite lost without you. I felt ever so miserable after you had gone on Saturday, especially after the train had gone out, and I shall not be happy until I see you again dear sweetheart. I have loved you more than ever just lately, May dear. You are the loveliest and most wonderful girl in the world. I feel that I cant bear to be away from you. I am ever afraid of losing you. I am determined to see you Friday whatever the odds are. In fact, I am dying to see you, and you have only been gone one day. By Friday, I will be raving. I was very pleased you left Victoria so comfortably. I didnt expect it was going to be so easy. I hope you did not get crowded out at any other station on the way down. I called at your house on Saturday evening to fetch my bike, and I had a talk with your Mum for an hour. I told her you went off quite comfortable and she was very pleased. Then Vic came in and afterwards we went for a run around. We eventually ended up in Watford, and got back home just after twelve. I was pleased he was able to come out as I missed you ever such a lot. I dont ever want to be parted from you again, darling May. I went round to try and see your dad just now, but everybody seemed to be out, so I was unlucky. However, I shall go round again this afternoon or evening, as I havent seen him since he arrived home. I hope you had a nice journey down May. Wasnt it hot, I expect you were cooked. Hows young Dolly going on? Has she been a good girl? My Mum is ever so pleased you have taken her. She thinks it will do her a world of good. You can tell her that her doggies are all quite well and that we are going to make a run for them down in the yard. Rest of letter missing

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On 31 July 1926, Alfred and Mary were married at the Church of Our Lady, Stephendale Road, Fulham. They were both aged 25 years. Mary was Catholic, and Alfred converted to Catholicism in order to marry her. At the time Alfred was living with his parents at 7, Chipstead Street, Fulham, and Mary was living with her parents at 14, Moore Park Road, Fulham. Her father was George Frederick Hemson, a French polisher, and her mother was Hannah Cumberland.
Alfred & Mary wedding with James & Agnes on left and George & Hannah on right

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Alfred & Mary marriage certificate

Alfred used to ride around on a BSA motorcycle and sidecar, wearing plus fours and a jaunty beret with a long tassel. After Alfred and Mary got married, they lived with Marys parents at 14, Moore Park Road, Fulham, a house that they owned. It is a very impressive terraced house in a Georgian style on four floors with railings and a basement and steps leading up to the front door. At the rear was a garden and conservatory. Here my father, Alfred John, Aunt Joan and Aunt Mary were born. Mary had to give up her job when she was pregnant with the twins, John and Joan in 1927.
14, Moore Park Road

After George died, Hannah lived in the basement apartment and front room, and Joan and Mary had the top attic bedroom. My father didnt have a bedroom, because a friend of Marys lived there. He had to sleep in a first floor sitting room. During the war, two elderly ladies drove their car through the railings and down into the basement where it broke the window and knocked down some fuschias. The railings could not be replaced because the iron was needed for the war. They have since been replaced, but dont quite match the ones further along. There were interconnected coalholes below the houses, and my father used climb between them and jump out to scare Hannah. The house is just around the corner from Stamford Bridge football ground. James, Alfred and my father were keen Chelsea supporters and went to the home matches. They could hear the crowd from the house, and my father said they could tell when Chelsea scored. Not surprisingly, I am a Chelsea fan along with Jonathan, my brother, and all of our sons. We go up to watch matches at Stamford Bridge a few times a year, and walk past 14, Moore Park Road on the way to the ground, from where we park the car. When Hannah died in 1946, the house was sold for 150. It would be worth well over two million pounds today!
Stamford Bridge.with Moore Park Rd bottom right

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During the war, Alfred and Mary moved to 33, Longford Close, Hampton Hill to escape the London bombing, although ironically, they suffered more than if they had stayed put. Longford Close was a three bedroomed semi-detached house on an estate of social housing and Police housing. Alfred was in a reserved occupation during the war, keeping the buses running. He joined the Home Guard, and because of his previous wartime radio and Merchant Navy experience, he was given the rank of Captain in charge of communications. At the end of the war, he received a certificate from George VI :

Alfred standing 3 from left in Home guard

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I can find no record of any medals, but he did have some, which were unfortunately stolen during a break-in at aunt Marys house. The family had two near misses with V1 Doodle bug rockets. Once, Granddad was on the roof fixing something, and one sailed over the house not far above his head. The second one landed across the road and, although it was not a direct hit, the force of the explosion was enough to destroy Granddad and Grandmas house. My father, Aunt Mary, Grandma and the dog were in a Morrison shelter inside the house and the roof collapsed on them leaving a shell. Fortunately, they were not hurt. Aunt Joan was coming down the road at the time, but also fortunately hadnt reached the house. Across the road, a lady neighbour was killed and all the chickens in the garden had their feathers and combs blown off. The allotment caught fire and Grandma went out with a stirrup pump putting out burning cabbages. The house was rebuilt within a few weeks using the existing shell, and didnt seem to suffer long term, unlike the ornaments and pictures which all show damage. The little porcelain figurines in my mothers display cabinet all had fingers and hands missing from when they were hurled across the room by the explosion. The house had a long garden at the back that tapered into a point backing onto allotments. Just around the corner was a bridge going over the Longford river, where we used to fish for sticklebacks. To one side of the house was a wooden garage/workshop, where Granddad kept his car, and was full of tools, cans and jars and useful bits and pieces. There was a big cherry tree in the back garden, but they never got any fruit because the birds got there first. In the front was a tiny lawn, with a concrete ornament, shaped a bit like a chess pawn. Underneath it was a red ant nest, which we constantly disturbed by lifting the stone. When we were young, my Grandparents didnt have a fridge. Meat was kept on a marble slab with a mesh cover, and milk was kept in a drainpipe buried in the ground with a brick for a lid. When the milk went off, Grandma used to put the curds in a muslin bag hanging on the tap, and make cottage cheese. She was always secretive about what was for lunch, and when we asked would always say bread and pullit. My memories of Granddad were that he was full of fun and kept the children amused. He loved practical jokes and always seemed relaxed. He doted on Grandma and they were a very loving couple. She called him Alf, although we thought it sounded like Elf, and he called her May. He didnt have his fathers Scottish accent it was pure London. He had a succession of old cars that he loved to work on and keep running. Like my father, he wasnt at all materialistic and had a make do mentality, using ingenuity to fix things. When my own Mini Coopers engine and gearbox exploded, he repaired the hole in the aluminium gearbox casing with a special resin that saved a fortune for me. The cars he had were Hillmans and Austins, and quite often sold to my father or even bought from him.
Granddad & Grandma with 1935 Hillman Minx

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For years our family car was a green Austin A90 that my father bought from a garage for 325. He sold it to Granddad, who promptly wrote it off by hitting a tree on a bend at the Devils Punchbowl near Hindhead. When Alfred died, he had a white Ford Consul that had a registration plate with the letters PJ followed by four numbers. I was offered the car, but didnt have room to keep it, so it was sold. How I wish I had kept that personalised number plate! Grandma and Granddad often came out with us down to the coast or for picnics to places like Box Hill or Ewhurst. Sometimes Gus Hemson and his wife, or Elsie and Leonard Evans would come along. Granddad drove at a very sedate pace, so we would often have to wait for them, usually at a pub. I remember one day in the South Downs watching a long line of car headlights coming up and over a neighbouring hill, knowing that it was Granddad holding them all up. There always seemed to be dogs in the family. For years, Grandma and Granddad had a spaniel called Roger, and then in later years a deranged beagle called Rusty, that we found as a stray in Addlestone. Grandma used to pamper Rusty, and even put salt and pepper on his dinner.
The family at Ewhurst with Granddads Hillman, Dads Austin A90, and Roger

When my mother was ill or giving birth, Michael and I would stay with Grandma and Granddad Rennie, while the girls would stay with Nana and Grandpa Walters. We always enjoyed those stays and would get taken out to London and on treats that we wouldnt normally get. In the hall was a chiming clock, which I now know is a Vienna Regulator. It used to tick very loudly, chime every quarter of an hour, and then chime the strokes of the hour. It used to keep us awake at night it was so loud. It has now been passed onto me for custody as a family heirloom, although I may need to disable the chime. One year, Granddad and Grandma went on a touring holiday by car to Scotland. They stayed in B&Bs and kept a detailed record of the places they visited. They went as far north as Lossiemouth, and visited Aberlour. They did not go to Banchory, suggesting no relationship with or knowledge of Jamess fathers side of the family.

Granddad was going to pinch some apples!

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Granddad and Grandma came to our wedding in 1977, where a lot of Lesleys French relatives were also invited. Granddad had a great time showing off some French phrases he had learnt during the war, including some that he had clearly learned from chatting up mesdemoiselles. After 1977, Granddad and Grandmas health started to deteriorate. Granddad had a lot a pain from his hip joints, which were replaced, but the problem was really his lower back, where his vertebrae had crumbled. He bore the pain very well and remained active and cheerful. Grandma had early Parkinsons disease. They managed to cope at home until around 1985, but then had to move to a nursing home at Hindhead. They tried to put on a cheerful front, but they hated being there and leaving their house. In spite of that, they were able to see four Great Grandchildren born; Dominic 1983, Louisa 1986, Pascale 1986 and Georgina 1987.
Alfred with Great Grandson Dominic 1983

Alfred died at Haslemere Hospital on 21 August 1987. The cause of death was carcinomatosis and multiple melanoma. He was buried at St Josephs RC Church, Grayshott, Surrey. Grandma never recovered from th losing him, and died the same year on 11 December at Grayshott nursing home. The cause of death was bronchopneumonia and Parkinsons disease. She is buried with Alfred in the St Josephs churchyard.

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Alfred & Mary grave St Josephs Grayshott

Four Generations of Rennies: Alfred, John, Dominic and Paul

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The Hemsons
Mary Philomena Hemson was my Grandmother, not to be confused with Mary Philomena Rennie, her daughter and my Aunt. st She was born on the 1 of May, 1901 in Chelsea.

Her parents were Frederick George Hemson and Hannah Cumberland. Frederick preferred the name th George. He was born in Hammersmith on 7 March 1864, and was a French Polisher by trade. Hannah was born in Llanelli in Carmarthenshire, Wales in 1864. In 1891 they were both 27 years old and married with two children, Frederick George aged 3 and Cyril Edward aged 10 months. They were living at 23, Park Walk, Chelsea. In 1911, they were living at 50, Blantyre Street, Chelsea. The original house is no longer there, but was in, what is now, a very expensive neighbourhood, close to Cheyne Walk.

George & Hannah Hemson 1891 London census

The Hemsons 1901 London census

Hannah Hemson was very attractive, like her daughter Mary. She had long hair neatly pinned up, and always looked well dressed in photos of her. Aunt Mary told me she would save the loose hair from her hairbrush and tuck it into the plaits to give her hair more body.
Hannah Hemson (Cumberland)

George, unusually, had a passport, perhaps because he travelled to France with his trade. It was issued in 1925, when he was 61 years old. He was rather short (5 feet 4 and a half inches) with grey hair, grey eyes and a moustache. George was very religious and was active in the church serving on the altar and writing and giving sermons.

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Mary Philomena was one of seven children born to George and Hannah; Frederick George born 1888, Cyril Edward born 1891, Sidney born 1893, Victor born 1897, Augustine (who we knew as Gus 1898), and Florence born 1904. All of them were born in Chelsea.
The Hemsons Top: Cyril Frederick Victor Middle: Mary Hannah Florence George Bottom: Augustine Sidney

Marys brother all fought in the first world war in France, and all suffered greatly. Cyril and Sidney were both gassed, Gus suffered shell shock, and Frederick had an injured foot that left him with a permanent limp. Sidney was a stretcher bearer and never recovered fully from the sights of dead and dying soldiers that he had to deal with. Victor became a Police Inspector in London and was known as Old Chelsea. Florence suffered a long illness and spent a lot of time at St Georges Home, where she wrote letters to the family. She seems to have had a respiratory disease and eating difficulties, but remains positive in the letters. Sadly, she died in March 1924, from Influenza, aged only 20 years. Hannah was heartbroken.
Florence Jack Hemson

Gus Hemson wedding. George and Hannah with children on laps. Alfred & Mary behind them, holding twins, John & Joan

Mary Hemson

Hannah Hemson

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George was one of nine children born to Henry B Hemson and Mary A Hemson. In 1881 they were living at 39, Harleyford Road, Lambeth. Henry B was born on Middlesex in 1837, and Mary was born in London in 1847. Henrys father was also called Henry B, and he was born in 1811. Henry B Jnrs mother was Mary Gibbons born in Cookham, Berkshire. Her mother was Elizabeth Gibbons, born in 1784.

Henry Hemson & family 1881 census

Henry Hemson Snr & family 1841 census

At some stage before 1926, George and Hannah moved to 14, Moore Park Road, Fulham. It was in this house that Mary Philomena and Alfred Edgar Rennie lived when they were married, and where my father and his two sisters were born. The Hemsons are buried in North Sheen cemetery, which is also where James Rennie is buried. They are in plot AR 73, which is alongside the boundary in the South East corner. The grave was originally for Florence Hannah, their youngest th daughter, who died on the 12 February 1924 aged only 20 years. The gravestone is quite substantial and tall with lead inlays that have deteriorated, and the oval plaque is missing. The stone is leaning over from subsidence. At the top is the slightly mysterious inscription Our Darling Jack. This was the pet name for Florence, who was a tomboy and preferred that name. George died on th December 5 1930 aged 66 years. He is buried with Florence, in the North Sheen plot. His inscription also mentions that for over 50 years he was an altar server and MC. Hannah died on Match 27 1944 at 14 Moore Park Road. She is buried with George. In her will, her total estate was 280 pounds 8 shillings, of which 150 came from the sale of 14, Moore Park Road. This was divided amongst her six surviving children; May, Ivy, Sid, Gus, Vic and Fred, who received 29 pounds and 10 pence each. Victor purchased the furniture for 4 pounds 10 shillings.
Gus Hemson and Alfred Rennie The juxtaposition of the Gentlemen sign is quite deliberate!
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The Cumberlands
Hannah Cumberland was born in Wales in Llanelli Carmarthenshire, in 1864. The family was not Welsh. Her father was Charles Cumberland, a Drill Sergeant in the Army. He was from Hadley in Dorset, and was born in 1815. Her mother was Jane Richards, and she was born in 1828 in Spratton, Northants. Hannah had two older sisters; Anne born in 1860, and Elizabeth born in 1861.

Charles & Jane Cumberland

Jane Cumberland (Richards) with baby Hannah & Annie

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In the 1851 census, Charles is stationed at Winchester, and is in the Barracks of the 2 Battalion Grenadier Guards, aged 36 years. He seems to have married late in life. In the 1861 census, Charles and Jane are living in Llanelli at Dale buildings. Charles had left the army and was working as a railway labourer, and Anne, their daughter, was 11 months old.

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Charles Cumberland 1851 army census

Cumberland family 1861 Llanelli census

Ten years later, in 1871, Charles is still working as a railway labourer. The family is living at 4, Station Road, Llanelli, which is a public house. They now have two more daughters; Elizabeth, aged 10 years and Hannah aged 7 years. In the same house is Ann Tudor, who is described as a Publican. She is also from Spratton, Northants. This is interesting, because Mary, my aunt, believed that Hannahs family name was Tudor, although I could find no trace of this in the records. The fact that they are sharing a house in Llanelli with someone from such a small village as Spratton, and so far away, cant be coincidence. Jane had a younger sister called Ann, so I suspect that Ann married a Tudor, and it could be that the family connection with the name Tudor comes from Hannahs aunts married name.

The Cumberland family 1871 Llanelli census. Note: Next door is Ann Tudor who is Jane Cumberlands sister. Both are from Spratton (Stratton) Northants. This may be the source of the rumoured Tudor family name.

In the 1881 census, William L Tudor from Middlesex, and his wife, Ann from Spratton, Northants are living in Bermondsey at 235, Long Lane. He is a Time Keeper. They have a daughter, Elizabeth aged 16, born at Bromley-by-Bow, and three younger children, all born in Carmarthenshire. Charles Cumberland died in Llanelli in 1874 aged 60.

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Origin of the Cumberland Name

This is an English locational surname. It is an excellent example of a 'from' surname, in that it is rarely if ever recorded in Cumberland itself before the 19th century. Locational surnames were usually given to people after they left their original village or county or even country. It being the easiest method of identification to call a person by the name of the place from whence, he or sometimes she, originated. The county of Cumberland is first recorded in the year 945 a.d. in the famous Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, loosely if not too accurately described as 'the first newspaper'. In those far off days the spelling was as 'Cumbraland', meaning 'the land of the Cumbrians', in fact the early Britons. The surname is much later with Thomas Cumberland being recorded in the early church registers of the diocese of Greater London in 1548, whilst Richard Cumberland, was a witness at St Brides church, Fleet Street, city of London, in 1635. The first recording of Cumberland in the county of Cumberland, was probably Peter Cumberland at Maryport, on October 19th 1878.

