Jane Ann Dent
(Auntie Jinny) was Thomas and Eliza's first child, born in 1888-1956. In 1919 she married Thomas Clarke (b 20th August 1889). They had no children.
Tommy's job was a Bus Cleaner/Labourer.
My Grandfather Luke Dent, was Jinny's brother.
Auntie Jinny and Uncle Tommy lived at 31 Brampton Gardens Throckley near Newcastle upon Tyne, The photograph below shows their house behind Jinny.
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| Jinny standing in front of 31 Brampton Gardens Throckley circa 1950s |
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| 31 Brampton Gardens in 2018 |
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| Jinny Tommy and perhaps her sisters |
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| Restored Circa 1920s - which sister is which unfortunately is a sheer guess but perhaps:- Next to Thomas is the youngest Edna Dent b 1904-1984 Bottom L-R Jinny b 1883-1958, Sarah b 1893-1956, Amelia b 1896-1984 |
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| A very young Jinny (front left) with husband Tommy at the back with probably her sister Amelia next to him who the little boy is, is unknown could be a nephew Jinny looks very proud of her crisp white linen, her best cutlery and beautiful flowers on the table |
This is another photograph taken in the same house. Their house, inside and out, was always immaculate.
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| Jinny Crocheting with a fine aspidistra in the background note how well dressed Tommy is. |
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| Tommy & Jinny |
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| Tommy and Jinny with perhaps sister Amelia who the young man and older lady is unknown |
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| The back of this photograph says Jinny in garden |
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| Restored |
The picture below shows Jinny and Tommy in later years. As you can see Tommy is standing rather awkwardly, the reason for this is when Tommy was working as a cleaner/labourer for the United Bus Company, he fell from a ladder and never worked again. Tommy had a number of operations and spent many, many months in Hexham Hospital. The operations were on the hip resulting in a permanently ulcerated leg - one being shorter than the other. Family members remember that he had to wear a huge built up boot.
No Health and Safety or compensation in those days so life must have been very hard. Auntie Jinny took in lodgers and cleaned for a number of people; what a hard life she had, and a terrible life for Tommy, as he must have been a fine figure of a man.
His leg never recovered, and when my sister and I stayed with them I remember Jinny had to dress Tommy's ulcerated leg every day.
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| Jinny and Tommy outside 31 Brampton Gardens - they are very smartly dressed and perhaps have been to a wedding as Tommy is wearing a 'buttonhole' |
One of their lodgers was Fred Pattinson who was the son of Jinny's sister Sarah Pattinson (nee Dent) b 2nd September 1917
It was clear after his accident, that Tommy would no longer be able to work, so whilst in hospital Tommy was shown how to embroider and make soft toys. This was a form of therapy. Tommy became quite an expert. I still have a table-cloth that I inherited from their niece Jenny Stafford (nee Dent, my mother) which shows how good he became.
I haven't used this lovely table cloth very much as it is quite old now, but it looks beautiful on my dining table.
I think this table cloth was a joint effort between Tommy and Jinny as if you look at Jinny's crocheting in the previous photograph it is very similar to that on this table cloth. It should be noted that the back of the table cloth is as neat as the front. If only they knew that even to this day 2019 it is cherished.
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| Tommy & Jinny's Tablecloth in 2018 which is well over 60 years old |
I also inherited their copper kettle that sat on Jinny & Tommy's fireplace, and then my mother's fireplace and finally mine, this photograph was taken in 2019. I wonder if this belonged to Tommy's mother, which makes it very very old? I smiled to myself as I uploaded this picture as I think Auntie Jinny would have definitely cleaned it a lot more often than I do. Sorry Auntie Jinny.
St George's Hospital Morpeth
In 1958, when I was about 12 years old, I was off school, because I hadn't felt too well; I pulled myself together because my mam and dad said they were going to Morpeth to visit Auntie Jinny in hospital.
The follies of youth.
This visit tainted the rest of my life, and also came back to haunt me, as my dad was taken (without my knowledge) some few years later to exactly the same terrifying 'mental institution when suffering with Dementia.
In those days anyone who was suffering with 'mental problems' was not something that was broadcast. Auntie Jinny was 'housed' for a better word, in St George's Hospital Morpeth, not surprisingly it became notorious.
My abiding memory of this visit was driving up a beautiful sweeping drive to a rather palatial building with beautifully kept clipped lawns and gardens. However, you soon realised that you should "never judge and book by its cover" what lay behind this rather beautiful facade was so deceptive, that when you were presented with its terrifying interior, it became the stuff of your worst nightmares.
We were taken through many huge locked doors each loudly slammed behind us with the smell of urine and noise of the patients becoming louder and stronger. The curtains were hanging off the windows, and the word bedlam would be rather descriptive. We were eventually taken to Auntie Jinny, where we found a tiny figure on her knees scrubbing the floors. Mam and dad spoke to her (I was too terrified) but she didn't recognise them.
Like me, my parents were too upset (the word traumatised would be used these days) to ever go back. That is the last time we saw tiny gentle Auntie Jinny. Heartbreaking that someone who had worked so hard all her life should end up in a place like that.
It is with much regret and sorrow that peace never came to Auntie Jinny while she was alive. I hope that since 1958 she has been cared for in a place of constant peace and love.
Sadly although my parents visited Tommy regularly, after Jinny died, there was a falling out. I never found out why or for that matter I can't remember if my parents went to his funeral. Tommy died in 1965.
