Our Family History
Lilian Bunclark Tisdall (1882 - 1976)
Lilian Maude Bunclark was born in Hackney on 20th September 1882. She was the eldest Daughter of Jospeh and Eliza Bunclark.
In 1891 aged 9, she was living in Bulls Lane, Finchley, North London, with her parents, her Grandmother Charlotte Bunclark and her two younger brothers, Charles & Reginald. Her father was the manager of a Drapers Shop, employing one apprentice.
10 years later in 1901, 19 year old Lilian was also a Drapers Assistant, living and working at 79 Blackfriars Road ,Southwark London. The shop was owned by Mr and Mrs George Mason and they employed 2 other girls as well as Lilian.
In June 1908 Lilian married Frederick Tisdall in Edmonton and by 1911 they had set up home in 9 Woodside Road, Kingston-Upon-Thames where Frederick was working for a jewellers, repairing clocks and watches. Their daughter Constance had been born in 1909 and her younger sister "Betty" followed in 1913.
During the 1st World War, Frederick served as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers. During 1914-18 he was away fighting in France and Greece but he did get at least one home leave granted to him so he could spend some precious time with Lilian & the girls. Subsequently, their third child, a son called Edgar, was born in 1916.
Frederick caught Maleria out in Salonika, and died in 1918 a few weeks after the Armistice was signed. Lilian was left a widow at 36 years old, with three young children.
Lilian left Kingston and went to live in Tottenham to be nearer her parents. When Lilian's eldest daughter Constance left school at about 15, she was sent out to work as a domestic servant in a girls boarding school in Kent during the early 1920's.
In 1923 Lilian was living at 100 Northumberland Park, in Tottenham. She lived here for over 15 years, and in 1930 daughter Constance had moved back home to live with her mother before getting married to Ernest Thorne. The newly weds started their married life living with Lilian.
Some time before the begining of the Second World War, Lilian who was now in her fifties, moved to Kent. Grandson Anthony Thorne went to stay with her during the early days of the war. They became very close during this time and he always call her "Little Gran". She never married again after Fredericks death.
In the 1970's Lilian ended up living in Stanna Court, Ramsgate Kent with her youngest Daughter Betty. She died aged 94 in 1976.
My Great Grandmother lived in Ramsgate Kent. I remember going to visit her with my dad when I was about 5 years old in the early 1970's. She was a tiny little old woman, wearing a flowery dress and glasses, propped up from behind by quite a few pillows -so the armchair just seemed to swallow her up. She was in her early 90's and very frail physically but her brain was still as sharp as a button.
She had this beautiful chinese laquered display cabinet in the corner of the room, which really fascinated me. Being an inquisitive child, I went over to have a closer look. As I reached out to touch the wood a loud voice boomed out from the depths of the armchair and shouted "Just Look. DON'T TOUCH". I didn't dare disobey her - and went running back to my father's side straight away. She clearly didn't tolerate naughty or nosey chldren and I sat quietly drawing or reading for the rest of the visit.
I didn't know at the time where she got the piece of furniture from - but it was certainly oriental and an antique. She also left my mother a Bone China Japanese Tea Set when she died. I think they may have been family heirlooms belonging to her late husband, Frederick Tisdall. He had a brother, William who was a Merchant Sailor, in the late 1800's and I know that he bought back many exotic gifts for his family from his travels overseas. It is quite possible that the cabinet & Teaset had been a wedding present to Frederick & Lilian, from his mother Emily Tisdall.
My great grandmother may have been small physically, but she had a huge voice, and great inner strength. I knew she had been widowed after the 1st world war and had bought up 3 children by herself in the 1920's. My father used to tell me stories about when he stayed with her in Kent during the early days of the second world war. He claimed they both watched a Spitfire pilot have a dog fight with a german plane in the skies over Kent, around the time of The Battle for Britain. My father always had a close bond with my great grandmother because of the time he spent with her as a young boy. He always called her "Little Gran" infront of me and my brother and she gave him her husband's precious war medals when she died.
The last time I saw my grandmother was around the time of her 90th Birthday. She was staying with my Uncle Edgar in Romford. My Aunt Betty was also there with my Grandmother, Connie, and I remember going to see her with my parents. A few years later, when I was about 7, she died, and I remember feeling very sad. She was the first relative of mine who passed away & even though I only met her a few times, I felt I knew her through my dad's stories.
Many yeears later I met a psychic who told me that when father passed over to the other side, a tiny little old lady with glasses, and a very loud voice was there to welcome him into the afterlife and he called her "Little Mum". I dont normally put much faith in these things but if my great gran was there, my dad was in very safe hands.
Memories of my Great Grandmother.....
