Minnie was born in Highgate in 1888 and baptised at St. Augustine's on 8 April 1889, the daughter of William Albert HODGE and his wife Minnie Belson nee LAMMING. Her father was a gardener who had been born in Somerset and who had married Minnie Belson LAMMING in London towards the end of 1886. Minnie had an elder brother, William born in 1887, and a younger brother, James born in 1901.
In 1891 the family were living at 21 St. Peter's Road, Hammersmith not far from St. Peter's Square Garden and North Verbena Garden. Perhaps William tended these for the local authority. By 1911 father had obtained the position of Park Foreman at Victoria Park in Hackney and the family were living in White Lodge, the gardener's cottage.
In the 1920s Minnie put together two photograph albums. The first dated 1925 contains many photos taken in and around Southwark Park and Mill Hill. The following photos show her parents with her younger brother Jim.
The album also contains several photos of the Southwark Park Wesleyan Sunday School Teachers outing to Keston on 13 June 1925
and of the Southwark Park Wesleyan Mission Choir's outing to Loughton on 20 June 1925.
A couple of photos show lady clerks employed in the offices of SS & RSU
J. Bloxham and J. Bond working in the General Office:
And Miss Josling and F. Crampton working in the Cripple Department:
I have yet to identify SS & RSU but presume that it was a social organisation in Southwark. F. Crampton would appear to be Florence Alice CRAMPTON who was born in 1895 and died in 1973 having spent her whole life in Southwark. In 1939 Minnie was working as a cashier and book keeper at The Princess Christian Home in Egham so it is likely that back in 1925 she too was working at the SS & RSU and was taking photos of her colleagues in the office. How well she has captured the office environment of the era.
Minnie also managed to capture two delightful shots of the MASKELL sisters, Ivy and Eva of the Southwark Park Wesleyan Mission. The photos were taken just a few months after the death of their one year old sister, Laura J. MASKELL. The photo on the left shows Ivy cuddling a puppy whilst the one on the right shows her being very protective of her young sister.
Minnie also managed to capture two delightful shots of the MASKELL sisters, Ivy and Eva of the Southwark Park Wesleyan Mission. The photos were taken just a few months after the death of their one year old sister, Laura J. MASKELL. The photo on the left shows Ivy cuddling a puppy whilst the one on the right shows her being very protective of her young sister.
The second album appears to be a couple of years later and contains photos of a holiday in Norfolk: Hunstanton, Heacham, Ringstead Downs, Kings Lynn, Sandringham and Wells. This album contains a photo entitled "Family Group, Garden of Rest, Hunstanton" and another of her parents outside The Old Curiosity Shop in Heacham.
Research shows that Father died on 23 April 1943 - his executor being his eldest son, William Albert Lamming HODGE a National Health Insurance officer. Mother died in 1952.
Minnie Lamming HODGE of Cliff Dene, 11 Marine Parade, Tankerton, Whitstable, Kent died in Whitstable Hospital on 28 June 1962 at the age of 73.
Somehow or another Minnie's photo albums appeared for sale on eBay in 2018. I can only assume that any descendants of her brothers did not think the photos worthy of retention. In due course I shall donate the albums to the Southwark Local History Library and Archive. They deserve to have a long life.
If any reader should be a member of the extended HODGE family and would like copies of a few of the photos please let me know. Likewise, if you should be related to the MASKELL sisters or Florence Alice CRAMPTON I would be delighted to share the photos with you.
