Watson Strother was born on 13 February 1902. His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1902 in the South Shields Registration District, Durham and he was the eldest of the three children of John Strother (1852-1939) and his second wife Mary Strother née Leach (1865-1922). His father had three children by his first wife, Jane Ann Fletcher (1860-1893): Joseph Stanley Strother (1882-1974); Jane Fletcher Strother (1884-1984) and William Fletcher Strother (1888-1973).
Between 1909 and 1914 he attended Westoe Junior and Senior Schools in South Shields and from 1914-1917 he was educated at South Shields High School.
On the 1911 census return form he is shown as aged 9 years and living in a four roomed property at 21 Coleridge Avenue, South Shields, with his parents, his half-brother William Fletcher Strother - an ironmonger's assistant and his two sisters: Mary Alicia Strother (1904-1987) and Margaret Strother (1906-2001). His father described himself as an ironmonger.
He is shown on the 1921 census return form as aged 19 years, 4 months and a land & mine surveyor employed by A.S. Dinning of 21 Ellison Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. He was residing in a five roomed property at 62 Mowbray Road, South Shields, with his parents, his two sisters: Mary Alicia Strother and Margaret Strother - both in whole time education, together with a male boarder.
He had been apprenticed for five years to Alfred S. Dinning from 12 February 1917 and then took up a full time occupation with him until November 1924 when he was appointed to a position within Bethnal Green Metropolitan Borough Council.
On 31 January 1927 he submitted an application to become an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (AMICE) giving his home address as 95 Ravensdale Road, Stamford Hill, London, N16. By the time this was balloted for on 13 December 1927 his address had changed to 36 Thornby Road, Clapton, London, E5.
Meanwhile, on 6 June 1927 he married Barbara Young (1904-1928) in St. John's Presbyterian Church, Wellington Terrace, South Shields, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 25 years, a bachelor and land surveyor living at 95 Ravensdale Road, Stamford Hill, the son of John Strother, a gentleman, whilst his wife was described as aged 23 years and a spinster residing at 88 Ashley Road, South Shields, the daughter of James Young, a trimmer.
They had one child, James Watson Strother whose birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1928 in the Hackney Registration District, London. Barbara Strother's death was also registered in the same district and quarter and it is therefore probable that she died in childbirth.
Electoral registers in 1929 show him listed at 96 Downs Park Road, Hackney.
He married Mary Kathleen Dettmer (1906-1988) in the 2nd quarter of 1934 in the Westminster Registration District, London and they had two children: Diana Strother (b.1935) and Gillian Strother (b.1938), whose births were both registered in Hendon, Middlesex (now Greater London).
Electoral registers from 1934 to 1948 and telephone directories in 1938 list him at 75 Bush Grove, Stanmore, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The 1939 England and Wales Register confirm his date of birth as 13 February 1902 and describes him as a 1st Engineering Assistant, Local Government Officer at Bethnal Green Town Hall, Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, London. He was also listed as a member of Air Raid Precautions (ARP) based there in their Control Service.
A commendation report for brave conduct was submitted stating that on the night of 7/8 September 1940 he was an ARP Controller at Bethnal Green when made an investigation of reported unexploded bombs near an air raid shelter in Bethnal Green. The London Gazette dated 14 February 1941 lists him along with many others nationally in the ARP service as receiving a bravery commendation.
Electoral registers from 1950 list him and his wife at 85 Belmont Lane, Stanmore, Middlesex.
His death was registered as aged 83 years in July 1985 in the Hendon Registration District, London. Probate records confirm his address to have been 85 Belmont Lane, Stanmore and states that he died on 6 July 1985. Probate was granted on 10 September 1985 and his effects totalled £101,210.
He is shown as 'WATSON STROTHER A•M•I•C•E., M•I•MUN•E., A•R•I•C•S. BOROUGH ENGINEER & SURVEYOR' on the foundation stones at both James Middleton House, Middleton Street, London, E2 and Stafford Cripps House, Globe Road, London, E2.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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