Richard and Wilhelmina first met when they were both 17 years of age, at the local “Casino” Roller Skating Rink, a popular resort for teenagers belonging to the whole Tyneside. While he was progressing in his job that lasted the whole of his life, Wilhelmina had employment in local greengrocers, first as assistant and then as manageress until they were married.
Between 1928 and 1938, 5 children were born when these years were the period of severe depression in the area and wages were very low, the parents and especially the mothers, had a very hard time of it making ends meet and bringing up their families.
By 1939 when the 2nd World War started, the children were aged between 11 and 1 year old and when evacuation commenced, the three eldest went with their schools to the West Coast for safety. The 2 boys, Richard jnr aged 11 and John James, or Bob that he was known by, aged 7 were allocated to a homely couple at Kendal and Winnie jnr, aged 9, was housed with the local Billeting Officer and his family at Grange over Sands, near Witherslack in Westmoreland. The remaining two, Kenneth age 5 and Donald aged 1 were kept at home, and they, with their Mother were hard put to it when the severe bombing of South Shields was destroying the town, especially in 1941 when a good part of the town was razed and the Market Place completely destroyed with many lives lost.
By this time Richard had been called into the Army, so Wilhelmina had to manage the best way she could, and during the heavy raids, managing with the two children to either run to the Air Raid Shelters or remaining in the house and taking the risk of being safe in their own home. At times when it was safer in London than in the North East, the family took shelter in Winnie`s sister’s home in Ealing in London until it was safer to return home at South Shields. In the later years of the war when Richard Jnr had reached school leaving age, the two boys returned home and Richard obtained various jobs on the river and in local Tugs until he had to go into the Army on National Service.
After completion of his National Service, he had various situations and then was employed by the South Shields Corporation Transport as a Town Bus Driver commencing driving Electric Trolley buses and then Motor Buses on the change over to more modern transport. In 1949 he married Winifred Pettimore, who was born at South Shields on 8th Feb 1930. They had 3 children, the eldest Michael, born on 13th October 1949. Derek, born on 20th March 1952, and Valerie born on 27th October 1955.
After finishing a few years employment-driving buses, there was a lot of unemployment in the town and he decided to go South to find work. After being employed at different factories around Isleworth, Brentford and Slough for about 10 years, the family decided to return to their home town, where he got employment at Rohm & Haas, Chemical Works at
