Cecil was born
in Crooks Place, Norwich where he spent his
childhood and attended the local school. At
the age of 14 following his mother’s death
he ran off to sea and joined the merchant navy,
on returning home he became a brick layer but
within a very short time was called up for the
Royal Navy. During the Second World War he was
injured in an explosion and spent some time
in a Russian hospital for treatment. In Norwich
one night whilst on leave he met Vera out with
some girl friends at the Black Horse on Tombland.
They were to marry in 1948 at the Registry Office
which was then at the City Hall. After their
marriage they lived with Vera’s parents
at 3 Holme Street, Norwich. By this time Cecil
had gone into partnership with two friends doing
building work under the name of BGS Builders
which was short for Bolton, Grint & Stoworthy.
At the age of 50 Cecil suffered a brain haemorrhage
and being lucky to survive spent several months
to recuperate .....
My memories of Cecil.......
(although I personally have always known him
as Sam) is from my early years, in the 1950's
he would often be at the family gathering and
in my memory was always the joker, his giggle
and grin would always remind me of his father
(my great grandfather 'Bertie') he always seemed
to have such an easy go lucky attitude. One
memory however is stuck in my memory for life
with great fondness, it was a Christmas party
at my nanny and granddad Taylor's bungalow on
Spixworth Road. One or two of my nan's sisters
were there including her little brother Sam.
As was the norm at those parties there was a
lot of joking, laughter,eating and of course
drinking that went on till the early hours of
the morning. My great uncle Gordon had given
a lift to quite a few of the family in his big
flash car, I don't recall the make but it was
huge with fin wings. We were all outside in
the early hours of the morning to see them off
and Sam got in first, right in the middle on
the back seat, everyone else piled in and the
doors closed. The car started to reverse out
of the drive and had gone no more than a foot
when it suddenly stopped and all 4 doors opened
virtually simultaneously followed swiftly by
all the occupants leaving a very indecent looking
Sam on the back seat trying (but not succeeding)
to hold back his chuckling that soon developed
into uncontrollable laughter, he had passed
wind!!!
I started work in 1963 as an
apprentice electrician with Secker & Son's
and would often come across Sam on building
sites, Sam had his own build business and was
always in a gang, again he was always the joker
and would always refer to me as 'Boy Raymond'
and strangely enough this gave me some credibility
on site as I was always included in things when
Sam was there.
As the years went by, from time
to time I would see Sam and Vera often they
would be on Anglia Square where I had a display
caraven when I was a rep for Zenith Windows,
then later in the city mostly in St Stephens,
Sam would always stop and talk to me, "it's
Boy Raymond" he would say ......... It
is only now that I realise that I don't know
too much about his family, but I will
be looking into that - Ray Taylor
2010: GRINT
CHARLES, on Monday, April 12th, aged 85 years.
Deeply loved husband of Vera, father of Paul
and Christine, father-in-law of Lesley, much-loved
grandad of Georgina and Holly. The funeral service
will be held at St Barnabas Church, Russell
St, Norwich followed by interment on Friday,
April 23rd at 1.45 p.m. Family flowers only
please but, if desired, donations to Alzheimer's,
most welcome, may be sent c/o George Bush Funeral
Home, 93 Oak Street, Norwich NR3 3BP.
More on Vera May Mann
Vera's parents
and family
1911: Census - 3 Home St Norwich
Norfolk
George Robert Mann - Head - Married -
age 27 (1884) - Tight Winder Of Wire Iron Foundry
- born Norwich
Ada Mann - Wife - married 5 years - age
23 (1888) - born London
George Robert Mann - Son - age 4 (1907)
- born Norwich
Frederick William Mann - Son - age 2
(1909) - born Norwich
Emily Norman - Sister - Single - age
21 (1890) - Boot Work - born London
1927: Birth
record - Vera May Mann
at Norwich - Jun quarter 4b / 249
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