Photographs - 1920s-before
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Thomas George Roper (b: 03/06/1882 d: 1948)The only son of 'William and Susannah Roper'.Thomas's father (William) owned a thriving coach-building and wheelwright business in ‘Swindon, Wiltshire’. His mother was ‘Susannah (nee Pritchard)’ from Monmouth. Thomas had two sisters ‘Elizabeth Mary Louise Roper’ (b: 11/04/1880) and ‘Ellen Roper’ (b: 1884). Tragedy struck this family in 1885 when parents William and Susannah suddenly died within a short period. The family rallied to their needs: Elizabeth went to live with her mother’s family in Monmouth, Ellen moved to Ealing to live with her Uncle Robert and Thomas (our direct family line) moved to Clyffe Pypard to be with his Uncle John and Aunt Bessie. Memorabilia, photographs and recollections from this time, portray a family group with financial success. On the other hand, Thomas was not entirely accepted by Bessie - a stern, childless, very house-proud person. At times he was treated as an outcast with such indignities as having to bathe in the cowshed for fear of dirtying the house facilities. John was quite different to Bessie, he disregarded fashion and had little respect for anybody in authority. Many saw a facade encompassing a kindly country gentleman, others considered him quite off-hand and a ‘bit of a rogue’. Regardless of these oddities, the couple nurtured Thomas into a well educated, strong businessman, with good morals and religious beliefs. In 1907 Thomas (now aged 25) married ‘Fanny Eliza Gearing’ (aged 26) from Lechlade. The couple first lived in ‘Walcot, Bath’ and followed family tradition in the dairy business. The couples first child was ‘Frances Ella Roper’ (b: 07/01/1908) followed the next year by ‘William John Roper’ (b: 23/03/1909). In 1912 they moved to ‘Buckleaze Farm, Pewsey, Wiltshire’ and another move in 1919 to ‘Wickstead Farm, Highworth, Wiltshire’ where two more children were born: ‘Esme Pearl Roper’ (b: 01/11/1921) and ‘Louis George Roper’ (b: 09/05/1924). A Healthy business growth into 1927 instigated another move to ’Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire’. |