Tuckey Oakes Family Tree

Kate's father had two successful pianoforte shops in the west of London and became quite wealthy owning property and land in various places.

In 1909 with failing health he took his wife and his three youngest daughters, including Kate, on a world cruise on P&O's ship the S.S. Somali visiting Japan etc. He died shortly after returning.

Some of Kate's photos of Japan showed the desolation of the coast following a very recent earthquake - and presumably a tsunami. Just mudbanks where quaysides had been.

At the time of her marriage to Dan in February 1918, Kate lived at Kobe, Somerville Gardens, Westcliff - Kobe being a Japanese city, I would guess this was one of the properties Kate's father had built. By this time Kate had inherited several properties following her father's death and had income from rent.

Dan lost his sight shortly after their marriage.

Particular friends in Westcliffe were the Joscelynes. Their family owned the beach at Chalkwell where the Punch & Judy shows were performed.

By 1940, the inheritance had gone. Dan and Kate were in a flat above a bakers shop in the Leigh Road, Leigh on sea and their daughter, Megan, then aged 20, had a bed under the stairs.

In 1953 they were living ina bungalow on Canvey Island. The North Sea flood of 1953 devastated the island costing the lives of 58 islanders and led to the temporary evacuation of the 13,000 residents. Kate and Dan, however remained, at Dan's insistance. Later, during the spring, their daughter Megan visited with her son Alan then aged just 4. Kate, Megan and Alan went for a walk along the sea wall to one of the breaches where repairs were still being carried out. Alan's recollection some 58 years later is that there was still a gap in the sea wall some 20 feet across with quite a few workmen on site. He recalls Kate and Megan discussing the fact the tide came in twice a day and wondering why the island wasn't flooded each time. The other recollection was the sky larks singing for all they were worth above the field behind the breach. There wasn't a blade of grass to be seen in the field, just acres of mud from the flood - hardly ideal nesting grounds.

Kate died at Severalls Hospital, Colchester where she had been taken when unwell. Her ageing and blind husband, Dan, had to travel by bus from their home at 11, Ivy walk, Canvey Island, to register the death. Kate was buried at Colchester Cemetery