Felix and Florrie Fordham (nee Key) 

Felix - Edward Alan Fordham, only son of George Edward Fordham and Edith Woodcock, known for most of his life as Alan or Felix (named such in adult life, because like the cartoon cat, he  kept on walking)

Florrie - Bridget Florence Key, daughter of Thomas Frederick Key and Mary O'Brien.

Alan was born on 30th May 1910 in the Melborne District of Royston, Hertfordshire.  He was baptised on October 23rd 1910 by the Rev'd Harrison in Royston Church (this is written on the back of his original birth certificate by his father).

Soon after Alan's birth in 1910 the family moved to a  flat in Clapham - arranged by Uncle Bob (James Robert Fordham).

Alan attended the local County Primary School in Links Road, Streatham (in 1915 the headmistress of Alan's primary school was Miss Marlow) before going onto Streatham Grammar School.  From 1911 until 1939 George and Edith Fordham lived at 122 Links Road, Streatham: indeed the picture of Alan and Cicely as children is taken just down the road at a photographic studio at 248 High Road, Tooting.

Alan worked for a time at Oxo, a job his father had arranged for him - he also worked there - but Alan did not enjoy the work and soon left.  On his military papers in 1940 he is listed as being a Machinery Salesman.

Florrie was born on 7th April 1911 in Clonmore, Co Tipperary. and was sent over to England in 1924, returning back to Ireland, returning permanently in 1925.  More information on Florrie's parents and brother and sisters  and the scattering of the family out of Ireland to follow,

She lived in England in the first instance with her Uncle and Aunt, Arthur and Bridget Finnis (nee O'Brien) in Swansea.  Florrie was very close to Captain Finnis and he was known to her as 'Daddy Finnis'.  Florrie soon moved to St Albans to join other members of her family - brothers and sisters - who were living near her father's sister Aunt Annie Shadbolt.

It was whilst living in and around St Albans that Florrie and her sisters Lily and May befriended George Bernard Shaw - often cycling out to his house in Ayot St Lawrence.  It is an interesting footnote to think about the timing of the Key family's exodus from Ireland - the Irish War of Independence followed by the Irish Civil War - and George Bernard Shaw's reputation and role as a leading voice and rallying point for Irish Nationalists in England.

Florrie worked for much of her life 'In Service' that is to say as a domestic help in large houses of doctors, surgeons - professionals.  This included time in houses in Highgate (home of a Jewish Surgeon) and at 67 Wimbledon Hill, Wimbledon and to Jean M Bugles as a Nanny (there is a picture of her with Jean at Middleton-on-Sea in August 1936).

Felix and Florrie met at the wedding of friends Donald and Betty Wade.  Felix was best man and Florrie was a bridesmaid.  There is a picture of them both standing in the background at the wedding and also a stunning picture of Florrie as bridesmaid (picture right).

Alan proposed marriage in St Patrick's Chapel, Westminster Cathedral on 2nd June 1937 and on 16th January 1938 Felix married Bridget Florence Key in St Winefred's Catholic Church, Wimbledon.  The witnesses were Florrie's brother Fred Key and her best friend Anna Peacock.  The best man was Donald Wade.  The wedding breakfast was held at 67 Wimbledon Hill, Wimbledon - the house in which Florrie was living and working in service.

When they got married Felix and Florrie lived on Balham High Road where Veronica Florence was born on 10th September 1938.  However, war broke out soon after and Felix was called up.  

The house was badly bombed on 15th October 1940 (and was featured in a war publication) and so Florrie and Veronica were forced to move in with Alan's parents in Links Road, Tooting.  This arrangement did not last for long and by January 1941 Florrie had moved with Veronica to live with Doreen Key (her brother Arthur's wife) in Braintree, Essex, where second child Adrian Edward was born on 17th January.

How long Florrie was in Braintree is unclear but by 1994 she is evacuated out to Lancashire (possibly near her Aunt and Uncle, Kate and Frank Cocks?) where her third child Alan Arthur was born on 11th November 1944 at Queen's Hydro Hotel, Clovelly.

Called up by conscription with formal service starting on 17th October 1940 to serve in the Royal Army Service Corps T/226453 Rank: Driver, Felix was in one of the 'ducks' that landed at Normandy.  

He spoke fluent French and German and saw service in Kohn and Belsen - visiting the camp after liberation.  He was discharged on 17th December 1945 - home by Christmas!  

It is difficult now to imagine the strain the war placed on families.  Clearly it was traumatic based alone on the risk of the serving soldiers, but Felix was in a situation whereby his wife, with a young daughter, was bombed out of her house in Balham, moved in with his parents (and they didn't make her very welcome!), before she evacuated out to Essex (whilst pregnant with Adrian) and then Lancashire (where Alan was born).

Throughout the war Felix kept in close and constant touch were he could sending formal army postcards, christmas telegrams and writing to the local Baptist Minister in Gloucester Road, Teddington asking him to keep a helpful and watchful eye over his wife and small children.

By 1944 Felix had arranged for the family to move to 79a High Street, Teddington - his parents and sister had moved to Gloucester Road, Teddington - and it was in this house that Felix and Florrie were to remain, never moving again.  For a time after the war many British families had former German prisoners of war living with them and Felix and Florrie were no exception.

Florrie being Irish was a Catholic and Felix resolved to convert and was received on 2nd April 1941 into the Catholic Church at Christ the king, Leeds (where he was on military posting) and took first communion on 4th May 1941 at the Sacred Heart, Teddington.  The small book of prayer in which he has written these details is printed in Leeds and was the book of prayer he carried throughout the war.  He was to attend and serve The Sacred Heart Church, Teddington, for the rest of his life and was a server in the church until he passed away.  It is worth noting that his sister Cicely and mother Edith also converted to catholicism at this time.

Felix worked as a Shop Assistant and Model Engineer for Basset Lowke, High Holborn, London for many years and is mentioned in the book of the history of that company.  For a time Walt Disney was a personal customer of the shop and gave Felix a plain black tie on each visit - Adrian still has some of these ties.

Subsequently Felix worked as a Laboratory Assistant at St George's College, Weybridge.  (There was large article featuring him in the College Magazine, The Georgian).

Felix's hobby and life was trains.  He know the rail system and rail timetables in great detail and constructed model trains and railways - for a time he briefly set up a small company operating from home but this did not last long.  He constructed a 'large miniature' rail track that ran around the garden of the house at 79a High Street, Teddington.

 Florrie retained a close and detailed interest and pride in her family and kept in touch with her brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews.  She was a keen correspondent and subscribed to the Nationalist newspaper.  However she did not enjoy good health and for much of her later life was often confined to her bed.  She passed away on 13th February 1970 and was cremated at West Middlesex Crematorium.

By character Felix was regarded by family and friends as very polite and correct upright man and was a totally devoted and loving husband.  The loss of Florrie in 1970 was clearly a huge blow to him and it is interesting to note that he passed away 13 years to the same day.

Felix passed away on 13th February 1983 in his house, 79a High Street, Teddington and was cremated at West Middlesex Crematorium.