Navigate
Family Connections » Milton and Morrison
Milton and Morrison
Having been friends for going on 10 years, William DONALD Milton & ALICE Morrison were married at Poulton St. Chads Church on 13th June 1935. They were both aged 22 at that time.
Both were from families who had lived elsewhere until moving to Poulton within a year or so of each other in 1925/6. Donald from Millom and Alice from Manchester.
At the time of marriage ALICE was living at 3 ST GEORGES AVE., CLEVELEYS whist DONALD was still at 46 TITHEBARN ST., POULTON.
From leaving school Donald had worked in a Grocers Shop, Drakes of Poulton, as an Errand Boy, no doubt doing deliveries on his bike at first. At marriage he describes himself as ‘Grocers Assistant’.
Alice had had experience in a Bakers and later worked as a Childrens Help.
On their wedding day they couldn’t afford time off so they caught a train to Lancaster and spent the day there. Whilst there they had a photo taken and went to the pictures.
Photographed at Lancaster on their wedding day
Two and a half years later, on 10th January 1938, DONALD & ALICE had a daughter, MARJORIE. They now lived, for a short time at 408 WARLEY RD, BLACKPOOL, before moving to 11 IVY AVE., BLACKPOOL around 1939. At the rear of the property was the Blackpool Greyhound Stadium.
Donald with Marjorie
Alice, Donald & Marjorie
In September 1941, just before his 29th birthday, Donald attended before the National Service Medical Board, who passed him subject to an ‘eye’ report.
His Army Record Book shows that, aged 28, he enlisted in Glasgow on 20th August 1942 No 14261356. With his knowledge of
provisions/suppliers he was in the General Service Corps.
He is listed as a Storekeeper, at 5ft 5 1/2in high, Hazel eyes, Brown Hair and Fresh complexion, weighing 126 pounds.
To his great disappointment, after further medical tests on his eyes, and after 55 days service, Donald was discharged.
For a few years Donald worked at the giant hangers at Blackpool Airport at the East end of Squires Gate Lane, in the Stores, for Vickers Armstrong, makers of Airplanes. The wages here were the best he had, or would, enjoy.
The factory closed, and Donald’s eyesight continued to restrict his choice of activity, so he returned to the trade he knew best, Grocery.
For a number of years he worked for Alderman Whittaker who owned Whittakers Grocers.
Later, and for many years, he worked for Alderman Stewart at Stewarts Grocers on Watson Rd. Blackpool. It was probably at Stewarts that he learnt to drive, although he never possessed his own car. Not that many people did at that time.
On 3rd April 1944 a son, William Leslie Milton was born. He was baptised at St. Marys Church the following month.
What little spare time Donald had he spent with his family. He enjoyed a smoke.
Two years after Les' birth, on 10th July 1946, a second son, James was born.
Unfortunately James only lived for 7 weeks. He was baptised at St. Marys Church, Lytham Rd., Blackpool on September 1st, and died that same week. James was buried at Poulton New Cemetery on Garstang Rd. Poulton, in the same grave as his grandmother Beatrice had been buried earlier that same year.
The first, and probably last, time Les attempted to mow a lawn.
Until Donald’s mother, BEATRICE, died in January 1946 the family used to travel to Poulton each week to visit her.
Occasional visits were also made to Cumbria to look up relatives in the Millom area, but these visits, which constituted most of the few holidays taken were only every other year or so.
Other holidays were a week at a Caravan Site at Bowness on Windermere and a week at another caravan nearer to Lakeside. Les spent much of his time fishing, as he did at home.
Throughout most of the 1940’s and 1950’s the family lived at 11 IVY AVE., BLACKPOOL, which they rented.
A move was later made to live and work at 112D ST. ANNES RD., BLACKPOOL, with both DONALD & ALICE working in the shop owned by Mr. Law, a schoolteacher. The Laws had recently purchased Ivy Ave as a tenanted property, and sold it empty, and had agreed to provide accommodation when the family eventually left St. Annes Rd. Work at the shop, a Newsagents, was hard, with long hours and low pay.
