George Richard Ginnis Beddow

Born in 1881, George Richard Ginnis (known as 'Dick') was the eldest son of Richard George Beddow (also known as George) and Emma Beddow (nee Ruff). Richard and Emma were married in Nottingham in 1875 (Oct/Nov/Dec); she had been born in Nottingham but he originated from London. They were to have four children of whom only three survived childhood; Louisa Emma, George Richard Ginnis and Frederick Charles. In 1881 Richard and Emma were living at 55 Hunger Hill Road, Nottingham, with their two children Louisa (4) and George (3 months). Richard was working as a tinman. By 1891 they were living at 143 Dame Agnes Street, St Ann's, with Emma's widowed mother, Charlotte Ruff, who was the head of household. They now had three children, Louisa (14), George (10) and Frederick (7). They were still at the same address in 1901 but presumably Charlotte Ruff had either moved or died as her son-in-law was now head of household. He was now employed as a lamplighter and all three children were in work; Louisa as a music teacher (working at home), George a postman with the Post Office and Frederick a letter courier who joined the Post Office as a 'learner' the following year. Four years later in 1905 George married Lydia Harriet Quarton (marriage registered Apr/May/Jun). In 1911 they were living at 54 Teversal Avenue, Nottingham, with the first two of their four children, Edna Gladys (4, b. 13 August 1906) and Iris Ginnis (3, b. 8 February 1908). Also in the household was a boarder, Emily Mary Tharratt (24), a teacher of shorthand and typewriting. George and Lydia had two more children in 1912 and 1916; Kenneth Ginnis R (b. 7 May 1912) and Winifred M (b. 1916). The record of Probate in 1918 gives Lydia's address as 2 Sandon Street, Basford, Nottingham. George's parents and his unmarried sister, Louisa, whose occupation was given as 'housekeeper', were still living on Dame Agnes Street in 1911. George's mother died on 24 June 1911 at the age of 66 and his father in 1914 (Jan/Feb/Mar) age 62. George's brother, Frederick, served as a 322134 Sapper RE (postal clerk), attesting on 28 August 1915 and discharged from the Army on 14 December 1918. It does not appear that he served overseas; he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He had married in 1908 and he and his wife had a daughter, Kathleen Vera, born 1 June 1911. Tragically, Vera was to die at the age of seven of influenza and syncope on 10 November 1918, a month before her father was discharged from the army. Their sister, Louisa, (b. abt 1877), died unmarried in 1962 age 85. Lydia Harriet Beddow never remarried. She was still living at 2 Sandon Street in 1966 and she died in Nottingham two years later in 1968 aged 87 (b. 1881). Of George and Lydia's children: Edna Gladys married Kenneth W Thorndyke in 1940 and died in 1996 age 89, death registered in Exeter, Devon. Iris Ginnis married in 1935 (Thompson) and died in 1986 age 78. Kenneth Ginnis was appointed to the Post Office in Nottingham as a postman in August 1928. He married Carrie Henshaw in 1948. In 1966 he was living at 27 Stanford Street, New Basford; the same street as his mother. He died age 78 in 1991. Winifred was appointed to the Post Office at Nottingham DMO as a 'Wtg Asst.' in October 1933 and appointed a CO in September 1941. She married Donald A Kerr in 1949; he died in 1966 age 66. No record has been found of Winifred Kerr's death and she may have remarried as she was about 16 years younger than her husband.

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