Mrs Howard nee Atkins - Emma Gipson's Grandmother
"Born around 1813 Did not marry till over 30. Was 89 died about 1902. You (Cyril) met her. I have her mirror in the bathroom .(77 Highway Road Lejcester). Had a coat of arms which was taken from her. Lived with one daughter for a long time till Gipson was drowned and the other daughter-took her. She left salt cellars- you (Cyril) have them now - There was a Quarrel about salt cellar's between Flo Bosley and one of my aunts, (typical Morton family stuff no doubt).
'There was a story about somebody being taken by the press gang. It must have been Mrs Howard's father, I believe she had a bad time in childhood. There was something about celebration of the time of Waterloo, tables in the streets and feasting. I think Mrs Howard must have been told about this as she would apparently be too young to remember 1815, although she was probably alive at the time.'
'NB Join the volunteers boys, your utmost strength employ, to shield your wondrous country from those who would destroy.'

Jonathan (Jack) Howard - Emma Gipson's Grandfather
'Educated Manningtree Grammar school, well educated. Disappeared! Supposed seen near the River Plate,' (There seems to be some doubt about whether he just disappeared or drowned?) 'Howard's disappearance caused great hardship to his wife and children and my grandmother, who was his daughter, had to work by doing washing for the Hall,(I don't know which hall). She worked in a cottage with Mrs Woolard and hence the ghost story about the thing which appeared in the road outside the cottage.'

William Gipson - Emma Gipson's Father
'Orphan from St. Osyth Row. Ran away to sea. He was 13 at the time. Worked his way up.'
'My aunts house at South Shields was called St Osyth because their father came from St Osyth, Essex.
'Mystery? Uncle Stan said,"Where did my father get his education? He would need education to qualify as a captain.'
'Although William Gipson was an orphan, he knew who he was. He was related (cousin) of the Gibsons of Derby who changed the p into a b. They recognized him and frequently entertained Auntie Dott (Grace?). Ended up owning his own coaster, lost at sea. 'Changed from sail to steam 28/12/1870, the year mother was born.'
'Joined the freemasons against his gran. Being a freemason helped him in his work.'
'Mother's family lived at Michaelscope Terrace before taking Cliff Villa. They used to peep through the garden and watch the Mayes in the garden. They were little bustles. Mayes were upper class cousins.'

Sarah Ann Gipson. nee Howard - Emma Gipson's Mother
(Not much material) Maid to Bishop of Ely. 'She knew Master Panzera, the Bishop's grandson, who married the sewing maid.'
'Related to the Mayes who hired Cliff Villa during a measles epidemic at Harwich.'

William Gipson - Emma Gipson's Brother
'Lieutanant Commander Navy, bom at Misterly before they left Cliff Villa, served on submarines during WW1.'

Auntie Annie - Emma Gipson's Sister
'Kind hearted, She dragged me round the park looking for the park keeper because she found one animal ill-using another. I felt as if my arm was being dragged out. She was afraid to leave me as I was only a baby really.'
'Mother gave Auntie Annie £2 of her hard earned savings when she was a girl. It was before her marriage. Auntie Annie was married but she was in difficulties for some reason, She was very grateful,'
'Mother went to Annie's and slept there and nursed them all when they had the 'flu. She didn't like going but she made herself do it, (before she married).'
'I believe a fine woman - clever, brave and upright in character. Kind to animals. Refused anything shady. Used to win prizes at school although she had no help at all, her father being at sea and her mother being a simple country woman. I believe she was a brilliant girl who could have done well if she'd had a better chance, I suspect she was cleverer than Mother, although Mother was certainly not lacking in ability.'

