Eleanor's Life - 1930s - 1940s

Eleanor in her 20s circa 1935

I just love the car in this photograph, unfortunately I don't know the model, but it could be a 1934 Morris 10/4.  This car did not belong to the family, I believe it was a car that Norman drove as a chauffeur. Like a lot of us, Eleanor wanted to have a photograph taken in a 'posh' car.

Eleanor in her 20s circa 1935

1935 Reference for  Chauffeur Norman Stafford

"Tyne House

Prudhoe on Tyne

April 12/35

To whom it may concern

Norman Stafford has acted as chauffeur to me many times. I consider he is a careful, capable driver, who takes a pride in keeping the car under his charge in a clean condition and good running order"

Again an Auntie in 1946, Eleanor now 34, with her two nieces Dorothy and Pauline - her brother Norman's children, who lived opposite Eleanor and her mother and father. By this time Eleanor already had three other nieces, two from her brother Albert (Joan and Christine) and another from her sister Barbara, who a year later had a son (Ann and Barrie). Living so near to Eleanor and their grandparents Pauline and Dorothy saw a great deal of them. When we were young children Eleanor and Grandma always seemed a bit strict, but in those days the hated phrase "Children should be seen and not heard" was the way children were treated and were expected to behave. War had not long finished, there was rationing, and at this time society was pretty oppressive and puritanical, none so, as much as the close-knit society of a village. 

1946 Winter in Greenside Baby Pauline, Eleanor and Toddler Dorothy Stafford

Eleanor and her Mother Margaret (Maggie) Stafford on holiday probably in Derbyshire with sister/daughter Barbara. I believe this photograph was taken in the late 1940s which would make her mother in her mid 70s, Eleanor around 40. 

Eleanor's Life - Young Woman

Whoever took this early 1930s photograph of Eleanor was interested in taking a more artistic type of photograph, I wonder who it was?  I reckon Eleanor would be around 17 or 18 at the time it was taken.

Eleanor circa 1930

Restored

Three friends from Milton Street Greenside, out together on a warm sunny summer's day around 1930.  Left to right is Eleanor, Ethel Charlton who lived 'two doors away' at 20 Milton Street and a young lady whose first name I cannot remember but I think her surname was Westgarth.  It is a lovely picture of three slim, young, fashionable women, just love the shoes.

Circa 1930 Eleanor Stafford, Ethel Charlton,  ? Westgarth

This photograph looks as if it was taken either just before these young women were going to a friend's wedding, or just after the wedding.  L-R is Ethel Charlton, the next two young women are unknown, Eleanor, and Barbara Stafford. I believe it was taken at the back of 'Milton Street Green'

L-R Ethel Charlton  ?  ?  Eleanor and Barbara Stafford

Restored

A young Eleanor on a day out with her parents, Margaret and Alf Stafford I assume one of the family took the photograph

L-R Eleanor, Margaret, Alf Stafford

Restored

Oh dear we seem to have two large fingers across the camera lense.  This is a photograph of Grace Johnson, Eleanor Stafford and Grace's mother Mrs Johnson.  I believe that the Stafford's and Johnson's were related. Grace and Eleanor were around the same age b: 1912. This photograph was taken around 1930 as Eleanor is wearing the same dress as she wore in the picture of the three Milton Street Young Women.  The Lake District was obviously a popular place to visit at this time (and still is) as there are a few pictures of the Stafford family taken at the Lakes.

Grace Johnson, Eleanor Stafford, Mrs Johnson

I made a valiant attempt to do a little restoration here Mrs Johnson's arm is not quite right nor are the trees in the background but it was worth a try.

Restoration

More mature Grace now Mrs Shield

Restored

Grace and Hunter Shield lived at 4 Green Grove Woodside - they had one daughter Judith M Shield born 26th June 1947 - Grace would have been 38 when she had Judith - here we see her with my dad Norman, with her mother Grace and Eleanor behind - and I believe the other gentleman is her grandfather.

Stafford, Johnson, Shield Family Photograph circa 1950

Today Hunter Shield's Workshop is no longer there, it is now a parking area for caravans

4 Green Grove Woodside Tyne and Wear Today

On the 13th March 1957 Grace aged 48,(born 26th June 1909) Hunter aged 48 (born 13th August 1909) and their 10 year old daughter daughter Judith (born 21st November 1947) left the Port of London on the Rhodesia Castle bound for South & East Africa, finally residing in Southern Rhodesia, now known as Zimbabwe

Grace and Eleanor corresponded until 1991 some 32 years. At this time Grace and Hunter would be 82 years old.

Obviously by now Grace and Hunter will no longer be alive, however, when I see the picture of Judith, who is a year younger than me, she will be 70, I wonder what happened to her?

Eleanor's Life - The early Days

This photograph of a pretty doll like three year old standing on a chair is Eleanor, who was born in 1912 so it would be taken circa 1915 at the Start of the First World War, with a daddy probably preparing to undergo army training or had already completed training and was away to war. I have no idea who the dark haired, slightly older, little girl is.  

