Jack Townsend, Kay Knight’s Father, was born in Alconbury, Huntingdonshire, on the 8th March 1908. Being one of nine children living in a 2-up-2 down cottage, he went to live with his sister Lily at Sutton, and following a motorcycle accident, moved in with another Sister, Edna and her husband in Croydon.
They rented a flat over a fish shop, and this is where he met Bobby, who was to become his wife. They married in l933 in Croydon, and lived with Bobby’s Parents.
Shortly afterwards, Jack started working at Henleys Motor Garage, with his father-in-law.
They moved to Rainham and rented 39 Wennington Road, opposite the Post Office, and Jack started work at Murex.
They later bought 211 Wennington Road and Jack and Bobby started a small holding in Wantz Lane, keeping Ducks, Chickens, Geese, Rabbits and Pigs. Bobby grew flowers, and Jack, soft fruit and vegetables. Subsequently, they opened a small shop, and Jack did a greengrocery round in Rainham and Wennington.
In 1943, Kay was born at 211 Wennington Road. Bobby’s aunt and uncle moved from Southall to No.2, New Cottages in 1956.
When the Vellacott family started selling off the farm workers cottages, known as New Cottages, they also decided to sell the land adjacent to the cottages that had been used as allotments by the farm workers.
Jack bought this land next to No.1, New Cottages. A couple of years later Bobby’s Mum, (Kay’s grandmother) being on her own, bought No.4, New Cottages.
Jack and Bobby sold off the back land in Wantz Lane and just kept a small portion for 2 houses to be built, one of which they moved into, selling 211, Wennington Road.
Work started on the land at Wennington growing flowers, fruit trees, soft fruits and vegetables. It soon became known as “Jack’s Nursery”. Bobby was well known in the area for her Flower arranging, and in particular her floral tributes and Wedding Bouquets.
Kay met Ken in August l968, and they were married in Wennington Church in February 1969. They bought No.11, New Cottages from the Vellacott family in 1971 for £1,300, with no bathroom, and only an outside toilet.
In 1975 Jack and Bobby were able to live in No.2, New Cottages, and later Jack bought No.1, next door to the Nursery.
In 1976 Ken and Kay moved away from Wennington, but Kay came most days to help with the Nursery. Sadly, Jack passed away in November 1993, and Bobby in August 2000. Kay’s Grandmother died in late 1969.
Jack left Kay the Nursery, and in 2002. Ken and Kay were able to buy the 2 Cottages,
where they live now. Also, their son Adrian moved into New Cottages in 2001.
At one stage there were four generations of the same family living within 100 yards of each other!
