Ernest & Alice Hughes

The family of Ernest and Alice Hughes lived in Crispin Lane and Pullins Green for many years.

Ernest William Hughes was born in Hill in 1878, the son of Joseph, a labourer and his wife, Hannah.  He worked at Eastwood Estate and in 1908 he married Alice Davis.  Alice was born in Crossways in 1882, the daughter of Joseph Davis, a mason and his wife, Ellen.  Alice was a trained cook and before she married sometimes worked as far away as London.  Ernest and Alice lived in Eastwood Lodge.  The photo on the left shows Nellie about 1914 standing outside the Lodge.  She used to wait for carriages coming from the Park - she would open the gates and be given a few coppers in return.

Ernest  and Alice had three children: Nellie Louisa born in 1909, Donald William born about 1914,  and Pamela Alice born in 1919.  The family were then living at at The Hackett and they continued to live there until about 1931, although during this period they moved from a house on the lower road to one two doors down from the Church. 

Ernest moved to work as a sawyer at the Sawmill and in 1931 the family moved to a house in Blakes Avenue (now number 6 Crispin Lane).  The photo on the right shows the family in the garden of the house in Crispin Lane.  They lived here until 1936 when Ernest bought the house now called 7 Pullins Green.  The family moved into the new house shortly before Ernest's death.  He died in 1936 aged 59 years. 

The house was given the name of 'Bromley' in 1936.  When the Hughes family into the house moved from Crispin Lane, they experienced some confusion with the delivery of mail - there were no house numbers at the time and two Hughes families living in the area.  (Another Alice Hughes was living in St John Street).   The Alice Hughes who had moved to Pullins Green decided to give the house a name to eliminate problems.  She noticed the name of the place  'Bromley' in a newspaper and liked it!  The name has been in use ever since.  

Alice continued living in the house until her death in 1968 aged 86 years.  Her daughters lived with her, and Pam carried on living there until 1998.  Click here to read more about Pam

Of their two other children:

Nellie was partially handicapped with a curvature of the spine.  She didn't work but lived a very active life.  She was taught to play the piano and gave music lessons.  She was also a dressmaker although not a trained needlewoman.  Nellie died in 1948 aged 39 years. 

Donald started work in the International Stores on an apprenticeship.  He stayed there until he joined the 15/19 Hussars in May 1935.  The Hussars were merged into the 17 21st Lancers, and with them he went to India in 1936.  He remained in India for two and a half years and was stationed at Meerat.  In June 1939 he he returned to this country and was sent to North Africa in October 1942 where he fought in actions at Kasserine Pass, Tunisia. Previously his regiment was engaged in the defence of Oued El Kabir valley and also took part in the advance on Tunis.  Donald was amongst the first to land in Sicily but was later hospitalised with malaria.  He then joined the Special Air Service Regiment in June 1943, returned to Italy and was dropped behind the German lines.  He and his party were betrayed by an Italian farmer while they were taking cover at night and were captured by the Germans. 

After being reported missing, his family received a letter from him dated 6th March 1944 which disclosed that he was a prisoner of war.

When Donald came home from the War, he worked for the Gas Works, then did a driving job for the quarries, and then became a metallurgist for Rolls Royce.  He died in the mid 90's.  

This page was last updated: 08/03/2010