DIFFERENT HOMES OCCUPIED BY THE TIDRIDGE FAMILY

JOHN & MAUREEN'S

17 Treeside Avenue, Totton, Hampshire  was John's home from 1937 to 1957. Sid and Ethel, John's parents bought the house new. It had three bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. The main floor consisted of living and dining room and a kitchen. The was also a larder,  The garden was of a fair size.

Treeside Avenue consisted of about 20 homes, all built around the same time. The residents were working class. With the exception of one home all homes were well maintained.

Air raid shelters were built on the avenue during the war. They were seldom used for the designed purpose and were probably unsanitary play haunts of the avenue kids.

GREENHOUGH'S FARM HOUSE, GEN-ESEE, AB.

This was the house where John and Maureen practically lived in one bedroom before moving into the Hired Man's house. The age of the house was unknown, it is suspected it was home built and was still unfinished in the basement.  It was quite modern. The Greenhoughs treated us well.

 THE HIRED MAN'S HOUSE

 This place was old. It had electric light but no running water. The toilet facilities were in the comfort station located in the yard.  There was an upstairs, but the layout has long been forgotten. The main floor consisted of three rooms, all quite large, the kitchen, bedroom and living room. The house was heated by a huge wood burning heater in the living room. There seemed to be heating ducts 'all over'. A huge wood burning stove dominated the kitchen.    We had been sent back 100 years. We survived but only just. It became quickly obvious were were not cut out for farm life,

FIRST STOPPING PLACE IN EDMONTON

11330 72 Street was the first stop for the family, baby on the way, with the rest of the Barretts. How we all fitted in we will never understand.  There were nine of us! But we did and we were treated royally by the family.

However, it did become crowded with he arrival of Elizabeth. We moved to a basement suite at 11638 72 Street a home now lost to Northlands.

The next move was to this home, again a basement suite. we did not stay here too long. We had Elizabeth by this time.  Walkers don't, remember their first names. hey complaoned about the Elizabeth crying.

Moving again, this time to the top floor ... Three rooms...kitchen, living room, bedroom. There was a non-intentioned sharing of a  bathroom

Finally we decided to rent a house.... we paid $90.00 a month. The landlord was excellent, provided a sidewalk [paving slabs] for around the house, painted the kitchen when I offered to [don't read anything into that, I am quite a handy painter]. There was a good looking home to the south and a shack to the north.

11315 60 STREET And, then in December 1963, our own home, six years later... from one bedroom, three basement suites, one top level suite and a rented house.... We spent a year negotiating... or rather givng up and trying again.