Guinevere
05-01-11, 19:22
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William John Edmonds was born on April 16th, 1870 in the Beach Village, Lowestoft. The beach village sprang up in Victorian times when the fishing industry in Lowestoft was at its height. William was born in Malsters Score in a house off the narrow path leading down the cliff from High Street to The Grit, as the beach village was known by locals. The original crinkle crinkle walls still survive at the lower part of the Score but most of the homes are long gone, demolished following the great flood in the early 1950s.
Malsters Score today
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/e20298dd.jpg
Samuel Peto, a rich industrialist had been responsible for the development of the docks at Lowestoft in the mid 1800s. Until the docks were built fishermen used to drag their boats up onto the beach but with the arrival of the docks larger trawlers could be berthed and larger catches sold at the markets at the side of the docks and Lowestoft thrived. Peto was also responsible for building Christchurch C of E church to serve the inhabitants of the beach village and it was here that William John was baptised on the 5th of June, the third child of Benjamin Garner Edmonds and Elizabeth Ann, nee Turrell.
Benjamin was a fisherman, who used to trawl for herring in the dangerous waters of the North Sea off the east coast of England. The boats often used to follow the silver darlings (herring) around the coast of Britain and the men could be away for months at a time. Benjamin, nicknamed Buno, was in charge of the nets and it was an accident while loading the nets that led to his premature death at the age of 35. His widow Elizabeth was pregnant with their eighth child. Their eldest child, Clara, left school to stay at home and help with the younger children. After the birth of her baby, Thomas, Elizabeth obtained work as a housekeeper for an elderly widower who lived in the town. She also worked as a net mender. She made sure all her sons were apprenticed to tradesmen and William served his time as a cooper with the firm of Tom Brown and Sons. As a journeyman cooper he earned a good living making the barrels in which salted or smoked fish was stored.
William married Gertrude Elizabeth Capps Cooper on February 27, 1894 at St Peter’s Church, a chapel of ease to the parish church of St Margaret’s. She was the daughter of a fishing boat owner, William Capps Cooper. They made their home in Cambridge Rd, Lowestoft and their first child, Gladys, was born there in December 1894.
William and Gertrude with their 4 oldest children
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Salted herring was very popular in Germany and William went to work for a German firm of fish merchants, who exported large quantities to Germany. He and the family prospered as William was given increasing responsibility at work. By 1912 William and Gertrude had seven children and had moved to a larger house in Beccles Road. He was on very good terms with his German employer and their families became friends and socialised together. Unfortunately the good life came to an end with the threat of war, prior to the actual outbreak of World War 1. The firm closed overnight and William’s employer and family were called home to Germany. William found it difficult to find another job because he was viewed with suspicion by many for being so friendly with a German family. He eventually found employment with the firm of F H Phillips, fish merchants. This new job required that he went to sea from time to time and he had to start again at the bottom and the family had to move to a smaller house. These were very hard times for William and his family.
Nearly all fishermen in Lowestoft had nicknames and William’s was “Little Buno” after his father, this later became just “Buno”. He soon made friends among his workmates and was known for his love of pranks and jokes. He joined the Loyal Lacon Lodge of Freemasons and after the war was over the good times began again with social gatherings which his wife, Gertrude, loved. He never forgot the difficult times, though, and saved as much money as he could so that he could eventually buy a house for his family. He was determined that the family would always have a roof over their heads and never again suffer the humiliation of being unable to pay the rent through no fault of their own.
The house William bought in St Peter's Street today
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/e0d535ff.jpg
He ensured, as had his mother, that all his children served apprenticeships - even his daughters - so that they would always have a trade to fall back on in hard times. They all learned to play the piano as well and in the 1920s and 1930s the house was always full of music and laughter. Most of the children went into jobs connected with the fishing industry but his youngest son, Norman, gained a scholarship to grammar school and was later apprenticed as a clerk/bookkeeper in a brewery. William saw all his children married and was a loving and adored grandfather to his many grandchildren.
William and Gertude on their Golden Wedding day
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/3728b49c.jpg
William’s sense of humour was always to the fore. His son Norman volunteered for the army in WW2 and returned home after his basic training. His uniform was ill-fitting, his boots too big and he had been much delayed on the long, tiring train journey home. He arrived at his parents’ home late at night – cold, tired, wet and dishevelled - and knocked on the door. It was opened by his father, who looked him up and down and said, “Good God, we’ve lost!”
William had retired from work before the war and spent many happy hours tending his garden and allotment and taking his grandchildren for long walks around the area, pointing out the birds and flowers as they went. He and Gertrude attended Masonic functions and had a large circle of friends and neighbours with whom to share a well earned retirement. He was taken ill in 1949 and diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. He remained cheerful through his illness and many visits to hospital and warmly greeted visitors to his home, after he was no longer able to go out. He was admitted to hospital for the last time in March 1950 and died there on March 26th. The previous day he had told his son, Donald, that he was feeling, “Much more chipper,” and that he hoped to be home in a day or so.
Probate was granted to William’s oldest son Billy on May 9th 1950 and he left effects totalling £919 5s 7d to his widow, Gertrude.