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Alfred John Rennie

Alfred John Rennie (or John as he preferred to be called) was my father. He was born at 11.50 am on the 4th of August 1927 in South Fulham. Joan May, his twin sister was born shortly afterwards. John and Joans parents were Alfred Edgar and Mary Philomena Rennie, and they had been married just over a year when the twins were born. In 1930, Mary Philomena Jnr was born. At the time, the family was living at 14, Moore Park Road, Fulham with Marys parents, George and Hannah Hemson. John began his education at Harwood Elementary School in Fulham, where he did reasonably well. He was recognized as intelligent, but his reports said he did not work hard enough. In 1937 he moved to the Oratory Boys RC School, Chelsea. Joan and Mary attended the girls equivalent. Here John seems to nd have worked hard, and was 2 out of 41 pupils in the class in 1938. Today, the Oratory School is popular with the privileged, especially politicians (Tony Blair and Harriet Harmann sent their children there)

On the 27 June 1938 at the age of 11, John was awarded a Junior County Scholarship to the Cardinal Vaughan School, Kensington, by London County Council. His father had to sign an undertaking that John would remain in attendance at the school until he was 17 years old, otherwise he would have to reimburse 5 to the Council.

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From his school reports, his progress was rather mixed and he took some time to settle. During this period, he suffered from bad health and missed a lot of schooling because of absences. He contracted Diphtheria and had to spend time in isolation, although fortunately suffered no long-term effects. He also had the start of a duodenal ulcer, brought on by stress and going too long without food, which eventually required major abdominal surgery, and which left him with a gastro-intestinal weakness throughout his life. He told us that he technically died on the operating table, and had to be resuscitated. After this, he was given special food such as fish and fruit to build him up. This was also during wartime, and London was being bombed, so it is hardly surprising his schooling would suffer. Even so, there were signs that he could do well in Physics, which was to be his eventual career path. Over the next few years, his schooling in London was disrupted by bombing and evacuation. By 1943, Alfred and Mary had moved out to Hampton Hill, and John attended Hampton Grammar School. There in the first year, he did exceptionally well in the exams and was top of the class. He was first in English, Geography, History, Maths, Physics and Chemistry. His Form Master commented on Johns report: A most unexpected exam result. He has been hiding his light under a bushel during the term. The fluctuations in performance

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due to ill health continued. In the next term he slipped to 14 in the class, then bounced back to 3 in the following term. He was excused physical education, but it was noted that he was keen on the rifle club. The children were evacuated again when the bombing got bad. Initially John went to Windsor, whilst Mary and Joan went to Cambridge. Apart from missing their parents, the two sisters enjoyed Cambridge. They had lived in London all their lives, so the countryside was a new experience. They ran wild on the farm, riding shire horses and playing in woods and in a quarry. After visiting them, Grandma decided this was too much, and moved them to Windsor near John. Johns experience was more miserable. For a time he stayed with some other boys at a house owned by a Squadron Leader at 4, Bolton Crescent Windsor. His housekeeper secretly contacted Grandma and recommended that John be moved away from the Squadron Leader, who seems to have made advances towards John. He was moved to another family in Windsor, where the father was a stone mason, and John was allowed to get up to all sorts of mischief, going out at night and messing around on river boats at Eton. All in all, they were evacuated for 2 years.

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John at the Copper Horse, Windsor Great Park. It was a favourite spot of his, and we have similar pictures of us there as kids

While he was staying at Bolton Crescent, he wrote a letter home that contained poems that had amused him:

John loved this type of poems, and in later years would read Hilaire Bellocs cautionary tales to us. Because of his ill health, John was excused from military service. He chose not to go to University, and instead got a job as a laboratory assistant in a small company that carried out animal work. He didnt like the work and found it unfulfilling. He told us that one cold night, he had set up a paraffin heater to keep the laboratory mice warm, but it had a rather sooty flame. In the morning, all of white mice were completely black. This was probably the start of his love affair with paraffin burners.

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Johns Travel Identity Card

Job offer at the NPL

Official Secrets Act

In 1945, he left that Company and applied to the National Physics Laboratory at Teddington, th Middlesex. On 29 August he was offered a position as a Laboratory Assistant at a commencing wage of 42/6d per week, plus a 12 shillings war bonus. The working week was 44 hours and there were 12 paid days holiday a year. Because the NPL was in the Civil Service, he had to sign the Official Secrets Act. He started evening classes at Twickenham College in Science, and in 1949 passed an intermediate examination at the University of London which qualified him to proceed to an external degree course. In March 1952, he applied for a special examination in Pure Mathematics as an external subsidiary subject at the University of London and passed it. With the distraction of marriage and his first child (me), he did not continue with his University aspirations until September 1954, when he registered as an external student for a BSc in Physics at the Science faculty of University of London. Unfortunately, with the arrival of two more children in quick succession, he did not complete the course. His lack of a degree qualification was to handicap him throughout his career at the NPL, where it stopped him getting on to the Management scale. This was a great pity because he was easily intelligent and technically skillful enough to have achieved a good degree.
Recording at Leeds copper works 1955

By 1953 he had been promoted to Assistant Experimental Officer, and then to Experimental Officer in 1958. The annual salary at this grade was 970, rising to 1190. At some stage, he moved onto the Scientific Officer scale, and was a Higher Scientific Officer when he retired in 1987.

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His main work was in Acoustics, and he was involved in a number of environmental noise projects. The ones he most enjoyed were related to aircraft noise measurement. This entailed working closely on airbases with Tornado pilots, and he seems to have got on very well with them. He and his colleagues had van filled with noise measurement equipment that they used to take on site. One of his jobs involved climbing to the top of a communications mast, which quite scary as it swayed in the wind. He was the author of a published scientific paper on aircraft noise reduction.
John far right working with RAF personnel John promotion letter

His immediate bosses recognized his qualities and recommended him for promotion to Senior Scientific Officer, but in spite of attending a number of review board interviews, he was never promoted. This was the source of a little bitterness and resentment, and in later years he took a more relaxed approach to his work and set out to enjoy himself more. His motto became Nil Illegitimi Carborundum. He liked to take long lunch breaks and often went into Bushy Park, which backed onto the NPL site, where he used to eat his lunch and watch the deer. On his final performance review document, his manager described his performance as significantly above grade. He also made the rather pointed comment that: It is a sadness to me that Mr Rennie will retire as an HSO rather than as an SSO. His contribution to the repayment work of the Branch is such that in many respects he fully warrants promotion. On September 23 1985 he received a 40 years service award, which included a dinner out with his colleagues. He was given a spoof certificate by those colleagues, which read as follows:
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Johns retirement date was supposed to be 31 August 1987, when he was 60 years old, but because he had some sick leave in the run up to retirement, he offered to continue until 1988. By this time he had completed 42 years service. Once he retired, he never looked back, and clearly enjoyed retirement.

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In his photographs, John was a good looking boy, quite serious, with fair hair and grey eyes. As was the norm, he often wore a shirt tie and jacket. He was not one for expensive clothes, and in later years tended to wear rather eccentric clothes like Barbour jackets and a rather scruffy gilet. In later years he also grew a beard, which was grey, but suited him rather well and made him look distinguished. As well as his clothes, he had make-do attitude and was never extravagant or materialistic. He spent hours wasting the time of shop or car showroom sales people, but rarely bought anything. He preferred holidays on the Isle of Wight, the West Country or France, rather than more exotic destinations, although my parents did visit my Uncle David Walters in Florida, which they both enjoyed. Although we rarely had alcohol in the house, John liked to indulge during French holidays, sometimes having a glass of vin rouge with his breakfast. He definitely wasnt a connoisseur of wine. He was happy to drink the cheapest vin de table on our French holidays, and once challenged us to a taste test of his choice in a plastic bottle versus some more expensive vintages (needless to say, we won!). We were especially amused to see a tramp lying asleep on a bench in a French town with the same plastic bottle of wine beside him. John had a largish nose, and it used to go bright red when he drank wine. His makedo attitude extended to DIY and car repairs. He never used garages or tradesmen, but did everything himself. He was quite skilled and taught us boys how to do most household and car repairs. There was a very clear demarcation in household duties. My mother did all of the cooking, cleaning and care of children, my father did DIY, gardening and car repairs.

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John had a succession of elderly cars that he nursed along, and seemed to need constant repairs. Most of my memories of him are a pair of legs sticking out from under a car, or the smell of Swarfega that he used to clean his hands with when he finally came in to lunch. In later years he re-built a Marlin Kit car from a wreck that hed seen in a field.
Dad & Pascale in the Marlin John and Vernon in characteristic pose

When he was young, John had had music lessons, including piano. He seems to have been very popular with his piano teacher who was a touring actor called Albert Digny, and stayed in touch and sent John signed photographs from his roles. He also sent a letter in December 1945 written on notepaper from the Chancellery in Berlin. He had been on a tour with an opera company and had got hold of the official embossed paper with the Nazi eagle and Swastika emblem. The letter reads as follows: Dear John You will be surprised to hear from me, but I have often thought about you all since we visited you some months ago. How are you getting on and when are you going to visit us? I recently returned from a tour of Germany with an opera company. I went to Hamburg, Berlin, the Ruhr and Cologne etc. All the big cities are flat. Berlin and Cologne are flat. This is some of Hitlers note paper which I got from the Chancellery! That was a huge place, only a shell remains now! I hope you are keeping well and enjoying your work when I saw you you said you were expecting to go to work. We shall always be pleased to see you when you feel like making the trip. I know it is a fair distance from your place. Let me know and I will meet you at Waterloo. My wife and I send our kindest regards to you all and our best wishes for a happy Xmas and a prosperous new year Yours ever Albert Digny PS I enclose a photo taken in Germany where I play Rudolf in La Boheme. Hope you like it.

Albert Digny letter written on Hitlers notepaper

Albert Digny in La Boheme

Albert Digney had his eye on Grandma, and perhaps that was one of the reasons he was so friendly, but nothing untoward happened. We had a piano in the house when we were young, but my father rarely played it, and if he did, it was always Teddy Bears picnic. He seemed to have a larger repertoire on the mouth organ, and used to play a few jigs, including Cock of the North.

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The story of how John met my mother, Dinah, is best told in her memoirs: I joined the Catholic youth club at St Jamess school in Twickenham with my friend Maureen Elms. Little did I know that it was here that I was to meet my future husband. John Rennie walked into the school hall of the youth club one evening with his sister Mary. I thought what a nice looking boy. I was sixteen and a half, and John, nineteen. The following week he turned up with his arm in a sling. Apparently, he had been going too fast down a hill on his bike and lost control. He ended up in bushes with a broken collar bone. My main worry was that he was going to miss the youth club outing to Brighton at the weekend. But no, there he was, with one good arm, well put to use on the back seat of the coach. So we started to go out together. He was doing a part-time degree at Battersea College, as well as his job at the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington. His subject was Maths and Physics. At weekends, John was the organizer for youth club trips rambles, cycle rides, picnics and river outings. We also got involved in amateur dramatics, and put on a play for a competition at Toynbe Hall in London. I was given an acting part, and John did all the lighting. A short time before I met him, John had been through a serious operation. He was evacuated during the war and not looked after very well, and as a result had developed a stomach ulcer. He was recovering when we met but often felt trembly and weak and kept raisins and biscuits in his pockets as a precaution. He gradually grew out of this and became fit and strong. He took me home to meet his parents and two sisters. I was very shy, but they were lovely and I soon felt at ease. His mother was a great cook and I leant a lot from her. His sister Mary became a nurse at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children. We became great friends in later life when our children were born. John and I married in 1951 and a year later our first son was born.

John & Dinah wedding. On the left Mary & Alfred Rennie, Mary Rennie, Carol Hammerton, On the right Dinahs friend Maureen, Joan Rennie, David Walters, Maisie

Alfred John Rennie and Dinah Marion Walters were married on the thirtieth of June 1951 at St Margarets Catholic Church, St Margarets Road, Twickenham. John was 23 and Dinah was 20 years old. At the time, John was living with his parents at 33, Longford Close, Hampton Hill, and Dinah was with her parents at 93, Marlow Crescent, Twickenham.

John & Dinah marriage certificate

They went on honeymoon to Shanklin on the Isle of Wight, staying in a Bed & Breakfast bungalow with a Mrs Matthews. They returned there one year later with me as a newborn baby.

John & Dinah honeymoon on the Isle of Wight 1951

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After they were married, they went to live in a flat at the top of a house occupied by Dinahs Grandmother and Aunt Nora in 56, Winchester Road, St Margarets. John and Dinah had a very close relationship and were both very religious. They were very involved with the Catholic Church and we went every Sunday and on holy days of obligation. John was an active member of the Knights of St Columba, although it seemed to be as much a social club as a benevolent organization. He was eventually appointed Grand Knight. For this he had to wear a special neck band with various badges attached, which sounds a bit masonic, although there is no connection. After John retired, they moved to a bungalow in Grovers Gardens, Beacon Hill, where they had happy times and made a new set of friends at the local church.
John in Grand Knight regalia with Dinah 2 from left
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Johns stomach problems, which he had had when he was young, started to catch up with him, and he developed duodenal cancer at the site of the old operation scar. He had to have a major operation to remove his stomach. Although this affected his ability to digest food, he lived a relatively normal life for a few more years. th Unfortunately, the cancer returned and he eventually died on 12 April 1996 aged 68 at Midhurst Hospice. He was buried in the same graveyard as his parents at St Josephs RC Church, Grayshott, Surrey.

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Dinah Marion Rennie ( Walters )

My mother, Dinah Marion Walters, was born on the 4 of December 1930 in Richmond, Surrey. Her mother was Maisie Walters nee Woodley, and her father was Michael Walters. Dinah had two younger brothers, David and Dudley. Maisie was born Edna Maisie in 1904 in Shepherds Bush, London, and lived to reach 100 years, until 2004. She was a tiny slim lady with a feisty temperament. In her youth she and her sisters dressed very elegantly.
Michael Walters
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Michael, David, Maisie & Dinah Walters

Maisie Woodley Michael & Maisie with baby Dinah

Roma, Maisie Nora With Dinah & Peter in front

Her mother was Mary Anne Hamstead, and her father was William Frederick Woodley. Sometimes Hamstead is spelt Hampstead. Mary Anne was my Great Grandmother, and we knew her as Bubby. She was born in 1884. They had four children; Maisie, Gordon, Nora and Roma. In the 1911 census, they were living at 31, Askew Road, Shepherds Bush. William was 32, Mary Anne (May) was 28, Maisie 6, Gordon 5, Honora 4, and Monica (Roma) 1 year old.
Mary Hamstead Bubby William Woodley

Mary Annes parents were Winifred (Minnie) Barry and Richard Hamstead, who later divorced. Winifred was born in Acton Middlesex in 1864. Winifreds parents were Honorah and William Barry from Limerick, Eire. In the 1881 census, they were living at 3, Freemans Cottages, Bollo Bridge Road, Acton. William was born in 1836, and Honora in 1837. As well as Winifred, they had a son, Patrick, born in 1858, and a daughter, Katherine, born in 1872. William was a bricklayers labourer.

Winifred Barry

Michael Walters was from a Polish Jewish family. His father was Harris Walters, a tailor, and his mother was Sarah Leskovitch. The name Walters was adopted by the family when they came to England as refugees in the late 1800s. We dont know what the original Polish name was. We do know that they lived in S.E. Poland at 16, Kilinskiego Street, Tarwobrzeg, They had seven children; five boys and two girls. Harris was well educated and also a Rabbi. Michaels cousin was Solomon Cutner, who was a virtuoso pianist. Sadly, his musical talents didnt extend to our side of the family.
Harris Walters Sarah Leskovitch

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When Dinah was in her teens, she had a Jewish look about her, with long dark hair and was very attractive. She was very petite, about 5 feet tall, and remained slim throughout her life. nd She married my father in 1951, when she was just 20, and I was born on 2 June 1952, th th followed in quick succession by Michael, August 4 1953, Veronica, November 13 1954 and th Catharine, November 9 1956, so that by the age of 25 she had 4 children under the age of 5. In spite of that she kept the house spotlessly clean and tidy, something she did throughout her life. Mum went on to have 2 more children, Matthew, who sadly died prematurely in th 1958, and Jonathan, born 30 April 1961. When Michael was born, Dinah contracted jaundice in the hospital and was quite ill. She also suffered from depression after Matthews death, and I remember us older children staying with our Grandparents until she recovered. Throughout her life she was plagued by nerves and anxiety, but still had a sense of fun and a loving nurturing personality.
Matthew birth certificate

In 1963, we moved to 15, Malus Drive, Addlestone, which was a nice new white painted detached house on a small estate in Rowtown. After two years, a big Victorian house was demolished just behind Malus Drive, and a few new houses were built. They had four bedrooms and bigger gardens, so my parents decided to move us there to 12, Howards Lane. This was to be the house we children thought most of as home.

