Eighth Generation  

61. Eileen NORMAN [3368] was born on 14 Jul 1921 in 5 Field St Landore Swansea West Glam Wales.

General Notes: In an eMail, dated November the 11th, 2009, Anthony Bishop provided "Memoirs" written by his Wife Eileen [Norman] Bishop, as follows:

Childhood Memoirs - Eileen Norman
My Father was Edward John Norman, one of seven Boys and two Girls, born to Eliza and Charles Norman, living at 2 Morfa Terrace, Landore, Swansea.
My earliest Memories are of the tiny House we live in, in Jockey Street, Swansea, with my Mother's Parents. Her Father, Michael Sheehan, had come over from a Farm near Cork in Ireland; but he died when I was only 3 Years old.
As a child it was always a special treat for me to be taken on a visit to my other Grandmother's Corner Shop near the Landore Cinema. She would allow me to stand behind the Counter and help her serve [the Customers]. Then she would teach me to count out the Change.
People would rush out of the Cinema during the interval, to buy sweets, chocolates, bottles of pop and 2p [tupenny] packets of 5 Woodbine Cigarettes! The open packets of cigarettes were kept in the same drawer as the money. I remember my hands smelling of Cigarettes! When I grew up I couldn't bear to smoke Cigarettes!
Aunty Fan, my Father's Sister, married to Uncle Peter Foley, kept house there and looked after her Parents all their lives. She had one Son, Edward and also looked after my Cousin Harold Norman whose Mother had unfortunately died young, and his Father, Uncle George.
I think lots of People will remember the picnics and charabanc trips, which Auntie Fan organized for youngsters in the neighbourhood. We went singing happily around the countryside.
The middle room behind the Shop contained two pianos where Aubrey, the second Son of Uncle Ben Norman, used to teach children to play the Piano. He gave up on me! His main occupation was Pianist at the Elysium Cinema in the Days of Silent Films.

• Residence: when she was a young Child, Jockey Street Swansea Glamorganshire Wales.

Eileen married Harold Owen LEWIS [3358] [MRIN: 2081], son of Harry Otto LEWIS [3359] and Marion Ella HEATH [3370], on 15 Dec 1946 in St Josephs Cathedral Swansea West Glam Wales. Harold was born on 15 Mar 1900 in Wimbledon Surrey England and died on 02 Feb 1970 in Carrisbrook Isle of Wight England at age 69.

The child from this marriage was:

+ 63 F    i. Heather Olwen LEWIS [3369] was born on 10 Sep 1947 in Swansea Glamorganshire Wales.

Eileen next married Anthony Armitage BISHOP [3061] [MRIN: 1906], son of Spencer Armitage George BISHOP [200] and Phylis Marianne WILLIS [58], on 17 Nov 1980 in St Columb Minor Cornwall England. Anthony was born on 13 Mar 1931 in Melton Mowbray Leicestershire England.

