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My paternal grandfather was born in Romford in 1830, saw service in the Crimean War, and later worked at the Brewery. He has discreetly opened his jacket to display the Crimean War medals on his "weskit". Although the medals are presently in my possession, they belong, in my view, to both branches of his family who agree with me that they should be offered in due course to the Romford museum on permanent loan.
Although my maternal grandmother was born in Romford, my maternal grandfather originally came from Stebbing. He worked at the flour mill in Victoria Road and ended up as the foreman. As such he occupied the foreman's cottage, one of the pair of cottages (now demolished) that originally stood by the pathway linking South Street with Victoria Road. Because of its closeness to his home, the Rising Sun public house was his "local" and it was here one evening that he died of a heart attack immediately after drinking a pint bought for him by a pal. Who could wish for a better demise?
My father and mother were also born in Romford, my father in Waterloo Road and my mother in Albert Road. What a surprise it was to open Brian Evan's book "A Century of Romford" and find a picture of my father in it (page 30, Mawney Institute Football Club). He is the player sitting crossed legged on the grass on the right of the picture. He went on to serve in the Second World War and was involved in the Dunkirk evacuation. I was again surprised to find him in a photograph published in the London Borough of Havering Official Guide (circa 1975) which shows him, complete with walking stick, sitting on a bench seat outside Elmhurst Lodge in which he spent the last few years of his long life. True to his roots, however, he died in Romford, passing away in Oldchurch Hospital in 1979.
My parents and grand-parents are all buried in Oldchurch Cemetery.
Peter Ray, May 2003.
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