Christopher Harrison EMMETT was born on 14 May 1908 at 180 Janet Street, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, the eldest son of Christopher Harrison EMMETT and Ellen EMMETT, nee LAIDLER.
According to postcards sent to his mother, the family lived at “High Janet Street” in 1919, at number 199 between 1925 and 1927, at number 144 in 1929 and at number 166 in 1932.
Christopher (always called “Kit” by his wife and friends) was christened at Byker Parish Church on 5 June 1908. He attended Bolam Street School, Byker. A second son was born to Mr. and Mrs. EMMETT – Herbert, born 28 May 1911 – always referred to by our father as “Wor Kid”. ( Herbert never married and died on 13 December 1983.)
We know that when he left school “Kit” was trained as a painter and decorator and that he was working at that trade by the time he met our mother in the autumn of 1931. He married our mother, Elizabeth MASTERMAN
at the Register Office in Newcastle on 21 October 1933, when his address was given as 172 Janet Street. The witnesses to the marriage are “J. H. Douglas” and “Francis Ann MASTERMAN (the latter being our mother’s sister). It seems that “J. H. DOUGLAS” was our dad’s friend, who was his best man, since (according to our mother’s “autobiography”) only her father and sister and “Kit’s friend” were at the wedding.
The newly married couple lived first at 136 Scarborough Road, Byker, and there their first child, Elizabeth Anne was born in 1934. About six months later they moved to 242 Grace Street, Byker, and early in October 1935 they went to stay with our maternal grandmother (Mary Elizabeth MASTERMAN nee CASEY) at her house at 3 Belford Terrace, Walker, for the birth of their second child. This was Sylvia, born in October 1935. After her christening, they moved back to their own flat.
In about February 1936 they left the Grace Street flat and stayed “for about ten weeks” at 3 Belford Terrace until they found accommodation at 97 Morley Street, Byker. This must have been in April or May 1935.
We do not know anything about the interim period, but by 1938 (when I was born) they were living at 233 Harbottle Street, Byker. My brother Christopher Henry was born there too, in 1939.
On 10 June 1941 Christopher Harrison EMMETT joined the Royal Navy. He served as an Ordinary Seaman on GLENDOWER, between that date and 15 August 1941. He then served on WELLESLEY until 12 September 1941 and on President III between 13 September 1941 and 22 November 1945, when he was “released” (ie demobilised). He was a Gunner, and according to information communicated verbally to me, he served on ships escorting convoys of merchant vessels.
By the time he returned to civilian life, his family (by that time numbering five children, a second son Clifford having been born in 1943), had moved (in June 1945) to 27 Mindrum Terrace, Walker. There three more children were born: two more daughters, Barbara Effie born 1947 and Dorothy born 1949, and a son Anthony David born in April 1954. This last named child died at birth.
Our father lived for the remainder of his life at 27 Mindrum Terrace, Walker, and was employed as a painter and decorator until he retired in 1976 or 1977 at the age of about 68.
Our father was about 5’10” or 5’11” tall, of slim build and had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He was rather quiet in demeanour, but could be stubborn. He enjoyed reading, and in his latter years became a keen and proficient bowls player. He enjoyed going for a drink with his son-in-law Mike MOONEY (Sylvia’s husband) and was generally in good health. He died on 15 February 1984.
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