ID: ALS_NEG / Alan Smith

TitleNegus family - evacuees
AbstractVicky and Kathy Negus. Victoria E Negus was born in 1932 and Kathleen M Negus in 1934 in the West Ham area, daughters of John A Negus and Nellie M V Vernall who had married in 1930. There were at least four more children.

They arrived together as evacuees early in the war and were taken in by Fred and Win Smith at Millcroft. They clearly came from a poor household in the East End of London. Fred and Win bathed them as soon as they got to Millcroft - not clear that they had ever seen a bath! Dad immediately burnt all their clothes and they were fitted out with new ones.

Vicky went back to London at some stage before the war ended but Kathy stayed in Mersea. She was adopted (I am not sure if this was a formal or informal adoption) by Tom and Emmie Clarry. Tom and Emmie had one child but it died of 'blue baby syndrome' after a few days. Kathy worked at the bakery until she married Paul Vogel in 1954 and they moved to Wenhaston (Suffolk) where he had his own farm Janet Farthing and I had holidays there. Paul and Kathy had two children but then split up and Kathy returned to Millcroft. She then married a man from Colchester. Judy Davis/Farthing kept in touch with Kathy and could provide more information.

Vicky married Dave Watling in 1954. They had a tandem-cycle with a little motor on the back wheel. The cycled from London to Mersea after their wedding and spent their honeymoon at Millcroft. They came to Mersea for a number of holidays at Millcroft. Vicky worked in the 'rag trade' in London and I remember that she could thread a needle in the blink of an eye and sew on a button in about three blinks more. No doubt she was paid for the number of pieces she produced as was common in that trade. Dave and Vicky had two children and later moved to Crawley.

AuthorAlan Smith
PublishedApril 2019
SourceMersea Museum
IDALS_NEG
Related Images:
 Alan Smith, Kathy Negus and Judy Farthing  ALS_NEG_001
ImageID:   ALS_NEG_001
Title: Alan Smith, Kathy Negus and Judy Farthing
Date:c1950
Source:Mersea Museum / Alan Smith Collection
 Back Kathy Negus left, Mary Wright right.
Alan Smith front.  ALS_NEG_003
ImageID:   ALS_NEG_003
Title: Back Kathy Negus left, Mary Wright right. Alan Smith front.
Date:c1948
Source:Mersea Museum / Alan Smith Collection
 Wedding of Paul Vogel and Kathy Clarry (Negus) at West Mersea Parish Church
 Back row L-R 1. Paul's brother ?, Paul Vogel, Kathy Clarry, Vicky Negus (Kathy's sister)
 Front 1. Marion Vince, 2. Judy Farthing, 3. Janet Farthing  ALS_NEG_005
ImageID:   ALS_NEG_005
Title: Wedding of Paul Vogel and Kathy Clarry (Negus) at West Mersea Parish Church
Back row L-R 1. Paul's brother ?, Paul Vogel, Kathy Clarry, Vicky Negus (Kathy's sister)
Front 1. Marion Vince, 2. Judy Farthing, 3. Janet Farthing
Date:2 September 1954
Source:Mersea Museum / Alan Smith Collection
 A trip on PEDRO. L-R Mary Wright, Vicky Watling née Negus, Dave Watling, unknown, Alan Smith at the wheel.  ALS_NEG_011
ImageID:   ALS_NEG_011
Title: A trip on PEDRO. L-R Mary Wright, Vicky Watling née Negus, Dave Watling, unknown, Alan Smith at the wheel.
Date:1955
Source:Mersea Museum / Alan Smith Collection
 Trip on PEDRO. L-R 1. Mary Wright's husband ?, 2. Mary Wright, 3. Vicky Watling née Negus, 4. Dave Watling, 5. Judy Farthing, 6. unknown, 7. Janet Farthing, 8. Rue Pullen, 9. Win Smith.  ALS_NEG_013
ImageID:   ALS_NEG_013
Title: Trip on PEDRO. L-R 1. Mary Wright's husband ?, 2. Mary Wright, 3. Vicky Watling née Negus, 4. Dave Watling, 5. Judy Farthing, 6. unknown, 7. Janet Farthing, 8. Rue Pullen, 9. Win Smith.
Date:c1955
Source:Mersea Museum / Alan Smith Collection
 Kathy Negus. A wartime evacuee who stayed for a while. She was initially with the Smith family, but moved to live with Tom Clarry & family.
 2 October 1954 Kathy Clarry married Paul Vogel at West Mersea Parish Church.
 From a collection of Jack Botham portraits.  JBP_022
ImageID:   JBP_022
Title: Kathy Negus. A wartime evacuee who stayed for a while. She was initially with the Smith family, but moved to live with Tom Clarry & family.
2 October 1954 Kathy Clarry married Paul Vogel at West Mersea Parish Church.
From a collection of Jack Botham portraits.
Date:c1950
Source:Mersea Museum / Botham Collection