John Walter GAULER
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Family:
Relation to me: 1x Great Grandfather Parents: Walter GAULER Blanche Elizabeth SUMNER Siblings: J W GAULER Children: Living |
Life story incomplete
John was born in the city of Watford to Walter and Blanche Gauler in 1929. Life wasn't going to be easy for John though, as we'll later find out. In his early life he lived at Delrow Cottages with his parents as an only child. Disaster was going to strike John at an early age though... One morning when John was only 6 years old his father, Walter, had put a kettle on a methylated spirit stove on their bedroom, something he did every morning safely, then suddenly, Blanche's nightdress ignited from the stove causing serious burns. Within a day, Blanche died of her burns; leaving Walter a widower having to bring up their young son, who's birthday was 3 days later. They moved to Oakdene Road, North Watford, near Leavesden. Sadly, this is not where John's childhood trauma ends. Less than a year later; Walter contracted influenza and bronchial pneumonia which would eventually kill him. John was now an orphan with no parents and with no family living in the city. He was taken in by his uncle Cyril, Walter's brother, and his wife Gladys in Salisbury, Wiltshire. He attended Bishop Wordsworth's School, a short walk from where he lived, with his uncle. To make things worse for young John, World War 2 had just begun. To find out Cyril's role in World War 2 see his page (coming soon). However, things started looking brighter for John, he was doing well at school and in 1944; he passed his Oxford School Certificate Examinations in English Language, English, History, Latin and French. Then in 1946, he attained 4 Higher School Certificates in English, Medieval and Modern History, German and Latin. Then a few years later he started studying at Cambridge University - eventually achieving a B.A. and a M.A in History. A year before he attained the M.A. he married Enid Pamela Brunt in Newport and had a child, living, 9 months later in Bristol. They soon moved to Taunton, Somerset, where he became the managing director of the Taunton Debenhams store - before being promoted to a bigger store in Southsea, Portsmouth in 1972. |