Hi All,
I'm descended from the Oliver family. My maternal grandfather was Sidney George Oliver, born 1906, son of George Edward (of the Old Bailey larceny fame!). My grandfather left London at 14 having lied about his age when joining the army. He ended up fighting in the Manchurian conflict and then was stationed in the Palace Barracks in Holywood, just outside of Belfast, where he met my grandmother, Annie (Molly) MacArthur. He had a brother Sam who was killed in the Far East in WW2, and his eldest brother Edwin Persival was killed in the Battle of Loos, 30th Sept 1915 in WW1. He was in Duke of Devonshire Regiment. Sidney joined the 1st Airbourne as Sarg Major in 1941 and fought in Operation Market Garden, as well as North Africa, Burma, and was part of the liberating forces in Norway, where he was presented with a medal by the King of Norway. He had two surviving children with Molly, John (Jackie) Oliver and my mother Jeannette. My mother had fond memories of Sidney's family who came to visit them in Holywood. There was an Aunty Soap and Uncle Gor' Blimey, whom I think was Sidney's sister Sophie, her son Alan Larkin stayed in touch for many years. I would love to hear more about the Oliver family and their work with Whitechapel Bell Foundry, and also about the Brailsfords. I am currently studying for a post grad at the Seamus Heaney Centre in Queens, Belfast and would love to incorporate some family history into my work. I have come across Oliver watch makers who were in East London for many years and wonder if they are a branch of our family?
