Robert Doeg Enock (1895-1967)

1895-1909 - Rosedale, Sherbourne Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, England.

'Sherbourne was at one time one of the most exclusive roads in Acocks Green.'

Occupants (1901 census): Robinson Enock, Eleanor Amelia Enock, Amy Clara Elizabeth Enock, Robert Doeg Enock, Gertrude Margaret Enock, Laura Hopwood Enock (sister-in-law), Maud Muriel Enock (niece).

Servants (1901 census): Nellie Birch.

Photos of Sherbourne Road dating from the early 1900s. Rosedale can be seen between the lamppost and the white building in the top photo, and the front gate can be seen on the far right of the bottom photo.

Aerial view of Acocks Green c1950. Rosedale has been highlighted red.

Rosedale was demolished and replaced by flats in the 1960s.

c1910-c1915 - Howard Villas (left hand side), Stockfield Road, South Yardley, Birmingham, England. (Information on how I pinpointed this residence can be found here)

Occupants (1911 census): Eleanor Amelia Enock, Marianne Davis (mother of uncle, George Davis), Amy Clara Elizabeth Enock, Robert Doeg Enock, Gertrude Margaret Enock, Elsie Martin (boarder).

The Enock family lived in the left hand portion of Howard Villas. Photograph taken in August 2014 (click to enlarge).

c1915-1924 - 14 & 16, Augusta Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, England. Family owned both houses - sold for £550 in 1929 (worth the equivalent of about £250,000 in 2018).

Occupants (electoral rolls): Eleanor Amelia Enock, Amy Clara Elizabeth Enock, Robert Doeg Enock, Gertrude Margaret Enock.

Number 16 is the house with purple curtains. Picture taken 1st May 2016 (click to enlarge).

1924-c1936 - 34 (now 54), Dudley Park Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, England.

Robert bought this house with a £400 mortgage with the Birmingham Municipal Bank (worth the equivalent of about £198,000 in 2018).

Monthly mortgage repayments: £1 13s. 4d. (worth the equivalent of about £600 in 2018) together with 1d. interest (£1.34 in 2018).

Occupants (electoral rolls): Robert Doeg Enock, Lilian Alma Enock, Muriel Enock, Clive Enock, Hazel Enock.

Number 34 is second house from the left. Picture taken 1st May 2016 (click to enlarge).

Dudley Park Road viewed from Warwick Road c1930. Number 34 is the third house up on the left (click to enlarge).

1935-1939 - 74 Heaton Road, Solihull, Birmingham, England.

Occupants (electoral rolls): Robert Doeg Enock, Lilian Alma Enock, Muriel Enock, Clive Enock, Hazel Enock, John Maxwell Enock, Emily Bloxham (mother-in-law - 1935-1936).

Monthly mortgage repayments: £2 6s. 8d. (worth the equivalent of about £750 in 2018).

Back garden of 74 Heaton Road

Back garden of 74 Heaton Road

Sunken garden - 74 Heaton Road

The rockery - 74 Heaton Road

1939 - 17, Ridgway Road, Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England.

Lodging with Hayden and Kathleen Lock.

c1940-1967 - 21, Ridgway Road, Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. Built c1939.

Monthly mortgage repayments 1940-1951: £2 18s. 4d. (worth the equivalent of about £640 in 2018), 1951-1953: £3 1s. 8d. (worth the equivalent of about £300 in 2018).

Sold for £40,000 in 1981 (worth the equivalent of about £292,000 in 2018).

Occupants: Robert Doeg Enock, Lilian Alma Enock, Muriel Enock (1940-1956), Clive Enock (1940-1947 - 1955-1956 with June Enock and Graham Enock), Hazel Enock (1940-1957), Max Enock (1940-1956).

21 Ridgway Road - 1940s. Robert's workshop can be seen on the right.

21 Ridgway Road - November 2015.

1910-1939 - Stewarts and Lloyds, Broad Street Chambers, Broad Street, Birmingham, England (demolished in the late 1950s, and the Alpha Tower has occupied the site since the late 1960s/early 1970s.