When time allowed, Donald continued his involvement with St. Johns Ambulance. In 1953 he went down to London with a few of his local contingent to be on duty at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11. Whilst there he saw prototypes of early colour TV. This was at a time when hardly anyone in Blackpool had even Black & White TV.
On 8th January 1963, at the age of only 50, DONALD died.
ALICE MILTON & FAMILY after 1963
Les was now at University and Marjorie was now living at home again having finished her Nursing Exams. The family moved to 20 RANGEWAY, BLACKPOOL, off Watsons Rd., and near Stewarts old shop. The Laws had purchased this property but when they tried to increase the rent Marjorie and ALICE purchased a house on HOLBECK AVE., BLACKPOOL .Sometime after Marjorie married in 1966 the house at Holbeck was sold and ALICE moved to a flat at 250 HORNBY RD, BLACKPOOL.
From the mid 1960’s until November 1971 ALICE worked as a Hospital Receptionist at Glenroyd Maternity Hospital on Whitegate Drive Blackpool. She was therefore well placed to be an early visitor to see her first two grandchildren who were born there, Susan & Andrew Wiseman.
On ceasing work ALICE drew a National Pension of £6 per week.
In November 1971, with the financial assistance of Les, ALICE moved to 65 CHEDDAR AVE, BLACKPOOL. When she eventually received a legacy from brother Jim's estate in 1977 she was able to own in her own right. She eventually liked the idea of living in a flat within a small complex, with access to neighbours, and when building started in May 1984 at ST. JAMES COURT, ST. JAMES RD., BLACKPOOL, ALICE put her name down early and eventually moved into no 37B where she lived for some years with her Yorkshire Terrier “Sally” making good friends with the other flat owners. ALICE suffered a stroke here on 11th October 1992 and died quickly and peacefully, on 14th October 1992, aged 79. She had been active and self-sufficient to the end.
Over the years the Milton family had a number of dogs as pets, including “Gyp” a Poodle in the 1960’s.
Sally. The Yorkie who lived at St. James Court with Alice.
Gyp. A friend for many years
Until the 1970’s ALICE had little opportunity to travel, but she soon gained confidence and ended up with an enviable array of foreign holidays with lady friends of her own age group. She visited Les in Johannesburg, attended the Oberamagau Festival, and visited Greece, Turkey, Spain and other European Counties as well as accompanying daughter Marjorie Camping. and, later on, joining Marjories family on Caravan Holidays to France and on a number of UK ventures.
Trevi (top)
Pompeii
Venice
Burro ride, Grand Canary
ALICE’S main interest in life was centred round family, and regular contact from Les as he moved between Basingstoke, Winchester, South Africa, Kingston, Maidenhead etc. was important to her. She was more conveniently placed with daughter Marjorie who lived locally, and who called upon her baby sitting services with unfailing regularity. ALICE enjoyed nothing better, and everything and everyone else could go to pot if family called. Grandchildren Susan, Andrew & David would look forward to going for tea at least once a week and often walked there from Arnold School, 200 yards from her home.
On holiday with Marjorie and grandchildren Susan and Andrew
With Les at Cheddar Avene
Making twists for grandchildren
ALICE was a regular attender at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Lytham Rd., Blackpool and apart from being a member of the Mothers Union, Scouts Parents Committee etc., she also played a part on a rota to clean the Church and organise flowers etc.
Church cleaning team
For many years ALICE was an active member of the Roseacre Townswomens Guild, holding a number of Offices in that organisation, from Speaker Secretary to Chairman, but the one she felt most at home with was as Tea Lady, and even when well into her 70’s she would get the tea, milk and biscuits ready to take to meetings to provide for what she called “the old dears.” On a number of occasions she represented the Guild at Conference in London. When the Roseacre Group folded ALICE joined St. Annes Guild and was again active in a number of charitable, choral and creative activities.
Alice's TWG badges
Alice's enrolment card
Alice stood behind daughter Marjorie at a Guild birthday party
Alice with a glass of white wine (with added sugar)
1974 Guild Programme showing Alice as Social Studies Chairman and daughter Marjorie as Guild 'President', a position usually held by a non-Guild person by invitation of the Guild.