20, Second Cross Road, Twickenham

15, Malus Drive, Addlestone

12, Howards Lane, Addlestone with Catharine sitting on Michaels VW Campervan, and my Ford Escort on road

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When Dad retired in 1987, Mum & Dad moved to a bungalow in Beacon Hill. They loved it there, became involved in this church, and through it met many friends. Mum and Dad were married for 45 happy years, but when Dad died in 1996, she became a shadow of her former self. By that time Catharine and her family had moved to Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire, and Mum went to visit them at the Mill they had bought. She was struck by the beauty of the place, in particular the blue bells at Leith Hall and the charming little Millers cottage next to the mill.
Millers Cottage

On her next visit she jokingly said that if Catharine had another baby, it would be a good excuse to move north to help out. At the time Catharine laughed as she had no intention of having another baby, but not long after, to her surprise, she became pregnant with Daniel. They took it as a sign from Dad that Mum should move to Scotland, so she bought the cottage and started a new phase of her life. She became a new person, made new friends, improved the cottage, and became a guide at Leith Hall, which she was incredibly good at. She loved Scottish history and visiting the castles and stately homes, and most of all she liked writing amusing poetry. Mum loved most things about Scotland, except the weather, especially the cold wind. She was rarely seen without a hat, even in high summer. She kept the sitting room in the cottage at sauna temperatures, so that most visitors were close to passing out. I used to joke that she was trying to heat Aberdeenshire.
Mum as a guide at Leith Hall Leith Hall

In 2012, Mum had a recurrence of a cancer that she had had a year earlier and which had been operated on. It started to take hold in the autumn and she got weaker. Catharine and I took her for a short holiday to Glen Affric, which she really enjoyed, and we were able to take her to see the beautiful view point at Plodda Falls. Sadly that was her last th holiday and she died peacefully a few days after we got back on 30 October 2012.
Mum with Catharine, Freya, me and Phoebe the dog at Plodda Falls

Mum had a service with her friends at the Huntly Parish Church, and then travelled down to Grayshott for a family funeral. She is buried with my father at St Josephs Churchyard in Grayshott. The staff at Leith Hall have planted a memorial Rowan Tree in the Gardens at the house.
Planting the memorial tree at Leith Hall

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One of her funny little poems says it all: Im getting used to it up here The different shades of grey The biting winds, the muddy drive The lack of sun each day And thats just in the summertime When everything is flowery If only we could cut the grass But then its much too showery But come the winter and the snow Transforms the world to white The muddy drive has turned to ice And everything is bright The sun shines here in winter The skies are clear and blue Unfortunately Im stuck in bed Ive been and caught the flu Aside from heating bills, Dinah could not be called extravagant. She wasnt at all materialistic and, like my father, had a make-do approach, which made it a nightmare buying her birthday or Christmas presents. She had 14 Grandchildren who she doted on, and never forgot each ones birthdays. Although she wouldnt spend money on herself, she was very generous with charities. Over the years she has contributed financially to building homes for the needy in East Africa, through the Little Way Charity. Every time she had a major event in her life, good or bad, she sent enough to have a small one room house built. Throughout her life she would entertain us with funny poems. Her last one she didnt quite finish but expresses her thoughts and character perfectly. Mums last Poem If this should be my final poem Id need a paper bag A large one, strong enough to hold Each thought Id ever had. A space for every word and deed For all the things in life The happiness, the smiles, the joys The worries, tears and strife. The regret of things so harshly said With feelings running high; A word of praise, a sudden hug That make you want to cry. The wonder of the snowflakes Upon a Christmas eve, And creeping in the childrens room With presents there to leave. And packing for a journey The scent of new mown hay, And warm wet sand between your toes, A happy holiday!

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Before she died in 2013, I asked my mother to write a short account of her life. This is what she wrote: I was born Dec 4 1930 at 61, Lower Mortlake Road, Richmond. My first memory was sitting in a pushchair with my younger cousin, Peter. I was about 4 years old. It was raining and the hood of the pram was up. My Mothers sister, aunt Roma, was hurrying along pushing the chair up and down the kerbs, making our heads bump together. We were crying. My Mother was one of four children three girls and one boy. Her parents marriage was rather a stormy relationship, and eventually they separated when the children were still quite young. My Grandmother was of Irish descent, and my Grandfather was English. Because of the separation, I never knew him, but my Grandmother always lived with one of her daughters, my Aunt Nora. I was very fond of both of them indeed. My Mothers brother, Gordon, named me after one of his favourite singers when I was born. Therefore I was called Dinah Marion. I never liked the Dinah, and wanted to be called Marion, but never was. So I was stuck with it. My father was Jewish, and his family were refugees from Poland, coming to England around the late 1800s. My parents first met while my Grandmother and family were living in a house on Eel Pie Island in Twickenham. The river was very popular with holiday punts in those days, and this young man had moored his punt to knock on my Grandmothers door to ask if they did teas. My Grandmother, ever obliging, said not really, but that they would. That young man, Michael, was my Mother Maisies future husband and my Father to be. Later on I had two brothers, David and then the youngest of us, Dudley. Because my Father was Jewish, and my Mother a Catholic, my father kept the marriage a secret until I was born. He feared trouble with his family. But he neednt have worried. They welcomed my Mother, and in fact, during the war, my Grandmother came down from London to stay with us away from the bombing. She was a tiny fat lady called Sarah very sweet. My father was one of seven children, five boys and two girls. Again, I never knew my Grandfather as I think he died before I was born. We were always a close family, especially with my Mothers side, as we all lived near each other. In fact, for a while during the early part of my parents marriage, they all lived in the same house at the bottom of Richmond Bridge in Surrey, until my parents felt the need f or a place of their own. They moved to Twickenham, in a rented house, which was usual in those days. Hardly anyone owned their own houses. I was born in Richmond, but my brothers in Twickenham, which was Middlesex then. Because of the difference in their religions, my parents could not be married in a Catholic church in those days, so they married in a registry office. Consequently, this prevented my Mother from keeping up her faith, although us children were all baptized Catholics and attended church every week with my aunts and cousins. Later on in years, I worried about this, and persuaded my parents to go along to the Catholic church where they were remarried in a private ceremony. After that, my mother was a devout churchgoer, and never missed mass. My Aunt Roma and Uncle Charles lived at the other end of our crescent. They had two children, my cousins Peter and Carol. Later on they would adopt a little girl called Roma. My Aunt Nora and Uncle Jim had a little girl called Monica, or Toots for short. When she was eighteen months old, she fell and banged her head and became ill with meningitis. She never survived. Mt aunt Nora was distraught. It was tragic for us all, and my poor aunt never really got over it. She later adopted two children, a little boy called John, and later a little girl called Mary. I was very close to John and used to read to him and stay overnight in their house in Richmond. Later on, when they moved to St Margarets, I would take him home from school lunchtimes, and then back again. He was like another little brother. We all went to school in Twickenham a Catholic school called St James. But then the war came. I remember the first air raid siren. It was a Sunday morning. We were all scare, but after a short while, the all clear went. But that was only the beginning. My father began to dig a huge trench in the middle of the lawn, in which he erected an Anderson shelter made from corrugated iron. This was meant to protect you from an air raid, although I must admit I felt safer in the house. My Grandmother also had an Anderson, although she made it quite homely. She actually wallpapered the walls. Later on, when the bombing got really bad, she and my aunt and family went with their neighbours over to the cellars of the Turks Head pub across the road. I remember spending one really bad night there. The bombing was awful and the cellar very claustrophobic. Fom our back garden we were able to see the red glow in the sky from London, where the city was on fire. We also had some heavy bombing locally, and us children used to go out in the morning to pick up the shrapnel some still warm. I kept it in a little tin as a souvenir. About two years into the war, my Father received his calling up papers. He passed A1. As the youngest men st were called up first, his age group was one of the last to go. He was in the 1 Army Division, and was sent to Italy, Austria and North Africa. His first duty was as a batman to a padre. This involved going to minister to the wounded on the battlefields. He hated it. After a while, he became a convoy driver, a dangerous job as they were continuously bombed or machine gunned. We received letters from him, always censored with part of the writing scored out. During all this time, the bombing at home grew worse with the coming of the V1s, a new pilotless weapon. So the family decided to up sticks and go down to the coast at East Wittering, where some distant cousins lived. We stayed in a big bungalow close to the shore and went to the local school. I was very happy there, except for one thing. Nearby was an American army camp where they held ENSA concerts. My younger
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cousins and brothers were allowed to attend, but my Mother would not let me go. She thought it might not be safe with all those young soldiers around. I was about twelve, with long dark hair and I suppose she wanted to protect me. I was very innocent and couldnt understand this. Coming home from school one afternoon, we were amazed to see hundreds of young soldiers in fields and gardens, with wet clothes hanging on bushes to dry. Our own garden was covered in them. We had about four soldiers in our garage and my Mother and aunts were looking after them. They were very young, 18-19 years of age, mostly from the North of England, but some were in the Black Watch regiment. We grew very fond of them, especially Frank and Eric. They were preparing to go over to France and had a mock practice invasion while staying with us. It was a sad day for us when the whole battalion moved off on their way to France. We often wondered if they survived the dreadful battle on the French beaches. After about ten months, we all went back home. We stayed there for a while, but then came a new weapon called a V2. This was an unmanned rocket, which came out of the blue with no warning. We grew rather used to this, until one landed opposite our house. Fortunately it did not explode- just blew our back door off. We had spent the night in my aunt Romas indoor shelter, like a huge cage with a metal roof. The whole of our road was cordoned off with us in it, so it was decided to up sticks again and go down to Oxfordshire, where some cousins of the family ran a pub called the Three Horseshoes. This was in a small village called Towsey, near Thame. We went to school in Thame, and I hated it. I had just passed a scholarship to the Gregg School in Ealing, a commercial typing college. My Mother wouldnt let me take it up as it was too dangerous, so I missed my chance. I did not like living in the stone cottage with a well. Two cats laid out dead rats overnight on the kitchen floor, and the biggest spiders you have ever seen. I even woke one morning to find one spread-eagled on the surface of my glass of water beside my bed. It has freaked me out ever since. I now keep my glass covered. There were lots of Italian prisoners of war working in the fields. They were brown and were very friendly and happy to be out of the war. There was also an American camp there. I used to watch them dancing with the local girls at the village hall. I could not understand what they were doing in a quiet safe area like this, while my father was fighting far from home. I hated them for being to snug. Occasionally, as things got quieter, my Grandmother and aunt would go back home for a while. I badgered my Mother to let me go with them, and once she did. Oh, the bliss of it. To be in a familiar place again. We used to eat in the civic hall restaurant, rather like a soup kitchen. Meals were cheap, but I loved it, especially potatoes out of ice cream scoops. I even learnt to like greens. We eventually all came home as the end of war was in sight. I remember the day my Father came home. I was at aunt Romas house and she had asked me to stay for tea. My uncle Charles came in at that moment and said I should go home. I was disappointed, but as I opened our back door, I saw my Fathers army cap on the chair. I rushed in and flung my arms around him. He was half laughing half crying. He kept saying how big I had grown. He had not seen us for nearly three years. My Father was a quiet man, and soon settled down. He went back to his job in Fleet Street, where he was a printer on the papers. He also worked on a magazine called Punch, whose editor was Malcolm Muggeridge, a quite famous chap. My parents used to go to the annual dinners and overseas holidays organized by the firm. My father brought home copies of the smart magazines to read. I loved browsing The Tattler and Illustrated London News. He seldom spoke about the war. I went back to school for a while and eventually went to St Catharines convent in Twickenham. I had always been taught by nuns, and always felt very happy with them, but with so much of my education being disrupted by the war, I found it hard to settle down. I decided to leave school and go to work. I started in a very smart hairdressers salon, called Charles, in Richmond. We were four young apprentices, two assistants, and Mr and Mrs Charles. Mr Charles was Scottish. We all wore red outfits and each apprentice had their own hairdresser to work with. My hairdresser was Vincent, a dashing Italian young man, with a stunning wife. However, this did not stop him flirting with the girls usually me, or Margaret, another brunette like me. I had my first kiss from Vincent in the cellar where we made up shampoo. He had me in fits of laughter, squeezing my hand as I was passing him pins from the tray while he was working on a customer. If he was around during a coffee break, and I happened to be there, I would end up being pulled onto his lap. I think he was pretty harmless, but one day, when I arrived for work, he was not there. No explanation was given, so whether he left of his own accord, or was given the sack, I shall never know. Mrs Charles asked me if I missed him. I said I missed his work. Shortly after that I joined the Catholic youth club at St James School with my friend Maureen Elms. Little did I know I was to meet my future husband.

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Paul Rennie Memories

I was born on 2 June 1952 at West Middlesex Hospital in Chiswick. I was the first of six children. My mother, Dinah, was only 20 years old when she had me. Even though I was slightly premature, I was born with a full head of brown hair and had a slight yellow colour due to jaundice, which my mother reckoned made me look tanned and less pasty than the other babies on the ward. At the time, my parents were living with my mothers aunt Nora in Winchester Road, St Margarets. They lived in a small flat at the top of a terraced Victorian house. After about a year, they bought a house at 20, Second Cross Road, Twickenham. This was newish semi-detached house in a narrow road with an odd mix of reasonable houses at one end, and clay brick, almost slum, houses with no bathrooms at the other end. In between were a pub, a perfume factory and a grocers shop run by Mrs Hodges. The house had three bedrooms, one living room, and a long garden that backed onto Jobs Dairy. My first brother, Michael, was born when I was one year old, on August th 4 1953, which was my fathers birthday. Veronica was born a year th later on November 13 1954, and then Catharine, when I was 4 years th old, on 9 November 1956.
Grandpa & Nana Walters, Great Grandad Rennie, Mum with me, Dad, Great Grandma Woodley, Grandma & Granddad Rennie
nd

One of my earliest memories is getting my head stuck in one of the decorative loops of the woven bamboo th cot, trying to see newborn Catharine when she was brought home from the hospital. On 4 September 1958 my mother gave birth to a son called Matthew, who died a few hours after being born prematurely. Then, on th 30 April 1961, my youngest brother, Jonathan, was born. I went to school at St James RC School in Twickenham. On the first day, my father cycled to the school with me sitting on the crossbar a very uncomfortable journey. Later he fitted a small seat and footrests to make it easier. I still recall walking into the hall and the smell of the black tarry oil that was used to treat the floor, and which left black marks on everything. We were taught by nuns, and the hall was the classroom for the first year. I was reasonably happy at school in spite of a horrifying experience of being force fed school dinners by the nuns, leaving me with a life-long phobia about cold mashed potato and cabbage, and even worse, nuns with spoons.
Michael, Veronica & me at Second Cross Road

Our early childhood in Second Cross Road was quite insular. We were discouraged from playing with the kids in the street, although we were quite friendly with the Ellisons next door but one, and even went on holiday with them to the Isle of Wight. We tended to play amongst ourselves in the garden or with our cousins. We saw a lot of our Grandparents. Grandma and Granddad Rennie lived in Longford Close, Hampton Hill. They were great fun and often came out with us on picnics and holidays.
Dads painting of the rear of Second Cross Rd

My Grandfather, Alfred, had a garage full of car parts, tools and best of all, bottles and cans of liquid. We used to make potions with the liquids, fill up a Flit fly spray pump, and then spray it all around the garden. My Grandfather was very tolerant of us making a mess in his garage. He had a wicked sense of humour and loved playing practical jokes. One Christmas, one of my cousins had a baby doll as a present that had a nappy and could cry tears and wet itself. At some time during the afternoon, there was an almighty shriek

