John Bay

Grandfather, 1908 - 1972

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John was born in Salford to John William Bay and Lilian Mary Sadler.  His daughter, Mavis, said that John was a tiny baby and that the family did not have a cot so baby John slept in a drawer.  He was the oldest of three children and had a brother, Leslie and a sister, Edna.   The family lived at 6 Thornfield Street, Weaste, Salford.  

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As a young man John was a keen footballer and I am told that his nickname was 'Bonnie Johnnie'.    John also loved musical theatre and would often tap dance round the house! 

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At age 22, John married Elsie Hurst at St Ambrose Church, Pendleton.  They had two daughters; the eldest, Mavis was born in 1932 and June, my mother, was born in 1939.  John's daughter, Mavis, said that he was out of work for 7 years during the Great Depression and that he would try to get work at Salford Docks but was unsuccessful as he was a short man.  At the time men went down to the Docks each day to see if they could get a day's work; it must have been terribly demoralizing.   It was only with the outbreak of W.W.2 that John started to receive a regular and reliable income.  

 

The 1939 Register showed John living alone at 12 Thornfield Street; he was working as a labourer and was also an A.R.P. Fire Warden.  I think that the rest of the family had already been evacuated as I know that Elsie and the children were evacuated to Mawdesley, near Southport.  During W.W.2 John served in the R.A.F., including a spell in Paris; this was a real adventure for someone who had never been abroad!  

 

John had a variety of jobs including packer, labourer, caretaker etc.   

 

John and Elsie lived at 12 Thornfield Street, Weaste all their married life, living just 3 doors along from John's parents. 

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John died of cancer, aged 64.

 

To follow the story and find out more about John's daughter and my mother, June, click here.