Stewarts and Lloyds were formed in 1903, by the amalgamation of two of the largest iron and steel makers in Britain: A. and J. Stewart and Menzies of Coatbridge; and Lloyd and Lloyd in Birmingham. Robert's father, Robinson, was a clerk at Lloyd and Lloyd for nearly 50 years.

"Father had a difficult teenage since his father died when he was still at school. Thereafter, he was expected to support the family - mother and two sisters - on his own. As far as I am aware, he managed to get a menial job at Stewarts & Lloyds, which enabled him to train for a career in Iron and Steel production." - Clive Enock.

Positions:

1910-1915: Junior Clerk/Clerk
1915-1919: Great War Service
1919-c1927: Cashier (salary in 1919/20: £309, salary in 1925/26: £376)
c1927-1939: Buyer (salary in 1927/28: £431, salary in 1939/40: £625)

1939-1962 - Stewarts and Lloyds, Weldon Road, Corby, Northamptonshire, England

Positions:

1939-1962: Head Buyer (salary in 1940/41: £710, salary in 1960/61: £2,162)

"Shortly after the war started we had to move again to Kettering (Barton Seagrave) when father's job with S&L was transferred to Corby."

"He eventually became Head Buyer at the Corby works. I have been told that he was very effective in that job. He was proud of the fact that he had purchased the largest walking dragline (a great video of this dragline can be viewed here) in the country." - Clive Enock.

"This was for the biggest walking dragline in the world. Shortly after this started work Pop took me to see this giant, unfortunately not in action. It really was enormous. By repute the bucket was big enough to accommodate four double decker buses. The control room, which we were able to go into, was the size of a tennis court. The operator's seat looked very comfortable and he had 180 degrees visibility." - Clive Enock

Robert Doeg Enock and colleagues - Stewarts and Lloyds Corby - 1950s

Robert Doeg Enock and colleagues - Stewarts and Lloyds Corby - 23rd May 1952

Robert Enock and Colleagues

1962-1964 - J. A. Perkins & Co. (Northampton) Ltd, Northamptonshire, England

Positions:

1962-1964: Engineering Business Advisor (salary in 1962/1963: £887, salary in 1963/64: £1,104)

Theatre

Robert joined board of directors at the Northampton Repertory Players in September 1958. Robert was also an active member of the Kettering and District Repertory Society.

Religion

Robert, like many of his ancestors, had a Quaker upbringing that seemed to play a major part in his attitude to life.

"Their lives [Robert and Lilian] in public were, to a great degree, affected by their religion. They were both members of the church choir which occupied a lot of their time. Most of their friends were members of the same church." - Clive Enock.

Robert, was Deacon and Choirmaster at the local church.

During the 1920s/1930s, Robert was a member of the Committee of the Festival Choral Society, and District Chairman of Toc H..

Music

"They had regular social evenings at home, most of which were musical. Mother played the piano and father the cello. I remember hearing them singing and playing." - Clive Enock.

Model Engineering

Robert featured in the Market Harborough Advertiser & Midland Mail - 15th April 1949.

"Clearly father had a great deal of patience, particularly if he was in the middle of making something, as in the model railway in the loft. He had little practical training and learned as he went along and learned well. He joined the local model engineering society and also gained invaluable experience from them. He was willing to invest in his chosen hobby and had a brick built workshop constructed in the garden when we moved to Kettering. This was kitted out with a lathe, a drilling machine and a milling machine." - Clive Enock.

Robert crafted a number models, using blueprints of engines associated with Stewarts & Lloyds.

"I still have one of those models in the creating of which the only thing he bought in was the electric motor. Everything else was made from scratch. He always worked from full sized, fully detailed plans of the particular model that he wanted to make. These plans were obtained through his job as a buyer for Stewarts and Lloyds to be studied before the life sized item was bought by him for use by the company." - Clive Enock

Locomotives

Robert's model of a Hunslet 500 B.H.P. Diesel Mechanical Locomotive from the 1950s

The Hunslet today

Robert's model of a McIntosh class 439 standard passenger tank - 15159

Robert's model of an LMS Stanier Moghul - 2945

Robert's model of an LMS Fowler Class 4F - 4027

Wagons

Robert's model of an ICI hopper wagon

Stanton, Baldwin and Cory coke wagons

Track - Heaton Road

The bridge on the far left of the image was based on the truss bridge that passes over Warwick Road in Olton, Solihull

Track - Ridgway Road

Mountaineering

Robert was a member of the Midland Association of Mountaineers, and in December 1931 he gave a lecture to the association entitled "A Two Hundred Mile Tramp in Switzerland".

