Gladys May
Gladys May was the second born of the family appearing on 12th December 1899 when Walter was a young 31 and Emily Jane 28. She was baptised on 1 January 1899. She was 22 when she wed but in that time she had 7 siblings which shows just how prolific Walter and Emily Jane were.
She married Arthur George Short on 22 October 1921 at age 21. They were married in Kings Norton. They had two children the elder being Dorothy May born in July 1922, and Arthur Leonard born on 30 November 1928. Dorothy had a daughter Pat and son Graham, and Arthur had a son David. Big Arthur died in 1972 at the age of 74 and Gladys died 10 years later in 1982 aged 83.
Pages relating to Gladys’ offspring can be found – Dorothy and Arthur, and Pat and Graham.
Thanks for the photo, Hazel. She writes:
“Am sending you another photo which my mother has written on the back ‘Gladys & Arthur’s Wedding’.
I see what appears to be my Dad (very young) at the right of the picture next to those Mum has called his mum & dad – the only ones she has identified. I’m assuming she’s correct but wouldn’t really know! There is no date or other information at all.”
[Hazel has pointed out that the original is not that fuzzy. Have uploaded a tinkered with version whilst we work out how to get a better one!].
Harry writes:
“Walter Raybould is clearly on the extreme right. The older lady sitting down could be Gladys’ Mother. My mother might be right behind her and maybe Fred on the right of her. The bridesmaids, one or both, could be Arthur’s sisters, Alice and Daisy.
Pat writes:
I also have a photo of gladys wedding and may be able to help identify them. One of the bridesmaids was Alice, Arthurs youngest sister. Rose and Daisy were also there. Grandad and Granny Raybould on right and Grandpop and Granny Short on other side. l cant find the photo at the moment. Auntie Annie and im sure your Mom (Ivy) Edna and if l remember Gertie was the other bridemaid.
it was taken in the back yard in the tysley house.
Harry writes:
“Gladys and (Big) Arthur Short lived at number 6 Farcroft Grove, Handsworth. It was (and still is) part of a terrace of houses. Every other house had a side entry built into the terrace to access a pair of houses; a long dark tunnel which had at the end a pair of gates, one on the left leading to number 6, the other on the right leading to the neighbour (The Edwards). The Bunces were the adjoining family on the other side.
It had a front room that was rarely used (Sunday best) with a full three-piece suite of two armchairs and a settee. The rear room was I suppose a parlour, but probably called the living room. A dining was table in the middle. Above the fireplace were the pictures; one of Dorothy in Naval uniform (I guess she was a Wren), an attractive picture of (Young) Arthur and Dorothy with I think Arthur in front of Dorothy side by side and slightly imposed on each other looking away from the camera to the right. The small kitchen was at the back with memories of Mom and Gladys and whoever else was there cutting loaves and spreading butter for tea.
Arthur, Dorothy with Ian Hill. Perhaps taken about 1932.
[The above picture confused me when I found it. I puzzled over the Short/Hill link.]
Ian writes:
“Arthur Short Junior
He was one of many cousins I loved and used to meet, but Arthur and I were special: I was born two days after him, son of my mother’s older sister Gladys. We never forgot that two-days’ difference, but we were often like twin brothers, meeting, playing, staying in each others houses, going on holiday together, following each other’s development into later life. At the College of Art I studied Architecture, while Arthur studied Silversmithing (he was also a fine artist); coincidentally, one of history’s greatest architects – Brunelleschi – was trained and worked as a goldsmith, not as an architect. That seems to tie us even closer”.
The cards would also come out, and when older (maybe 9 or 10) I would join in.
We would finish very late (probably not in reality) and my parents would try the bus again. I would usually not make it back to the station.
On one occasion when the cards came out, not playing, but watching, feeling included. A conversation ensued about me staying for a few nights it was probably half term; a prospect that was frankly very scary. The house was dark and slightly forbidding and I was scared of the dark, and had not been upstairs (see later). Not a prospect I warmed to, so I didn’t enthuse. Suddenly, the game finished and Mom asked if I was staying – I thought for another round of cards. I said yes and the magnitude of the decision hit me. Plans were hastily hatched for my parents to go home and for Mother to return the following evening with my clothes. She couldn’t come before Father returned from work, as Auntie Annie was staying with us, after Uncle George’s death . Auntie Gladys made me welcome and took me to one of her social events on the Handsworth Road I think – some sort of mother’s union. I felt very lonely, and worried that Mom had had an accident. Eventually she arrived and I had spent the last hour in tears walking the street trying to spot her arriving. I wanted to head her off at the pass so I could say I didn’t want to stay. No chance! But I survived!
Gladys worked at Cadbury’s and this meant that large brown bags of seconds would appear (thanks Graham for reminding me). I thought they tasted awful and they certainly didn’t look attractive – you know what bashed chocolate looks like! “Cadbury. Gladys worked there and that is how she met Big Arthur. Before WW l, it was a cold day and my grandfather was dealing with horses in Bournville. My gran took hot chocolate to him. I only remember Big Arthur’s sisters: Alice and Daisy working at Cadburys. They used to bring to Farcroft Grove 2 lb. bags of chocolate waste.”
