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LIFE GOES
ON: AN INTRODUCTION
MY
GRANDPARENTS - I - MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS - I - MY
GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS - I - MY
GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
THE SIXTEEN
FAMILIES
KNOTT - I - BOWLES - I - WATERS - I - HARRALL - I - PAGE - I - WISEMAN - I - CROSS - I - CARTER
CORNWELL - I - HUCKLE - I - MORTLOCK - I - MANSFIELD - I - REYNOLDS - I - CARTER - I - ANABLE - I - STEARN
CHRONOLOGY - I - DRAMATIS PERSONAE - I - WHERE PEOPLE CAME FROM - I - CALENDAR
MAP OF ELY - I - MAP OF MEDWAY
MAP OF
CAMBRIDGE AND DISTRICT
THE
WORKHOUSE
WORLD WAR I - I - WORLD WAR II
simonknott.co.uk I home I e-mail
LIFE GOES
ON
Winifred Ellen Reynolds
born Dry Drayton, Cambridgeshire, 4th February 1904
died Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, 23rd February 1983
on the Reynolds family tree
part of the Reynolds, Carter, Anable and Stearn family stories
married to Edmund
Stanley Cornwell
daughter of
Thomas Reynolds
and Alice Mary Anable
Winifred Ellen Reynolds (1904-1983).
My Mother's Mother. My Grandmother.
Winifred Ellen Reynolds was born in
Dry Drayton, a village on the outskirts of Cambridge, in
1904. She was the oldest child. In about 1908 the family
moved to Great Wilbraham on the other side of Cambridge
where they still were for the 1911 census. They then
moved to Hildersham, before settling in Cambridge in
1915. Her father was a brewery drayman. She married
Edmund Stanley Cornwell, who came from Oakington, the
neighbouring village to Dry Drayton, but they married in
Lichfield, Staffordshire on 10th July 1923 when they were
both just 19 years old. They gave false ages to acquire
the certificate, as one of them had to be of age, that is
to say 21 or over. They were in Staffordshire because my
grandmother was pregnant, and they had run away to get
married. Stan's older sister Ruth lived at Colton on the
outskirts of Rugeley, and she arranged the marriage for
them. Their first child was born less than three months
later. He had a learning disability, and lived with his
mother for the rest of her life. Winifred's parents never
really forgave her for her pregnancy and hasty marriage
to someone of whom they did not approve. It is only in
the last few months that I have discovered that
Winifred's mother Alice was also six months pregnant when
she married Winifred's father in 1903. Winifred was that
child.
They returned to Cambridge after the birth of their first
child, living at Oakington with Stan's parents and then
in Castle Row, Cambridge, near to Win's parents. However,
they seem not to have got on well with them, and after
the birth of two more children they moved to Barway near
Ely and then to Grunty Fen on the other side of the
river, before settling in Little Thetford. They had nine
children altogether. Although my grandfather died before
I was born, Winifred Cornwell was the grandparent I knew
best. I spent the first three years of my life living in
the same house as her at Green Hill, Little Thetford in
the Isle of Ely. After we moved to Cambridge she would
often visit us, and I would go and stay with her. I spent
a lot of the spring of 1966 living with her because of
complications with the birth of my youngest brother. I
remember her as being a very comfy, smiling old lady,
although she was actually only in her late fifties when I
was born. The thing that strikes me about her now when I
look at her on earlier photographs is quite how
stunningly beautiful she was when she was young, and that
my own daughter, who of course she never met, looks
uncannily like her.
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1901 census: Winifred
was not born at the time of the 1901
census. Her parents had not yet married.
Winifred's
mother Alice Mary Anable was nineteen
years old at the time of the 1901 census.
Her surname is misspelt as 'Anabel'. She
was living in the lodging house of Mary
Cullum at 10 Peas Hill, Cambridge.
This is in the centre of Cambridge,
leading from the Market Place to Corn
Exchange Street. Alice is shown as a domestic
servant. She was single in 1901.
Mary
Cullum was a widow, and had two daughters
living with her, Gertrude aged 27 and
Janet aged 25. There was one other
domestic servant living in the house,
Julia Marshall aged 16.
The
census records that Alice was born at Dry
Drayton, Cambridgeshire. The
transcript for the entry is here.
Winifred's
father Thomas Reynolds was twenty-two
years old at the time of the 1901 census.
He was living at home with his parents at
High Street, Dry Drayton,
Cambridgeshire. The street still
exists today. Thomas is shown as an agricultural
labourer. He was single.
Significantly, Alice Anable was also from
Dry Drayton.
Thomas's
parents are shown as Robert Reynolds, a
stockman on a farm, aged 59, and Mary Ann
Reynolds, aged 58. They had one other
child living at home at the time of the
1901 census, Robert G Reynolds, an
agricultural labourer, aged 19. Also
living with them was their grandson
Ernest Joseph Elzey, aged 3, born in
North Bow in London.