Annie was married (beneath her station, Dad's quote) to a miner, Jobes. They emigrated to Canada and Annie was murdered there, sometime around 1910 or 1911. I believe Jobes was hanged, for the crime. The family tried to hush the affair up. Dad remembered his mother was quite distraught at one time in his childhood (about 10 or so), although he didn 't know the reason. Hence the warnings in Olive's letter to Dad of 28th Sept 1980. 'you may f ind murder'. Note also that Olive refers to another family skeleton, John Howard.
As a distraction, at the time of the tragedy, Emma would take Dad (and Olive?) to the cinema several time a week. This was quite uncharacteristic as the parents were very prudish about any public entertainment. This ties In with Olive's comment,' Auntie Annie must have died before 1911, because I was 5 years old that year and my memory of that year is very vivid. I started school and would have remembered more, and certainly being taken from one cinema to another. I would have memory of the shows. Must have been 1909 or 1910, I actually remember Auntie Annie visiting us before she sailed for Canada, She had a dog with her and we gave him his dinner in the scullery. My memory of that time is irregular. Her visit made an impression on me. She took me to the park. Auntie Annie was a pioneer- the first Baptist in the family! I was surprised to learn my aunts were attending a Baptist Church as they never told us they were Baptists'.
Olive quote also assumed to relate to Annie, 'The Jobes family were very upset about the tragedy and were inclined to blame the woman but she was doing her best. to make a good living for her family. A miners life was a wretched one in those days.'
'Willie Jobes, Annie's son, emigrated to Australia, he helped to build Sydney Harbour Bridge'. Willle Jobes appeared in a film relating to the building of the Bridge.'
'Willie Jobes was a freemason and proud of it. He expected congratulations from us I think, and was probably disappointed.'
'Vera Jobes had a posh wedding in Australia,'
'Harry Jobes, her other son,disappeared about the time of the first world War.'

Aunt's Grace and Maud - Emma Gipson's sisters.
I visited them living together in their retirement days at a small cottage in Westbury, sometime in the 60's. A nice old couple. Maud was nearly defrauded of her savings when a rogue called Bolton with his wife, who had be friended Maud, almost got power of attourney over her affairs, a very suspicious move. Dad had arrived on a visit just before she signed and called every thing off in dramatic fashion. At the same time he threatened to report, the Bolton's solicitor to the Law Society.
'Gracie, named after a ship noticed by her grandfather, called Little Dot by her father.'

The Gibsons of Derby
'Grandad's first cousin Gibson (name spelling changed) was an important man at Derby, In the council I believe'
Rose Gibson Derby, Wife of William Gipson's cousin. 'Provision shop at. Mickleover, Derby.'
'During a smallpox epidemic Rose roled up the corpses in sheets. She never-caught the disease and had no fear.'
'Rose Gibson (cousin's wife), dead now of course, was a marvellous nurse and a tower of strength at Derby during a smallpox epidemic. Nursed many patients - no fear and took no infection. Street at Derby named after them.'
'The Gibsons, they are still at Derby as far as I know - old established grocery business at Michelover.'
'George Gibson of Derby left my aunts £50 each, Minnie, Maud, Dott,

The Wilhemena Howard Line
'Uncle Bosley of the Yeomanry cavalry, served during the Indian mutiny. Died at Bury St Edmunds. Sent for mother,(his neice), when on his death bed to warn her to prepare for the next world (some time yet!). Very fond of mother.'
'Uncle Bosley was a part time soldier even after retirement from the army. Highly respected by the army.' 'Did military exercises in Bury St Edrnonds on horseback,'
'The Prices and Menzies were devoted to the Brethren. Eunice, Stuart and Harold now more inclined to Baptist persuasion'.
Connie Bosley 'Got up too soon after birth of second child, collapsed and died.'
Wilhemena Bosley, eldest, 'a great pal of mother's, addressed her as cousin, they had a lot of fun together. Both ticked off by uncle Bosley for buying chips and eating them in the street on the way home. He was particular about etiquette. He ticked off mother for being unladylike'.
William Price, 'used to paint, was a dentist for years'
Marcus Price, 'married a Jenny who died after him, wealthy businessman, holiday house at Virginia Water, started with a small shop and made his pile, chain of Marcus Price shops, died suddenly. He left a son called Marcus who had a son called Marcus and another child.'
Jasper Price 'fine big chap, businessman, worked for important firms, furnishing trade, married Scandinavian girl called Agda, she died of cancer. He has two sons.'
Billy Price (William Bosley Price) 'Known as Billy or Bosley. Used to have delicate health, had married young, had one daughter, She married too and has at least one child. Billy's marriage broke up. He remarried, lives somewhere in the London area. Woman he married has children of her ownI am told, who are not Billies. Think Billie's own daughter is somewhere in the same area'.
Harold Bosley Menzies had a 'big job with the hospital board, preaches, virtually a baptist now. Lives Whitley Bay.'