A-Z Challenge: Family Traits - G for GENIAL & GOOD-LOOKING

My Theme for the A-Z Challenge 2023

 Family Traits , Quirks and Characteristics 

 G for GENIAL and  GOOD LOOING 

My Two  Uncles - Fred Weston and Harry Danson

 

 

 

I always think of my Uncle Fred as a very GENIAL man, though my memories of him are hazy.  

He was the eldest child in the family, born in 1905 at Bilston, Wolverhampton, in the industrial English Midlands  to Albert Weston and Mary Barbara Matthews. 

At the time of the 1911 census, the Weston family was living at 33 Lunt Lane, Lunt Gardens, Bilston, Staffordshire.  The street name belied its industrial setting - next to the sewage  works.   In the household was  34 year old Albert  Ernest, an engineer,  his wife Mary aged 34,   son Frederick Harry aged 5, daughter Madeleine  1 year old, both born Bilston  and Albert's brother Charles Henry, at 26 a boiler rivetter.

It was interesting to note daughter Madelaine's attractive name,  as I always knew her as the more prosaic  "Auntie Madge". 

My father John Percy was born in 1912,   followed by younger brother Eric Charles - always known as Charles in 1915.   Another daughter, born c.1908 did not survive infancy.   

Sadly hardly any photographs of the young family have survived.  So it was a great pleasure last year that these pictures of young  Fred came to light through a distant relative of my cousin - Charles' daughter.  

I would love to know what occasion Fred was dressed up for  with that fancy coat, and large hat.  

Fred as a choir boy. at St. Mary's Church, Warwick. 

Fred  married Frances Green in 1930 in Leicester.  My father is on the left of the picture looking very serious, with brother Charles behind. Their mother is in the cloche hat standing next to Fred. 

I recall visits to Uncle Fred and Auntie  Fran who were then living in Sheffield.  From Lancashire, it meant us crossing the Pennines on the Snake Pass - a journey which had my brother and crouching down at the back of  the car, (no seat belt requirement in those days)   as we did not like the twisting road and steep drops below.  We were more than happy to stop at the Lady Bower Reservoir for a picnic lunch. 

The two brothers  John and Fred - with a rather grumpy looking child between them - me!

Fred, Charles and my father maintained regular contact by letter and later telephone, although they lived in different  parts of the country, meeting only  once or twice a year.

A relaxed and happy photograph of John and Fred.

Fred became a teacher in further education.  His first wife Fran died in 1976 and he remarried  - his second wife Mollie.   Fred died in  1989 at the age of 84, leaving no family - but with the memory of a GENIAL uncle.  

 

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 My GOOD LOOKING  Uncle Harry - A Man of Many Parts

Lots of words can be used to describe my uncle  - a joiner, soldier, Dunkirk survivor, a skilled do-it-yourselfer, productive gardener, keen photographer, yachtsman  - and ballroom dancer. 

 

  A young Harry

 

 

Harry Rawcliffe  Danson (1912-2001) was the middle child of five, born to my grandparents William Danson and Alice English in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire. His middle name came from his grandmother Maria Danson, nee Rawcliffe. The photograph above is the only one  I have of him as a child, and is part of a group photograph of the family, taken in 1916, as my grandfather set out to war.

Harry  followed his grandfather into becoming a joiner. and I remember him making a miniature table and chairs for my doll’s house.  Not surprisingly he was skilled in  do-it yourself.  

My next knowledge of Harry was from his army photographs.

Young man around town - look at that  hairstyle! 

The reverse of the photograph indicates it was taken in Salisbury -

when Harry was undergoing Army training? 

I think there is an Errol Flynn look about him here! 

            

This signed menu of December 25th 1939,   written in French and typed on very flimsy paper,  was found after his death amongst Uncle Harry's papers.    He was in France with the British Expeditionary Force, 9/17th Field Battery.  In the Sergeant's Mess,  breakfast was cold ham with piccalilli, eggs, coffee and roll and butter;  for dinner  - turkey with chestnuts, pork with apple sauce, potatoes, and cauliflower followed by Christmas pudding, apples, oranges, and nuts, with cognac, rum and beer - a wonderful feast in difficult conditions and testimony to the skill of the catering corps!

Five months later Harry was one of the many men evacuated from Dunkirk, saved by the flotilla of small ships.  Sadly many of the men who were at this meal may not have survived.   My mother used  to tell how Harry arrived back home from Dunkirk  still in the uniform in which he entered the sea to be rescued.   He never talked about his wartime experiences, but seeing commemoration services or documentaries on TV could bring tears to his eyes, so the memories remained very strong.

 

 Harry  later served in North Africa.

Harry had a short lived marriage in the 1940's and never remarried.   He returned to his joinery trade after the war and  continued to live in the home of his childhood, renovating the house, and taking pride in his  garden,

I recall him taking his sister  (my Aunt Edith) out for a Sunday run in his motor cycle and side car.    He then progressed to a car, extending  the driveway, and  turning the former hen house into a garage. He also had a small yacht which he sailed off the Fleetwood coast.

Living in Blackpool the natural home of ballroom dancing in the UK, Harry enjoyed a lot of time on the dance floor at  the Winter Gardens or on the Tower Ballroom  - and he was never short of partners!

 With a good friend, neighbour & dance partner, c.1970's. 

Harry was a keen photographer, at one time having his own dark room to develop pictures. He took this photograph of St. Chad's Church, Poulton-le-Fylde, noted for its carpet of crocuses in Spring.  Dansons back to 1736 were baptised, married and buried here. 

Harry lived  to the age of 89,  remaining active to the end of his life - and he retained his GOOD LOOKS!

 Harry Rawcliffe Danson (1912-2001)

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                                                       Onto H for HEROIC 

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED

A for ADVENTUROUS

B for BIGAMOUS    

 D for DEVOUT

E for ENTERPRISING  & ESTEEMED 

F for FEISTY

 

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