The following sections are mainly extracts from what my father (Graham Hyde) stated as recorded by Audrey:
John (Jack) Bassano Hyde:
"Jack was a fine man and entirely different, in nature, to his twin Howard. I adored him, as a child, and can only think of one incident where, it could be said, he was a bit remiss towards me.
I was three, at the time, and Howard and Jack dressed in sheets; painted their faces with phosphorous paint, and with horrible ghostly noises, chased me around the house in the dark. I was terrified.
Apart from that incident, he never did another unkind thing to me.
The twins were sent to Abbey School in Reading. It was thought, by the family, best to keep the twins together but it didn't work as Jack was forever having to get Howard out of Scrapes. In the end they had to separate them, and Howard was sent to another school.
Jack did well at school, after Howard left, and excelled in mathematics.
After leaving school, he served an apprenticeship as an Engineer, in Kent, and later found a position in Lincoln He was here, when Father died, and some time later after Mother had lost virtually everything, he took her into his flat and supported her on his meagre pay. He took great care of Mother, whereas Howard did nothing.
When World War 1 broke out he enlisted into the navy, and worked his way up to the rank of Lieutenant Commander over the War years. He was very popular with his men under his command.
After his death, we received heaps of letters from people we had never heard of, all expressing deep sympathy, and many wrote of their admiration for him.
At the end of the War, the Admiralty did not want to lose Jack, and asked him to stay, but he couldn't as he had no private income, which was a necessary requirement in those days.
It was obvious the War was nearly over, so before leaving the Navy, he was accepted into a job with Standard Oil, in Australia, at Wars end, and planned for Mother and I to join him. Alas that was not to be.
Howard went to Scarborough, to meet Jack off his ship, and they stayed in a hotel, before going up to London to see us. Here, we assume, he picked up the horrible flu virus which was a raging epidemic, at the time, and killed thousands of people around the world. Antibiotics, hadn't been discovered then.
Two weeks later Jack died, and to this day I still miss him."
This is his obituary written by the Royal Navy.
Engineer, Lieutenant Commander, John.B.Hyde, was a son of the late Captain J.F.Hyde, of Hyde End) Berkshire, who died in 1902 when his son was 15 years of age. By dint of severe economy, Mrs Hyde had his education completed and he then served his apprenticeship with the firm, Messrs Oliver and Addis, in Thanet, Kent, later gaining further experience at the works at Grantham.
He then went to serve at the works of Messrs, Clayton and Shuttleworth, in Lincoln. His first voyage to sea was in the steam ship, 'Progress".
Later he joined the Anglo-American Oil Co's service and was appointed to the 'San Francisco', in which steamer he was serving when War broke out.
Having offered himself, on national grounds, to the Admiralty, he was appointed to H.M.S. 'Illustrious'. Later he was sent to the Clyde, to supervise the construction of sloops of war, and sailed one of these the 'Asphodel', to the Mediterranean, being subsequently appointed Chief Engineer of H.M.S, 'Sable', destroyer class.
He was promoted to Engineer Commander in 1917, having been mentioned in Dispatches and highly commended for his work, and improvements made in the machinery, under his supervision.
He did his duty to his country and was faithful to his Mother, maintaining and supporting her, and it was a sad blow, when he died, at the age of 31, in the Sutherland Naval Hospital, after a short illness, on October 25th, 1918. He is buried at Fortunes Green, Hampstead, London."
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Howard Victor Hyde:
"Howard I couldn't abide as a child or when an adult. As youngsters he would torment me unmercifully. Two episodes I remember well when we were children.
In the house at Margate, the stairway twisted up to the third floor from the marble ground floor, and directly above the stairwell, was a manhole to the attic. Gwen, and the twins, hauled furniture up into this attic with ropes, and unknown to our parents or the staff, made a secret sitting room.
Howard would delight in dangling me from the manhole, and threaten to drop me to the marble floor below. I couldn't yell, so would grit my teeth and bear it until he got bored with the so-called game. After that episode, I had a permanent fear of heights.
It was a long time before any adult found the sitting room, but Gwen eventually gave the game away when she giggled to loudly, within the hearing of a maid working in the room below.
One day, Mother injured he ankle, so had to use a wheel chair on outings. Howard volunteered to take her for a stroll. He wheeled her to the top of a hill and let her go. She was very lucky not to have been killed.
A few years after Father died, Howard offered Mother a partnership in another guest house, but she refused. I can't say I blame her, not only for past events, but he had developed a taste for drink, by this time, and coupled with his frightful arrogance, it would have been a perfect hell for her.
He had a similar career to Jack in the Navy, up to the end of World War 1, and also achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
After the War, he married a well-to-do young lady, named Muriel Hounson. Muriel was a comely woman, totally dominated by her husband, and never having much to say on the few occasions we visited.
They settled in Manston, near Margate, and he developed a local publication called, 'Day by Day'. He did well in this enterprise and surprised us all by becoming a good businessman.
They had two children, a boy named John , and a girl named Anne. The last time I visited them, was in the early 30's when Anne was but a baby, but the boy an absolute little horror....
...While Mother was with me in Australia, in the 20's she received many letters from Howard, imploring her to come home. He said he had a bedroom for her and everything would be fine.
Mother went back to England and took him up on his offer, but she soon realised the leopard had not changed his spots. No sooner had she settled down, he started demanding money from her all the time, and proceeded to make her life a complete misery, so she moved out and found other lodgings.
World War 2 started and Howard went back into as a Lieutenant Commander, and served on various ships throughout the War.
