Living

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living

Other Events:

• _UID: F04472F57BD045BAB3B0EAC882C3B1F4E40C

Notes:

Bernard was the son of Susan Plummer, and was adopted by William Aitken following his marriage to Susan.
Joining the Royal Marines, No. 42 Commando in May 1950, he served in many places around the world including Malay during the time of the emergency, Singapore, Malta, Borneo, Aden and Egypt. The commando's home base was in Plymouth, DEV.
He was still serving with them when he married Margaret Millett in 1957. At that time his home address was Plymouth, DEV.
In 1960 Bernard was in HQ Company, 42 Commando, stationed in Singapore.
In 2004 terry Stewart placed an advert on the Commando Magazine website asking if anyone knew of Bernard's address. Very shortly after he received a reply. A chap was working with two of Bernard's sons. They in turn supplied his address.
After 25 years service with the Marines Bernard retired. Settling in London he became a Bus Driver in 1975. At the age of 56 he decided that the stress of driving in London was no way to live and so taking early retirement he and Margaret sold up and headed to a new life in Torreblanca, Spain, on the Mediterranean coast.
In May 2005 Terry was told that Bernard had suffered a stroke. He lost his speech and the power of movement in his right arm and leg. He has regained his speech with some impairment and movement back into his arm and leg although not fully recovered. He still enjoys a game of dominoes with English friends in Spain.

Bernard married Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 1286450259114020BED88BF28AA83CE812B5
• Occupation: 1939; barman
• Residence: 1939, 54 Saxon Road, Croydon, SUrrey, England

Notes:

After leaving school he worked in the glass works and at various other temporary jobs. Because he could not get permanent work he went south, to London, seeking work. Eventually he found work with a plumber and later worked as a Barman. He was willing to turn his hand to anything
It was at this time that he met Susan Plummer, who was a barmaid at the York Hotel, London. They married in a registry office at Lambeth.
This was not good enough for Susan's sister who was a Roman Catholic nun. She insisted that they get married "properly" and so the ceremony was repeated in the Roman Catholic Church. Susan already had a son, Bernard, and Bill formally adopted him.
"Called up" during WWII Bill was sent to Edinburgh Castle. It was whilst he was there that he was discharged as medically unfit. Not until much later did the family discover he had been discharged because he suffered from heart disease.
He became the Caretaker of a block of flats at 20 Lowndes Square, London. He was decorating his flat and planning for Bernard's wedding. Bernard and Margaret were spending their honeymoon with them and so Bill was redecorating. He was very tired and went to bed on the Thursday night. He woke about 2.00 a.m. with a backache. Took a couple of codeine tablets. Went back to sleep and never woke up.

William married Susan Julia Katherine Plummer on 4 Sep 1939 in Registry Office, Lambeth, London, England. Susan (daughter of John Henry Plummer and Margaret Hannah Pasquall) was born on 12 Jan 1911 in Brompton, Kent, England; died on 10 Nov 1996 in Hither Green Hospital, London, Middlesex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: 9C68E00B32EA48979116BF239C0031307079
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, 25 Catherine Street, Rochester, Kent, England
• Occupation: 1939; barmaid
• Residence: 1939, 54 Saxon Road, Croydon, SUrrey, England

Living married Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: E72CE4C07CE5415D8184FEE3C3A8EB6355F6
• Residence: 1891, 10 Summerfield, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1901; warehouseman (wine merchant)
• Residence: 1901, 29 James St, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 17 Jul 1908; Warehouseman
• Residence: 17 Jul 1908, 11 Lindsay Road, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1909, 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1910, 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1912; labourer
• Residence: 1912, 3 Henderson St, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 1914; railway porter
• Residence: 1914, Broomhouse Cottages, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Occupation: 1916; railway porter
• Residence: 1916, Broomhouse Cottages, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1919, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1921, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1923, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Occupation: 29 Jun 1957; general labourer
• Residence: 19 Mar 1960, 41 Chapelton Drive, West Calder, Mid Lothian, Scotland

Notes:

