James Davis

Well here we are at the start of the James family tree. On this first page is my immediate family.
Since all of the people mentioned here apart from my Father are alive the amount of information is discreetly brief.

				The Family of Leslie Percival James and Vera Grace Davis married 2nd December 1939. Old Chapel Congregational Church, Stroud Leslie is the son of Charles James & Olive Davies Vera is the daughter of Arthur Davis & Gladys Kilminster
Children	Birth	Bap	Place		Profession	Married	Date	Place	Death	Place
Christine			Gloucester		School Teacher	Steve Martin		High Wycombe
Katherine			Gloucester		Sales Manager	Vivian George Oliver		Selsley
Isabel			Gloucester		Head Teacher	Kevin Hodger		Hastings
David Nicholas	24/7/57		Cainscross, Stroud		Manager	Susan Elizabeth Apperley	31/8/83	Uplands, Stroud

Leslie James was born in Cinderford on 2nd February 1916 and attended East Dean Grammer. For a few years after leaving school he worked in the Eastern United Colliery. Then he joined the then G.P.O. as a telephone engineer. It was shortly after this that he met Vera. He continued to work for British Telecom until his retirement. During this time he project managed the installation and commissioning of the new STD telephone exchange in Stroud and, although he never talked about it we came to know that he was involved in the construction of GCHQ communications centre in Cheltenham.
He died 10th October 1992 in Gloucester Royal Hospital. Leslie was a Freeminer of the Forest of Dean.

Vera Davis was born in Chalford on 21st July 1918 and attended Stroud Girls High School. In her professional life she was a Telephonist working for the G.P.O.. A housewife for most of her life she is now a proud Great Grandmother.

Christine has four daughters (two of whom are twins), Three grand children and another one due.

Leslie & Vera on their wedding day
Back: Arthur Davis, Lilian James, Gwen Dorrington, Ray Dorrington, Ken Davis,
Gertrude Innis, Mervyn James
Front: Gladys Davis, Leslie, Vera Dorrington, Vera, Olive James

From the Stroud News & Journal

STROUD - CINDERFORD WEDDING
MR. L.P. JAMES AND MISS V. DAVIS

The wedding took place at the Old Chapel Congregational Church, Stroud, of Miss Vera Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Davis, of 5, Middle Street, Stroud, and Mr. Leslie James, son of Mrs. and the late Mr. Charles James, of Cinderford. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev. H.W. Gurd, of Chalford, and the bride was attended by Miss Gertrude Innis, of Nailsworth (friend of the bride), and Miss Lilian James, of Cinderford (sister of the bridegroom), and a small attendant, Miss Vera Dorrington, of Cinderford (niece of the bridegroom). The bride, given away by her father, was attired in an ankle-length dress with train of ivory satin, head-dress, heart shaped coronet, trimmed with orange blossom and embroidered veil, with shoes and stockings to tone. She carried a shower bouquet of white chrysanthemums with smilax fern, and wore a pearl necklace, gifts of the bridegroom.

The bridesmaids' ankle-length dresses were of crimson velvet with muffs to match, and head-dresses consisting of sprays of sweet peas, with veils. They also wore pearls, the gifts of the bridegroom. The small attendant was attired in an ankle-length dress of white velvet, with red shoes and sash, and wore a silver bracelet, the gift of the bridegroom.

The bride's mother wore a mulberry marocain dress, with hat to match and a white chrysanthemum spray.

The bridegroom's mother was attired in a tan, two-piece ensemble, with hat to match, and a white chrysanthemum spray. Mr. M. James (brother of the bridegroom) carried out the duties of best man.

During the service the hymns, "How welcome was the call" and "O love divine and golden", were sung.

The wedding was attended by about 60 friends and colleagues of the bride and bridegroom. On leaving the church the bride was presented with a silver horseshoe by Miss Jose Smart, of Chalford, and on leaving for the honeymoon she was presented with another by Master Keith Weaver, also of Chalford. The bride left for her honeymoon at Oxford travelling in a blue tweed three-piece ensemble with shoes, gloves, hat and bag to match.

The bride and bridegroom were the recipients of about 60 useful and valuable presents, including gifts from the staff of Stroud G.P.O., where the bride was formerly employed, and from friends of the bridegroom of the Post Office Engineering Department. A reception was held by the bride's parents at Norwood Hall, Bisley Road.