John Edward Cooper’s Notes

Note, the file information of which states that the last modification was “8:28:44 12/12/95”:

Mum’s family not well off. Grandad Paine worked for a firm of tailors, or worked for a tailor, then set up in business on his own; had a loyal clientèle. Then the war came when one had to be in “gainful employment”, and after the war some of the older clients had died off and the new soft suits came into fashion as opposed to the “costumes” Grandad used to make, so Grandad got a job as night watchman for the Tower company.

Dad’s family was better off; Grandad was a foreman for F— Company; for example, regularly ate chicken (more expensive than beef then).[more]

About a dozen of them used to hang around together; go for walks. Among them, and the only ones they kept in touch with, Roland and Connie Gray (he has died now). In 1939 there was the Blackout Club upstairs above the Lido swimming pool in South Shore, and that’s where Dad met Mum. Didn’t like her at first, but she was a good dancing partner. Went out with her, then they split up, then went together again.[more]