Catherine did not enjoy the best of health suffering from heart disease most of her life.
She had 9 living children and also some still births.
Many times Thoams and Catherine moved houses. Not always because of Tom's itchy feet but sometimes to move into less taxing premises for Catherine.
Catherine's mother, father and siblings, except for sister Jo, went to Canada. As Jo and Catherine were already married they stayed behind.
As Kate and Tom's family grew ever bigger they moved around Edinburgh quite a lot. After Prince Regent Street they next lived at 3 Henderson Street, Leith, where Sarah was born. At this time Tom was a Labourer.
When the next three children were born, Tom was working on the railway as a Porter and was living at Broomhouse Cottages, Corstorphine.
During WWI he served in the Scots Guards as a Private.
After the war the family moved to 30 Arthur Street, Leith, where Sinclarina, Cathy and Jim were born.
Catherine used to knit very fine shawls, in the Shetland style. The toilet would be put "out of bounds" to the family when Catherine was "smeekin" the shawls. She would hang them in the toilet. A fire would be set, on a shovel-full of sulphur, in the toilet. The toilet door would be sealed. This she called smeekin, probably smoking. This was the method used to whiten the shawls. Relatives, who were seamen on the ships sailing between the Shetlands and Leith, would collect the shawls in exchange for cases of eggs and smoked fish. The shawls would then be taken back to the Shetlands where they would be sold as Shetland Isles knitwear. The eggs and fish would be shared with friends and relatives around Leith.
Tom Aitken had many jobs but was basically a country person. Over the years he was a railway porter, railway shunter, warehouseman, horse and cart driver for Melrose Drovers and gardener.
Tom had the ability to turn a soapbox into a piece of furniture. Likewise he had the ability to turn a piece of furniture into a soapbox.
Catherine developed heart trouble and so the family was on the move again. They lived in Lochend, Craigentinny and East Thomas Street.
After his family married and moved on, Tom lived and worked on various estates.
He was a very fit man and a great walker.
In 1996 he was living in the Calders.
Terry Stewart his Mum, Dad, and sister had just returned from Australia when Tom met them at Mid Calder Railway Staion. He had walked from home to the station, a distance of about 2 miles. He gave directions to his house where Catherine would be waiting to give us our tea. Tom had to walk on into West Calder, to get his pension. From the station it was a round trip of some 3 miles. By the time we got to the house he had caught up with us.
Catherine and Tom celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at Sinclarine and David Stewart's house at 17 Meadowbank Avenue, Meadowbank, Edinburgh, in 1958. Great aunt Nel, Catherine's sister and bridesmaid came over from Canada to help them celebrate.
Tom stayed on at Chapelton Drive until he had to enter a nursing home, about 1974.
Every so often he would disappear and go for a long walk.
It was in the nursing home where he developed gangrene. They removed a leg but very shortly after this he died.

Thomas married Catherine Manson Spence on 17 Jul 1908 in 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland. Catherine (daughter of Sinclair Sutherland Spence and Helen Moodie Sutherland) was born on 27 Jul 1886 in Dounreay, Caithness, Scotland; died on 19 Mar 1960 in 41 Chapelton Drive, West Calder, Mid Lothian, Scotland; was buried on 22 Mar 1960 in Seafiled Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: C4F89097963546B0B38A904102D61837D982
• Residence: 1891, Westerseat, Wick, Caithness, Scotland
• Occupation: 1901; domestic servant
• Residence: 1901, 21 Couper St, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
• Occupation: 17 Jul 1908; Domestic Servant
• Residence: 17 Jul 1908, 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1909, 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1910, 13 Prince Regent Street, Leith, Mid Lothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1912, 3 Henderson St, Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
• Residence: 1914, Broomhouse Cottages, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1916, Broomhouse Cottages, Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1919, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1921, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 1923, 30 Arthur Street, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Residence: 19 Mar 1960, 41 Chapelton Drive, West Calder, Mid Lothian, Scotland

Notes:

Married:
Witnesses at the wedding of Thomas Aitken and Catherine Spence were James Aitken and Nell Spence.

Other Events:

• _UID: B5127953F4354A8283F6DA216127A8F82434
• Occupation: 2 Apr 1911; sergeant, Royal Marines
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, 25 Catherine Street, Rochester, Kent, England

John married Margaret Hannah Pasquall. Margaret and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events:

• _UID: B23AE8ACD6A141E69E584B46578925B761F5
• Residence: 2 Apr 1911, 25 Catherine Street, Rochester, Kent, England