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from my cousin, because the doll had filled its nappy with very realistic looking yellow poo. Granddad had put a spoonful of mustard in the nappy when no-one was looking. We also saw a lot of Nana Walters (Maisie) and her sisters Aunt Nora and Aunt Roma. They were very lively and talked non-stop, but constantly fell out with one another, so that we rarely saw them all together. Grandpa Walters was rather withdrawn and we were a little scared of him. He used to hide away in the sitting room with the television, and we werent allowed in. We were desperate to go in that room because it was full of exotic souvenir items that they had bought during their holidays abroad. In particular, there was a gondola that played the Venetian boat song when wound up, and I was always being told off for touching it. I later found out that if you could see him when Nana wasnt around, he was a different person, and much more friendly and gregarious, so perhaps he was a bit browbeaten by her. He worked in Fleet Street as a printer, and always had copies of the Evening Standard and Punch magazine, with the crossword puzzles completed. He came from a Polish Jewish background, but had renounced his faith when he married Irish Catholic Maisie. They were surprisingly well travelled for that time, going on continental holidays with his Company social club. We were taken out a lot to Kew gardens, Hampton court, and Richmond and Old Deer Parks, as well as down to the coast (usually Littlehampton or West Wittering). We also went to London, especially the museums and Regents Park Zoo. At Christmas, we would be taken to Harrods in Knightsbridge, and let loose in the toy dept while the adults shopped for presents. We were often thrown out by the staff for misbehaving, but we would run round to another revolving door entrance and get back in. One of my abiding memories is the cold winter of 1962/3. We had ice and snow for months, and the Thames froze at Richmond. My father walked Michael and I out to the middle for a photograph, and the police came along with loud hailers and called us back in.
Frozen Thames photo I found on-line that may be of us

We never ate out as a family at restaurants or cafes. Instead we always had picnics, and my father used to make tea with a Primus stove, which always tasted of paraffin. I did reasonably well academically, in spite of concentration difficulties and the usual must try harder school report comments, enough to be one of only three to pass the 11 Plus exam. This entitled me to go to Grammar school, but I failed an entrance interview at Gunnersbury, so I was earmarked for Thames Valley Grammar. My parents didnt want me to go there because it was not Catholic, so they moved us to Addlestone in Surrey and got a bursary for me to go to the Salesian College at Chertsey. The school is now a mixed comprehensive, but at the time it was an all boys public school with a mix of scholarship pupils and fee-paying boarders. Looking back, I think I hated it from day 1. It was impersonal, full of bullies, and run on authoritarian lines. We were taught by priests, some of whom were good teachers, some were incompetent, and some were psychopathic, and seemed to enjoy inflicting levels of violence on pupils that today would justify a prison sentence. I didnt yield to bullies, even if bigger than me, so I was always in fights. Because of the boarders, we had to go to school on Saturday morning, and had Wednesday afternoon off. At the time I was travelling by train from Twickenham, which involved a bus and two trains, so it was effectively a six day school week. Apart from school, I loved Addlestone, because we were allowed to play and roam with friends, and there was a huge area of common land to play on and build camps. I had a particular penchant for lighting fires, something I think I inherited from my father (and something Dominic and Marc also take delight in). I often set the common on fire (sometimes accidently, sometimes deliberately) and a row of houses would have burnt down after one of my pyromaniac episodes if the fire brigade hadnt put it out just as it was reaching them. After a brief fling with airguns, weedkiller explosives, and annoying people on campsites, we eventually discovered girls and pubs. We had a very Catholic upbringing, with an endless round of masses and holydays of obligation. Michael and I were pressed into being altar boys, which often meant serving at weekday masses before school. In Twickenham, we used to go on pilgrimages to Aylesford, or visit Southwark and Arundel Cathedrals or Quarr Abbey. My parents always seemed busy. Mum looking after five children, whilst Dad always seemed to be in the garage working on cars. All I usually saw of him were his legs under the car as I passed him tools. If he wasnt doing that, he was in the garden building brick walls, with Michael and I having to mix the cement. At least it made us all very practical.

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The highlight of the year was the family holiday to Pondwell at Seaview on the Isle of Wight. We always went at Whitsun, which was around my birthday, and always seemed to get warm sunny weather. These arent just false memories it really was fine weather year after year, and the family photos prove it. In early years, all four children would be packed into a motorbike and sidecar with the luggage. In later years, after Jonathan was born, we went by car. Crossing the Solent on the car ferry to Fishbourne from Portsmouth was like going abroad.
Michael & I on BSA motorbike at Pondwell 1956 Mum & children on Standard 10 at Pondwell 1958

All the children at Pondwell

My parents loved the Island so much, that in the 1960s they tried to move there. They put a deposit on a new house being built near Seaview, and Dad tried to get a job transfer to the Admiralty at Portsmouth. Unfortunately he was unsuccessful, so the family stayed put. Another treat was the National Physics Laboratory Christmas party for kids. We got the run of the place and got to play on primitive computers, other electronic equipment, and best of all, the vault-like sound chambers where acoustic measurements were done. It was fascinating going into a room where sound was totally absorbed. Like most children we had loads of pets, including Siamese cats, chickens, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs, slow worms, tortoises and rabbits, the latter producing a litter after we held the female down to stop her getting away from the male! I passed 10 O levels, and that fooled me into thinking I could pass A levels without any work, which proved th wrong. I left 6 form with A level Biology and not much else. As a result University was out of the question, so I decided to get a degree part-time. I got a job as a Technical Assistant in the Biosciences Dept at Unilever Research Laboratories, Isleworth. It sponsored me to do a HNC in applied Biology at NESCOTT, Ewell, followed by the MIBiol. Unilever was a fun place to work, where we were let loose working on basic science without many commercial constraints. I became an expert in Skin Microbiology and got promoted a few grades to Senior Research Assistant. After surviving a couple of years riding a Vespa scooter, at the age of 19 I eventually passed my driving test and bought my first car a red Ford Anglia which cost 30. After a year I sold it and bought a Mini Cooper with a sunroof, which I thought was a very cool car, and tarted it up with flared wheel arches and gold wheels. Its engine wasnt its strong point, and it blew up on the motorway near Farnborough just as I announced to a girlfriend in the car Its a Mini Cooper, its meant to do 90mph. It was never the same after that, and neither was the girlfriend. Next was a Ford Escort, which was actually quite reliable. With a friend, Greg Payne, we drove it all the way through Europe and down to Marrakech and back, quite an adventure even today.
The Marrakech Express

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I was with Greg in Cinderellas Nightclub in Guildford in 1976, when I spotted a gorgeous looking dark haired girl. I tracked her all evening, not daring to approach her. As we were leaving, we saw her and a friend also leaving. By a huge stroke of luck, Greg knew her friend, and we got talking, and we offered them a lift home. The girls name was Lesley Sim, and she became Lesley Rennie.

Lesley was training to be a British Airways Stewardess, and shes always reckoned that it was the prospect of flight concessions that attracted me to her (not true, she has plenty of other attractions). Mum and Dad and the rest of the family also fell in love with her, or maybe they just wanted to get shot of me. rd We married on 3 September 1977 in the Holy Family Church, Addlestone on a hot sunny day and went to Corfu for our honeymoon. Our first house was in Horley, near Gatwick. It was a 3 bedroom terraced ex council house on an estate. We knew we wouldnt stay there long, but it was an important foot onto the property ladder

Paul & Lesley wedding L to R Michael & Maisie Walters Alfred & Mary Rennie Catharine, Michael, Dinah Rennie Paul & Lesley Rennie John, Veronica, Jonathan Rennie

In 1978, Unilever announced that it was closing the Isleworth site. I was offered a move to Colworth in Bedfordshire, but Lesley would have had to give up her flying job, so I applied for, and got, a job with Richardson-Vicks in Slough, knowing that they were moving to new Laboratories in Egham. I was a Skin Microbiologist, developing new acne products, and was promoted to Group Head. RV was another fun place to work, with a great social life. Part of the deal for me taking the RV job was expenses for a house move, so we bought a house in Send Marsh, Ripley. It was a modern semi on an estate, with a garden that backed onto woods. We stayed there 8 years, had two of our children, Dominic and Pascale, and made lifelong friends with some of rd our neighbours. Dominic Simon was born on 3 October 1983, and Pascale th Claire on 4 December 1986. In 1987 we moved to Horsell, near Woking. This was a 1930s detached house, with a long garden that backed onto Horsell Common. Here, in 1990 we had our third child, Marc Benjamin, quite literally, because he was born on the upstairs landing with a neighbour and I acting as midwives.

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In 1986, RV was acquired by Procter & Gamble. This was a good thing for me, because I became part of a bigger Company with lots of opportunities. I worked developing Personal Health Care products and was promoted to the dizzy heights of Principal Scientist. Along the way I got to travel a lot to international presentations and conferences, developed a few new products, and picked up a few publications and patents. I was also allowed to do a part time PhD in microbial steroid biochemistry at Leeds University and was awarded that in 1989, at the same time becoming a world expert on armpits. Since 1995, weve lived in Godalming, where we have family nearby and a great circle of friends. Our house name is Ataraxia, Ballfield Road. We inherited the name from the previous owners, and it is a biblical Greek word meaning a state of tranquillity, free from anxiety and emotional disturbance. Not always the case in our house! In 2007, I took early retirement and now spend my time playing tennis and golf (handicap stabilized at 18) strumming the guitar badly, and playing in a ukulele band. Ive climbed up to a few high places (Kilimanjaro, Kinabalu, Mount Sinai and about 25 Munros) and a few low ones; Death Valley and diving in the Mauritius, Kenya, Barbados and the Red Sea. At the time of writing, Lesley is still working part time at Waverley Borough Council. Dominic married Becky in November 2012, and both are Flight Lieutenants in the RAF. Pascale is a primary school teacher, and Marc works for the transport division of a civil engineering consultancy company.
Look very carefully and you can see Dominics name on the side of the Typhoon

Maintaining the Chelsea heritage

..And maintaining the Scottish heritage!

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Michael Rennie Memories

My name is Michael Dominic Rennie. I am the second eldest son of John and Dinah Rennie. My parents nearly called me Dominic because I was born on St Dominics day th (4 August 1953), but in the end they settled for Michael, after my Grandfather Michael Walters. My mother told me that she suffered from a lot of morning sickness while expecting me, and I was born in West Middlesex Hospital Chiswick. When still a baby, we moved to Twickenham where I have my earliest memories of our house and garden at 20, Second Cross Road. I was taken to my first day of school by my Grandparents, Alfred and Mary Rennie and I remember a large bronze door and the class room set out in main hall at St James RC School Twickenham. At the time my mother was in hospital having my younger brother Matthew, who died shortly after birth, and I can recall this being a very upsetting time for the family. Family life for us was organised, always mass on Sundays, and we all had duties helping around the house. When a little older, I spent time helping my Father mend his car and maintain the house and garden. My older brother Paul was my constant companion, as we were close in age. If I could describe my own character I would summarise by saying that I was more practical than academic. I was slow at reading when young, and I also have a rather sensitive nature. Some of my most vivid memories are of the beach at Seaview, on the Isle of Wight, and the smell of cut grass when staying in our favourite chalet, No. 13, at Pondwell. My mother often said that this was one of the happiest times of her life. When I was 11 years old my father took me to a school in Egham to take my 11+, which I failed, this being a forgone conclusion. I was sent to Thomas the Apostle R.C. secondary modern school in Chertsey where I found myself in C stream with quite a lot of Italian children. I did manage to redeem myself, mainly due to an excellent teacher called Mrs Morrison, who must have recognised some sort of potential in me. I can clearly remember her smokers breath as she leant over me with her red pen. I was put up to B stream and levelled out, but was always good at Maths and Physics. After scraping a few CSEs, I was sent to Merrist Wood Agricultural College for a two week residential course in horticulture. This didnt work out, mainly due to home sickness, so I went to Guildford Technical College on a City and Guilds course in construction, and finally entered the construction industry working for E. Gosling in Hampton Hill. My real love was motorbikes, cars and thoughts of travel. I went through many jobs, which I viewed only as a means to travel. One of my first trips abroad was in my 1966 VW camper van, and I have owned every model since. By my mid 20s I worked as an overland driver/leader for Suntrekkers on vintage double decker buses. In 1980 I returned to the UK and learned to fly, eventually becoming a flying instructor. Flying was my great love as it gave me, the pilot, a wonderful sense of freedom. During this period I learned carpentry, worked as a cabinet maker, but eventually returned to the construction industry working as a surveyor for Holloway White Allom in London. Some projects I worked on were the Lord Mayors Mansion, The Bank of England and the Department of Health in Whitehall. It was at this time I met my wife to be, Jennifer White, a nurse from a farming family near Coventry and educated at St Marys Catholic convent in Ascot. Jennys father, who died before we met, was a Second World War Spitfire pilot. On our first date I flew Jenny to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight where we walked across the rocks, and our relationship was sealed when Jenny took me on an Ampleforth pilgrimage to Lourdes. We were married by Fr Edward Corbould OSB. It greatly pleased my father to be able to come to our wedding, as he was ill and died a few months later. We have two children, William and Eleanor, and our family home is Moot Farm Cottage, Moot Lane, Downton, near Salisbury. William is scientific and Eleanor is musical. I have always considered my lifes journey to be out of my hands. I am not particularly ambitious but have been fortunate, and somehow have always found work, often filling in with casual jobs. Shortly after marrying I changed jobs to work for a German based company in the Tensile Structures industry as a project manager, and was finally able to combine travel abroad with work. Some of the projects I worked on were Bangkok airport, BC place in Vancouver, Ascot Race Course and Wimbledon Centre Court. I started a small tensile fabric consultancy and maintenance company in 2012. The most important thing to me is family life - my wife Jenny is one of four children and I am one of five, and together we have eighteen nieces and nephews. I am godfather to Dominic, Jamie and Daniel. One thing I feel my children have missed out on is that both of their grandfathers died before they were born.

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Veronica Jefferies ( nee Rennie ) Memories

I was born on 13 November 1954 at 20 Second Cross Road, Twickenham. It was a difficult first home birth for mum as I was breach but I was her first daughter so hopefully worth the pain & suffering! Speaking of pain & suffering, I seemed to have a knack for acquiring general minor injuries in my youth: cracking my head open on mums sewing box while playing with Catharine, falling off a swing and getting concussion when we had just arrived at the IOW for our holiday, having my ear lobe sliced in two by a golf club (Catharine again), having my fingers slammed in the car door at a car rally (that might have been Catharine!), twisting my foot in bicycle spokes, getting socked round the head by a flying lump of dough at a pizza restaurant, the list goes on.Im not surprised my memory seems to be getting a bit soggy these days! I also remember a day at the zoo when an over-zealous bird pecked my worm-like finger when I poked it through the wire. I ran screaming to mum & dad and they innocently asked me which one had pecked me so I poked my finger through the wire again to show them.youve guessed the rest. Speaking of birds, we used to keep chickens and a ferocious cockerel at Second Cross Road. It was our job to take the scraps down to them in an old saucepan and if the cockerel had escaped, it was a particularly hair raising run to leg it down the garden with the modern day velociraptor chasing after. The knack was to fling open the gate to the run, throw the scraps in and leap on top before it got you. I always liked school. I was the one sitting with her arm in the air shouting Miss, Miss, I know the answer. I didnt always of course and wasnt the crme de la crme, but came out from St John Boscos Grammar School with a good set of O & A levels, enough to propel me into Exeter University doing a joint honours in Geography & Maths, the first of my family to do so. I loved being at Exeter, the freedom, the friends I made (still some of my closest friends to this day), the lovely countryside, I was rather too distracted to concentrate on my studies in the first year with the result that I nearly got thrown out for failing all my exams. It was enough of a fright to make me pull my socks up and study hard, and I eventually emerged with a 2.1 in Geography (I ditched the maths too abstract for my poor brain at that level.) So, equipped with my good Geography degree, I took a train to Swindon for an interview as a computer programmer with Hambro Life Assurance. Not good on three counts: first, I thought Swindon was in Wales; second, I didnt know what a computer programmer was; third, I couldnt understand a word the Glaswegian DP manager was saying to me. Funnily enough they offered me a job as I excelled at the logic tests (all due to dad giving us IQ tests when we were young, I think) and must have come out as a reasonable risk on the personality tests. Thus, my career in computing was launched and I loved it. I obviously didnt quite cotton on to the Glaswegian accent as I found myself engaged to a fellow senior programmer, Andy from Glasgow. It didnt quite work out and I ended up boomeranging back to Mum & Dads in Addlestone, homeless, jobless, broken-hearted but somewhat relieved. I soon got another job as a consultant in a Software/Transportation Consultancy company called Wootton Jeffreys & Partners, based in the old mortuary offices at Brookwood cemetery. Weird location but I had the most enjoyable thirteen years developing systems for Sandersons, IBAP (remember those butter & beef mountains?), RNLI, RNIB, ESRC, ending up as a Principal consultant. Unfortunately, the company was bought out and after moving jobs a couple of times I ended up as Internal Systems Manager at a Management Consultancy called Compass R&D based on the Surrey Research Park in Guildford. In the meantime, I had met & fallen in love with a friend of my brothers, rd called Jonathan, and we married on March 3 1984 at The Coign church in Woking. This time it was a marriage made in heaven and with unique combination of Jonathans entrepreneurial talents and my computing & organisational skills, we eventually built our own Property Lettings business which has flourished and provided our family with a good st standard of living. Our daughter, Georgina, was born on 21 January th 1987, followed 20 months later by our son, Sebastian, born on 15 September 1988. We consider them both as miracle babies as, following a particularly nasty illness in 1986, which ended up with me being hospitalised in Jerusalem, I had been informed that it was unlikely I would be able to have a family.
th

