Gaymer family, including Doris Goldsmith, nee Gaymer

Notes on the Gaymer family, including Doris Goldsmith, nee Gaymer

For Fred and his wife Evelyn see interview tapes 68, 74, 75, 120, 121.
For Doris Goldsmith see interview tape 141.

Gaymer family tree

gaymer-family-tree-for-wordpress

 

Fred Gaymer

Born
1907 in Park Cottages, Maldon Road.

Parents
Albert (Bert)and Eliza. Fred’s father said he was born in Whitechapel. When Fred was born his father was working at Freebornes Farm as estate carpenter. Fred’s grandfather, his father’s father, was a guard on the railway and lived in Braintree Road as a boy. His other grandfather, Ezekiel Thake, was a foreman at Freebornes farm.

Siblings
  Fred had one brother and twin sisters. The latter born c 1914-15.

Residence
Fred’s family moved to Cuppers farm, Blunts Hall Road, in c 1915. Uncle previously had smallholding there but went to the War so the Gaymers took over. Then Fred’s father also went to the War and his grandfather took over.

When married January 1930, Fred and Evelyn lived at a bungalow he built himself, 47 Blunts Hall Road, for seven years, then to 56 Church Street and then in bungalow called Grasmere in Stevens Road, next to Cuppers Farm.

Work

Fred started working with father till 1930s [perhaps c 1932], then to Richards builders in Church Street, then on emergency repair squad as carpenter during Second World War, then to Chelmsford Rural District Council as maintenance foreman.

Then after about five years to similar job with Colchester Hospital Group in Notley, Halstead, Braintree etc. Promoted to General foreman, then Assistant Building Supervisor, then General foreman of the whole group based at Colchester. Then Clerk of Works there. Then Clerk of Works at Halstead UDC for about four years.

Then to Greater London Council building scheme in Witham, c 1965,  becoming ‘Handover Clerk of Works’ checking the finished buildings for handover to Witham UDC.

Children Daphne le Sage, Pam, Joan.

Died
Evelyn in October 1988 aged 80. Fred in 2006 aged 98.

Evelyn.
Parents. Father was George Cook. Mother died when she was four and father remarried.
Siblings One sister and one brother.
Residence. Lived in Bures in Suffolk for a time when she was small. Moved to Witham when she was six and lived in Chipping Hill terrace in Church Street till seventeen, then parents went to Hatfield Peverel.
Work. She herself was in service first at Witham for Mannings (Mr M was painter and decorator). Then after three years, when about 20, to Terling Place as a housemaid.
Children Daphne born 1930s, twin girls born 1939-40.
Died Evelyn in October 1988, aged 80.

 

Extracts from documents

1891 census, RG 12/1425, f.50, p.10, schedule 47, Braintree Road
William Gaymer    Head    M    37    Rail passenger guard    born Essex, Bradfield
Jane Gaymer    Wife    M    31        born Essex, Witham
Arthur Gaymer    Son        12    Scholar    born Essex, Brightlingsea
Albert E Gaymer    Son        10    Scholar    born London, Poplar
Jessie E Gaymer    Dau        8    Scholar    born Essex, Forest Gate

1901 census, RG 13/1725, f.64, p.19, schedule 135, Braintree Road
William Gaymer    Head    M    47    Railway guard    born Essex, Bradfield
Jane Gaymer    Wife    M    41        born Essex, Witham
Albert E Gaymer    Son    S    20    Railway porter    born London, Poplar
Edith A Gaymer    Dau    S    14    Draper’s apprentice    born Essex, Forest Gate
Robert Gaymer    Son        9        born Essex, Witham
Frank W Gaymer    Son        5        born Essex, Witham

1911 electoral register
Ownership electors
William Gaymer, of Braintree Road (qualified by freehold house in Braintree Road)
Occupation electors
Albert Edward Gaymer, Park Cottages, Witham, qualified by dwelling house, Park Cottages
William Gaymer, Grosvenor Villas (county only: qualified by dwelling house, Grosvenor Villas)

1920 electoral register
Albert Edward and Eliza Esther Gaymer, Cuppers Farm
Robert Cole Gaymer, Millfield House
William, Jane, and Frank Wilfred Gaymer, Grosvenor Villas, Braintree Road
Maria, and Harry William Richards, Church Street
Charles Edward and Edith Alberta Richards, Albert Road

 

Information sent by email in 2020 by Joy Hearn, nee Gaymer (aged 86)
Joy was the daughter of Charles William Gaymer (1904-c.1979), Fred’s older brother.

I am joy Hearn nee gaymer. I am now 86 and in full command of my faculties.   My father was Charles William Gaymer elder brother of fred Gaymer.   He was born in june 1904, married in 1926 to Phyllis Agnes Burgess and had jean who died as a baby, Phyllis Mary born 29.6.1929, and me Joy Elizabeth born 25.1.1934, and Gladys May born 12.8.1946. Gladys is still alive.    

My father had to leave school at the age of ten to help his mother Eliza on the farm Cuppers and help with the twins Doris and Christine because their father Albert Edward Gaymer was serving in HM Forces first world war.    My father grew up to be a very clever man and worked as an agricultural engineer during the second world war at Perry's farm little braxted.  He was an air raid warden and used to come to the school testing our gas masks.

During the great strike at the age of just sixteen he drove a lorry up to London every day from Witham with food for the population and was stoned and had eggs and tomatoes thrown at him.

I remember Fred Gaymer getting me the biggest hiding of my life for spilling red ink on the tablecloth.

Evie Gaymer was my godmother.   There is a lot to be published that is missing from your Gaymer Witham.

Yours sincerely Joy Hearn nee Gaymer."

“I do know that my grandmother Esther sometime between the two world wars went as a pea picker in the Witham Carnival and the whole family were really annoyed with her. I remember her telling me many tales when I was about five.

My father Charles Gaymer was the eldest grandson of Ezekiel Thake and used to go riding around in his pony and trap with him. We have family photos of this.

Between the birth of my father and his brother Fred there was another son Richard who died at a very early age.

During the second World war my father had visited the family at Cuppers with his motorcycle and side car with me about 7 going home up Blue Mills Hill, when we were stopped by a search light unit on the hill and we were detained until they contacted my grandfather to prove we were telling the truth.

Witham is my home town.…”

4 thoughts on “Gaymer family, including Doris Goldsmith, nee Gaymer”

  1. Do you know the name of William Gaymer’s father?

    My great great grandfather was Edward John zgsymer birn in 1805. I believe he is buried in Halstead and am going there tomorrow. I wondered if there were any Gaymers still living in Halstead?

    1. Sorry I didn’t reply quicker, Victoria. I don’t seem to get told about comments any more.
      By William Gaymer, I presume you mean the one at the family tree, with mistyped dates. I didn’t go back before him, but you’ll see from the census entries that he was born in Bradfield. So if you saw Bradfield parish registers (at Essex Record Office or no doubt with copies elsewhere) that might tell you.
      In the past, you could get quite a good view of present-day residents from the phone book, but there aren’t many of those now. Probably the best thing would be to write a short letter to the local newspaper.
      Good luck with everything and best wishes from Janet

    2. Victoria

      Did you find out anything about William Gaymer’s father? I am related to William, being a grandson of Frederick Percy Gaymer, who was the son of Albert Edward Gaymer (who in turn was a son of William Gaymer).

      Thanks

      David Hindley

  2. I am Joy Hearn nee Gaymer. My father was Charles William Gaymer eldest son of Albert and Eliza and older brother to Fred Gaymer your grandfather. I am 87 now.

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