[1] 1922 to 1930 my story Christine Reason

This is the story of Christine Reason who lived through WW2, who was evacuated three times and who lived at various locations.

You could say an ordinary life, but this tale weaves through the different decades revealing an older way of life.

Christine’s life journal begins

On the 22 September 1922 a marriage took place between George Whitehead, aged 26 years and Winifred Haydon, aged 27 years, at South Woodford Baptist Church, London.

The bridegroom had been in the Army in WW1, serving in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a stretcher bearer over in France.

The bride was the second daughter of Rev. John Haydon and Elizabeth, his wife (nee Batchelor).

My story begins at my date of birth, 24 July 1930, my parents being the aforementioned George and Winifred.

We lived in a ground-floor flat, at 20 Bedford Road, South Woodford, while my Aunts Nellie and Mary Haydon occupied the top flat.

Nellie was the eldest daughter of John and Elizabeth Haydon, and she had been born at Chesham in Buckinghamshire in June 1893, before my grandfather entered Spurgeon’s Theological College in London in 1897.

My mother was also born at Chesham in January 1895, so my grandparents had to move to London with two small daughters and not much money.

I have been told that they were helped financially by his sister, Jane, who had married a builder in Chesham.

Aunt Mary was the youngest daughter and was born in Rye, Sussex in 1908, when my grandfather was Minister there.
Both these Aunts were employed as Secondary School teachers, and travelled by train to schools in East London.
My mother, Winifred had also trained as a school teacher attending Brighton College, together with Aunt Nellie, while the family were living at Rye.

Back row: Nellie Haydon, John Haydon, George Whitehead, -, -,
Front seated: Elizabeth Haydon, Joyce Whitehead, Winifred Haydon, Emma Whitehead, -,
Seated on the ground: Edna Haydon, Mary Haydon.

A review of the Rev. John Haydon’s work at Woodford Baptist Church

In August 1914 war with Germany broke out, bringing changes which were to affect the whole world, and the local church too.
It was shortly after Christmas that the name of the Rev. John Haydon from Rye, Sussex, was brought forward.
He met the deacons and in the following March began his service in Woodford.

8 MINISTRY OF THE REV. JOHN HAYDON – 1915 – 1926
Wartime in Woodford:
The effects of war conditions were being felt increasingly as the new ministry commenced.
The fear of air-raids, though never approaching the intensity of the 1939/45 war, was a major cause for concern.
The buildings were insured against war damage for £4,900 and black-out curtains were made for all the windows.
In October 1915 a Church meeting was adjourned after prayer “owing to the Zeppelin bombs being dropped on London.”
As the weary years passed, there were fewer and fewer young men at home to play their part in the life of the Church;
Evening activities in the winter months were affected increasingly until, in 1917, evening services gave place to afternoon ones and plans for celebrating the Church Anniversary in November were abandoned.
But John Haydon was to prove to be God’s man for the hour as far as the Church was concerned.
A man of peace by nature, he carried on the healing ministry within the fellowship which had been exercised in the later years of Alfred Savage’s era.
He lost no time in tackling the burden of debt which had borne so heavily on the Church for the past 20 years.
By the end of 1916, £250 had been repaid to the Baptist Building Fund and in the spring of 1918 a further interest-free loan of £600 was obtained from the Building Fund which enabled the loan from the Provident Clerks’ Association to be repaid.

A new spirit:
The great change which had been brought about in the Church was epitomised in the terms of a Church Meeting resolution in 1918, “…We gratefully recognise the untiring energy and enthusiasm that Mr Haydon has put into every department of the Church work, and rejoice with him in the evidences that God is blessing his ministry in our midst.
We assure him of the love and esteem in which he is held by us all and of our continued loyal and hearty support in his work.”
In his reply Mr Haydon thanked the Church and the officers for their kindness and said how happy he felt in working with such a united and loving people and spoke in highly appreciative terms of the loyalty of the officers…
The final giant step was taken and at last the Church was free of debt.
As the war-clouds drifted, the Church was not only in a happier situation financially than it had been since the turn of the century – the ancient wounds from those times were also largely healed.
Among those who had left the Church in opposition to the policies which had split the Church 20 years before, many had found their way back into fellowship – and among them several of considerable ability.