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Georgie was born while we were in our first new-build house in Bisley, near Woking, and when she was six months old, we moved to a three bedroom Edwardian semi-detached house at 29 Crownpits Lane in Godalming. It was previously owned by an elderly lady who had been born in the house when it was first built in 1908. Her father had been the woodwork master at Charterhouse public school but the house was completely unmodernised, so we made various immediate improvements like rewiring and extending the kitchen. We really liked living there, it was a very neighbourly road, and the kids loved the house & garden, which was long enough to accommodate Sebs inevitable football goal net. In 1996, soon after my dad died, we moved round the corner to a Guildway bungalow called Hurst Oaks in Hambledon Road. We moved to accommodate our growing business which we ran from a home office. Three years ago we converted our timber shack (as brother Michael jokingly called it) to a house, our own mini Grand Designs project. It was a bit nail-biting at the time but we love our Higher Hurst Oaks as it is sometimes called. Both the children attended the local Catholic primary school, St Edmunds, situated just around the corner and then local secondary schools, Georgie to Rodborough and Seb to St Peters, followed by A levels at Godalming Sixth Form College. Georgie went on to study textile design at Bath Spa University and is now working and living in Clapham. Seb, ever the sportsman, completed a course as a personal fitness trainer and has been working locally, most recently at Godalming College. Both children have travelled widely overseas, Georgie recently returning from four months working at a Christian charity called Neema Crafts in Tanzania and Seb from travelling on the west coast of USA and Canada. I havent yet mentioned our third child, Ross, our German Shorthaired Pointer, now a magnificent fourteen years old and still up for his daily sniffy walks despite dodgy back legs, dicky heart and a hunchback to make Richard III proud! He has been a wonderful companion to us all; I have walked thousands of miles in the glorious Surrey countryside, worn through four pairs of walking boots and made many walking friends, all thanks to Ross. As Jonathan frequently rather jealously observes, the sun shines out of his proverbial. Ross is loved by many, and I like to think that, because he is so perfect, all other members of my family have succumbed to his charms and acquired their own canine friends. All, that is, apart from Paul, who for some strange reason, Ross always seems to suck up to when he is around. Apart from dog walking, I do enjoy looking after my garden and pottering around the greenhouse. Jonathan & I are both members of our local church in Busbridge, with Jonathan playing his twelve string guitar in the church band. We try to be a bit philanthropic in our approach to life and feel we have been richly blessed. I enjoy quizzes and crosswords (not very good at either), TV dramas, reading novels, history especially the medieval period, collecting eggcups and chunks of rock. I am particularly interested in Israel and the Jewish people (perhaps its the Jewish genes) and I did try to learn Hebrew at one point. I like to think that my degree in geography (jack of all trades and master of none) has equipped me to be especially opinionated (Jewish genes again?!) usually aligned with the non-populist viewpoint about all manner of contentious issues such as climate change, wind farms, biofuels, the euro, Israel, even Richard III. Such fun!

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Catharine Coursey ( nee Rennie ) Memories

I consider myself fortunate to have been brought up in a large, secure and closeknit family. As the fourth child, born at home in Twickenham in November 1956, my early memories include being attached literally to my mothers apron, thumb in mouth, while she rushed around the kitchen, always busy. We were lucky enough as a family to have a car, which gave us many opportunities to enjoy outings to the countryside or the seaside, and we were often joined by grandparents with (to my delight) their dog, and sometimes our cousins. A perfect day out would always include stopping off at a country pub for a bottle of shared lemonade with four straws in the pub garden. Our annual holidays on the Isle of Wight were the highlight of the year. When very young, four of us being squeezed into a double fold down bed in a caravan or, as the family grew bigger, top to tail in a single bed in a small chalet seemed perfectly natural. The sun always seemed to shine, our parents relaxed and we all had a great time. As we lived close to London, we were taken regularly to the zoo and the museums, providing us with an early education, which was probably intentional, but after hours spent peering into glass cabinets at the Natural History Museum, I often felt that Dad was appreciating it more than the rest of us! When I was seven years old we moved further from London, close to Addlestone in Surrey, which at the time seemed to be very rural. It was a good move and gave us, as children, a chance to explore the surrounding countryside, and we had much more freedom than we would have had in Twickenham. We were allowed various pets in the form of hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs and eventually, after much pestering, some Siamese cats which Mum adored. We stayed in the area for the rest of our childhoods, the local Catholic schools were reasonable, we made lifelong friendships, transport links were good and we all thrived! Being an animal enthusiast, I trained as a veterinary nurse at the RSPCA in Putney upon leaving school. Those working there were mostly young people, including the vets, and the experience was interesting, often rewarding and sometimes painful but mostly extremely enjoyable. After several years, realising that I wouldnt make a fortune vet nursing, I joined my sister-in law as a stewardess for British Airways, based at Gatwick Airport. I had a great time travelling the world and working hard with a huge variety of people, which proved to be an education in itself. I bought my own flat in Horsham in Sussex, and about that time I met a tall, dark and handsome young man, called David Coursey, at a friends wedding, and we married two years later. As David was working in Swindon, Wiltshire as a geologist, I moved to Davids home, close to Cirencester in the village of Ashton Keynes. Louisa, our beautiful firstborn, appeared shortly after. I continued working for British Airways on a part time basis at London Heathrow, often travelling up the M4 with baby and my Siamese cat, ready to drop them off at parents and in-laws, to be cared for while I went flying. David was often away abroad for many weeks at a time with his job, life was fairly hectic, so when Luke arrived two years later, I gave up work to concentrate on motherhood. By that time we had moved a short distance to the little village of Cerney Wick. The house with its beautiful long garden was extended to make a lovely family home, and we made close friends, had mostly good neighbours in the village and a great sense of community. Our parents loved to visit, usually spending a few days, and enjoying walking around picturesque Cotswold villages and trips to Cheltenham. Whilst I was pregnant with our third child, David announced that his company were relocating to Aberdeen. The choice was to go north or lose the job. It was a hard decision, made more difficult by the fact that Dad was undergoing treatment for a recurring illness at that time. Soon after we had made the choice to move, Freya was born on the bathroom floor of the house in Cerney Wick, delivered by her father, as the midwife hadnt arrived in time. It was a proud moment! We held Freyas christening, surrounded by family and our friends, less than two weeks before our move to Scotland. Dad was very poorly at the time, but was determined to attend this lovely family occasion like so many of which he had thoroughly enjoyed in the past. Sadly it was the last time I saw him before he died, as he was too poorly to come up North to visit us in our new home. He would have dearly loved to do so.

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Our new home, The Mill of Syde, in rural Aberdeenshire, proved to be great place in which to raise a family. Our fourth child, Daniel was born two years later, and Mum, still devastated by the loss of Dad, decided to move to Millers Cottage next door to us. She made a good life for herself there, working hard on the cottage, helping me with our expanding family, being a doting grandma, working as a guide at Scottish National Trusts Leith Hall and making new friends. The rest of the family have thoroughly enjoyed trips up to Scotland and it has of course given my brother Paul a chance to trace the Scottish family history. It seems we have returned to our roots! Our children, Louisa, Luke Freya and Daniel (and Phoebe the chocolate Labrador) are extremely fortunate to have been raised here at The Mill. Its a wonderful location, and we are surrounded by rolling countryside, flowing water and nature on the doorstep. It certainly suits me, being a country girl at heart. We all love the outdoor lifestyle, climbing Munros and Nordic ski-ing in the winter. Quality of life is good and it makes up for the fact that we are a long way from the rest of the family. The education system of good schools and free tuition at the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh, in which Louisa and Luke completed their degrees, has proved a great bonus and has helped them on their way to good jobs in Aberdeen and London. Freya (a budding photographer) is heading off to St Andrews to study Zoology, leaving Daniel at home to complete school.

Losing Mum last year was hard for all of us, but since then we have turned her home into a lovely holiday cottage, which we hope many people will enjoy. The Mill and the Cottage are high maintenance and David and I have to work hard to keep it all in good order. I am finding life busy, running the new business, working at the local school and being an active member of The Friends of Leith Hall, but so far its a rewarding occupation, and Im sure that Mum and Dad would approve and hopefully be proud of the Coursey family!

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Jonathan Rennie Memories

I was born, the youngest of five, on Sunday afternoon at home at 20 Second Cross Road in Twickenham. Quick, convenient, bonny, blithe and good; th everything you would expect from Sundays child - nearly. It was April 30 1961, Yuri Gagarin had just become the first man in space and the Bay of Pigs invasion was in full swing. I was a little warm heart arriving in a coldwar world. My four older siblings had arrived in quick succession but now Mum found herself with a little more time to focus on her new baby, so I didnt suffer from lack of attention. My brothers and sisters never tire of reminding me of this. When I was just two, we moved from Twickenham to 15 Malus Drive in Rowtown. I dont remember much of the Twickenham house, apart from hanging over the fence at the end of the garden looking at the tyre factory, but I have a few memories of Malus Drive, including sharing a bedroom with Paul and Michael, who now admit to doing unspeakable things to me after I was asleep. I can also remember the apple tree and the pear tree in the back garden and Paul climbing up to shake down the fruit into a blanket we held below. He seemed so high up; but looking back, maybe he was three or four feet off the ground. We moved around the corner to 12 Howards Lane when I was four. It was a new house and I had my own bedroom. Veronica and Catharine shared a room with GIRLS on the door and Paul and Michaels was soon relabelled YOBS. I started school at St Annes primary school, where our four foot nothing headmistress, Mrs Mulany, used to stand toe to toe with us and beat us around the head with both fists for any minor infringement. Unsurprisingly, I found this a little disconcerting after the loving attention of home life with Mum, so Veronica and Catharine were regularly called in from junior school to console their little brother, a crime which also precipitated Mrs Mulanys wrath. Luckily a new headmistress, the wonderful Miss Hoy, was soon in place and she installed in me a lifelong appreciation of elegant women dressed in tweed. Shame she absconded with the parish priest soon after. Back at home, life was fairly simple. Dad back from work at six oclock every day to tea ready on the table. Mum looking after the house, Dad the cars, and both the garden. Church in our best clothes every Sunday, followed by an afternoon in the park or at the museums, or visiting relatives. If we were lucky we would get to stay with Grandma and Granddad and Rusty the dog in Longford Close. Once Granddad and I took Rusty for a walk in Bushy Park where we saw a mouse in the sandpit. Granddad cheerfully encouraged me to pick it up, and then had to drive me back and explain to Grandma why I had blood pumping out of my finger from a rodent bite. Grandma told him off, but secretly we all knew it was funny. One of the good things about the Rennies is that we always look for the funny side in any situation. Other times we would visit Nana and Grandpa in Marlowe Crescent where Nana fed us junk food treats that we were never allowed at home. Jaffa cakes are Gods food, after all. The greatest day of my young life was undoubtedly the day Chelsea won the FA cup in 1970, beating a vicious Leeds United side that was also my best friend Anthonys team. Our friendship was never the same again. Then again, he did have to have his family dog put down after it attacked me in the aftermath. 1970 was also the year when we broke the cycle of Isle of Wight holidays and set forth to Scotland in Dads Triumph 2000. We made it up through the highlands, around Inverness and then across to Skye, and back through Mallaig and the western Isles. Unbeknown to us, this was right through the heartland of our ancestors, but it must have stirred something in my genetic memory as it triggered a lifelong affection for Scotland and it is a trip that I have repeated four times since. In 1974 we ventured further afield, abroad for the first time, driving down through France to Tarragona in Spain with Mum, Dad and Catharine. It was an amazing trip for us even if we did drive up and back down the same side of the Pyrenees due to a slight navigational error on the way. In my on-going education, next followed two years at the dreadful St Thomas the Apostle School in Chertsey and then on to the equally dreadful Salesian School, also in Chertsey, which was the same school Paul had attended nine years earlier when it was a grammar. Now it was a comprehensive and the ancient priests who had taught Paul were still churning out the course work they had put together pre-war. I managed to survive school with a reasonable set of O levels and a mediocre set of A levels which just about got me into rd Exeter University to study Applied Geophysics and Engineering Geology in 1979. On May 3 that year, three th days after my 18 birthday I got to vote for the first time in the general election that bought Maggie Thatcher to power. I did my bit. At Exeter I discovered that I had a slight flair for Geology and a better one for guessing exam questions. We spent many days on field trips studying and mapping the subsurface all around Devon and Cornwall and retiring to the pub whenever possible. I played hockey for the geology department and I shot on the smallbore rifle team for the University with my friend Jeff Nichols. We even shot a couple of times at the

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national championships at Bisley. Next followed a Masters in Applied Geophysics at the University of Birmingham where I shared a house with four girls and two boys, one of whom is my lifelong friend and best man, Phil Brunt. In 1984 I joined Seismograph Service Limited in Keston, Kent, a company carrying out seismic surveys for oil and gas worldwide. I was soon dispatched on my first posting to Johannesburg in South Africa. I can still remember Mums face going grey when I told her. When I got back from that posting in spring 1985, I spent summer eyeing up a young lady in the office, Julie Morrice. We found that we got on well and we made a formidable darts and badminton pairing. By the next summer we were an item and in 1991 we were married at the Holy Rood Church in Wool, Dorset. Julie is also a Geophysicist, and since then we have travelled the world with our work. We lived in Houston, Texas for four years from 1992 and our first son, James Alexander was th born in the Katy medical centre on July 10 1994. It was in the middle of the 1994 world cup in the USA, and I had to turn down tickets to the quarter final because they coincided with the due date. Then Jamie was a week late, born on semi-final day. The doctor told me off for watching a penalty shoot-out over his shoulder while he was trying to explain to me how to look after my new born son and exhausted wife. In 1996 we moved back to West Sussex and bought Nuthurst House in st Maplehurst, where Harry John was born on April 1 1997. In 1998 we took the chance to move to Stavanger in Norway, and immediately fell in love with the country. We spent four years in Stavanger where I managed our Scandinavian operations with offices in Stavanger and in Harstad, way up inside the Arctic Circle. We lived at Snehvitveien 58a, a big white wooden house with eleven bedrooms, where our third son Giles Edward was born on nd May 2 1999. From 2001 to 2007 we were back in Maplehurst, where the boys attended Nuthurst primary school. We made lots of friends in the village in this period and got our little Jack Russel, Bramble, from our friends the Thorntons who run the local dairy farm. Bramble delighted us all by sweeping up all the prizes at the village dog show including young handler with Jamie, agility with me and overall best-in-show. Only the doughnut eating contest eluded, her despite Harrys best attempt to help. In 2007 we started another round of travel, first back to Houston, and then another four years in Stavanger where we lived in a beautiful house overlooking the Hafrsfjord, famous for a Viking battle that united Norway under King Harald Fairhair in 872. The boys attended the International School of Stavanger at the other end of the fjord, and enjoyed the Norwegian lifestyle, even participating in the national day celebrations each th May 17 . We skied every winter; cross country locally and downhill in Geilo, and I unsuccessfully pursued the salmon with my rod and line in the western rivers every summer. All my boys are huge Chelsea fans and in 2012 we cheered them to their famous Champions League trophy. Between us, we have seen all the modern great players at Stamford Bridge including Ossie, Cooke, Bonetti, Zola, Terry, Frankie Lampard and the beast that is Didier Drogba. In 2012 we moved back to Sussex and to a rambling house with some outdoor space, Fox End Farmhouse in Copsale. We added Boone, the crazy Sprollie dog to the family, after a long line of mice, hamsters, guinea pigs, leopard geckos and quail. Jamie started university, studying Architecture at Plymouth and Giles and Harry attend the Forest School in Horsham. They are a funny, handsome and multi-talented bunch and Julie and I love having them all around. My mum and dad bought us up in a simple and happy family, and I want to give my boys the same start. Who knows what will happen next.