  

Original Circ 1915 Eleanor Stafford aged 3 - other little girl unknown

Restored less sepia

Restored Black and White

This is a tiny photograph of Eleanor, that I have blown up. I believe it is school photograph, as all Greenside School photographs at this time were taken against the school building which was/is built of stone. Eleanor looks as if she is about 12-14 years old which would make this circa 1924, which means her daddy would have been back from the War.

School Girl Eleanor Stafford aged 12-14 circa 1925 Greenside School Photograph

This is a similar type of photograph, again it is tiny, showing Norman's 1920 Class at Greenside School. Norman is in the front row (4th from the right) note the stone wall.

Circa 1920 Norman's School Photograph front row sitting 4th from right

Greenside School today

Norman's Life - A few additional photographs

Norman 'on the Green' opposite 16 Milton Street. He is wearing the suit he wore as Best Man at Albert and Ivy's wedding.  You can see a little girl in the background. 

Circa 1931 Norman Stafford on "the Green" with 16 Milton Street in the background

It is worth loading this blurred photograph as it shows the original build of Milton Street.  The small window behind Norman was the pantry window which had shelves where the food was stored.  With no fridges in those days you can see some sort of ventilation in the frame. The next door house that you can see was inhabited by Mr & Mrs Dinning, and on the opposite side to Grandma was Beattie and Charlie Newland who had four sons John, Eric, Michael and Barry. Next to the Dinnings were Alf and Bessie Redman, and next to them were the Charlton's, Ethel and her mother.

Circa 1954 Back Yard 16 Milton Street - Dorothy aged 11, Norman aged 44 and Maggie Stafford aged 79

A recent picture of 16 Milton Street - a new window frame where the pantry frame was - the small coal house door on the outside wall, the coal house and outside toilet have all gone.

A fairly recent picture of 16 Milton Street Greenside

The 'Green' Back Lane Milton Street Greenside today

A new garage on the land where Norman had his old wooden garage that housed the Split Windscreen Morris Minor, directly behind this new garage is Alfred's and then Norman's allotment that had a greenhouse and hens and fed us well and to the right the white garage that housed Norman's Austin Farina

13 Milton Street today

Norman is again a best man, this time for his best friend Jack Robinson, on this day Jack married Lilly, unfortunately I don't know the date. They lived in Greenside in either Meldon Terrace or Stanhope Street, opposite Greenside School. They had two sons Jeffrey and John.

Original Circa early 1940s Norman Best Man for his Best Friend Jack Robinson

Restored slightly less blurred and less sepia

This was a lovely 1963 holiday.  Note the very basic caravans we stayed in.  The weather was fantastic, and Jack and Lilly and their son John (obviously taking photograph) were just lovely people.

Holiday with Jack, Lilly and John Robinson Circa 1963 on a caravan site in Devon (or Cornwall)

Original photograph Norman in his early twenties outside his home 16 Milton Street

Restored

Alfred, Maggie and Norman - Family Outing to Lake District circa early 1940s

Norman and Jean never went abroad but visited many parts of Scotland and England because of his love of driving. 

I have never met anyone who was as "happy with his lot" as my dad, as long as his wife, Jean, and bairns, Dorothy and Pauline, were fine, he was happy.  However, he was politically and socially very astute,  One of his many sayings was "you cannot fight the establishment." but he did try.

Norman became "Union Man" fighting for the rights and jobs of the employees of the Venture Bus Company, I vaguely remember him travelling to Cirencester for training.

Like many ordinary working men, who retired in 1991, Norman's  job wasn't 'pensionable' so Jean and Norman lived very frugally on the "Old Age Pension." until they died. 

In 1991, at the age of 81, Norman died in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Gateshead through the effects of Lewy bodies Dementia. 

By this time, his wife Jean had died, but thanks to his caring sister Eleanor (Eleanor and Norman had seen each other every day of their lives until the day he died). Norman was a difficult patient.  He was still well cared for and was able stay at home for some time, before he was taken into a very uncaring hospital.  It was a relief to us all that he was no longer left suffering. 

I am forever grateful to Aunt Eleanor for allowing me to  continue to work. With sharing the onerous job of caring for Norman between us, we became very close  

Norman's Life - His young family and the Grandparents

1946 Seaside photograph with "a worn out mammy" Jean Stafford

1946 Dorothy & Pauline on Beach

1946 Pauline on Beach

The magic of a grandchild, 1945 Dorothy with her grandpa Alfred Stafford

1945 Dorothy with her Grandpa Stafford outside 16 Milton Street

1945 Dorothy 'Back Lane' Milton Street Greenside

1946 Dorothy on a Trike

This photograph taken in the back yard of 16 Milton Street must have been taken around December 1946. I was born on the 1st of April which would make me a very small 8 months old baby. This was the start of one of the harshest winters ever experienced in Britain. 

The start of Winter1946/47 in Back Yard of 16 Milton Street with Grandma Stafford 

This photograph shows two very disconcerted little ones. When I studied it, it clearly showed that it wasn't taken by anyone these two little ones knew, and we were not happy. I was informed that at this time,1947, itinerant photographers used to knock on doors offering to take photographs, this is what happened here.

1947 Pauline and Dorothy at the back door of 13 Milton Street