"The Clerk of the Weather" - Robert in Chiusa, Italy.

Politics

In 1952, Robert stood for election as a local Conservative councillor for the Pipers Hill ward of Kettering, but lost to the Labour party' Harold Taylor by 178 votes.

The election results published in the Mercury & Herald - Friday, 4th April, 1952.

1958-1967 - councillor for the St. Peter’s ward, Kettering.

1967: Represented the Northamptonshire County Planning Committee.

Enocks

Amy Enock

Amy’s mental health began to deteriorate in the early 1920s, which has been attributed to an unhappy love affair. According to Madge, Robert wanted Amy to be sent to a job so far away that she wouldn't come back again, and together with aunt Annie Wilson arranged for her to stay with uncle Theodore Davies’s sister, Edith Audley Smith, in Australia. Despite Amy’s protestations, Annie packed her belongings, took her to London, and following a struggle, managed to get her on board T.S.S. “Thermistocles” to set sail on New Year’s Day 1925.

Amy tried for a while to earn her living in Australia, but her unpredictable behaviour resulted in a stay at Rydalmere Mental Hospital in 1926.

Amy was under the care of specialists at Broughton Hall Psychiatric Hospital from the 23rd June to 16th December 1931, who were of the opinion that she was suffering from Paraphrenia and totally incapacitated from earning a living. Edith Audley Smith and Lillie Mary Davis agreed that Amy should return to England immediately, however Uncle Jim Wilson and aunt Annie Wilson were against the idea.

Following her discharge, Amy spent two months on a poultry farm operated by Edith’s friend, Mrs. Spake, after which she was removed to the Salvation Army Hostel at 471 Dowling Street in Surry Hills. Despite Amy obtaining an invalidity pension, Edith and aunt Lillie paid for her expenses, which Robert was expected to reimburse despite his supposed money shortages.

Following the death of Eleanor Amelia Enock on the 31st December 1932, Robert had the sole responsibility to deal with Amy’s affairs, including her share of their mother’s estate.

Amy returned to Rydalmere on the 5th May 1933, and in July she was invited to live with her friend, Mrs. Mogenie, in Epping. Amy’s behaviour declined, and feeling unable to keep her, arrangements were made for Amy to be sent to a Methodist House. Amy packed her suitcase and was taken to the station, but as soon as she saw the train approaching she picked up her suitcase and ran back home. Powerless to do anything else, Mrs. Mogenie contacted Rydalmere and arranged for her to be sent back. Edith advised against sending her inheritance to Australia for fear of it going to the authorities.

Edith continued to pay Amy’s expenses until she died in 1948. Amy remained at Rydalmere until 1956, after which she was transferred to Stockton Hospital in Stockton, where she remained until at least 1968.

Madge Enock

Robert’s relationship with Madge had been strained for a considerable number of years. The rift can be traced back to 1925 and their older sister’s forced emigration to Australia, which Madge held Robert partly responsible for. Madge later recalled the affair in a letter, dated 1947, to her cousin, Brian Wilson, in which she wrote:

“…she [Amy] had become very strange in her ways since having an unhappy love affair, and she could not keep her jobs. I realise now, though I did not at the time, (being young and very inexperienced) that Amy was even then going out of her mind. Bob said that Amy had better be sent to a job so far away, that she wouldn't come back again, and he and Aunt Annie, (who was living with us just then) arranged she should go to Australia. Amy protested all the time that she wouldn't, but Aunt Annie collected her things, and packed them, and took her off to London and got her on the boat after a struggle.”

The letter also comments on the state of their relationship following the death of their mother in December 1932.