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Mary Philomena Maw ( nee Rennie ) Memories

My Aunt Mary kindly let me borrow and transcribe a diary that she wrote in 1984, in which she described her early childhood memories in Moore Park Road and during the war. It was beautifully illustrated with her drawings, some of which are very true to life, so I have included them in their place in the text: I was born in Fulham in a three story Victorian house we shared with my Grandmother Hannah. Grandfather died the year I was born, 1930. Grandma had the downstairs parlour and the top floor front bedroom. Dad, mum, John, Joan and I had the rest of the house, with a cat and an aviary full of budgies. The cat ate most of these when we went to Littlehampton on holiday, three years later. My Grandmas bedroom was right at the top of the house in 14, Moore Park Road, Fulham. It was in the front of the house and had two windows covered in curtains, all in a natural linen colour thick lined ones on the outsides, lace on the window panes, and blinds with tassels like acorns. I was forbidden to touch the latter, but could see out under them. On the corner to the right was a dairy come grocers shop, next to a public house, and you could buy milk if you took a jug. The same people went to the pub in the evening and got a jug of draught Guinness. The bedroom was very large by todays standards, with a high ceiling, and behind was a really lovely Queen Anne cabinet, only small. My mother has it now in her sitting room. Next to it was a chaise longue in a green flowery linen, and it was on this that I was allowed to sleep if I woke up when mum & dad went to the pictures on a Monday evening after the long washing day. Grandma and mum often did this together, for it entailed lighting the copper in the conservatory, filling it with water, boiling everything, and scrubbing away at the coloureds in the sink, using the washboard. Everything was rinsed and wrung out in the mangle the same one that mum used to put her long hair in before she had it cut to a fashionable bob. Later, I can remember being broken hearted when my brother John put my favourite doll, Topsy though it and squashed her head. Anyway, I was telling you about Grandmas bedroom. The big brass bed stood to the right of the door, with a very high mattress covered with a feather quilt and lots of white lacy pillows. I was forbidden to climb on the bed and only once felt its sumptuous softness when I was lifted on by my mother to kiss my Grandma when she was very ill. Grandma loved a fire and would carry the remains of the parlour fire up the stairs at night in an old bucket, which she emptied into the bedroom fireplace, so she could sleep by its friendly glow. She used to talk to the fire and see pictures in it. She never really got over the death of Jack, my Mums younger sister. She was really called Florence, but was such a tomboy, hence the name Jack. She was engaged to be married, but died in the Flu epidemic after the Great War, aged 21. Grandma used to talk to her in the evenings when she didnt know I was listening. One night I sleep walked into her bedroom and she thought I was Jack returned from the dead. It gave her quite a turn me too!! On the evenings Mum & Dad went to the pictures, the four of us, Joan, John, Gran and I, always played cards, usually sevens, but on some special days, whist. Gran went to whist drives at the church hall, and was very good at it, but my favourite treat was when she read to us from The Little Princess. I still have the book, and love the story to this day. Our bedroom was at the top of the house, at the back, up two flights of stairs. We had to use candles. Joan was never frightened of the dark, but I was terrified of the shadows of the bannisters on the wall. Sometimes, Grandma would leave the gas mantle on in the hall until late, but this shone on the stags head Dad used as a hat stand, and I was frightened of this too. How we survived without central heating, Ill never understand. Mum let me have a stone hot water bottle, but no one else did. It never seemed to worry them.

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None of the houses in Moore Park Road had a bathroom, and the loo was on the ground floor, so we all had chamber pots under the beds, but they were never used unless we were ill. We had a bath every Friday in the tin bath in the kitchen, but you must remember that very few houses had bathrooms at that time. Most of the washing was done in the bedroom, with cold water, using a matching jug and basin. Grandma went to a whist drive every Tuesday, and my mother told me she usually won. I went to the Christmas party given by the church that ran the whist drives. I hated going to parties, as I was so shy. I would never eat anything. Grandma wanted to show Joan and I off to her friends, but I choked on the whistle in my cracker, and swallowed it. Some of the old girls forced salt water down me to make me sick, but it didnt work, but at least I got out of the party. Do you remember the well known prints of The Street Cries of London? Well, I can remember the Muffin Man carrying a tray on his head and ringing a bell. The cat meat man had skewers with cooked meat on them, rather like Satays, but I dont know what meat it was. Chestnut men were very common, and my favourite knife grinders and gypsies, selling clothes pegs and heather, came every year. John and Joan went to Harwood Road School, and so did I until I spent a long time in hospital. We all had the usual childhood illnesses; chicken pox, mumps, Rubella measles, the worst being Diphtheria, which I caught when convalescing at a home in Ramsgate. I had had a nasty operation on my right ear, called a mastoidectomy. The bone behind the ear gets infected and has to be removed. I still have a hole there. Anyway, I spent weeks in Tight Street Hospital, Chelsea, and I was sent to the seaside to recover. We werent allowed to have visitors. Dad came to see me, and he had to look through a window at me. I was shocked to see that his hair had turned grey, as it had been weeks since Id seen him. When I started school, nearly a year later than normal, John and Joan had moved to the Brompton Oratory School to take their 11 plus exams. During my years at Harwood Road School, I was chosen to be Queen of the May. I hated it, and the headmistress was most annoyed, as I didnt smile. Her name was Miss Watson. She was short and fat with a bun. I was very pleased to leave that school and go to the Oratory. We had to walk up the Kings Road to get there, past my Aunt Alices antique shop. Several times we saw Queen Mary (the Queen Mother on her fathers side). She went into the shop to buy snuff boxes, as she used to collect them. Auntie Alice used to let her know when she had an interesting one. Auntie Alice was left the shop by her employer, a Mr Hurst. Mum and Dad would never explain why, but I learnt later that she had had an affair with him, and we always suspected that cousin Boysie was her son. Alice left the shop to her husband, Mums brother Gus, and Boysie jointly. Poor cousin Peter, the younger son, got nothing. The shop went out of business during the war, and it was sold. Alice and Gus died of lung cancer due to smoking. I never liked school. We always seemed to be late, and I was always being told off. As I am left-handed, and could not use my right hand at all, I made such a mess as we used pen and ink, that they did in the end let me use my left hand. I often think of when I made my First Communion at the beautiful Brompton Oratory Church in Kensington, before you come to the museums. In 1939, we all went to stay in Horndean for a holiday. We usually went to Littlehampton, so it was quite a change for us. The weather was good and we went into Portsmouth, Southsea and the lido swimming pool, where I found a 10 shilling note that paid for another weeks holiday in the chalet we rented. That was the rd last holiday we had for many years, as on Sept 3 war was declared with the Germans, and our lives changed. Mum, in the past, spoke about the 1914-18 war, and how awful it had been. Her brothers had all been in different regiments in France, but they all survived. Uncle Vic had been in the Medics and was never the same after, and uncle Cyril had been gassed, and was always ill. My Grandmothers friend lost five sons and a daughter too. rd Several months before Sept 3 , we were issued with an air raid shelter, and some men came and dug a big hole in the garden. The shelter was built of corrugated iron, and was about 6ft X 6ft. It might have been bigger, but not much. It had two bunks down each side. We put a wooden floor in, and kept torches and even tinned food ready for emergencies. About this time we were also issued with gas masks. I cant remember any of the details about the war at that time. I can remember Mum disliked the Prime minister, Mr Chamberlain, and Dad listening to the radio, and a sense of something major about to happen. But it was not until we were sent home from school with very special letters, and Mum and Dad looked very upset, that I realised what was happening. John, Joan and I were never upset. We thought it was quite exciting. Joan and I went off to school with one change of underwear and one set of clothes, a large bar of chocolate, packed lunches, and of course our gas masks. We were supposed to leave that day for an unknown destination in

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the country, but plans were changed and we were sent home. On the way home I went through the park, and Joan was with me. As I was balancing on the edge of the pond, I fell in, so I had to go to the Ladies loo to change my clothes. I then ate my chocolate, much to Mums horror. She was furious with me, as she had had a note saying we were definitely leaving the next day. We only had one change of clothes, so she had to get them washed and dried. Its funny how I remember that. Mum didnt often get cross with me. When we did leave the next day, we all collected at the Brompton Oratory, and Joan and I marched together to the station with our teachers. Mum was waiting at the station to see us off. We went to Cambridge. As we left the station, we were all given brown paper carriers holding; Corned beef, luncheon meat, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, and a bar of chocolate. We then caught a bus, and were dropped off in a very small village called Orwell. We all stood in a group on the village green and people came from the village and looked at us. One lady chose me, and asked if I had a sister. She checked our clothes!! and must have liked the look of us, so off we went with her to a small thatched cottage half way along the village High Street. Im afraid I cant remember the name of the first couple we were evacuated with, but they were farm hands and very kind to us. They were about 40 years old with no children. We slept in the attic, going up a fixed ladder. I can remember hearing mice at night. The farmer was very nice and the best thing was that he let me go with him to the farm. I actually rode a big carthorse. The horse was so big, I couldnt get my legs around it, and I could stand up and balance on it. Being September, we helped with the harvest and played on the haystacks. I can remember having a chunk of bread and a raw onion for lunch, and cold tea out of a bottle. Both Joan and I were very happy for the weeks we stayed at that billet. I have a photo of Joan and I playing clock golf with the farmer. We had to leave this billet. The next place we went to was up the other end of the village to a rather modern bungalow, owned by a Mrs Price. She was rather a large lady, about 60, I should think, and the bungalow was what would now be called a retirement home. It had one bedroom, sitting room, kitchen/washroom, but the toilet was outside. Mrs Price was kind to us, but it must have been hard for her, having two hungry girls of 9 and 12 to look after. We took it in turns having a boiled egg for tea. The worst part was at night. She slept in a large double bed, and Joan and I shared a small single bed in the corner of the room. Every night we were awakened by Mrs Price getting up and groping under the bed for her china chamber pot. Up would go her big white nightgown and you can guess the rest. While we stayed in Orwell, we shared the school with the village children. We just went in the mornings. The rest of the day we ran wild on the farm and in a large stone quarry. I didnt see much of Joan, having my own friends. I can remember writing to Mum and Dad, and saying I was hungry and would they let us have some more clothes. I had no socks and pants, and my dress was torn. Mrs Price did try to look after us and she was fond of Joan. Anyway, Mum and Dad got a lift down to see us, and were horrified by the state of us, especially when I showed them the quarry and my friends. We packed our remaining clothes and they took us home. While Joan and I were being evacuated to Orwell, John, because he had passed the 11 plus scholarship, had been sent to Windsor with his school, Cardinal Vaughans, an important grammar school. He was billeted with a Squadron Leader in the smartest part of Windsor, and attended Eton College for lessons. He hadnt been there long when Mum received a letter from the housekeeper, advising them to move John, as the Squadron Leader was too fond of small boys. So John was moved to another house, a stone masons. I can remember John showing me round the yard and the gravestones and marble angels. But this was later. Joan, John and I spent the Christmas of 1939 at home in Fulham, as the air raids hadnt started then. But immediately after, all three children went to Windsor. Mum came with us at first. John returned to his billet, and Joan and I were taken round with the billeting officer as she knocked on doors until she found somewhere for us outside Windsor, in Datchet. It was with a Mrs Carpenter and her daughter, Doreen. They had six evacuees already. I hated it there. We seemed to live on paste sandwiches, and the house was on a council estate. I cant remember why we left, but we didnt stay long.

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The next place we went to was with a Mrs Larkin. She had three children. The youngest was a baby of about six months, and she was always giving him to me to hold, and he had smelly wet toweling nappies on. We spent most of our time playing marbles in the backyard, when we werent at school, which, by the way, was St Theresas RC School, and quite a long walk away. Again, I dont know why we moved. I know Mum came and had a long argument with Mrs Larkin about our clothes and food. It was about this time all the air raids started in London, so we couldnt go home. Dad was working at Chiswick on trolly buses. He wasnt called up, as he was too old, but while in London did belong to the ARP, and later was in the Home Guard. Our next billet was with Mrs Banaman. She had a daughter, Dolly. Joan and I had a lovely bedroom with a big soft double bed, lots of pillows and a feather eiderdown. We were well fed with lots of fry-ups. We stayed up as late, as Dolly gave us lots of offcuts from the dressmakers factory where she worked. I made lots of dolls clothes and presents for Mum and Dad. Dolly had lots of boy friends, and every evening she brought them home!!- soldiers from the Guards Barracks. But as soon as Mum came to visit, and we told her all about what went on in the house, we were on the move again. This time, the house we went to was quite near Windsor Great Park. We just had to cross the road and go through the gate. We were close to the Long Walk that leads up to Windsor Castle. We lived with a Mr and Mrs Price, in a nice house near some stables. They again were very nice, and the house was very clean, unlike Mrs Banamans.

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History of Aberlour
Aberlour or to give it its full name Charlestown of Aberlour is situated on the river Spey, about 12 miles south of Elgin on the road to Grantown in Morayshire, although when our family were living there, it was in Banffshire. The name comes from the Gaelic Obar Lobhair. A site noted as Abirlaur is shown in this location on maps in Blaeus Atlas of Scotland, from 1654. The current village was founded by Charles Grant of Elchies in 1812 - with the name of Charlestown of Aberlour after his son Charles, although the name never really stuck with the locals, and it is simply referred to simply as Aberlour. A grant of land from Charles Grant senior set up 100 plots along the south bank of the river and saw the start of the High Street (formerly Main Street) and parish church. The town was granted its feu charter in 1814 and began to operate its own markets. Whisky was a major industry even then and once the 1823 licensing act was passed and a longer warehousing process introduced it began to take on the more mature characteristics that we are familiar with today. According to the 1846 A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland, "This parish, formerly called Skirdustan, signifying, in the Gaelic tongue, 'the division of Dustan,' its tutelary saint, derived its present name from its situation at the mouth of a noisy burn, which discharges itself into the river Spey Aberlour once was the site of a famous orphanage which was founded by a minister called Charles Jupp. His tomb lies in St Margaret's Episcopal Church which was the church used by the children of the orphanage. The orphanage opened in 1863, and at its peak accepted children from all over Scotland. It occupied a 20 acre site next to the church and included a farm. The orphanage was split into two separate units - one for the girls and the other for the boys. Between the two buildings was the school where the children were taught. The orphanage closed in 1967, and was eventually demolished. The high quality building materials were bought by locals, and the Mill where my sister lives has woodblock flooring that came from the orphanage. The developer who demolished the school built a park between the railway station and the river. The site is now a housing estate, but the original clock tower and a small memorial garden have been retained. Aberlour Child Care Trust is now one of Scotland's main children's charities with services throughout Scotland. Aberlour is famous for two international products that are made there; Aberlour Malt Whisky and Walkers shortbread.

Until 2004, Aberlour was the site of the prep school for Gordonstoun. Aberlour House educated pupils from age 7 to 13. The links between Aberlour House and Gordonstoun were very close. They shared the same school song and school flag (purple and white). Furthermore, the y shared the same school motto - "plus est en vous", a contraction of "plus est en vous que vous pensez" meaning, "there is more in you than you think". They were both founded by the German educationalist Dr. Kurt Hahn. Thomas Telford the renowned civil engineer designed Craigellachie Bridge spanning the River Spey about two miles to the north of the town. It was built after the Great Spate in the 19th century destroyed an earlier bridge. Craigellachie Bridge is now open only to foot and cycle traffic and a new road bridge has superseded it.

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In 1863 a railway station was opened that connected to the junction at Craigellachie where it met the Great North line that ran from Keith to Elgin. Its main purpose was for transportation of Speyside whisky and raw materials. The station was closed as a result of the Beeching axe in 1965, but the building and platform are still in place.

The current town is stretched out either side of a wide High Street running for about a mile parallel with the river and with a church at either end. Aberlour was a bigger town in the past. The population in 1887 was 1912, and more than twice the current population.

Dr B. M. Sellar , a descendant of Reverend Sellar, one of the Kirk Elders at the time of the Shearers appearances, prepared a talk on Aberlour. It refers to the school that James probably went to, as well as some interesting historical events such as the Great Spate. Ive edited it slightly for brevity. Originally the inhabitants of this district hailed from Western Spain, France and the Mediterranean. They settled about the Clyde Valley area and along Pentland Firth - and landed in Banffshire and Aberdeenshire about 2000 BC. These were the chamber cairn folk and they erected the upright stones and stone circles so common in NE of Scotland. There are several of these cairns about Hatton Farm and Gownie. The Pagan Church was followed by the primitive Christian Church, then came the Roman era. Some historians make out that there is evidence that on the site of the present Aberlour Distillery there was a Roman Catholic Monastery and that the alder trees along the burn were planted and used by the secular monks for making shoes and clogs. The Gordons of Aberlour who lived in Aberlour House for many generations were staunch Roman Catholics later engaged in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1715. In the old house of Aberlour on the Craigellachie side of the present house a letter was found addressed to the Laird of Aberlour written by the young Chevalier in August 1715: "My dear Gordon, I am to be at ...... and trust to see you there with as many men as you can raise to rally round the Royal Standard - I am yours faithfully Ch. Ed. Stuart." (There was a Distillery in this area - built by the last Gordon Laird destroyed by fire.) At the present house of Kinermony there are remains of a religious house occupied by the Knights Templars. The Parish of Aberlour is called "Skirdustan" named after its Patron Saint - DROSTAN. The "Skir" being Gaelic for divide - i.e. Drostan's division or parish. The village was founded by Mr. Charles Grant of Elchies in 1812 - with the name of Charlestown of Aberlour after his son Charles. Feus with 4 acres of land attached were granted in liberal terms and were soon in great demand. The original houses were built mainly of stones taken from the bed of the Spey, often pushed up in barrows by the frugal feuars and their wives. There was a long wide straggling street - a road all covered with grass. It ran from the old church in the graveyard - along where Wellfield and Broomfield now are - to the Square, and a road led to the old ferry across the Spey just above the present Victoria Bridge. In the wide ugly gaps between the houses lay stagnant pools of water and midden rubbish. There was a pump for water in the Square and a big stone stance nearby used for washing carts and gigs. Most of the women did washing at the riverside. The ground to the South of the Square was an expanse of heather, broom and whins. Later on houses were built there. An open ditch crossed the street running into the Spey where the Creepie now is. It was not covered till 1870. Altogether Aberlour could not have been a very attractive or salubrious little place. Many of the inhabitants died of smallpox or tuberculosis. It is interesting to go over the old tombstones and notice the number of deaths of young people - on the other hand those who weathered the perils of youth seemed to live on to a very ripe old age. In 1845 Rev. A. Wilson - in new Statistical Account says "People of Aberlour are sober and industrious in their habits. Animal food is rarely eaten and diet consists of milk and vegetables from their own produce. They are neat and clean in their persons and temperate in their diet. They are not behind their neighbours in shrewdness and intelligence. Wages of farm servants 1st man 6 half yearly. Ploughman 4.10, maid servants 30/- and 2 inclusive (Little change in 50 years.)"

