All posts tagged Rev Edwin Watson

Thur. Oct. 5. 44 10.20 P.M.
# JEAN LEARNING SHORTHAND
# DEATH OF LONG-SERVING VICAR
# PLANES AND HEAVY EXPLOSIONS

Jean curling her hair, she washed it rather late and it is only just dry. Was very busy first with S.H. [shorthand] lesson, seems very interested at present. Had first lesson at Miss Cus[ack] on Wed. Says T[om]’s Pitman’s is about 40 years out of date! But it will do for Alphabet. Mrs Brown (Eardley) came for tea this afternoon. Rev. Watson was buried in vault to-day. He would have been 90 next Feb. Mrs … [Almond?] there. I did not know about it, but in any case had asthma too bad to go. Toe swollen again to-night and painful, wish it would decide to get better. Mrs. Seal’s baby to be Edith Anne. Geo[rge] home tonight, collected photo’s Jean had called for. Odd planes about, there have been heavy explosions in distance from 9 o’c at intervals, sound like gunfire.
[Note added later] Nov 4: We heard afterwards that it was a fly. bomb and gunfire but do not know if this is authentic.

Reverend Edwin Watson had served as curate or vicar of St Leonard’s Church for much of his life, from 1888 until retirement. He was remembered for Christmas parties held at the Vicarage for Sunday School children. Annie Harness had been employed as domestic help there bfore her marriage to Herbert Faulkner (see 9th February 1942).

Dr and Mrs Almond (probably meant, though writing unclear), the parents of May’s niece Mavis Simpson’s future husband, Thomas, had lived in the village. However it is not certain that Mrs Almond was living there at that time.

Have you read an introduction to May Hill & family (includes photographs) and explored ‘The Casualties Were Small’?