DORIS MABEL BONNER 1893–1975
Before the War
Doris was born in Leicester on 12th December 1893. In 1901 she was living at 7 Halstead Street Leicester with her father John Harry, newspaper proprietor, mother Annie Maria, and brothers Jack, 8, Harold, 5 and Gerald, 3.
In 1911, when she was 17, she was an assistant in a fancy goods shop, living with father Harry, an anti-vaccination lecturer working for the Anti-Vaccination League, mother Annie, brothers Jack, 18, mechanic, shoe knife bender, Harold, 15, office boy, Gerald, 13, Oswald, 8, both at school, and sister Rosa, 9, at school. The family were living at 34 Princess Road Leicester
During the War
The following information about Doris Mabel Bonner has been extracted from transcribed Red Cross Voluntary Aid Detachment records, available at www.redcross.org.uk
Doris’s home address was given as 34 Princess Road, Leicester when she volunteered to serve as a V.A.D. in the Leicester Reserve of the Red Cross. She served full time from 17th July 1916 as a clerk in the admissions and discharge office at the 5th Northern General Hospital, Leicester. Her initial rate of pay was 20 shillings per week, rising to 26 shillings by the time she left the hospital on 16th August 1918.
In September 1918 Doris transferred to Notts County War Hospital, Radcliffe on Trent, where she served as a clerk until 13th December 1918. She returned to the 5th Northern General Hospital on 14th December 1918 and was still serving there when her Red Cross record card was completed in February 1919.
Cissie Wesson, a V.A.D. from Radcliffe on Trent also served as a discharge clerk at Notts County War Hospital, working there from 30th August 1918
After the War
Doris married Charles Stephenson Greenhough, 43, in October quarter 1919. Charles was employed by W. A. Thompson, wholesale boot and shoe manufacturer, Leicester. Their son John Charles Stephenson Greenhough was born in 1920 in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Daughters Anne R. and Jane M.S. were born in Leicester in 1930 and 1934.
In 1924 Doris and family were living at 87 Clarendon Park Road, Knighton, Leicester. By 1926 they had moved next door to number 85, living there at least until 1931. There is no record of the family in the 1939 electoral register. By 1953 Doris and Charles were living at ‘Farthings’ 12 Silverdale Road, Eastbourne.
Charles died on 11th August 1965, age 88, at Esperance Nursing Home, Eastbourne. Doris and Charles’ home address was 12a Silverdale Road, Eastbourne. Probate to Doris Mabel Greenhough and John Charles Stevenson Greenhough, solicitors clerk.
Doris died in July 1975, age 81, in Eastbourne, Sussex and her son John died there in 1977. His address at date of death was 12 Westdown House, Hartington Place, Eastbourne. They are both buried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.