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It is difficult to picture life in these early days with no good roads as we know them and no public transport. The main toll road from Craigellachie to Carron was only made in 1817. An open gig went from Daldaleith to Grantown and back daily. One passenger could sit beside the driver in front and the mail was piled behind. The Kirk in the old days was the social and civic as well as the religious centre of village life. The old Kirk of Skirdustan whose gable is all that remains today in the kirkyard was in existence in 1226. In the 16th century came the Reformation and the first protestant minister of the Presbytery of Aberlour is recorded as being a Mr. Wm. Peterkin in 1569. In the churchyard today there are many interesting inscriptions of prominent local people of that time dating back to 1664. In its original state it was thackit with heather and every parishioner was bound to bring a yearly "bew" or bundle of heather to repair the "thack." The old Brig below the present road bridge was probably built in the 13th century to allow the folks to cross to the Kirk. It is not a Wade bridge but nevertheless a valuable old relic of the village worth preserving. According to Sandy Jamieson, a road ran from the Dowans Brae along the top of the football pitch close to the boundary wall of the Keils house and crossed the burn above the railway line - where there is now a ford of the Speyside Way. The first recorded Aberlour minister was a Mr. John Stuart 1624-1634. The Manse there stood beside the old Kirk. In church they sat on stools and, with solemn and expressive faces, sat through the long sermons while the men broke the monotony by frequent resort to the snuff mull handed round during the sermon. The present Parish Church was built and in use in 1812. (The old Kirk in the graveyard was in a poor state, and closed when one lady fell through the floor of the gallery.) The new Kirk was destroyed by fire about New Year 1861 except for the tower and belfry. It was renovated and partly rebuilt in 1934 and evidence of the fire is still visible in the blackened stones in the walls of the church today. Rev. Dr. Sellar was minister at the time of the fire and had for bellman James McWilliam who was also postman. A great crowd had gathered in the Square. The tower was still not alight and standing when Dr. Sellar said "Up you go to the 1 tower James and help to put out the fire from there." "Up ye go yersel, Sir said James. "For years ye ve prayed for a wall o' fire around yer Zion and ye've gotten it this night." It was the same Dr. Sellar who made a great furore at the railway line being built close behind the Parish Kirk in 1862. The United Free Church was built in 1847 - described as a fine Gothic building costing 290.3/-. The earliest school in Aberlour was the Dames School in the cottage at Burnside where Canon Jupp later founded the Orphanage by bringing up 4 orphan boys. Near this site there was also an Inn (or pub). Another well-known pub on the Craigellachie road near the monument to General Gordon at Aberlour House. The First Episcopal School was at Tower Villa. The first village school and schoolhouse was on the site of the old Glenmorag Hotel (now The Old Pantry) and later where the Drill House now is. (1st schoolmaster recorded 1720 - Patrick Gordon). The railway had not been built and the playground extended from the school right down to the Spey. Mr. Thomson describes the school as it was in 1826 when Mr. Gillan was dominie. The one adornment of the one schoolroom was a map of the world - yellow with age - hanging on the wall - as yellow as a duck's foot and an outline of the eastern hemisphere was dimly visible. On the desk lay the 'little tag' small in size but sharp in the bite. Within the desk was the 'muckle tag' for use on special occasions - a dreadful instrument or torture fully 2' in length of ponderous leather, cut into fingers at one end and singed in the fire to harden the points. It lay like a serpent coiled in a pigeon hole of the dominies desk. Behind the door was a large wooden box like a coffin without a lid and in winter each child was expected to bring one peat and throw it into the box as he entered. It was only when the peat stack at home was very low that anyone would dare to bring only half a peat because it was a grave slur to be a "half peat loon". It was a dry monotonous system of teaching in these days. Mr. Thomson says the very name of the Shorter Catechism brought a feeling of depression. Mr. Charles Grant was one of the best known of all the long race of schoolmasters. He was affectionately known as "schooley Grant" - born in Strondhu, Knockando 1807. He started in Aberlour in 1844 and taught, much of the time single handed, for the next 30 years. (Logbook 1874 - 87 pupils, 1 principle teacher - C. Grant AM.) He was a man of varied accomplishments - a classical scholar (loved Horace) a musician - famed for his skill in composing fiddle music, Highland reels and Strathspeys. My mother used to tell a tale about him. His idea of educating the boys was wide and not limited to the 3 R's. On a hot day he would leave lessons and take them down for a swim in the Spey. On one occasion His Majesty's Inspector arrived to inspect the pupils' work and they had put up a bad show. After a good dinner at the schoolhouse it was a hot summers day the dominie invited the Inspector to come for a swim in the Spey. Mr. Grant was an expert swimmer - the Inspector was not - and he was led to a great deep hole in the river and as the Inspector realised his danger he cried out to Mr. Grant to come to his rescue. Scholastic Grant called out "If ye promise tae pit in a good report on my school I'll come and help ye". "Aye, aye, I'll dae that" gasped the Inspector, whereupon Mr. Grant fished him out safely to dry land. It was during Dr. McPherson's time in 1882 that the village school was raised in status and reputation. The old building at the Drill Hall was condemned as insanitary and insufficient and the railway had been built through the playground. On January 5th 1897 the pupils met for the last time in the old school where they

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formed into a procession and marched to the new school on the hill where the bell in the tower rang out a merry peal. It was opened by Mr. John R. Findlay then Laird of Aberlour (then owner of the Scotsman). In spite of the wretched conditions that Dr. McPherson had to contend with in the old building when he came in 1882, the records during his years of teaching are amazing. Latin, Greek, Maths, French and German had been taught. Sixteen pupils had gained college bursaries to the aggregate value of 647 and went straight to College without intermediate coaching. Six graduated at Aberdeen - 2 with honours. No chronicle of Aberlour would be complete without mentioning the "Muckle Spate" of 1829. (Through all the changes of the centuries the Spey flows on. Had it a voice what a legend it could unfold - from the lazy almost warm currents of mid-summer to the fierce raging torrents of spring spates - that make the river awful and terrible to watch). The name "Spey" by the way is derived from the Gaelic "Spe" meaning sputum from the frothy foam of its current. In the olden days, before the volume of water was controlled by the River Board, the river, when in spate, found a second channel where the railway and station now stand. For several years a stream from the lower end of the Boatpool passed the back of the Church joining the river again at the Creepie - so the little haugh so cut off was named "The Isle". At one time it was actually an island until bulwarks were built and the railway embankment built up. It was no uncommon thing for salmon to be caught in the pools left behind here after a flood. In August 1829 the year of the "Muckle Spate" there was phenomenal rain and wind which persisted unceasingly for 2 whole days and affected the Nairn, the Findhorn, the Lossie and the Spey. The very air seemed to be descending in one mass of water. The Spey rose rapidly and the terrible flood rose sweeping all over the glebe land, much of which was never reclaimed, right up almost to the level of the street. An old stone remained for many years in the old schoolhouse garden (Victoria Terrace) to mark the level of the flood. All the outhouses of the Boat House were swept away - the haugh completely washed away, leaving behind 2 feet deep of sand and gravel. The Manse was inundated and in the confusion it is said that the cellars were drained in more ways than one by officious helpers. Charles Cruikshank, the Innkeeper, great grandfather of Hamish Cruikshank, went down the burn in his float to rescue some wood at the mouth of the burn. James Stewart and James McKerron who went with him to help managed to swim ashore before it was too late but Mr. Cruikshank was determined to get his wood and the float was swept down the Lour Burn. Just before it reached the main current of the river he leapt on to one of the trees in the water. All attempts to throw ropes from a boat were useless. Darkness came down and only his shouts for help, becoming more and more pitiful, were heard through the darkness of the torrential storm. Next morning the tree on which he had taken refuge had gone and his body was found washed up at Dandaleith. Even in his desperate plight he had followed his usual custom of winding up his watch for it was found fully wound up and had stopped at quarter past eleven when the tree had given away. The development of the village water supply in 1865 and the street lighting the following year were " inaugurated by Major McGowan, the banker who built the Major's Briggie" over the Lour near the Spey, and whose nephew, James McGowan, was drowned in 1897 in a tragic ferry boat accident.

Today Aberlour is a small town that is a tourist stop on the Speyside whisky trail and a centre for salmon fishing, overlooked by Ben Rinnes

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MacDonell of Glengarry
The Rennies are from a branch of the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, which in turn is a branch of Clan Donald. The clan takes its name from Glen Garry where the river Garry runs eastwards through Loch Garry to join the Great Glen about 16 miles (25 km) north of Fort William. The principal families descended from the house of Glengarry were the McDonells of Barrisdale, in Knoydart, Greenfield, and Lundie. The clan crest is a raven on a rock and the motto is Cragan An Fhithich (The rock of the raven)

MacDonell tartan

Origins of the clan The MacDonells of Glengarry claim descent from Donald, one of the five sons of Ranald (d.1386), chief of Clanranald. The parents of Ranald (d.1386) were John of Islay, Lord of the Isles, 6th chief of Clan Donald and Ami MacRuairi the heiress to the chiefship of Clanranald. The two distant relatives, John of Islay and Amie MacRuairi both descend from Ranald (d.1207), son of King Somerled. They married and their son Ranald (d.1386) became chief of Clanranald. Ranald was also expected to succeed his father, John of Islay as chief of Clan Donald. However John of Islay later married Margaret Stewart, the daughter of Robert II of Scotland. They had a son called Donald who became the next chief of Clan Donald. Ranald (d.1386) had five sons. One of these five, Alan (d.1430) succeeded him as chief. Another of the five sons, Donald (d.1420) became chief of the MacDonells of Glengarry. 16th Century & Clan Conflicts Glengarry first played an independent part in the politics of Clan Donald when in 1539 the Macdonald chief received a feudal charter from the Scottish crown. Glengarry chose to follow Donald Gorm of Sleat in an attempt to reclaim Lordship of the Isles which collapsed with a failed assault on Eilean Donan Castle in which Donald died. Along with other chiefs, Glengarry was tricked into attending on King James V of Scotland at Portree where they were captured and imprisoned in Edinburgh until the King died in 1542. In 1544 the MacDonells of Glengarry fought against the Clan Fraser at the Battle of the Shirts. In 1545 Alexander MacRanald of Glengarry and North Morar was one of the lords and barons of the Isles who pledged allegiance to the king of England. By the middle of the 16th century the Clan Matheson had greatly diminished in size and influence, and John Mathesons son Dougal possessed no more than a third of the ancient Matheson property on Lochalsh. Even that property he was in danger of losing by engaging in a dangerous feud on his own account with Clan MacDonell of Glengarry. This powerful chief had established himself on the shores of Loch Carron at hand, and he presently seized Matheson and threw him into prison, where he died. This incident brought about the final ruin of the Clan Matheson as a powerful clan. With a view to avenge his fathers death, and recover his lost territory; Dougal Mathesons son, Murdoch Buidhe Matheson, relinquished all his remaining property, excepting the farms of Balmacara and Fernaig, to the chief of the Clan MacKenzie of Kintail, in return for the services of an armed force with which to attack the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry. The lands thus handed over were never recovered from the MacDonells. Neither Mathesons generalship or the force given to him by Clan MacKenzie seems to have been enough to the task of forcing terms upon MacDonells of Glengarry. Later Murdoch Mathesons son, Ruari, the next Clan Matheson chief, had more satisfaction, when, as part of the following of the Clan MacKenzie chief in 1602, he set out to punish the MacDonells of Glengarry. On this occasion Glengarrys stronghold of Strome Castle, on Loch Carron, was stormed and destroyed. By 1581 the MacDonells of Glengarry controlled extensive territory and became involved in feuding and battles with Clan Mackenzie which led to them burning a church and the trapped congregation while the Glengarry piper marched round the building playing a tune still called Kilchrist after the name of the place.

17th Century The Battle of Morar was fought on 1602 between the Clan MacDonell of Glengarry and the Clan Mackenzie. Donald, 8th of Glengarry, reportedly lived for more than a hundred years and was clan chief for over seventy years. In 1627 he succeeded in obtaining a charter under the Great Seal to make his lands a free barony. In 1649 he failed to appear before the Privy Council in Edinburgh to answer charges of harbouring fugitives from the Isles, and was denounced as a rebel. The Civil War In the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, Glengarry supported the Royalist side. Aeneas the 9th Chief was out with James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose in 1645 and followed King Charles II to his final defeat at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. For his pains he had his new house of Invergarry burned by General George Monck and his lands forfeited by Oliver Cromwell, but had them returned at the Restoration, gaining the title of Lord MacDonell and Aross and chiefship of Clanranald and the whole of Clan Donald. As he died without issue his peerage became extinct. Jacobite Risings The clans under Glengarry took the Jacobite side in the Jacobite Risings. In 1689 Alastair Dubh Macranald commanded the clan at the Battle of Killiecrankie. In the 1715 rising Glengarry attended the pretended grand hunting match at Braemar arranged by the John Erskine, 23rd Earl of Mar and followed him to fight at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. The 13th chief was on his way from France to join the 1745 rebellion when he was captured by an English frigate and imprisoned in the Tower of London until 1747. However, six hundred of the Macdonells of Glengarry joined Prince Charles under the command of MacDonell of Lochgarry and were involved in many of the battles including the Highbridge Skirmishwhich was the first engagement between Government and Jacobite troops during the uprising of 1745 to 1746. The Macdonells of Glengarry also fought at the Clifton Moor Skirmish and Battle of Prestonpans in 1745 where they were victorious. The following year they also fought at the Battle of Falkirk (1746), and the Battle of Culloden. Colonel Alasdair Ranaldson M acDonell of Glengarry Colonel Alasdair was the personality whose character and behaviour gave Walter Scott the model for the haughty and flamboyant Highland chieftain Fergus MacIvor in the pioneering historical novel Waverley of 1810. As was customary for the chief of a clan, he was often called simply Glengarry. In June 1815 he formed his own Society of True Highlanders in bitter opposition to the Celtic Society of Edinburgh. During the visit of King George IV to Scotland he arrogantly made several unauthorised appearances, to the annoyance of Walter Scott and the other organisers. Under his authority timber was felled for sale, the cleared land was leased to sheep farmers and many of his clansmen were forced from the land by increasing rents and evictions, with the great majority forced to go to British North America in part of what was later known as the Highland Clearances.