William John Edmonds was buried in St Margaret’s Churchyard following a packed funeral service at the church. His widow Gertrude joined him there five years later.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/2d47611b.jpg
William John Edmonds was born on April 16th, 1870 in the Beach Village, Lowestoft. The beach village sprang up in Victorian times when the fishing industry in Lowestoft was at its height. William was born in Malsters Score in a house off the narrow path leading down the cliff from High Street to The Grit, as the beach village was known by locals. The original crinkle crinkle walls still survive at the lower part of the Score but most of the homes are long gone, demolished following the great flood in the early 1950s.
Malsters Score today
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/e20298dd.jpg
Samuel Peto, a rich industrialist had been responsible for the development of the docks at Lowestoft in the mid 1800s. Until the docks were built fishermen used to drag their boats up onto the beach but with the arrival of the docks larger trawlers could be berthed and larger catches sold at the markets at the side of the docks and Lowestoft thrived. Peto was also responsible for building Christchurch C of E church to serve the inhabitants of the beach village and it was here that William John was baptised on the 5th of June, the third child of Benjamin Garner Edmonds and Elizabeth Ann, nee Turrell.
Benjamin was a fisherman, who used to trawl for herring in the dangerous waters of the North Sea off the east coast of England. The boats often used to follow the silver darlings (herring) around the coast of Britain and the men could be away for months at a time. Benjamin, nicknamed Buno, was in charge of the nets and it was an accident while loading the nets that led to his premature death at the age of 35. His widow Elizabeth was pregnant with their eighth child. Their eldest child, Clara, left school to stay at home and help with the younger children. After the birth of her baby, Thomas, Elizabeth obtained work as a housekeeper for an elderly widower who lived in the town. She also worked as a net mender. She made sure all her sons were apprenticed to tradesmen and William served his time as a cooper with the firm of Tom Brown and Sons. As a journeyman cooper he earned a good living making the barrels in which salted or smoked fish was stored.
William married Gertrude Elizabeth Capps Cooper on February 27, 1894 at St Peter’s Church, a chapel of ease to the parish church of St Margaret’s. She was the daughter of a fishing boat owner, William Capps Cooper. They made their home in Cambridge Rd, Lowestoft and their first child, Gladys, was born there in December 1894.
William and Gertrude with their 4 oldest children
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/32b9f70c.jpg
Salted herring was very popular in Germany and William went to work for a German firm of fish merchants, who exported large quantities to Germany. He and the family prospered as William was given increasing responsibility at work. By 1912 William and Gertrude had seven children and had moved to a larger house in Beccles Road. He was on very good terms with his German employer and their families became friends and socialised together. Unfortunately the good life came to an end with the threat of war, prior to the actual outbreak of World War 1. The firm closed overnight and William’s employer and family were called home to Germany. William found it difficult to find another job because he was viewed with suspicion by many for being so friendly with a German family. He eventually found employment with the firm of F H Phillips, fish merchants. This new job required that he went to sea from time to time and he had to start again at the bottom and the family had to move to a smaller house. These were very hard times for William and his family.
Nearly all fishermen in Lowestoft had nicknames and William’s was “Little Buno” after his father, this later became just “Buno”. He soon made friends among his workmates and was known for his love of pranks and jokes. He joined the Loyal Lacon Lodge of Freemasons and after the war was over the good times began again with social gatherings which his wife, Gertrude, loved. He never forgot the difficult times, though, and saved as much money as he could so that he could eventually buy a house for his family. He was determined that the family would always have a roof over their heads and never again suffer the humiliation of being unable to pay the rent through no fault of their own.
The house William bought in St Peter's Street today
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/e0d535ff.jpg
He ensured, as had his mother, that all his children served apprenticeships - even his daughters - so that they would always have a trade to fall back on in hard times. They all learned to play the piano as well and in the 1920s and 1930s the house was always full of music and laughter. Most of the children went into jobs connected with the fishing industry but his youngest son, Norman, gained a scholarship to grammar school and was later apprenticed as a clerk/bookkeeper in a brewery. William saw all his children married and was a loving and adored grandfather to his many grandchildren.
William and Gertude on their Golden Wedding day
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/3728b49c.jpg
William’s sense of humour was always to the fore. His son Norman volunteered for the army in WW2 and returned home after his basic training. His uniform was ill-fitting, his boots too big and he had been much delayed on the long, tiring train journey home. He arrived at his parents’ home late at night – cold, tired, wet and dishevelled - and knocked on the door. It was opened by his father, who looked him up and down and said, “Good God, we’ve lost!”
William had retired from work before the war and spent many happy hours tending his garden and allotment and taking his grandchildren for long walks around the area, pointing out the birds and flowers as they went. He and Gertrude attended Masonic functions and had a large circle of friends and neighbours with whom to share a well earned retirement. He was taken ill in 1949 and diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. He remained cheerful through his illness and many visits to hospital and warmly greeted visitors to his home, after he was no longer able to go out. He was admitted to hospital for the last time in March 1950 and died there on March 26th. The previous day he had told his son, Donald, that he was feeling, “Much more chipper,” and that he hoped to be home in a day or so.
Probate was granted to William’s oldest son Billy on May 9th 1950 and he left effects totalling £919 5s 7d to his widow, Gertrude.
William John Edmonds was buried in St Margaret’s Churchyard following a packed funeral service at the church. His widow Gertrude joined him there five years later.
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m185/Guinevere13_2006/family%20photos/2d47611b.jpg