My Welling Family
A Memory of Welling.
Both of my parents lived in Welling. Mum was born there and dad's family moved there later. Sadly all my mum's family have passed on with the exception of my Uncle John who is now 88 years old.
He would love to hear from anyone who remembers the Maslen family who lived at 13 Camborne Road - just by the Shoulder of Mutton green. My Nan was Dorothy Maslen and her husband was Sydney Maslen. The children were Joan, John, Eileen, Peter and Bryan.
John has written a little booklet, he's amazing and has remembered so much of his childhood. It's too long to put on here but if anyone is interested I can put it in a word document and forward it to you.
I hope there's somebody out there who remembers the family.
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I lived at number 6 Camborne Road from 1943 to 1948 with my mother, Hermine Wright who died in 1997) and my grandparents, Fred and Elsie Wright, long dead, who moved to Westcliffe on sea in 1949.
I was at the East Wickham Infants School.
Christopher Wright
Do you hve any information about the V1 doodlebug which landed on the railway embankment and destroyed shops in Central Avenue near Station Approach. I was there, but unhurt.
Christopher Wright
Kind regards
Pauline
Thank you for your quick response and happy news about your Uncle John. I am sorry if I have put you to a lot of trouble.
Technology is brilliant!
My mother and I used to sleep in an Anderson shelter in the garden of a house opposite number 13. The house was unoccupied because it had serious cracking from a bomb blast. I remember candlelight and horrible nightmares.
My father had died in 1943, but in 1948 my mother remarried, and we went to live first in Somerset and then in Devon. I knew Cornwall well from holidays in Perranporth and Newquay.
Kind regards,
Christopher
Memories are flooding back.
At No 4, to our left lived Mr and Mrs Rodwell. They had a beautiful fluffy white cat called Vic, because he was born on V.E.Day. A big Rolls Royce was usually parked in front of their house. I thought they must be very rich, but he was a chauffeur. A very sweet couple.
At No 8 lived an older couple , Mr and Mrs Baugh, or Boar, who were spiritualists. They kept chickens. Mrs Baugh always referred to and addressed her husband as 'Baugh', which my Yorkshire grandmother said was very East End.
On our side of the road, and nearer Shoulder of Mutton green lived a girl called Evelyn who walked with crutches.
Those were very happy days, too soon over.
I've just realised that your Uncle John must have been 18 in 1942, and was probably in the services from 1943.
I live (and still work as a teacher) in Poland.
Best wishes,
Christopher
Have you managed to contact your uncle yet? If so, would you like my email address?
Regards,
Chris Wright
I was thinking of you this afternoon as John rang up for a chat. Yesterday he received a letter from Kenny and said he was sending Kenny the booklet to read. I think he had copied it so will ask him to send me the copy. I shall write out all the people you remember and see if that jogs any memories for him. Yes, John did sign up once he was 18 and served in France as an engineer, but I know he went back to nana's house. It's funny that the older we get the more we remember the past. I have decorated our dining room and suddenly realised the colours were the same as the Hillman Minx that was our first family car!
My step brother teaches English abroad, mainly in Austria but has done the Czech Republic as well. If you email me with your email address I can keep you up to speed more easily as I keep forgetting my passwords for various accounts! Mine is pauline.bajic@googlemail.com. Have a good day.
Pauline
Thank you for your message and happy news. Sorry for the late reply. I just came back from hospital yesterday, (without my appendix!), but sent you an email last week before I dashed off for the operation.
Teaching English abroad is great, because you are almost never to old!
Happy weekend!
Chris
I spoke with John yesterday and he has sent one copy of his booklet to Canada and the other to Australia. It could be along wait!
I have spent the past 3 weeks decorating our house, the first opportunity I've had in 5 years. My mum died 2 days after we moved in and by then dad was fighting cancer. The last 15 months we had with dad were better spent making memories than painting walls. I've only managed the dining room and the smallest bedroom so far, but have the delight of thinking about the 2 big bedrooms, bathroom, landing, stairs, hallway, study and kitchen!
Once a week I volunteer at the Cornwall at War museum at Davidstow. Dad served there in WW11 in 612 squadron and donated his medals to the museum. The owners have become good friends and allowed dad's ashes to be buried there underneath the RAF flagpole. Last September myself and the owners wife, Sheila, painted a Hunter jet that had been part of the Black Arrows display team back in the 60's. It took us 3 weeks armed with paintbrushes and small rollers. We had to make our own stencils for the flashes and roundels, but she looks great now in a gleaming gloss black. Not many people have the chance to do such a job. Now we are raising funds to build a hangar for the Hunter & Fairey Gannet.
One thing John mentioned yesterday was "Uncle Charlie Gibson". Apparently before the war he had a general shop in Woolwich. After the war he had a stall in the market square in Woolwich where he sold razors, cutlery anything metal it seems. he was know as "Razor Charlie Gibson". Does that ring any bells with you. Charlie married one of John's aunts who had worked in the shop.
Well, I had better go, Christopher. Lots to do this morning, taking stuff to the charity shop, doing a bit of shopping for us and getting some more DIY supplies. It's a wet and stormy day so our dog, Carrek is driving me mad playing ball indoors. I type a word, throw the ball, type a word, throw the ball. He's a 38 kilo black lab who is a spoilt only "child"! Take care of yourself and I hope your wound heals quickly.
Pauline
Thank you for your very interesting and moving reply. How times change! I, too, had gangrene, but the surgeon just treated it as a joke (Polish sense of humour!). You must have been tough to survive in those days.
Very sad to hear about your Mum and Dad, but you are clearly a great traditional family. Your work with the Cornwall at War museum at Davidstow must be very interesting and absorbing. I guess history, and especially family history, is very important to you.
I'm sorry, but I don't remember anyone mentioning your Uncle Charlie. I probably saw him, because once a week my Grandma took me to Woolwich market (I think it was on Wednesday) and bought a rabbit or two. She cooked delicious rabbit stew with dumplings.
I hope your shopping went well, and Carrek has calmed down.
With kind regards, and best wishes for a happy Easter,
Christopher
Best wishes,
Christopher