Our Family History

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  • Bowman family
  • Rachael's family
  • Early 20th Century
  • 1930's
  • Major events in 1930's
  • John transfers to London
  • World War 2
  • raising a family
  • John the Hero
  • Andy moves to Sussex
  • school days
  • 1960's
  • family gatherings
  • Entertainment
  • 1970's
  • 1980's
  • Golden Wedding
  • Major events 60's
  • John & Rachael marry
  • 1940's
  • Major evens of 1940's
  • 1950's
  • More
    • Home
    • Bowman family
    • Rachael's family
    • Early 20th Century
    • 1930's
    • Major events in 1930's
    • John transfers to London
    • World War 2
    • raising a family
    • John the Hero
    • Andy moves to Sussex
    • school days
    • 1960's
    • family gatherings
    • Entertainment
    • 1970's
    • 1980's
    • Golden Wedding
    • Major events 60's
    • John & Rachael marry
    • 1940's
    • Major evens of 1940's
    • 1950's

Our Family History

Our Family HistoryOur Family HistoryOur Family History

  • Home
  • Bowman family
  • Rachael's family
  • Early 20th Century
  • 1930's
  • Major events in 1930's
  • John transfers to London
  • World War 2
  • raising a family
  • John the Hero
  • Andy moves to Sussex
  • school days
  • 1960's
  • family gatherings
  • Entertainment
  • 1970's
  • 1980's
  • Golden Wedding
  • Major events 60's
  • John & Rachael marry
  • 1940's
  • Major evens of 1940's
  • 1950's

John the Hero

Aftermath

Queens Award for Bravery

John was seriously injured and it was by chance that he did not lose his badly fractured right leg. When the consultant met Rachael he said he thought he would "have that leg off by morning".  By luck he had a young doctor working with him who said he had seen such injuries successfully treated when he was in New Zealand.  The Consultant agreed to let him have a try and the leg was saved, although it healed 2 inches shorter..  This together with damage to the spine would cause arthritis in the back which would remain for the rest of his life.   


He received the Queens Award for Bravery and an award from the Carnegie Hero Fund Trust.  The children's school presented him with a chair to use during his convalescence.  But his best reward was that the children were uninjured.


As a consequence of his injuries John was unfit for beat duty but for him the greater loss was he was no longer able to join in the rough and tumble with his kids.


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Police Party

Highlight of Kids' Social Calendar

While John was in the Force one of the highlights for the kids was the annual Police Party.  Food, entertainment, a chance to run riot around the hall and a present from Father Christmas.  What more could we want.

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Transfer to the Warrant Office

John the Jailer

After his accident, John was transferred to a desk-based job in the Warrant Office  at Croydon Police Station and became the Croydon jailer responsible for ensuring prisoners were taken from their cells to the court.  He was well respected by colleagues, magistrates and many of the prisoners.  In 1964 it was decided that the post that John held would be used for training and John was transferred back onto the beat based at Norbury Police Station.  His back was unable to take the strain and Rachael would collect him at the end of a shift frequently in tears of pain.  Kenneth  Diacre, John's old commanding officer from his army days and Carol's Godfather, arranged for one of his friends, Quentin Hogg MP, to raise a question in the House of Commons regarding John's treatment but to no avail.  John was retired from the police on ill-health grounds - he was lost.  He had been in services all his working life  Kenneth Diacre gave him a job working for him and John was grateful, but it was not nearly as well paid as the police.

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Rachael Gets her Wings Back

Kenneth's firm was called Industrial Rentals.  At the time it was a market leader with the idea of supplying cars to companies on contract hire rather than purchase basis.  Rachael started to drive for the company first based at their branch in Putney and later working for both Putney and Croydon.  She travelled up and down the country delivering and collecting cars, all types of cars and in all sorts of conditions.  She lost the frustration of being stuck in a purely domestic role, especially as the children were at school all day, and became a much more contented person.  She loved the freedom of the road and would call in on family whenever her journeys took her nearby.

  • Home
  • Bowman family
  • Rachael's family
  • 1930's
  • John transfers to London
  • World War 2
  • raising a family
  • Andy moves to Sussex
  • school days

We may not have it all together but together we have it all

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