|
Vera Doris
|
This directory contains the information we have about Kate and Anthony Clarke's 9th child Vera Doris.
For details of Kate's life, see her own directory.
For details of Kate’s very interesting first husband Anthony, including his families with other wives, see the AJCheeper/Clarke directory.
Vera's birth certificate shows her as being born on 27 November 1898, in while the family was at 27 Oliver Grove, South Norwood, Croydon. Her father was shown as Anthony Clarke, Commercial Traveller, and her mother as Kate Clarke formerly Davidge. The birth was only registered 6 weeks later, on 6 January 1899.
She appears in the April 1901 census entry as Vera D., dau., 2, born Nunhead (which is nearby).
Vera had a long-term relationship with Francis Edward BEDFORD, presumably from the early 1920s to the early 1930s. In 2005, Gordon provided Anne Kratzmann with this photo of Vera and Francis. Francis appears to have died in the mid-1930s. It seems likely that he was considerably older than Vera.
Vera and Francis had two children, Gordon Frank Bedford in 1923, and (Oliver) Kenneth Bedford in 1928. Details are below. Although they appear to have been unmarried, Francis succeeded in having their children's birth entries recorded with the surname Bedford.
Vera married Harold E.V. SHAW, June qtr 1935, in Edmonton, at the age of 36. She states on that certificate that she was a spinster named Clarke (not a widow named Bedford). From my aunt Enid Clarke's address-book in the 1990s, I understand that the family lived at 178 Park Rd, Crouch End N8.
Vera and Harold had two children, Anthony in 1936, and Gloria V. in 1938. Details are below.
The following photos were provided by Gordon in 2005:
Vera's death certificate states that she passed away on 7 January 1996, at the age of 97, at St Thereas's, 6/8 Queen Anne's Gardens, Bush Hill Park. She was shown as the widow of Harold Edward Victor Shaw, Barber, of the same address. The informant was her son, Oliver Kenneth Bedford, then 67, of 1b Uplands Park Road, Enfield.
The first child of Vera with Francis Bedford was Gordon F Bedford, 3 Feb1923 (Hackney, 1b 752). Gordon had a long-term partner, Dorothy, a woman who appears to have been older than his mother, from the early 1940s. She appears to have passed on c. 1970. From this photo, it's clear that in 1964 Gordon was running a service station. In 2005, he corresponded with Anne Kratzmann, from Tresi Aur, Llanarth, Ceredigeon (which used to be Dyfed) SA47 0QN, on the western coast of Wales.
The second child was Oliver Kenneth Bedford. His birth certificate shows that he was born 22 October 1928, when Vera was 29, at 124 Colney Hatch Lane, Muswell Hill. Francis is shown as a furniture manufacturer's cost accountant. Oliver was never used, and he was always Ken.
Ken's marriage certificate shows that he was married on 24 March 1957, at the age of 28, at St Peters, Hornsey. His wife, Barbara Rose Lockey, was 27, and a shorthand typist of 95 Hampden Rd N8. He was shown as Office Manager, Manufacturing Stationers, of 178 Park Rd, N8. His father is listed as Francis Edward Bedford, cost accountant (deceased). One of the witnesses was V.D. Shaw, presumably his mother Vera.
Ken and Barbara had two daughters. The first, Karen Bedford, was born about 1959, at Edmonton (5e 491). Karen married Brian D. EATON, at Enfield, June 1990. They appear to have 4 children – Robert 1991 at Enfield, James 1993 at Broxbourne, Sophia 2000 at Hatfield and Eloise 2002 at Hatfield. The 2005 Electoral Roll suggests that Brian and Karen Eaton are now at 12 Tilecroft, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, AL8 7QY (about 20k from Enfield).
Their second daughter, Julie Bedford, who Gordon told Anne in 2005 has three children.
Ken's death certificate shows that he died on 9 Nov 2001, in Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, at 73. His occupation is shown as paper merchant (reitred), and his address as 1b Uplands Park Road, Enfield. The informant was his widow, Barbara Rose Bedford.
Several photos are listed above.
The first child of Vera with Harold was Anthony SHAW, born Hackney, Dec 1936. Gordon Bedford advised in 2005 that he lives in London.
The second was Gloria V. Shaw, Sep qtr 1938. She may have married a MARTIN in Dec Qtr 1964, in Ely. Gordon advised in 2005 that she later moved to Dallas, Texas.
In 2005, Gordon provided Anne with these photos:
Several further photos are listed above.
This a page within Roger Clarke's Family Web-Site
Contact: Roger Clarke and/or Anne Kratzmann
Created: 6 October 2005; Last Amended: 15 August 2008
