Vernon Digby Bignall

Vernon Digby was the son of Samuel and Charlotte Bignall (née Woolley).

Samuel and Charlotte were married at Nottingham St Andrew 0n 2 July 1874 and according to the 1911 Census had ten children of whom four had died by 1911.

Eight children have been traced on the census and birth/death registrations between 1881 and 1911: George Frederick b. 1874 (OND) d. 12 November 1874, Annie Gertrude b. 1877, Thomas Woolley b. 1878 d. 1880 (AMJ), Mabel Woolley b. 1880, Lottie b. 1882, Harold, b. 1885, Vernon Digby b. 1887 and Leonard Cecil b. 1889.

Samuel, a lace maker, his wife and their two daughters, Annie and Mabel, were recorded on the 1881 Census as visitors in the home of his parents, Thomas, a publican, and Amy Bignall, at 106 Derby Road, Nottingham.

By 1891, Samuel, who was still working as a lace maker, Charlotte and their six children, Annie, Mabel, Lottie, Harold, Vernon and Leonard, were living at 44 Radford Road.

Samuel died in August 1897 and in 1901 his widow Charlotte, a lace hand (working at home), had moved to 110 Harley Road. Four of her children were in the home on the night of the census: Lottie, an incandescent mantle maker, Harold, a card puncher, Vernon, a telegraph boy, and Leonard who was still at school. The eldest daughter Annie was married and Mabel, a shirt machinist, was a boarder living in a household on Birkin Avenue, Nottingham.

Annie had married Will Vellacott Rowle at Nottingham St Andrew on 12 April 1900. They had two children, one of whom died in infancy or childhood. In 1901, Gertrude, a milliner, and their daughter Marjorie Doris were living at 21 Hamburg Rod, Nottingham. Her husband Will was serving in the Imperial Yeomanry (12th Coy, 3rd Bn) in South Africa. He had attested on 21 January 1901 and served in South Africa from 9 February 1901 to 10 July 1902 but was discharged at his own request (discharged at Elandsfontein Frobisher Bay) to take up employment at the Gelderhuis Mines, Johannesburg District. He then served in the First World War (40192 Rifleman 5th Bn KRRC), Silver War Badge (B72924) and British War Medal and Victory Medal. Annie Gertrude was named as his next of kin on a War Pension Ledger record and applied for his medals giving her address as 13 Belgrave Square, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham, but 'after 6 October 1920' as c/o General Post Office Bulawayo South Africa. Annie and her daughter Marjory (19) a typist) left England for Cape Town (ultimate destination Rhodesia-sic, now Zimbabwe) on 22 October 1920. Anne Gertrude died in Bulawayo on 14 July 1937 and was buried in Bulawayo General Cemetery.

Lotty married Alexander Scrimgeour at St Andrew's church on 8 July 1902 and in 1911 they were living at 71 Percival Road, Sherwood, with their daughter Maisie. Her husband was a traveller (wines and spirits). He left the UK for Cape Town, South Africa on 5 July 1913. Lotty later emigrated to South Africa where the records give her surname as Croly (husband Arthur Henry). There was also an announcement in the Nottingham Evening Post in August 1916 of the birth of a son to 'Dr and Mrs Croly (nee Lottie-sic Bignall)' at Lonely Mine, South Africa). Lotty (Croly) died on 29 April 1939 and was buried in Fort Beaufort Main Cemtery, Amathole District Municipality, Eastern Cape.

Mabel married Henry Newell in 1906. In 1911 Mabel, a dressmaker, was living alone at 30 Grey Friars Row, Nottingham; she was married and had had two children. Mabel was divorced in 1918 (husband's petition) when she had already emigrated to South Africa and she married secondly Brian Ellsmoor. Mabel died at Gatooma Village Main Mine, Hartley, Southern Rhodesia, on 20 July 1940. Administration of her Will was awarded to her husband, Brian Ellsmoor.

Harold had married Florence Mabel Carpenter at St Andrew's church on 25 December 1909 and in 1911 they were living at 146 Wellington Street, Long Eaton, with their first child, Dorothy Phyllis (b. 1910). Dorothy and her brother William Alec were baptised at Beeston parish church in February 1914. They had another daughter, Joyce Eileen, in 1918. Harold, a warehouseman (lace) for Dobson & M Brown & Co but 'out of work', his wife and their three children were living at 63 Cedar Road in 1921. Harold died in July 1927 and was probably buried in Nottingham General Cemetery (18 July).

Charlotte was living with her son, Leonard, a 'fruiterer', at 25 Myrtle Avenue, Berridge Road, Radford, in 1911.

Vernon, a plate-layer (Midland Railway), was recorded on the 1911 Census at 5 Greek Square, Montford Street, Nottingham. He was living with Agnes (Bignall), born Stafford 1889, whom he named as his wife of 2 years. However, no record of the marriage has been traced and Agnes was not named as either a relative or legatee on the WW1 records. A photograph of Vernon, which was published in a local paper after his death in 1914, gave his address as 5 Coldham Street, Nottingham.

His mother Charlotte died on 1 July 1920; the Probate record gave her address as 72 Foxhall Road, Sherwood Rise. Probate was awarded to her son, Leonard.

Leonard married Lily Miller in 1919 and had two children, Joan Ellen b. 1920 and Leonard Eric b. 1921. Leonard, a retailer (fruit and vegetables), his wife and daughter Joan, were living at 27 Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, in 1921. Also in the household were Lily's unmarried sisters, Gertrude Miller (26), home duties, and Florence Ann Miller, a milliner. Leonard, his wife and their two children were still at 27 Radcliffe Road in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled; both his wife and their two children were assisting in the business. Leonard snr. was also a special constable and his son an ambulance driver volunteer. Leonard jnr. was killed in 1944 while serving in the RAFVR. Leonard Cecil died in October 1953; administration of his Will was awarded to his daughter Joan.