Jamie Rennie

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Present day Rennies

Today, in July 2013, there are 21 direct Rennies or children of Rennie mothers and fathers. Add to that the numerous cousins and children of cousins, and the genes of James Rennie have been spread far and wide. On top of that, there may be plenty more from the Rannies and Rennies who never made the migration south. Here is most of the current line-up at Dominic and Beckys wedding in November 2012:

1. Eleanor Rennie 2. Christianne Terminet 3. Pascale Rennie 4. David Coursey 5. Georgina Jefferies 6. Joyce Sim 7. Gavin (Louisas boyfriend) 8. Catharine Coursey nee Rennie 9. Louisa Coursey 10. Jean-Paul Terminet 11. Marc Rennie 12. Freya Coursey 13. Giles Rennie 14. Maddy Sim

15. Paul Rennie 16. James Mulreany (Pascales boyfriend) 17. Alexander Sim 18. Sebastian Sim 19. Rebecca Rennie nee Stratton 20. Sebastian Jefferies 21. Dominic Rennie 22. Andre Sim 23. Luke Coursey 24. Lesley Rennie nee Sim 25. Jonathan Jefferies 26. Jonathan Rennie 27. Daniel Coursey 28. Harry Rennie

29. Julie Rennie nee Morrice 30. Veronica Jefferies nee Rennie 31. Jenny Rennie nee White 32. William Rennie 33. James Rennie 34. Michael Rennie

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John Rennie s Sisters

Joan May Mansfield nee Rennie

Mary Philomena Maw nee Rennie

Most of Mums Grandchildren at Mill of Syde (Giles hadnt been born)

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John Rennie s Children & Grandchildren

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Addresses
This is a compilation of past and present addresses of the Rennie family. It may help future generations continue the research. Name Shearers & Andersons James Shearer William Shearer Isabella Anderson William Shearer James Shearer Snr Isabella Anderson William Shearer Snr William & Isabella Shearer William Shearer Isabella Shearer & family William Shearer & family Elizabeth Shearer William Shearer & family William Shearer & family George Shearer William & Isabella Shearer Isabella Shearer Jnr George Shearer Isabella Shearer Snr William Shearer Isabella Shearer Jnr Isabella Shearer Jnr Rennies John Rennie (Rannie) Jannet Geddes John Rennie (Rannie) & family John Rennie (Rannie) & family James Rennie Snr James Rennie Snr James Rennie Snr & family James Rennie Snr & family James Rennie Snr James Rennie Jnr James Rennie Jnr James Rennie Jnr James Rennie Jnr & family James Rennie Jnr & family James Rennie Jnr & family Alfred Edgar Rennie Alfred Rennie & family John & Dinah Rennie John Rennie & family John Rennie & family John Rennie & family John & Dinah Rennie 1801 1799 1851 1861 1861 1871 1973 1881 1911 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1926 1926 1942 1951 1952 1963 1965 1989 Aberlour, Banffshire Bellie, Moray Sunnybrae, Aberlour, Banffshire Parkside, Aberlour, Banffshire Little Ribrae, Forglen, Banffshire Alverstock, Southampton Netley, Hound, Hampshire 25, Kirkland House, Banchory, Kincardineshire St Nicholas Cottages, Banchory, Kincardineshire 83, High St, Aberlour, Banffshire High St, Aberlour, Banffshire Bramley Park, Bramley, Surrey 31, Ashcombe St, Fulham 8a Dilke St, Chelsea 7, Chipstead St, Fulham 14, Moore Park Rd, Fulham 33, Longford Close, Hampton Hill, Middx 56, Winchester Rd, St Margarets, Middx 20, Second Cross Rd, Twickenham, Middx 15, Malus Drive, Addlestone, Surrey 12, Howards Lane, Addlestone, Surrey Grovers Gardens, Beacon Hill, Surrey 1781 1825 1823 1841 1841 1841 1841 1851 1861 1861 1871 1871 1881 1891 1891 1901 1901 1901 1902 1904 1911 1949 Mortlach, Banffshire Newmills, Banffshire Rothes, Moray Outhouse,Lichinton, Rathven, Banffshire Caonley Mortlach, Banffshire Burnside, Rothes, Moray Comcks Mill, Keith, Moray 3, Windy Hillocks, Boharm, Banffshire Whitehouse, Aberlour, Banffshire Old Manse, Aberlour, Banffshire 83, High St, Aberlour, Banffshire 105, High St, Aberlour, Banffshire High St, Aberlour, Banffshire 2, Grants Close, Aberlour, Banffshire 13, Redesdale St, Chelsea 4, Wellfield, Aberlour, Banffshire 50a, George St, Huntly, Aberdeenshire 31, Ashcombe St, Fulham 9, Broomfield Square, Aberlour, Banffshire Braeside, Kininvie, Mortlach, Banffshire 14, Cross St, Fraserburgh Craigroyston, Lumsden, Aberdeenshire Date Address

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Name Rowe & Barker Robert Row George Barker Alfred Rowe Harriet Barker Agnes Sarah Rowe Hemson & Cumberland Charles Cumberland Jane Richards Charles Cumberland & family Hannah Cumberland Charles Cumberland & family Henry Hemson & family George Hemson & family George Hemson & family George Hemson & family Walters Harris Walters & family Michael Walters & family Dinah Rennie (Walters) Hamstead, Barry, Woodley William & Honorah Barry William & Honorah Barry Maisie Woodley William Woodley & family Current Addresses Joan & Clive Mansfield Mary & Vernon Maw Paul & Lesley Rennie Paul & Lesley Rennie Paul & Lesley Rennie Paul & Lesley Rennie Michael & Jenny Rennie Veronica & Jonathan Jefferies Catharine & David Coursey Jonathan & Julie Rennie Dominic & Becky Rennie

Date

Address

1819 1828 1852 1854 1874

Darsham, Suffolk Westleton, Suffolk Leiston, Suffolk Middleton, Suffolk Leiston, Suffolk

1815 1828 1861 1864 1871 1881 1891 1911 1926

Hadley, Dorset Spratton, Northants Dale Buildings, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales 4, Station Rd, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, Wales 39, Harleyford Rd, Lambeth 23, Park Walk Chelsea 50, Blantyre St, Chelsea 14, Moore Park Rd, Fulham

? 1930 1997

16, Kilinskiego Street, Tarwobrzeg, Poland 93, Marlowe Crescent, Twickenham Millers Cottage, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire

? 1881 1904 1911

Limerick, Eire 3, Freemans Cottages, Bollo Bridge Rd, Acton Shepherds Bush 31, Askew Rd, Shepherds Bush

2013 2013 1977 1979 1986 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013 2013

6, Magdalene Rd, Shepperton, Surrey Gemini, Headley Rd, Grayshott, Surrey 2, Thornton Place, Horley, Surrey 21, Bramble Way, Send Marsh, Ripley, Surrey 20, Common Close Horsell, Surrey Ataraxia, Ballfield Road, Godalming, Surrey Moot Farm Cottage, Moot Lane, Downton, Wilts Hurst Oaks, Hambledon Rd, Godalming, Surrey Mill of Syde, Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire Fox End Farmhouse, Polecat Lane, Copsale, W. Sussex 33, Lichfield Rd, Bracebridge Heath, Lincs

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Who s Who
Who James Anderson Isabella Anderson John Barker George Barker Harriet Barker Winifred Barry William Barry Honora Barry Geoffrey Block Sarah Gail Block Helen Burgess David Coursey Louisa Claire Coursey Luke Christopher Coursey Freya Josephine Coursey Daniel Coursey Hannah Cumberland Ann Cumberland Elizabeth Cumberland Charles Cumberland Ann Donaldson Alexander Duffus Katherine Duffus Margaret Duffus Leonard Evans Hazel Evans Margaret Findlay Margaret Ann Fraser David Fraser Andrew Geddes Snr Jannet Geddes Andrew Geddes Jnr James George Isabella George Robert George Grant Mary Gibbons Richard Hamstead Mary Anne Hamstead Maisie Edna Hamstead Frederick George Hemson Henry B Hemson Jnr Henry B Hemson Snr Frederick G Hemson Cyril Edward Hemson Sidney Hemson Victor Hemson Mary Philomena Hemson Augustine Hemson Florence Hemson Jonathan Jefferies Georgina Louise Jefferies Sebastian James Jefferies Robert Laing Sarah Leskovitch Margret Low Clive Mansfield Vernon Maw Stephen Maw Denise Mary Maw Neil Robert Maw Sarah Louise Maw Joanne Vernon Maw Helen McWilliam Margaret Martin Julie Morice Harriet Noya Richard Noya James Rainy Born 1791 1823 1796 1828 1854 ? 1836 1837 ? 1967 1727 1959 1986 1989 1995 1998 1864 1860 1861 1815 ? ? ? 1762 1900 1928 ? 1878 1880 1739 1799 1763 ? 1791 1886 1812 ? 1883 1904 1864 1837 1811 1888 1891 1893 1897 1901 1898 1904 1956 1987 1988 1872 ? ? 1935 1927 1953 1954 1957 1960 1962 1875 ? 1962 1829 1801 ? Relationship James Rennie Jnr Great Grandfather Wife of William Shearer, James Rennie Jnr Grandmother Great Grandfather of Agnes Sarah Rowe Grandfather of Agnes Sarah Rowe Mother of Agnes Sarah Rowe Great Grandmother of Dinah Rennie Great Great Grandfather of Dinah Rennie Great Great Grandmother of Dinah Rennie Husband of Hazel Evans Daughter of Geoffrey Block Wife of Alexander Duffus, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandmother Husband of Veronica Rennie Daughter of Catharine Rennie, Great Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Catharine Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Catharine Rennie, Great Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Catharine Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Mother of Mary Philomena Hemson Sister of Hannah Cumberland Sister of Hannah Cumberland Father of Hannah Cumberland, Grandfather of Mary Hemson Wife of James Rennie, James Rennie Jnr Great Grandmother James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandfather Wife of Andrew Geddes Snr, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandmother Wife of Andrew Geddes Jnr, James Rennie Jnr Great Grandmother Husband of Elsie May Rennie Daughter of Elsie May Rennie, Cousin of John Rennie Wife of Alexander Rainy, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Shearer Daughter with John Fraser, James Rennie Jnr cousin Elizabeth Shearer Son with John Fraser, James Rennie Jnr cousin James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandfather Wife of John Rennie, James Rennie Jnr Grandmother James Rennie Jnr Great Grandfather Father of Isabella George, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandfather Wife of James Shearer, James Rennie Jnr Great Grandmother Isabella Shearer Son, Father unknown, James Rennie Jnr half Brother Great Grandmother of Mary Hemson Great Grandfather of Dinah Rennie Grandmother of Dinah Rennie Mother of Dinah Rennie Father of Mary Philomena Hemson Grandfather of Mary Hemson Great Grandfather of Mary Hemson Brother of Mary Hemson Brother of Mary Hemson Brother of Mary Hemson Brother of Mary Hemson Wife of Alfred Rennie, Daughter-in-law of James Rennie Jnr Brother of Mary Hemson Sister of Mary Hemson Husband of Veronica Rennie Daughter of Veronica Rennie, Great Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Veronica Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Elizabeth Shearer Son with William Laing, James Rennie Jnr cousin Mother of Michael Walters, Grandmother of Dinah Rennie Wife of James George, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandmother Husband of Joan Rennie Husband of Mary Philomena Rennie Son of Mary Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Mary Rennie, Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Mary Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Mary Rennie, Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Mary Rennie, Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Elizabeth Shearer Daughter with John McWilliam, James Rennie Jnr cousin Wife of John Shearer, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Great Grandmother Wife of Jonathan Rennie Grandmother of Agnes Sarah Rowe Great Grandfather of Agnes Sarah Rowe Father of Alexander Rainy, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Great Grandfather

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Who Alexander Rainy William Rennie John Rennie (Rannie) James Rennie (Rannie) James Rennie Jnr (Shearer) Margaret Rennie Ann Rennie William Rennie Isabella Rennie James Rennie Jessie Rennie John Rennie Ann Rennie Nellie Douglas Rennie George Rennie William Rennie Afred Edgar Rennie Elsie May Rennie Lesley Melville Rennie Dorothy Sybil Rennie Alfred John Rennie Joan May Rennie Mary Philomena Rennie Jnr Paul John Rennie Michael Dominic Rennie Veronica Mary Rennie Catharine Anne Rennie Matthew Rennie Jonathan James Rennie Dominic Simon Rennie Pascale Claire Rennie Marc Benjamin Rennie Eleanor Bernadette Rennie William John Rennie James Alexander Rennie Harry John Rennie Giles Edward Rennie Thomas Robertson Alfred Row Robert Row Agnes Sarah Rowe Isabella Russell Elizabeth Sellar John Sellar John Shearer William Shearer Snr James Shearer Snr William Shearer Jnr Isabella Shearer John Shearer Jnr Elizabeth Shearer William Shearer Jnr Alexander Stuart Shearer Ann Shearer Robert Shearer George Shearer Isabella Shearer Lesley Carole Sim Alexander Souter Ann Stewart William Taylor Harris Walters Michael Walters Dinah Marion Walters Elizabeth Weir Jennifer Mary White William Frederick Woodley

Born 1731 1764 1801 1844 1870 1828 1830 1841 1873 1875 1876 1879 1881 1882 1884 1887 1900 1904 1906 1908 1927 1927 1930 1952 1953 1954 1956 1958 1960 1983 1886 1990 1998 1996 1994 1997 1999 1873 1852 1819 1874 1792 1785 ? ? 1785 1805 1823 1849 1846 1851 1853 1855 1859 1860 1863 1876 1956 1877 1847 1893 ? 1900 1930 ? 1958 1879

Relationship Father of William Rennie, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Father My Great Grandfather Sister of James Rennie Snr Sister of James Rennie Snr Brother of James Rennie Snr Daughter of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half sister Son of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half brother Daughter of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half sister Son of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half brother Daughter of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half sister Daughter of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half sister Son of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half brother Son of James Rennie Snr, James Rennie Jnr half brother Son of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Alfred Edgar Rennie, Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Alfred Edgar Rennie, Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Alfred Edgar Rennie, Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of John Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of John Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of John Rennie, Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of John Rennie, Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of John Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of John Rennie, Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of Paul Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Paul Rennie, Great Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Paul Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Daughter of Michael Rennie, Great Great Granddaughter of James Rennie Jnr Son of Michael Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of Jonathan Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of Jonathan Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Son of Jonathan Rennie, Great Great Grandson of James Rennie Jnr Isabella Shearer Son with Donald Robertson, James Rennie Jnr half Brother Father of Agnes Sarah Rowe Grandfather of Agnes Sarah Rowe Wife of James Rennie Jnr Wife of James Anderson, James Rennie Jnr Great Grandmother Wife of William Shearer Snr, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandmother Father of Elizabeth Sellar, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Great Great Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Great Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Great Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Grandfather James Rennie Jnr Mother James Rennie Jnr Uncle James Rennie Jnr Aunt James Rennie Jnr Uncle James Rennie Jnr Uncle James Rennie Jnr Aunt James Rennie Jnr Uncle James Rennie Jnr Uncle Elizabeth Shearer Daughter with John Fraser, James Rennie Jnr cousin Wife of Paul Rennie Isabella Shearer Son, Father unknown, James Rennie Jnr half Brother Wife of James Rennie Snr Isabella Shearer Son with John Taylor, James Rennie Jnr half Brother Father of Michael Walters, Grandfather of Dinah Rennie Father of Dinah Rennie Wife of John Rennie, Daughter of Michael Walters Wife of John Sellar, James Rennie Jnr Great Great Great Grandmother Wife of Michael Rennie Grandfather of Dinah Rennie

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Epilogue
So there it is the history of the Rennies stretching back to their roots in Scotland in the 18 century. The scope of this work is far greater and took far longer than I imagined it would. Its not complete and never can be, but I can at least claim to have made a start. When I started researching over three years ago, I had no real idea of the family background beyond my rather enigmatic Scottish Great Grandfather, James Rennie. At the onset, I suppose, deep down, I hoped that I would discover a famous Rennie relation or two, a Scottish castle, or perhaps an unclaimed title. Alas, it was not to be, and the Rennies seem to have led quiet unassuming lives. That said, they werent without events in their lives. There were tragedies for sure, but they must also have known happiness, had family ties and the joy of children, and, in spite of poorer healthcare than today, tended to live longer than the norm. They also lived in a beautiful and scenic part of the world. The practice of naming children after their parents means that first names often repeat across generations. This makes it rather difficult to track whos who. For example, Isabella, James and William crop up many times. We even have two current nephews called James and William. Where possible, Ive indicated parent and child relationships with the same first name by calling them Snr or Jnr. One thing this exercise has taught me is to take every opportunity to ask questions and talk to your older relations. They have so much knowledge of the past. Researching this family history would have been so much easier if I had done more of that. I should certainly have pressed my parents and Grandparents more about their childhood memories, rather than being surprised by the revelations in old documents. My mother, Dinah lived long enough to see the first draft of this family history, and was fascinated by the revelations about the Rennie ancestry. She gave me great encouragement to complete it. I am grateful to her and my aunts Mary and Joan for providing me with documents, photos and memories. Also, to my second cousin, Gail, for digging out old photos of James Rennie, from her mother, Hazels, collection. Finally, Michael, Veronica, Catharine and Jonathan, who eventually succumbed to my nagging and produced their own memories, which I was able to include and which add their voices to the account. Hopefully, this research has at least provided some information to future generations of Rennies about their past, and help give them an understanding of who they are and the powerful pull of their genes. We can look back at our heritage and forwards at our children and Grandchildren, and be proud of who we are.
th

Paul John Rennie

Laird of Ataraxia, Ballfield Road, Godalming July 2013

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