23rd March

Aunt Pamela – Childhood Memories (Part 4)

[KPD left – as well as her diaries – an old exercise book, falling apart, and not by any means full, but containing some family history information. Inside the front cover she has written: ‘I meant to rewrite this book…I hope I have not repeated myself too much”. I have tried to remove such repetition, and to have reordered the contents to make more sense, giving headings, leaving out simply genealogical material etc. I have also added some explanatory footnotes. But the text is all her own.]

7. More memories of KPD’s family life & her siblings

• We went as a family to Fishbourne twice & once we stayed in rooms over “Nutbeams” the bakers, & watched them making twists of bread.
• Martin¹ left school at 17 & went to Foster & Braithwaite² (Stockbrokers). He lived at a Toc H hostel & knew Tubby Clayton. He helped him with boys in the east end of London & went to camp with them. Later he lived with Aunt Consie³ at T.W. & had digs there until he married Elaine in 1933 & they lived in Petts Wood – then T.W.
• [Added as a marginal note] Tubby Clayton was a C of E clergyman – Vicar of All Hallows & founded Toc H (Talbot House)⁴
• Martin joined the H.A.C⁵. so joined up before the war started. He ended up as a major. After the war they moved to Keymar⁶ where he did farming by contract & after a disastrous cold winter he had to give it up. Soon after he left Elaine & after a divorce he married Mollie. They lived at Norwich & then had lots of moves and jobs.
• Gerald⁷ worked at Suttons (seeds) at Reading until he went to Bolivia.

• Anthony⁸ was articled to Uncle Percy⁹ at Teignmouth – Tozer & Dell. After qualifying he worked in London. After qualifying he worked in London & we moved to Orpington so that he could live at home. He married Peggy Tindall (1936) & they rented a bungalow at Knockholt until he was called up. He was a territorial officer & finished as an acting Major. Neither he nor Martin went abroad. When he was demobbed he & Peggy – and Grahame & Jennifer lived at Sunbury on Thames. Peggy joined the WAAFs¹⁰ until she started a baby. She & the children spent most of the war in Suffolk near her parents.
• Peggy left Anthony about 1960 & after their divorce married Simon Bull. Anthony married Molly in 1963 & they bought Green Gate¹¹ about 1965.
• He [Anthony] had a motor bike when young & I enjoyed riding pillion; later it was in the sidecar.

[More to come from Aunt Pamela’s memories of childhood soon!]

1 Martin Dell (November 1904 – March 1953) was KPD’s eldest brother.

2 Presumably the firm of his Uncle (by marriage) Cecil Braithwaite, who was very generous to his poorer relations, such as the Dells. Cecil was married to KPD’s Aunt Annette (eldest sister of her mother).

3 Constance (‘Connie’) Evershed (1868-1951) was one of Arthur Evershed’s daughters, younger sister of Annette & elder sister of KPD’s mother. She was unmarried & lived with her parents until their death. KPD remained close to her until her death.

4 This fits in with Martin’s voluntary work in the East end of London. For Tubby Clayton & Toc H see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubby_Clayton

5 H.A.C. = ‘Honourable Artillery Company’. During the inter-war years it was a Territorial Army unit.

6 The handwriting looks like ‘Keymer’, which is a village near Hassocks in Sussex (north of Brighton).

7 Gerald (December 1905-April 1985) was KPD’s second oldest brother. He settled in South America, finally in Chile, and only ever returned to the UK once (in 1970).

8 Anthony Dell (February 1909 to July 2000) was the sibling KPD was closest to in age; they remained close to the end of his life.

9 Alfred Percival (‘Percy’) Dell (September 1871-September 1931) was the younger brother of Anthony’s (& KPD’s) father and a Solicitor. Anthony trained with him, and later worked as solicitor all his working life. Tozer & Dell seems to still exist as ‘Tozers’; they have 3 offices in Devon.

10 Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.

11 Green Gate, in West Lavington near Midhurst, West Sussex, was a modest house with a large and beautiful garden that Anthony & Molly lived in for around 25 years.

KPD’s second oldest brother, Gerald. He spent most of his life in Chile.

KPD’s brother, Anthony, on one of his motorbikes.

KPD’s eldest brother, Martin (probably taken in early 1930s).