Post-war progress:
The autumn programme of 1919 included special monthly evening services with popular appeal.
300 copies of Sankey’s Hymn books were bought for use at these.
Another unusual evangelistic event took place at that time organised by one of the leading characters in the young people’s work.
Judson Bonner… asked leave to arrange a week of meetings in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his conversion.
Using the title of a “Young Life Campaign”, he booked a series of speakers representing different national movements…
Large numbers attended and, as a result, about 80 young people professed conversion…

End of an era:
By 1922 there were signs that John Haydon’s work in Woodford was nearly done…
Two years later an invitation came to him from Stony Stratford, Bucks, and his eleven years of fruitful ministry came to an end.
Echoing the words of John 10:14 it could be said that “John did no miracle”.
But as a hard worker and a faithful pastor, John Haydon ranked among the best.
In particular, the Church had good cause to give thanks for his positive approach to its financial problems.
He left behind a Church at peace within its own fellowship, in good heart and united for further advance.”

“The First Hundred Years 1881-1981 – The Story of Woodford Baptist Church”

1. The Haydon family tree

Pilip(sic) Haydon (born 1796) married Charlotte ? (born 1801)
Living in Waterside, Chesham in 1841.
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James John Haydon (born c. 1831, Chesham).
Shoe maker.

James married Elizabeth Webb March 1851 Amersham.

(Follow the Webb family tree here).
Family lived in Waterside on road between Chesham and Chenies, Buckinghamshire.
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John Haydon (born c. 1871)
Boot and shoe finisher.

John married Elizabeth Batchelor Sept 1892 (Chesham?)
(Follow the Batchelor family tree here).

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In 1901 they lived at 4 Grosvenor Park, Newington, London
At this time: 2 children Nellie 7 and Winifred 6.
John was a theological student.

Click to see all of John and Elizabeth’s children – with photo’s:

Nellie (born June 1883 Chesham) [1893 to 1987] married Fred Whitford in 1945 but he died 18 months later.

Winifred (born June 1885 Chesham) married George Whitehead 22 Sept 1922 (Follow the Whitehead family tree here).

Rene (born June 1902 Burrowbridge, Somerset). Married Arch Ellis a builder
(Follow the Ellis family tree here).

Edna [1904 – 1992] married Robert Brown on 3 Sept 1939.
(Follow the Brown family tree here).

Mary (born 1908 in Rye, Sussex) [1908 to 1997]

Minister at Burrowbridge, Sussex in and around 1902.

John was Baptist Minister at Rye 1905 to 1915.
Then at Woodford Baptist Church from 1915 to 1926.
1926 to 1928 Minister at Stony Stratford.
Then Baptist Minister at Gold Hill, Chalfont St. Peter from 1928 to 1932.
Minister at Long Crendon with Ickford from 1932 to 1935.
He retired in 1935 and became Chaplain to the Chalfont Epileptic Colony.
In 1946 he moved to Rye where he died on November 21st 1956.

2. The Whitehead family tree

George Whitehead very senior (born June 1844 Bethnal Green).

Due to there being 3 George Whiteheads on the records at Bethnal Green with the same date, it was too confusing to work out which was the right one.

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George Whitehead senior (born March 1872 Bethnal Green)
Lived at 68 Duckett Street, Mile End Old Town, London in 1881.
Tailors cutter.

George married Emma Denny Stanley

Lived at 25 Hartland Road, Stratford in 1901.
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George Whitehead junior (born 1895 died 1961)

Click to see George junior’s brothers and sisters – with photo:

Joyce Winifred (“Auntie Joyce” to Christine).

Plus another who died.

George married Winifred Haydon 22 Sept 1922 at South Woodford Baptist Church, London.

(Follow Haydon family tree here).
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Christine Reason (born 24 July 1930 ?)

