Barbara Mary Massey Davies 1918-1990
Below the scant information that was known about her in 2019- it needed some deep sleuthing to get back on her father & his predecessors .
"I know little of her family history
I believe my grandfather was gassed in the trenches but survived till about 1940
My mother was the eldest. I do believe her mother died in childbirth or her infancy. Her father married again and there were 4 further children: Peter, Michael, Ian, and Elizabeth. Their mother "Mops" was a Glaswegian. My grandfather was for a long period involved in banking in West Africa- in fact Tenerife & Gibraltar. He and the second family lived for many years in Sanderstead (Croydon)"
.. Michael knew that the aunt who brought his mother up was called Kukky. He did not know her real name." She lived in St Albans both before and after my mother's marriage. My mother was quite close to her brothers and sisters, especially Michael and Liz. Peter lived in the Yukon and British Columbia.".
But in fact, on 21/11/2018, 12.36, I was sent Christopher McGonical's 2015 research - and all had indeed been uncovered about the Davies family- so a lot of my sleuthing was not necessary!!1918. Barbara Mary Massey Davies was born to Thomas F Davies and Esther B Massey on 26/10/1918 in Southborne, Bournemouth . Christchurch Dec 1918
1920. Her mother , Esther B Davies , 31, died Hendon Jun 1920
4 further children: Peter, Michael, Ian, and Elizabeth. Their mother "Mops"! wwas a Glaswegian.
1922.Her father remarried: Thomas F Davies marries Annie Hughes Hendon Mar 1922.
4 further children: Peter, Michael, Ian, and Elizabeth. Their mother "Mops" was a Glaswegian. Michael's grandfather, Thomas F Davies, was for a long period involved in banking inTenerife & Gibraltar- this presumably sometime in the period 1926-1934 from the births of his 4 children .
"So did his new wife refuse to look after Barbara?" Yes in effect, though relationship was surprisingly cordial. Probably started like this when they went (apart from my mother)abroad . My mother was quite close to her brothers and sisters, especially Michael and Liz. Peter lived in the Yukon and British Columbia.
So Barbara was then "brought up" by her father's sister- we knew this Aunt as "Kukky" - who had birth defects with her legs and was confined to a wheelchair. This sister almost certainly Catherine M Davies , born 1893 . And I think they would have both lived with her paternal grandmother, Sarah A C Davies, who did not die until 1943, and was living with Catherine, in the 1939 Register[ Barbara also being there on census day ]: obviously just for a short visit as Barbara & David had bought their own house
She went to school at Loreto Convent in St Albans (IMichael was also there from 4 and ½ till I was 7, then away to boarding school: The Xaverian prep-school at Foxhunt Manor, Waldron, Nr Heathfield, Sussex).
She kept up with many friends from her secondary school days. I don’t know where she trained, but she got a good job as Secretary to my father at The Camp (Sanders St Albans Ltd), and things followed from there! She was an active member of “The Company of Ten” a local amateur dramatic group
1938 . Barbara M Davies marries Louis D M F Sander on 28/5/1838 in St Albans & St Stephens R C Church St Albans Jun 1938. Her husband always known as David. Her father was present for her Wedding and Michael thinks they were in touch through the War till he died in 1944
.
Freda, Conrad, David, Barbara, Thomas, Kukky, "Mops" -stepmother, and her Glaswegian mother.
"Dickie" from Bruges, Barbara, Mary, "Liz". Smallest bridesmaid is Susan Mayo, daughter of Hilda Mayo (nee Massey 1904 and married to Dennis) (Hilda Mayo also had Anne & Patrick)
Dickie the daughter of Louis Lohman & Nellie Sander , born 1924 onwards?? . Mary H Sander 1912, David's sister. Liz 1934, Barbara's half sister
The above photos were taken at 19 Brampton Road.( now demolished and site has 3 detached dwellings)
Liz had three children; two boys and a girl. Helga's mother left her father and had a new partner (husband?) who I think was Portuguese, I last saw Liz at Johannesburg in I think 2002 (or/ 2004?) on the way to Malawi. She died shortly after that. Her first husband died "poor" in Zimbabwe.
Chris is still at a lost to who Helga is!
1938-1943. Prior to their marriage, her husband bought 97 Sandpit Lane, St Albans( he built an air raid shelter with 4ft thick walls in the garden), where the family lived until David joined up, post Pearl Harbour . Then went to live in Uttoxeter, followed by Cheadle, to access RAF Woodhall where David was stationed
1939 Register. Barbara M M Sander is visiting 19 Brampton Rd, St Albans with her husband .
| Barbara M M | Sander | 26 Oct 1918 | Female | Unpaid Domestic Duties | Married | 67 | 4 | ||
| Sarah A C | Davies | 19 Jun 1859 | Female | Independent | Single | 67 | 1 | ||
| Katherine M | Davies | 16 Dec 1893 | Female | Unpaid Domestic | Single | 67 | 2 | ||
| Louis D M F | Sander | 04 Mar 1911 | Male | Horticulturist | Married |
Michael: The Brampton Road house was I believe owned by "Kukky" - not by Sarah Davies
Sarah A C Davies is her widowed grandmother and, Katherine M Davies, is almost certainly the sister of her father, known as 'Kukky'who brought her up, her mother having died in 1920
Barbara & David had 5 children: Sara A( Sally) 1940; Peter N 1947; Jane F M 1948 & Christopher Paul 1953, all born St Albans and
1941. Michael D Sander born St Albans Mar 1941
Barbara's grandmother, Sarah A E Davies, 83, dies at Boscobel, 19 Brompton Road, St Albans on 18/2/1943 St Albans Mar 1943. Presumably Aunt 'Kukky' was also living there 1939-1943, and then she went to Sandpit Lane for the rest of the war, returning to Brampton Lane post war
Barbara's husband joined the RAF., probably not until 1943, because until then he was bringing £s in from the US: by exporting orchids
1943. 13/5/1943 David was commissioned Pilot Officer
1944. Her father died
1944. David was promoted to Flying Officer 4/1/1944
1947-1956. Her children Sally & Michael spent some time in Bruges
1957. David's father died. David and Roger ran the family firm until Conrad Fearnley Sander's death in 1957 when they each set up separate businesses on their own.
David set up his own Nursery at Selsfield (Near Turners Hill, Sussex) with difficulty and without capital and the business survived for 12 years.
1968. The St Albans Sander firm went into liquidation. He seemingly carried on for a while at Selsfield , but even this ended
1970. Said to be living Lavender Cottage, Wallcrouch, Ticehurst Sussex
1975. Louis David Mesnard Fearnley Sander, 64, of Lavender Cottage, Wallcrouch, Ticehurst Sussex, dies 4/1/1975. Greenwich Mar 1975, d of b given as 17/3/1911. Probate of £ 14337.
1990 Barbara M M Sander, 72, of 10, Buckingham Road, Tonbridge Wells dies 3/1/1990. Probate of £160699
She is buried in the graveyard at The Catholic Church in Wadhurst, East Sussex