“But really, I feel that if anyone had to pay the premium for me again, it should be Bob, only I don't know what to do about him, he is so determined to keep every penny for himself. Ever since mother died he has made it clear, without saying so in so many words, that he would take no responsibility for me, or help me financially, or even make me welcome at his home, friendless as I was. The only time I ever asked him if he could help me a little financially was just before I was going to another town to have the baby, and he refused, saying he hadn't got the money. He has always had a good job at Stewarts and Lloyds, but he never writes a letter, nor does his wife, without impressing it on me how poor he is. In fact there has been so much reiteration about it, that I long ago realised it was just a throwing of dust in my eyes. Last Xmas he said his children just ruined him, and last summer his wife said they were having a holiday for the first time for years and that they had cashed their precious War Savings Certificate to pay for it. I find it all a bit too much to swallow, but have never told him so. What's the use?

It is only in the last few years that I have really realised what Bob is. Up till the time he went to Kettering in 1940, I had believed him to be honourable and truthful, but one little thing and another have opened my eyes till I can see behind the wonderful facade he has built up. Many others are taken in also by his manner and the marvellous way he can twist things around to his own advantage. I found, too late, that he had so turned the Tilehurst Aunts against me, (and your own father) that Aunt Minnie wrote saying she had erased me from her will and was sending me then (1941) £20, which was what she had intended to leave me, but she preferred to send it herself as it was going to make it difficult for her executors, my having changed my name etc. Of course I knew very well that she had intended to leave a much larger sum, but I couldn't very well say so, so there it was.

I felt something was wrong somewhere, and eventually decided to write to Uncle Jim telling him all my story and ask him if Bob had misrepresented things when he went to see him. Uncle Jim wrote me an awfully nice letter saying it was so and "he didn't know how anyone professing to be such a Christian, could be so cruel". I have never seen Bob since I knew this and one cannot very well write him a letter about it all, especially as he still hasn't a penny piece! So now you understand how I feel that there will be no help forthcoming from that quarter."

In 1948, Madge’s partner found himself out of work, with only a small sum of savings to fall back on. Desperate for money, Madge appointed a solicitor to investigate the administration of her mother’s estate as she felt that there was more money owed to her. Robert complied with the solicitor’s requests, forwarded copies of the executorship papers, and explained that the estate was shown to Madge at the time the estate was closed and she expressed her complete satisfaction then at the distribution that was made equally between herself and Amy. No further investigations were completed, however, Madge contacted Max Jacobi, who was joint executor of the estate, to see if he held any sway over the matter. Max contacted Robert, shared Madge’s situation, and suggested giving her part of Amy’s share of estate. (Robert was advised not to send Amy’s share to Australia as it would go straight to the authorities, so the money was held in a separate bank account.) Robert was reluctant to agree to this as the money was used to cover Amy’s care expenses, and her return to the UK wasn’t out of the question.

Sadly, Robert and Madge’s relationship was never reconciled, and as a consequence, their children didn’t have the opportunity to build a relationship with each other.

Unfortunately, there are no surviving documents to counter Madge’s complaints, but there are a number of factors that must not be overlooked. In addition to inheriting half of her mother’s estate, Madge inherited her mother’s property - complete with furniture - that was purchased outright in 1929. Also, by 1938 she had her own family unit, yet Robert was still expected to continue the role of provider, despite having his own family to provide for.

Robert’s executorship accounts up to 1937 - Madge’s portion of the estate consisted of 300 Stewarts and Lloyds shares (which were transferred to Madge in December 1936), and cash from the sale of 50 Stewarts and Lloyds shares (giving a total value of £380 14s. 2d.). Amy’s share consisted of £293 13s. 4d. in cash, and 52 Stewarts and Lloyds shares (giving a total value of £333 14s. 4d.)
The difference between the two shares is due to the inclusion of furniture in the gross value of the estate. The furniture was not sold, and therefore didn’t form part of the estate, however, Madge’s share wasn’t reduced accordingly. This was later corrected using the £50 inheritance from their uncle’s (Percy Bateman Wilson) estate.

Madge's Letter to Brian Wilson - 1947

Laura Hopwood Enock & Maud Muriel Enock

Following the death of his uncle Charles Robert Enock, his auntie Laura and cousin Muriel lived with the family at Rosedale. They later moved a five-minute walk away to Alexander Road.

