I have been researching the houses on my road, Vale Road, Silverhill, and found on a family tree on the priced Ancestry website an interesting photo.
It showed a woman holding a baby while seated in the sidecar of a motorcycle, with an older boy behind her. It was thought to be from 1922, and it was of members of the Cutting family.
Their house, 10 Vale Road, was in fact behind the photographer. Thanks to a relative who supplied the photo ! See the next photo for a modern view.
The child’s baptism was at Christ Church St Leonards on the 9 October 1921. Eileen Edith Vennell was the daughter of Frederic William Vennell Cutting, officer Customs & Excise, and Edith Annie Cutting, of 10 Vale Road.
It is fascinating, to my mind, to compare this photo with a similar view which I took recently. No motorcycle, but five cars instead ! Note the space made for driveways.
In the 1921 census, held 19 June, 10 Vale Road was described as having six rooms, and the household was as follows:
Frederic William Vennell Cutting, age 41 years 1 month, M, born London Bermondsey, officer HM Customs & Excise, HM Customs & Excise Department, London, at home
Edith Anne Cutting, wife, age 39 years 4 months, born Middlesex Islington, Nil
John Frederic Vennell Cutting, son, age 10 years 7 months, born Charlestown, Mayo, at school whole time
Harold George Vennell Cutting, son, age 8 years 5 months, born SSX St Leonards, at school whole time
Susannah Mary Cutting, mother, age 79 years 7 months, widow, born London City
The man who took the photo was presumably the husband. The Cutting family lived at 10 Vale Road from 1914 to 1930, when they moved to Bexhill Road, St Leonards. Edith Cutting, the wife, died in 1947.
In 1951 Frederic remarried. His bride was Julia, widow of Edwin Cacutt; it was her fourth marriage. She lived at 2 Victoria Road, St Leonards, and they lived together there until his death in 1961 at the age of 80. His widow and his son Harold were both executors of his estate. Julia died in 1978, also at 2 Victoria Road.
The baby in the picture, Eileen, married James William Moore in 1948 at Christ Church, St Leonards, and only died in 2009, in London.