Diary - 1929

[gasser]

From names mentioned and a search of Essex bmd's and found the following which could be possibles:

Birth 1911 Jun Hodge Harold R Romford 4a 549
Birth 1913 Mar Hodge Marjorie (Potts) Romford 4a 1074

Marriages Sep 1908
HART Elizabeth Alice Edmonton 3a 1110
HODGE Horace Redmore Edmonton 3a 1110
POTTS Sophia Elizabeth Edmonton 3a 1110
SCRIVENER John Edmonton 3a 1110

Other names mentioned were John and Mary which sounded like other siblings???

Birth Mar 1924 Hodge Mary E (Potts) Epping 4a 801
Birth Sep 1925 Hodge John B (Potts) Epping 4a 756

Obviously, all the above could be completely wrong but worthy of elimination if nothing else!!

[Ladkyis]

Well, Barkingside is in Essex. Close to Ilford I believe. It is possible that this place is where you mean.

[richard40]

All places mentioned are in South Essex, all have direct link's to London Main-line stations, all in the early 20's were affluent and largely stayed so until after WW2. Barkinshire might not be too far removed, as quite central to all places mentioned surround the area of Barkingside, an area quite divorced from it's near neighbour Barking. I am originally from West Ham and any of our relatives moving into the area's mentioned after WW2 were declared Posh throughout the family.
I would concentrate your search in the Barking/ Ilford/ Romford area. incidently Ilford at that time was the major shopping area,

[Musichetta]

yes i meant Barkingside, as the train ran there. thank you!

[Musichetta]

Actually those all sound pretty good, does the Potts refer to her mother's maiden name? She speaks of Harold as if he's a lot closer in age to her than John and Mary. And Horace and Harold are quite alike, there is a scribbled signature to let Marjorie attend a typing course (which she never took) that starts with an H from late December 1929.

[Musichetta]

From names mentioned and a search of Essex bmd's and found the following which could be possibles:

Birth 1911 Jun Hodge Harold R Romford 4a 549
Birth 1913 Mar Hodge Marjorie (Potts) Romford 4a 1074

Marriages Sep 1908
HART Elizabeth Alice Edmonton 3a 1110
HODGE Horace Redmore Edmonton 3a 1110
POTTS Sophia Elizabeth Edmonton 3a 1110
SCRIVENER John Edmonton 3a 1110

Other names mentioned were John and Mary which sounded like other siblings???

Birth Mar 1924 Hodge Mary E (Potts) Epping 4a 801
Birth Sep 1925 Hodge John B (Potts) Epping 4a 756

Obviously, all the above could be completely wrong but worthy of elimination if nothing else!!

i think you've cracked it! This must be them! My friend said, no the brother's name was Harold so I'd been mistaken thinking it was the father's name as well.

[gasser]

If we have the correct family, I couldn't find anything specific for Mother Sophia or Marjorie herself, as yet, but did find these:
Deaths Sep 1948 Hodge Horace R 64 Westminster 5c 339 (father)
Marriages Sep 1939 Hodge Harold R Allanby Maldon 4a 3819 (brother)
ps 'Potts' does refer to mother's maiden name

[Musichetta]

i think you've cracked it! This must be them! My friend said, no the brother's name was Harold so I'd been mistaken thinking it was the father's name as well.

wait, i'm not sure, i don't have the book to hand but i thought Harold's birthday was celebrated in December.

[Musichetta]

I do think it's this family, but will have to check on the birthdays in the diary. Is there a chance the births were registered at different times than they took place?

[Ken_R]

This bit is intriguing me,

FRIDAY—January 4th, 1929
I rode up to the Vicarage with Kathleen in the morning. Harold went for a walk in the afternoon + was chased by a bull. Mother + I took Mary + John + Paul + 3 English children + we met Jean + Geoffrey walking + took them all up to Lovetts for the party at 3.0 p.m.

Could that be indicative of the family not being of English origin? Not saying that the parent(s) were born 'out of Country' but that their origins were from elsewhere.

I know that as 1914 approached, a number with German origins 'anglicized' their names by Deed Poll, and such declarations appeared in newspapers.

Which might also explain the absence of any Service record as the father (Horace?) wasn't permitted to enlist.