Biography of James (Jim) William Lee

Born 17 April 1890 at home at 57 Eastfield Street, Limehouse, London, & baptised on 11 May 1890. In the 1891 census he's living with his parents James & Eliza at Eastfield Street, Limehouse, Tower Hamlets with four of Eliza's children from her previous marriage: Alfred Hilliard (9), Edward Hilliard (13), Eliza Hilliard (16), & Charles Hilliard (14). By 1901 he's living with his parents at 13 Farningham Road, Tottenham, with his sister Susan (7) & step-brother Alfred (19). He left school at 14, worked for a time in an office of a watchmakers, then for a shoemaker, before joining the LNER (London North-Eastern Railway) as a clerk in about 1906. In the 1911 census age 20 he's at 90 Greenhill Grove, Manor Park, Essex with his parents and sister Susan.

He volunteered for the Army in 1914 and served as a Rifleman (#3079) in the 19th London Regiment in France, later transferring to the Tank Corps as an instructor (see British Army World War I Medal Rolls, British War Medal and Victory Medal, Tank Corps & WO363 service records). On 9 January 1916 while on leave he married Maude Rose Joyce at St Barnabas Church, Woodford, Essex. After demobilisation on 21 February 1919 he returned to 4 Polperro Mansions, Finchley Road, London NW6, working for the LNER until he retired. Later they lived in accomodation in the house of Mrs May West, 105 Goldhurst Terrace, Hampstead, where Maude was a resident housekeeper.

Jim & Maude had two children, Joan Spurgeon in 1920 & Leslie Lee in 1923. They moved to a flat in Chadwell Heath, Essex, from 1920 to 1922, after which they moved to a local authority house at 12 Burnell Rise, Letchworth, Herts, in what was then a new Garden City. They lived there until 1936 when they bought their own new house at 14 Cowdrey Close, Enfield, Middlesex.

Jim retired in 1950 and took a job in the local Income Tax office and then in a radio valve makers as a control clerk. Maude died in Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield on 14 January 1953, and James went to live for a time with his son Leslie who had married and bought a house with Jim's help, at Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, Middlesex. After about a year this arrangement proved unsatisfactory and he lived as a lodger at several addresses in Potters Bar, whilst working as an accounts clerk in a firm of toy manufacturers.

In October 1957 he married a widow, Elizabeth Outlaw at the Methodist Church, Potters Bar. She already had a daughter Jean Outlaw, born in 1942, who married Bob Nicholls in 1963. James & Elizabeth moved to a new bungalow at 3 Leatt Close, Broadstairs, Kent where he lived until his death on 19 May 1973 age 83.

His daughter Joan Spurgeon writes in her Grandparents Book:

What was your Father's name and date of birth and where was he born? James Willian Lee 17th April 1890 Stepney London Describe his appearance. What was his occupation? My Father was tall, almost six feet and very slim, upright and always very smart, shoes well polished, he smoked a pipe. He was clerk on the railway at Kings Cross. He had a great command of figures and a wonderful command of English & excellent handwriting. What were his other interests and hobbies? Gardening and very good at it, producing all the requirements for food and flowers. My Father acquired a knitting machine and made socks & stockings to sell. He was too busy for other hobbies. What are your fondest memories of him? Sitting on his knee after Sunday lunch he always had a nap! and he also snored, I remember being fascinated. Always very helpful with school work. We went cycling together. I remember going to Cardington to see the R100 airship.