Mary (Molly) Gibson's Story - Part 2 - The Youngest Gibson

MOLLY'S STORY PART 2

After Molly and Forster were engaged, the rift between the Gibson family was still very prevalent.  It upset Molly as she, as the baby of the family, had loved her father dearly.  Thomas Gibson and his second wife, Janet, had two children of their own.  Robert, who died aged about 12 (Molly thought it was TB, but not sure).  They also had a daughter, Margaret, who Molly got to know in later years.  More information about that later.

Forster continued to work for the Co-op, and was organist at Blaydon Parish Church.

Blaydon Parish Church St Cuthberts 2018

Molly continued to help Eliza and Archie in their shop and teaching elocution.  

Forster's family were all very musical.  His brother Tom played the fiddle and piano, brother Laidler played piano and saxophone, and of course Forster played piano and organ.  Tom passed his musical ability onto his own two sons; this ability continues in Molly's eldest Great Grandson.

World War II

World War II broke out in 1939 and changed everything.

Forster joined the RAF as an instructor in book-keeping and the safety of the new recruits.  He became a Flight Lieutenant.

Flight Lieutenant Forster Moore First Row Centre

WWII Flight Lieutenant Uniform

Molly joined the WAAF and was in the stores.  Molly became a Non-Commissioned Officer.  WAAFs who were engaged to be married were not allowed to be Commissioned.

WWII WAAF Uniform

Molly was stationed at Thornaby in Yorkshire, and Forster was at another base in Yorkshire. 

MOLLY

Molly and Forster in their RAF/WAAF Uniforms

Molly's brother Tom lived in North Ferriby and as they were stationed near, they would both stay with Tom and his family when they got leave.  Both Molly and Forster enjoyed life in the RAF and told many hillarious tales to their daughter.

North Ferriby

Molly (right)
 Photograph could have been taken at her brother Tom's house in North Ferriby?

When Molly and Forster picked a day for their wedding, Eliza took the 'bull by the horns' and went to see her father and asked him to give Molly away.  He agreed and Molly and Forster married in Holy Cross church in Fenham on 24th June 1943.  Eliza and Archie paid for the wedding. 

1943 Molly and her father Tom Gibson aged 69

Molly and Forster Wedding Day
24th June 1943
L-R: Maureen Potts (Molly's sister Lillian's daughter) Jean Moore (Forster's brother Tommy's daughter)
Forster and Molly, Ann Gibson, (Molly's sister) Ernest Cook (best man)
Joan Gibson (?) and Ailsa McLeod (Molly's sister Eliza's daughter)

Molly and her friends from WAAF

Holy Cross Church Fenham built in 1935
The church had only been built for 8 years when Molly and Forster married

Whether Molly went back into the WAAF is not known.

This gets a little confusing.  Eliza and her family went to Australia and came back to England, but the dates are not known.

Molly gave birth to a daughter, Christine Mary on the 1st September 1945 in the private Gables Nursing home on Scotswood Road.  Once again Eliza and Archie paid for this.

Molly's sister Ann had given birth to a daughter Sonia at the Gables on Molly's birthday in 1944, Ann was very ill, but was well taken care of, so this is why Eliza made Molly go privately.

THE GABLES
18 Gloucester Terrace, Elswick Road Newcastle/Tyne - it was demolished in 1994 

By this time Forster was stationed at the Grand Hotel in Eastbourne.  Eliza and Archie were living in Brighton and Molly and Christine went to live with them until Forster was demobbed.

During WWII Eastbourne was easy prey to air raids - the Grand Hotel eventually closed down and became a military headquarters

 Brighton Beach
From the Outbreak of War in 1939 Brighton became a no-go area
The beach was covered in mines and barbed wire

25 years after their marriage, Molly and Forster celebrated their Silver Wedding with their respective Gibson and Moore families.

THE GIBSON CLAN

back L-R: Rob Hull (Ann Gibson's husband) Sonia Hull (Ann & Rob's only child) Forster Moore Jim Smith (Christine Moore's husband) Joe Gibson Eddie Gibson

front L-R: Ann Hull (nee Gibson) Tom Gibson Nan Gibson (Tom's wife) Molly holding her first grandchild Kirsten - daughter Christine's first child) Christine Smith (nee Moore Molly & Forster's only child) Peggy Gibson (Eddie's wife) Molly Gibson (Joe's wife)

Unfortunately the "Moore Clan" photograph is very blurred but it was still worth publishing as it records a very happy occasion for everyone.

THE MOORE CLAN - names later