Eva Lyons, born 1912

Went to primary school at the Paragon School, Paragon Mews, Searles Road, Bermondsey. Then on to Monnow Road, Bermondsey Central School for Girls (brown uniform)

Worked Saunders jewellers, Holborn, where she met Joan Turner, (brother Frank's future wife).

Lived at 21 Darwin Street from ~ 1916, when the family outgrew number 10, (which they had shared with Jessie’s sister Maude and family ), until summer 1932, when the family moved to number 9 Kenton Gardens, Harrow. Was dating Harry Payne before this move.

Front row, L.to R. Payne parents, Joan Turner, ? Heal?, Harry, Eva, Jessie Lyons,aged 11, ? ,Jessie & W.J. Lyons and son Dennis in front.

Second row, L. to R. William/Bill Lyons,?,?,?,?,?,Ted Payne, [Harry's brother],Gertie White, Maud White, Nellie & Lizzie?,Hilda Lyons

Back Row, L. to R. ?,?,?.,?,?,?,?,Frank Lyons,?,Len Lyons, Arthur White, Josie Collins[nee Lyons],?.

Could Elizabeth Amos also be in this photo? John does not think the lady next to Arther White - back row - is Aunt Josie;. the appearance is different and she also wore glasses( Chris still feels it could well be) . And it is not Arthur's wife Gertie either

1934. Married Harry T Payne in 30/08/1934 at St John's Church, Buckhurst Hill[ Epping reg.].. It was a weekday, so thought that not all family members could attend, but all her siblings are present. Interesting that Joan Turner, who worked with Eva, was already part of the family group. Harry lived at Buckhurst Hill : maybe he declined a RC ceremony We asked Philippa about this pic and did she recognise Helen Blackmore or Liz Allen, & she said NO.The 3 unidentified ladies - top right corner were friends of Eva according to Audrey

Eva & Harry & Audrey settled at 2, Parkway, Woodford Green, Essex. Tel. Buckhurst 0993.

Audrey remembers staying with her grandparents, William & ‘Nanny’, at Kenton Gardens in her school holidays. She played with Ann Littleton, who lived next door at number 11.

When a doodlebug made a direct hit on number 15 Kenton Gardens on 28/06/1944, friend Ann (9) was killed as were Audrey's grandparents & her Aunt Jessie (21). A total of 13 killed. Aunt Jessie had come home especially from Cheltenham (where she worked on secondment to the American Air Force) for her mother’s birthday.
Eva got a phone call from Bill Neil (elder sister’s Hilda’s husband) from Cheltenham (where he worked for Smith’s Instruments) saying her mother was dead, her father was in hospital, and they couldn’t find Jessie (21). Eva went over to Kenton Gardens and someone said how sorry they were that she had lost 3 family members – she had not known that Jessie had returned from Cheltenham nor that her father had died in hospital. (No family member reached the hospital before he died: and CWGC site says he died at 9 Kenton Gardens). Harry had to identify Jessie.( mainly done in that she slept in a ‘snood’).

Her mother had written her a postcard the night before, likely posted by Dennis on his way to work on the 28th, and this Eva received on the 29th, already knowing that they were all dead: this postcard shown on her father's page, 1944

Eva took over Harry’s Insurance job during the war: he was in the RAF until February 1942 when he was released , originally just for 6 months, to work as a fitter with Shorts Brothers Seaplane manufacturers in Rochester. He remained with them until the end of the war, then returned to Insurance, working for the Coop.

David R., son born 05/10/1945 in Woodford green. . His grandmother, Jessie, had wanted her first grandson, John Neil (Hilda’s son), called David and so, although Eva did not know why , she named the 2nd grandson David.

Audrey married Clive D.Ball on 23/07/1959 at St Michaels and All Angels Church, Bramcote.


Front row from left: Chris, Audrey, Hazel . Behind Hazel is Clive.	Frank, Joan, Rosaline[ Chris' penfriend] & Eva

. 1956. Audrey had a large 21st Birthday Party at which most of the cousins were present( I think Hazel was at a Guide Camp)


John Lyons, ?, Chris, David, Philippa & John Neil	Joyce, Dennis, Harry, Eva, Joan, Eileen, Hilda, Philippa, Frank ?. Chris, John Neil, John Lyons, David

David married Frances J.Howell in September 1970 at the same church.
Harry died at home on 02/10/1990 from multiple myeloma.

Clive died of lung cancer in 2002.
Eva died in Silverwood Nursing Home, Beeston on 28/12/2003, aged 91, but had been able to visit her old family home occasionally right up to the end.
Her ashes are with Harry's in the graveyard of St Michael and All Angels Church

Evelyn Ellen Lyons 1912 - 2003(Known as Eva)