Subject

Businessman in the fish industry. "Who knew Billingsgate Market well and built up the family business, W. Young & Son." The quote is on the plaque but we can't trace it, or indeed, find out anything about Gordon except that he entered the family business with his brothers Stanley, Douglas, and Malcolm in the 1920s.

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, subsequently researched the man and his family, finding that Gordon Victor Young was born on 12 June 1904 in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, a son of William Joseph Young (1869-1943) and Florence Elizabeth Young née Stagg (1874-1961).

In the 1911 census he is shown as living in a nine roomed house at 1 Cliff Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, with his parents and four surviving siblings (two had previously died): Florence Catherine Young (1899-1988), Olive Alice Mary Young (1903-1974), Stanley Cecil Young (1907-1968) and Phyllis Eileen Young (1909-1989), together with a female domestic servant. His father's occupation was described as a whitebait fisherman.

A younger brother, Douglas Clifford Young (1911-1977), was born on 16 November 1911. A 1933 British Pathe film introduces a mature "Mr Young", "whose ancestors have fished for whitebait for centuries". The other fishermen shown in the film may well include Gordon, Stanley and Douglas.

Electoral registers from 1925 to 1939 show him listed at various times with his mother and brothers Stanley and Douglas as having business interests at 69 Fulham Road, Kensington, 309 Brompton Road, Kensington, 17 Royal Mint Street, Stepney and 17 Elizabeth Street, Westminster. His abode was recorded at Cliff House, Cliff Parade, Leigh-on-Sea.

He married Sylvia Olive May Murray (b.1912) in the 3rd quarter of 1939 in the Southend-on-Sea registration district and in the 1939 England and Wales Register he is shown as a wholesale fish merchant, a master of a smack boat and a Special Constable, living at Cliff House, Cliffe Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, with his wife, his retired father, his mother, and three younger siblings: Thelma R. Young (b.1913), Christine G. Young (b.1915) and Malcolm R. Young (b.1918). 

Telephone directories from 1946 to 1951 list him at 31 Cliff Parade, Leigh-on-Sea, from 1952 to 1959 at 110 Marine Parade, Leigh-on-Sea and from 1960 at Spring Valley Mill, Ardleigh, Colchester, Essex

Probate records show that he died, aged 71 years, on 16 February 1976 at Spring Valley Mill, Ardleigh. He was buried on 23 February 1976 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Ardleigh and when probate was granted on 21 July 1976 his effects totalled £87,797.