General Notes: I was born in the War Memorial Hospital at Melton Mowbray on Friday 13th March 1931, and my Mother was soon diagnosed as having cancer of the gallbladder, and she was dead by August. It was a merciful release, because she had been out of her mind with pain for the last two months. Her body lies in Thorpe Rd Cemetery Melton Mowbray. After my Mother's death, a nurse looked after me for a while until my Aunt Clare (my father's youngest sister) came to keep house for us.
When I was considered old enough I had a governess (Miss Hodgetts). I took great joy in plaiting her hair, which reached nearly to her waist. One maid I remember well was Ella Plowman, the daughter of my father's patients at Asfordby, she and I were great pals. Two other pals were the 2 Sealyhams (dogs) Pogo & Trixi, whose portraits still hang in my son Philip's home. Pogo eventually went blind, we had to keep furniture in the same position or he would collide with it. When he was younger he always kept guard under my cot, you could only approach if he approved.
Later I was sent to the junior house at Oakham School, under a giant of a housemaster, Mr Milligan, he was 6ft 7". I can still remember my father coming to school to see me swim my first length of the school outdoor baths. It was at Oakham that I first heard bagpipes. What a glorious sound as the piper practised in the school playing field across the lane. I forget now why, but I was not very happy there, may be because I was disobedient & often got the cane! I tried another school Trent College at Long Eaton. To my Father's disappointment I was no sportsman except at Rugby, where I had to play in the same position my father held in Liverpool University team, hooker. I joined the Officer Training Corps, & enjoyed rifle shooting. Another pastime was naming trees. Trent College has over 400 different varieties of trees & shrubs. I got up to 250 names and then ran into trouble when there were only Latin names left! As today, I was fond of singing in the choir. I was fortunate to be at school with boys who had been head choristers in Kings College Cambridge, St Georges Windsor, St Paul's Cathedral London, & Chester Cathedral. What a choir! I sat the Oxford & Cambridge Certificate (the equivalent of the CSE), passing History Chemistry Physics Maths & Metal Work & amazed everyone by getting credits in both English Literature & Language, because I am still hopeless at spelling today.
When I left school I went as a farm pupil to Mr Charles Whalley at Top Farm Bearston Nr Market Drayton in Shropshire. This farm carried the large Verona pedigree Friesian dairy herd. When my Father retired I moved down to Altarnun near Launceston in Cornwall. There I looked after an Ayrshire dairy herd until they had to be sold due to the owner's bad health. This time I moved to Coswarth Farm just outside Newquay further west in Cornwall, a completely different farm with a lot of arable land with some cattle and a large flock of sheep. My last move was to join the Eustice family at Trethiggey Farm, also nr Newquay, which had mostly South Devon cattle. I well remember Ron Eustice, who was disabled, going in between two bulls who were fighting with a horse whip to part them, a thing I would not have dared to do, and yet none of them would go near a cow which had new born twins, except on a tractor. They were amazed when I went into the field, put one calf across my shoulders and drove the cow & other calf in with no trouble at all.
After this I decided to spread my wings, and volunteered to join the R A F. I had several bouts of tonsillitis, which culminated in Rheumatic fever, which meant a month in R.A.F. Hospital Ely, followed by several months on light duties before returning to square bashing. On completing this I studied Ground Radar as a mechanic. When I eventually mastered that, at the second attempt I was posted to RAF Trerew Nr Newquay, back in Cornwall. Whilst I was there I ran the coffee swindle, and went down to Trerew Farm for some milk, where I met Betty Pascoe who became my wife.
I finished my term in the forces and went to work for my brother in law at Trevornick nr Cubert, living in a rented cottage Nr Zelah. I was on the lookout for a farm of my own; presently a chance came up at Marazanvose, just the other side of Zelah. It was only 38 1/2 acres, and I tried a bit of everything, but eventually settled on Friesian cows, rearing what heifers I could. When my Landlord died I was offered the chance to buy the farm. My brother in law lent me cash and a few years later I sold that farm and bought a larger one at Hendra Nr Rose, between Cubert and Perranporth. Later I bought an adjoining farm bringing my acreage up to 145. I was able to rear all my heifers and grow corn to help feed them.
My sons Michael and Philip were both born whilst we were at Marazanvose. Michael did not want to follow me in farming; he worked at Ladbrokes holiday camp Nr Perranporth (now called Haven Holidays), and ran their fish and chip shop. So I decided to sell the farm and buy the Grantham Astor Hotel, a decision I have never regretted.
We moved in November 1972,and opened for Christmas. Michael went to Camborne catering college for that winter and I joined him until I had to return to see to bookings after Christmas. At that time only 4 bedrooms were en suite. We added 6 folding showers and opened again in April 1973, using Smiths Happiways coaches.(I had purchased the hotel from Smiths). The following winter we amalgamated the bar and ballroom to make the highland ballroom. We also had to dig a cellar, as during our first dinner function, I remember us rolling a barrel of beer through the dinning room. Michael and I dug the cellar BY HAND. It soon proved too small so was doubled in size. It has more recently been doubled yet again, to accommodate real ale. There have been constant improvements, including the purchase of the Gables next door, which was joined into the hotel. The first Christmas that those rooms were used, the guests had to be issued with umbrellas and walk around from one front door to the other as we not allowed to knock through in time.
The old Grantham Astor (once two properties) had 54 bedrooms. The number has varied up and down since, as en suite facilities have been provided, and ground floor rooms built. The constant policy of improvement continues, including skittle alleys and the complete rebuilding of the wing behind the Gables. We finally retired in 1987; to live in Perranporth where we still welcome friends we have made over the years.
I mentioned our Highland ballroom, which has surprised many guests. "Why Scotland in Cornwall?" I have heard many times. Well I have always been proud of my Scottish ancestry, and when I was married the second time to Eileen Lewis (a guest) it was in the Forbes kilt. I always wore it to run "party night". Philip and I both wear Forbes kilts on Christmas night in the hotel now. (Philip's is the dress tartan and mine is the day one.)

Are we entitled to wear them? Well that depends on your point of view. My grand mother was Henrietta Octavia Robinson, and her mother was Henrietta Cecilia Forbes, so the blood flows through the female line twice, but surely we live in an age of sex equality Ha! Ha! Quite apart from that, all families could not exist, but for the ladies.
My second wife Eileen, who contributed a lot to the early establishment of the Grantham Astor Hotel, and I live quietly at Perranporth about 7 miles west of Newquay. We both do a bit of charity work; I have a garden to tend, am involved in our local church and spend a lot of time tracing our roots! By the time I have finished, I hope there will not be much left to do to complete our story, but I recommend, family history to anyone in retirement. It is fascinating, but you need plenty of patience!

In an email from Anthony bishop, November 2002. ...