Sophia Elizabeth Derrington

Robert's auntie Sophia Elizabeth Derrington, and cousins, Edwin, George, and Margaret, lived at Tufa Mount which was between a 10-20 minute walk away from Sherbourne Road, Howard Villas, and Augusta Road.

Jack, Olive, Derek, & Joan Enock

Olive, Derek, Joan, and Jack Enock were frequent visitors to Tilehurst, the home of George and Lillie Davis. Robert is listed as executor in Jack's will.

Robert visited Derek along with Max sometime in the 1950s.

Joan Enock stayed with the family in 1937 to write a study of Clive as part of her teacher training.

Robert Doeg Enock.

28th July 1967.

Gross value of estate: £12,852 4s.(worth £221k in 2017).
Net value of estate: £12,624 15s. (worth £217k in 2017).
Executor: Westminster Bank Limited.
Witnesses: Geoffrey Walshaw and Dorothy Walshaw (19, Ridgway Road, Kettering).

'Upon trust to pay the income from my residuary estate unto my said wife Lilian Alma Enock.'

Lilian Enock.^[27]

19th June 1981.

Gross value of estate: £3,591.77 (worth £13k in 2017).
Net value of estate: £2,930.48 (worth £10.5k in 2017).
Executors: Clive Robin Enock and Hazel Mary Lochhead.
Witnesses: U. M. Stokes.

Wills connected with Robert & Lilian Enock.

Eleanor Amelia Enock - 1933

"I appoint Robert Doeg Enock of 34 Dudley Park Road Acocks Green and Max W. Jacobi 12 Dudley Park Road Acocks Green to be the EXECUTORS of this my Will. I direct my Executors to pay my just Debts and Funeral and Testamentary Expenses. I GIVE AND BEQUEATH to my eldest daughter Amy Clara Elizabeth Enock my piano in rosewood case by “Mercur”Berlin”. I give to my youngest daughter Gertrude Margaret Enock the whole of the contents of 45 Homecroft Road Yardley with the exception of the piano mentioned above. The Residue of my estate if any after the foregoing bequests have been satisfied. I give and bequeath in the following manner:- to my grandchildren Muriel Joyce Enock and Clive Robin Enock the sum of Fifty pounds (£50) each any residue then remaining to be divided equally between my daughters Amy Clara Elizabeth Enock and Gertrude Margaret Enock share and share alike. Any legacy which may be rendered void by the earlier death of any of the above mentioned beneficiaries to be distributed at the absolute discretion of my brother James Edward Wilson or in the event of my brother’s death of my son Robert Doeg Enock. WITNESS my hand this day of 12 May 1931.

Eleanor Amelia Enock

SIGNED by the above named testator a her last Will in the presence of us both being present at the same time who in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names and witnesses

AGNES ANNE BLIZARD (Spinster) Manuel Cottage Stow on the Wold
FLORENCE BRIGGS (Widow) Tufa Mount Willard Rd Yardley Birmingham

I WISH to revoke the legacies in the foregoing Will to my grandchildren Muriel Joyce Enock and Clive Robin Enock and for the sum previously bequeathed to them totalling £100 (one hundred pounds) to go into the residue of my estate and to be dealt with accordingly."

Net value of estate: £790. 3s. 4d.

Expenses amounted to £42 6s. 8d. which was deducted equally from both shares giving a net value of £382 4s. 5d.

Madge's share: Mages share of the estate was made up of:

300 Stewarts and Lloyds 6% preference shares valued at £363 15s.

£39 12s. 8d. cash raised from the sale of 50 Stewarts and Lloyds shares

The 300 Stewarts and Lloyds shares produced a total of £55 4s. 2d. in dividends between May 1933 and October 1936, and advances of account totalled £31 19s. 9d., bringing the total to £405 8s. 9d in December 1936. Robert transferred control of the shares to Madge on the 18th December 1936, and on the 29th April 1937 he paid the balance of £41 13s. 9d. in cash.