Why horses? Was he mounted? I didn’t think so. Did I ever meet Alice and Daisy? Who was at the house one Christmas? I must have been about 5/6 and all I recall was the morning after with bodies everywhere and Reuben Espin being amongst then with his infectious laugh. I was on the landing and people seemed to be sleeping there.
Graham Espin sent across this pdf of a gathering. Who? Where? Why?
I can spot – Edna, Ian and Wilma with Geoff and Anna. Graham himself – might one of the children at least be Pat’s Julie? Reuben with second wife – Olive?
Gladys is shown here with Pat’s Julie and Jenny. Any more insights anyone?
Graham said “
Gladys Short. – [Need to recover these images – Ed.]
- I believe this was at David’s old home on Oxhill Road. Back left to right; Edna, Wilma, Edith (my dad’s second wife), Ian, Reuben, ME!, Mrs. Chancellor – Pat’s first mother-in-law, Pat. Kids are Pat’s and Lawrence and Penny’s. I do not know the occasion.
- Gladys Short with Pat’s Julie and Jenny
- Gladys Short – note the paper hat. Must be Christmas.
- Gladys with Jenny
The Bunces did not share tho “tunnel”. Do you remember their huge dog, Prince? I remember the pictures as matching style with Gladys and Arthur (big) on one and Dorothy and Arthur on the second.
Arthur and Valerie had David Short not Graham, that’s me. The social event was the Cooperative Women’s Guild.
My mother, Dorothy was in the WRENs and stationed in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). My feather, Reuben, was a staff sergeant in the army. I have a bag of letters mother sent home to Gladys. In one letter she is writing from the hospital talking about her friends not visiting her. She says how you soon find out who your friends are but her sergeant friend was coming. So that’s how they met. An interesting point came out recently. The secret code breaking organization based at Blechly had a satellite operation in Ceylon. My mother”s job description was Decoder.
Moving on. Gladys was the eldest of the girls (after a sister died young). Edna was the youngest. As a result Edna and Dorothy were close in age and friends. Cecil, is my fathers, Reuben, brother and his best man. Edna was my mother’s bridesmaid – that’s how they met.
Big Arthur was in the Royal Artillery during WW1 in France. I remember seeing a postcard he sent to Gladys with a French lace pocket on it. Big Arthur was handling the freight horses at Cadburys. He was not mounted. After he retired from the Birmingham Metropolitan Police Force he worked at, what was then, Alcan as a wages clerk.
I guess that’s enough for now. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask. I retire at the end of this month. It is my 62nd birthday Monday, about a week ahead of David Espin.
The family photo was Gladys funeral and we went back to Arthurs house for the wake
Grandad Short was a rent collector for the council between leaving the police force and working for Alcan. I remember he would come home at lunch time and count his takings and then go out again to finish his round. When the octagonal threepenny pieces came in he supplemented them for the silver threepenny bits and we had a large collection of these in a tobacco tins. I have a bracelet Granny had made for me and Julie of these silver threepenny bits. The tins were full many of then the five victorian ones. Unfortunately they disappeared after father remarried.
Grandad best friend Alf was a mounted policeman. Granny did not work for Cadburys after her marriage as married women were not employed by them but she worked at the War damage dept for a while but Grandad was not happy so in the 50,s she left.
They had a third child Georgina but she died. I loved staying at granns and did so for most of my weekends and holidays When I was born She took me in because mother was ill. And I stayed until I was 9 months old when she insisted that mother take me back. But home was at number 5. Has anyone taken a look at the Aston Manor website. A lot of our relatives lie in the graveyard there Allens and Browns.
[Wow thanks Pat – didn’t know about Georgina, can you add some detail please? Would that be Alf Astle? Might he be on the video in Handsworth Park; there are a couple of unidentifieds there? Can’t find Aston Manor on a Google search, do you have a link we could use please?]
Georgina would have been the middle daughter. Just before she died Granny and I had a chat When the baby came it was clear that she had been dead some time. No antenatal care in those days. She had an idea why it happened but It was her secret not mine.
These pictures were taken at the last christmas we spent in England at 2 Gainsborough Drive Perton. our house.
Alf and Lizzy Astle are in My moms wedding photo. 2d row from the top on right. next but one to him is Lizzy his wife. His son and daughter are there with their wives and husbands but further over on the left. On the bottom row next to Granny Espin is Therese one of Granny Espins 15 brothers and sisters.
I can name most of the guests
Well I am listening to the surprising news that you are going to leave the EU. I can remember joining it and there was a lot of people against it. It was painful to see the Apples being grubbed up because our lovely apples did not conform to the french ones. Ours were much better. It put the final nail into our industries coffin. After the war we couldn’t afford to upgrade as we owed so much to America and we had to rebuild our devastated cities. I daresay after some adjustment you will be able to get our milk and butter lamb and beef again. It seems that denmark and sweden also want to leave. Should be fun going through the chunnel now with passport restrictions etc. hey ho we will prevail we always have.