A few weeks after wars end, he was drowned at Aden, on December 6th, 1945, while on active service. I believe his ship struck a mine. He is interred in Suez.
It is strange that my twin brothers both died within weeks after, the close of War.
I believe Muriel and the children settled in Australia, after Howard died, and hopefully she had a happier life there, and the children grew up into decent citizens."
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Gwendoline Poppy Hyde:
"Gwendoline was born at Theobalds Park. Muriel was eight years old, when she was born, and was delighted to have a baby sister to dote on, as her elder sisters were away at boarding school.
Gwen was a lively child and was usually the ring leader in any pranks the rest of us got up to. At 12 years old, she was sent off to Cheltenham Ladies School and no doubt led the teachers a merry dance. She developed a very good singing voice; had a keen eye for handsome men, and was an outrageous flirt.
In Margate, when home on holidays, she would mix with the actors and actresses in the guest house, when ever she could behind Mother's back. Her overriding ambition was to go onto the stage.
Knowing Mother's views on the subject, was a bit of a worry, but wily Gwen did not let that stop her.
In 1901, at the age of 17, she sneaked sheets from the linen room, one night, tied them together; anchored one end to her bed, and tossed the rest out of the third floor window.She clambered down to the ground and with the help of some rather dubious friends, ran away to London and the stage. She found her forte in Musical Comedy and did well.
Before World War 1, she met and married Captain Francis Robert Gurney Bailey, whom we called Bill. He was the illegitimate son of Rachel Gurney, and it was said, his Father was a Duke. (The existence of Rachel Gurney, the stated mother for Bill, has not been proven – David Hyde 14/1/07)
They lived in Maidenhead and had three children, two boys and a girl, who were grossly neglected. The Branford family (my father said the Geddes family – corrected on information supplied by John Scott 14/1/07), who were old friends of Mothers, adopted the two boys Archie and Hugh. They both retained their surname Bailey.
Rachel stayed with her parents. How she survived, I will never know as Gwen and Bill squandered everything on themselves and led a very indulgent life. Rachel would be passed around friends and relations to be cared for, while they flitted from one social event to another.
Many years later, Archie looked Mother and I up. This was an unforgettable occasion as Mother went to a lot of trouble to make a lovely chicken dinner. Unfortunately she didn't realise the bird hadn't been drawn. It was ghastly and we never saw Archie again. He must have thought we were a strange lot.
During the War, Bill suffered terrible frost-bite from being in the horrible wet trenches in Flanders. Later he developed phlebitis and became very lame. After the War, on the advice from his Doctor for Bill to live in warmer climes, Gwen, Bill and Rachel, packed up and rented a dowdy villa at La Napoule, near Cannes, in the South of France.
Although they didn't have much money, they led a fairly lively life and Gwen found a crony in Princess Daisy of Pless. The Princess was under the impression that Gwen was very rich. No doubt Gwen's acting skills came to the fore in Cannes.
Bill died before World War 2, and Gwen and Rachel went back to England. Unfortunately, I lost touch with them, but I did hear that Gwen died about 1964."
Note:
Archie was registered as Robert Francis Bailey but given the additional name of Archer when adopted. (Archer was Sybella Bradford - nee Gurney - father's name.) Based on information supplied by John Scott who together with Christopher T. Husbands is writing a biographical study of Victor and Sybella Branford – two important founders of British sociology who worked with Patrick Geddes, for 'The Sociological Review'. (17/1/07)
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Violet Adean Hyde:
"Violet was four years older than me. She was a pretty girl with beautiful red hair and a temper to match. Father doted on her so she often got away with murder.
Once I was getting the back of the hair brush administered to my bare bottom, by Mother, for some misdemeanour, and Vi stood with her face as red as her hair, shrieking, "Devil! Devil! Devil!" with every stroke.
Vi was inclined to be light fingered, and if any of us wanted anything, Vi would be the one to ask. She often stole food from the kitchen but one day went too far. She stole some pears from a guests room. The guest was furious and was going to send for the Police, however was soon pacified by seeing the culprit get the hair brush. This is the only time, I can remember, Vi getting the brush treatment instead of me.
We were both sent to stay on farms, when large social occasions were held in our Margate home. We enjoyed these trips into the country, as generally the folk were kindly and we loved the animals. However, when I was about four our, and Vi eight, Muriel took us to a farm for a weeks stay. We only stayed for a couple of hours because after Muriel left, the people turned perfectly horrid and nasty towards the both of us. Vi dragged me out onto the road, and we headed for home. It was hot and whenever I tried to rest, Vi would tug me along until, after what seemed an eternity, we landed up exhausted on our home doorstep, to be confronted by an astounded Muriel.
Fortunately she had no children of her own, as I'm sure their life would have been hell.
It wasn't a happy marriage, as Vi continually nagged Pat, and many a time he threatened to walk out on her, but he never did. I disliked staying with them, because Vi would start nagging from daylight to dusk, and your ears would ring with the continual whine. I honestly don't know how Pat could stand it as two days would be enough for me, then I would make up some paltry excuse to leave, and be thankful to get away from such an unhappy household.
She kept her magpie ways. When she visited Mother, baubles would catch her eye, and she would think nothing of pocketing them without asking. Mother soon learnt to stow away valuables when Vi was around.
After marriage, Vi and Pat lived in Herne Bay where he had a job as Secretary, Caretaker, of a golf course. Vi would have nothing to do with the golfing fraternity, as she thought them all a pack of snobs.
On retirement, they lived at 114 London Road, in Maidstone, until both passed on. Pat passed away before Vi. She died in 1964, at the age of 73."
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