The
Reynolds household had three lodgers on
the night of the census. They were George
and Albert Sheet, apparently father and
son, and William Jackson. All three were
agricultural labourers.
Thomas
was born at Duxford, Cambridgeshire
according to the 1901 census (although
the BMD Index suggests a different
Cambridgeshire registration district).
The transcript for their entry is here.
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1904: Winifred Ellen was born in Dry Drayton,
Cambridgeshire on 4th February. She was baptised at St
Peter and St Paul, Dry Drayton, on April 3rd, which that
year was Easter Sunday.
1905: Winifred's sister Cecilia was born
in Dry Drayton, Cambridgeshire and baptised at St Peter
and St Paul, Dry Drayton, on Christmas Eve.
1907: Winifred's brother Ernest was born
in Dry Drayton, Cambridgeshire and baptised at St Peter
and St Paul, Dry Drayton, on 5th May..
1910: Winifred's sister Abigail was born
in Great Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire on 21st April and
baptised at St Nicholas, Great Wilbraham, on 5th June.
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1911
census:
Winifred
was seven years old at the time of the
1911 census. Her name is misspelt on the
census as 'Winefred'. The Reynolds family
were living at Valley Farm, Great
Wilbraham, Cambridgeshire,
actually on the outskirts of the parish,
and nearer to the village of Fulbourn,
today a suburb of Cambridge.
Winifred's
father Thomas is shown as a horse
keeper. He was 32 years old.
Winifred's mother Alice was 30 years old.
They had been married for 7 years.
Winifred
was the oldest of four children at the
time of the 1911 census, and her father
spelt her name as Winefred. The others
were Cecila (Cecilia) was 5, Earnest
(Ernest) 4 and Abbgale (Abigail) 1.
Winifred
was born in Dry Drayton,
Cambridgeshire, as were Cecilia
and Ernest. Abigail was born at West
Wratting.
Winifred's
father had been born at Duxford in
Cambridgeshire, her mother Alice at Dry
Drayton. The transcript for their entry
is here.
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1914: Winifred's sister
Lydia Frances was born in Hildersham,
Cambridgeshire and baptised at St Peter
and St Paul, Dry Drayton, on 1st
November. 1915:
Lydia Frances died and was
buried in Histon Road Cemetery, Cambridge
on 22nd May after a funeral service at St
Luke, Victoria Road. Her age was recorded
as 12 months. The family were living at 3
Benson Place, North Street, Cambridge.
1916: The
family were recorded as living at 3
Benson Place, Cambridge for the birth of
Winifred's sister Salonika Ruth. She was
baptised at St Peter and St Paul, Dry
Drayton, on 5th March.
1918: At
the end of the War, the family were
living at 3 Shelley Row, Cambridge.
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1921
census:
Winifred was
seventeen years old at the time
of the 1921 census. She gave her
birth place as Dry Drayton, and
she was recorded as a visitor at 85
Searle Street, Cambridge,
the household of Florence Emma
Dann, a 29 year old widow who
gave her occupation as a domestic
laundress. Winifred gave her
occupation as a general domestic
servant at 50 St Barnabas Road,
Cambridge. The census return is here.
The rest of the
Reynolds family were living at 4
Shelley Row, Cambridge.
Winifred's father Thomas is shown
as a Brewer's labourer at
Dales Brewery, Gwydir Street off
of Mill Road, Cambridge. He was
42 years old. Oddly Winifred's
mother Alice gave her age as 43
years 11 months. In fact, she was
39.
The other children
in the household were Ernest,
aged 14, a bakery assistant at
Drinkwaters Confectioners, Kings
Parade, Cambridge, Abigail aged
11 and Salonica aged 5. The
census return is here.
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1923: Winifred married
Edmund Stanley Cornwell on the 10th July
at the Register Office,
Lichfield, Staffordshire. Their
address was recorded as Colton Hall Barn
Cottages, Colton, Staffordshire. This was
near the home of Stan's sister Ruth and
her husband John Wheeldon, who were
witnesses. On 29th October, their son
Cecil Thomas Walter was born and his
birth registered in the Lichfield
registration district.
1925:
Their son Stanley Arthur James was born.
he was baptised at St Andrew, Oakington,
Cambridgeshire on 27th September,
suggesting that Stan and Win were living
with Stan's parents.
Given that there were nine
children altogether, the three year gap
here is interesting.
1927: The
electoral roll shows
Edmund Cornwell living at 2 Castle Row.
Winifred is not listed on the roll as she
was under the age of 30.
1928:
Their son Jack Travers was born at 2
Castle Row Cambridge and baptised at St
Giles, Cambridge on 4th March. He was
named after Jack Travers Cornwell, a 16
year old posthumous winner of the
Victoria Cross, who at the time was one
of the great heroes of the First World
War.