Christine married Roy Reason 15th Oct 1955 at Terling, Chelmsford.
(See Reason family tree here).
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Peter (born October 1956 Chelmsford)

3. The Batchelor family tree

Charles Batchelor (born c. 1841)
A carter, then dealer then a carrier.
Married Sarah Hodgkison June 1866 (Chesham?)
(Follow the Hodgkison family tree here).
In 1871 the family lived at Waterside
In 1881 lived at the Elephant and Castle
In 1891 lived at The Moor, Chesham Bois
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Elizabeth Batchelor (born c. 1870 Chesham)
Brush drawer
Married John Haydon Sept 1892 (Chesham?)
(Follow Haydon family tree here).

Elizabeth lived at:
326 Billindon Road, Chesham in 1901.
Daughter, Martha, was already born.
George born in 1815 Amersham (died Sept 1897)
Elizabeth born 1816 Chesham (died June 1916 100 years old!)

4. The Mead family tree

Jesse Mead senior (born 1837 Missenden)
Wood chair turner.
Married Mary Nash 1856.
(Follow Nash family tree here).
They lived at 3 Parsonage Lane, Tring.
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Jesse Mead junior (born c. 1867 Ballinger)
In 1891 Jesse lived as a boarder with Benjamin & Julia Stone 85 High Street, Chesham.
Builder with staff.

Married Jane (or Jennie) Haydon 1895 Chesham
(Follow Haydon family tree here).
In 1901 they lived at 176 Berkhampsted Road, Chesham.
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Nora Mead (born 1899 Chesham?)
Brother:
Cyril (born 1897)

5. The Hodgkison family tree

George Hodgkison (born c. 1815 Amersham)
A carrier in 1851
Carrier and general shop keeper 1861
Carrier and farmer 17 acres employing 8 men 1871
Farmer of 30 acres employing 1 man 1881
Farmer in 1891
Married Elizabeth (surname unknown)
Family lived in Waterside in 1851
Elephant and Castle in 1861
Waterside in 1871
Billingdon Road, Billingdon, Chesham in 1881
Billingdon Road Farm in 1891
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Sarah Hodgkison (born c. 1848 in Chesham)
Lived in Waterside all her life.
Married Charles Batchelor June 1866 (Chesham?)
(Follow Batchelor family tree here).

6. The Brown family tree

Robert Wallace Brown
Blacksmith

Robert and David owned the blacksmith’s forge in the village of Chalfont St. Peter.
Robert married Edna Haydon on the 3rd September 1939.
[Robert, Edna and Mary (Haydon) ashes are at Stoke Pages. Don’t know if their memorials are there.]
(Follow the Haydon family tree here).
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Andrew (born 25th March 1941) [1941 to 11 Nov 2021]
Andrew married Jo ? on ?
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David (born ?)
Joanna (born ?)
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Jessica (born ?)

David married Donna on ?
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Madelaine (born 1994).
Sharon
Emma (born 1997)
Twins: Shannon and Haydon (born 2000)

7. The Ratcliffe family tree

Robert Albert Ratcliffe (born 1898 Amersham)
Married Nora Mead in 1927 Chesham
(Follow Mead family tree here).
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David Ratcliffe

8. The Ellis family tree

George Ellis was at one time Mayor of Rye married ?
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Arch Ellis
Married Rene Haydon
(Follow the Haydon family tree here).
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John (born 1st Sept 1941)
Married Marcia ?
Gillian Mary (born Jan 1947)
Married John Woods.
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Sharon

9. The Webb family tree

Mary Webb (born c. 1796 Chesham)
Straw plaiter.
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Elizabeth Webb (born c. 1830 Chesham)
Shoe binder
Married James John Haydon March 1851 Amersham.
Sisters:
Sarah
Jane. Jane connects the Mead and Ratcliffe family lines.
(Follow the Mead family tree here.
Follow the Ratcliffe family tree here).

10. The Nash family tree

Mary Nash was born 1838 in Missenden.
Married Jesse Mead 1856.
(Follow Mead family tree here).
They lived at 3 Parsonage Lane, Tring.
In 1871 Mary, now a widow, was living at Bellinger Common, Great Missenden.
She lived with Able, Sophie and Jessey (a lodger, born 1836 a strait plait maker)
She became a straw plait maker.

More of Christine Reason true life story in these articles:
[2] 1931 to 1935 real life toddler story
[3] 1935 to 1937 Daddy’s office
[4] 1936 to 1938 pre-war story