Amy's share: Amy’s share of the estate is slightly more complicated to follow, but included:

£50 Stewarts and Lloyds 6% first preference stock (producing yearly dividends)

£188 8s. 6d. held in a National Building Society (Abbey National) share account (producing yearly interest)

75 Stewarts and Lloyds deferred shares (probate value £39 13s.)

The balance appears to have been held in accounts with Lloyds Bank and Birmingham Municipal Bank

The 75 Stewart and Lloyds deferred shares were sold for £77 9s. 9d. in December 1933, and the profit was deposited in the Birmingham Municipal Bank account.

The interest generated by remaining stocks and shares was automatically paid into the Birmingham Municipal Bank account where it received additional interest. Robert was advised not to send the money to Australia in case the authorities took control of it, so reimbursements were sent when required. In 1955 the account totalled £395. 16s. 10d., and in 1964 the total had grown to £622 18s 2d..

Madge felt she had been left completely in the dark about Eleanor's will, and felt she was owed further monies. In January 1948 she employed a solicitor to investigate the distribution of the will.

"We act for your sister, Mrs Gertrude Margaret Wildridge of 47 Duke Street, Sutton Coldfield. We understand that you are the Executor under the Will of your late Mother. Our client instructs us that though she has received shares in Stewart & Lloyds from you she has never received any Executorship Account in connection with the matter, and we shall be glad if you will please let us have such an Account, showing how the Estate is being distributed and whether there are any further monies due to our client." - Bailey Cox, Bosworth & Co to Robert Doeg Enock - 13th January 1948

"I was amazed to receive your letter of the 13th instant, written on the instructions of my younger sister, and regret I have been unable to deal with this matter earlier.

The Executorship Account in connection with this estate was shown to my sister at the time the estate was closed, together with full details, and she expressed her complete satisfaction then at the distribution which was made equally between herself and our older sister.

Perhaps you have not been advised that my mother died more than 15 years ago and this is the very first suggestion in any way that my sister was not entirely satisfied with the arrangements then carried out. She has never even suggested such a matter to me either verbally or otherwise and I completely fail to understand why an imputation should now be made that the matter was not satisfactorily dealth with.

The whole of my papers in this connection were put into my safe deposit box in Birmingham and the next time I am there I will undertake to pick up these papers, but I am not at all sure when I shall next be in the City.

I can say, however, that the whole of the monies due to my younger sister were paid over to her at the time and the implication that this was not done is certainly very disturbing and, of course, entirely unwarranted." - Robert Doeg Enock to Bailey Cox, Bosworth & Co - 31st January 1948

From looking at the balance of Amy’s bank account in 1955 and 1964 it’s almost certain that Madge was denied a share of Amy’s money.

Emily Bloxham - 1936

"This is the last will and testament of me Emily Bloxham of 309 Stockfield Road South Yardley in the county of Warwickshire. I hereby revoke all wills and testamentary instruments heretofore by me made. I appoint Robert Doeg Enock of 34 Dudley Park Road Acocks Green to be the Executor of this my will. I direct my Executors to pay my just debts and funeral and Testamentary Expenses. I give and bequeath the whole of my belongings whether personal or otherwise to my daughter Lilian Alma Enock of 34 Dudley Park Road Acocks Green Birmingham - witness my hand this day of June 17th 1927."

Gross Value of estate: £141. 15s. 11d.

Minnie Wilson - 1946

"My residuary Estate I BEQUEATH as follows:-

Three quarters share to my nephew, Robert Doeg Enock and his wife Lilian, One quarter share to my sister Mary Elizabeth Davis"

Net value of estate: £5204. 12s. 8d. (£4977 3s. 1d. less Estate Duty).

Three quarters of the residuary estate equates to £3207 (debts and funeral expenses not included).

George Theodore Davis - 1946

"I give the following pecuniary legacies free of all duties namely:-.....(c) To each of them Robert Doeg Enock and his wife Madge Enock [Lilian Enock] of 21 Ridgway Road Barton Seagrave near Kettering in the County of Northants the sum of one hundred pounds. (d) To each of them Muriel Enock Hazel Enock Clive Enock and Max Enock the children of the said Robert Doeg Enock the sum of twenty five pounds."