The 1928
electoral roll shows Edmund
Cornwell at 2 Castle Row. Winifred is not
listed on the roll. She was under the age
of 30, but the Representation of the
People Act 1928 would entitle all women
over the age of 21 to vote from that
year.
1929:
The electoral roll shows
Edmund Cornwell living at 2 Castle Row,
Cambridge. Winifred is not listed on the
roll although by 1929 women under the age
of 30 were entitled to vote.
1930: Their
son Reginald Trevor was born at River
Bank, Barway, Cambridgeshire. His baptism
on 6th April was recorded in the Soham
parish registers as being at St Nicholas,
Barway, which served as a chapel of ease
to Soham.
1931:
Their son Edward Malcolm was born. When
he was baptised at St Nicholas, Barway on
7th June his abode was given as 'of
Little Thetford', but he was probably
born in Barway. Little Thetford was the
larger village on the other side of the
river.
1932:
Their daughter Betty Katherine was born,
and at her baptism at St Nicholas, Barway
on 2nd July 1933 her abode was recorded
rather confusingly as 'River Bank Little
Thetford Barway Soham'! It is likely that
the family were still living at River
Bank, Barway as they were in 1930 and
presumably in 1931.
1933:
The family moved across the river to
Grunty Fen.
1934:
Their daughter June Frances was born at
Red Fen Road, Grunty Fen, Little
Thetford, Cambridgeshire. There is no
baptism record in the parish registers
for Little Thetford, Stretham, Barway,
Witchford or for Cambridge St Giles where
her maternal grandparents lived.
1935:
The electoral roll shows
Stan and Win living at Ware Hall Terrace,
Little Thetford (is this the house on Red
Fen Road?)
1936:
Their daughter Marion Patricia was born
on 27th February at Red Fen Road, Grunty
Fen, Little Thetford, Cambridgeshire.
There is no baptism record in the parish
registers for Little Thetford, Stretham,
Barway, Witchford or Cambridge St Giles.
1937:
Their son Albert Paul was born in Little
Thetford, Cambridgeshire. Again, there is
no baptism record in the parish registers
for Little Thetford, Stretham, Barway,
Witchford or Cambridge St Giles.
1939: On
National Registration Day,
29th September, Win is listed at 15
Council Houses, Little Thetford,
Cambridgeshire. Her birth year is
mistakenly given as 1903. Her occupation
is recorded as unpaid domestic duties.
Stan was not at home , suggesting that he
had already joined up with the
Cambridgeshire Regiment. There were eight
children listed in the household.
1943:
Stanley Arthur James, 'Jim', their second
son, was badly injured on 16th September
aboard HMS Warspite. He was just
17 years old. The battleship was taking
part in the Salerno Landings off the toe
of Italy when it was hit by a German
glider bomber. This
photograph
shows the ratings being addressed shortly
before the battle. Jim is in this
photograph somewhere.
1946: Their
son Stanley Arthur James died and was
buried in Little Thetford cemetery.
1949:
The Little Thetford electoral register
for this and subsequent years up until
1953 shows the family living at Council
House, Front Street, Little Thetford.
Front Street was later renamed Green
Hill. Those in the household old enough
to vote were Stan and Win and their sons
Cecil and Jack.
1950:
The Little Thetford electoral register
shows those in the household old enough
to vote as Stan and Win and their sons
Cecil, Jack and Reginald. The family
surname was recorded as 'Cornwall'.
Malcom was also by now of voting age, and
was probably doing National Service.
Reginald had been excused National
Service because of his acute asthma.
1951: The
Little Thetford electoral register taken
on 20th November shows those in the
household old enough to vote as Stan and
Win and their sons Cecil, Jack and
Reginald. By now, Betty was also of
voting age, and so it is likely that by
now she was at Manfield Hospital in
Northampton. Malcolm was probably still
doing National Service. The family
surname was recorded as 'Cornwall'.
1952: The
Little Thetford electoral register taken
on 20th November shows those in the
household old enough to vote as Stan and
Win and their sons Cecil, Jack and
Reginald. The family surname was recorded
as 'Cornwall' except for Reggie who was
recorded correctly as 'Cornwell'.
1953: Win's
husband Stan died of a heart attack on
2nd October at Addenbrookes Hospital,
Cambridge. He was fifty years old. The
family address was given as 15 Green
Hill, Little Thetford. The Little
Thetford electoral register taken on 20th
November shows those in the household old
enough to vote as Win and her sons Cecil
and Jack. The family surname was recorded
as 'Cornwall'.
1967: Win
and her son Cecil moved from 15 Green
Hill, Little Thetford to a new, smaller
council house at 8 New Close Road, Little
Thetford.
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1983: Win died at Chesterton
Hospital, Cambridge.
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