Tuckey Oakes Family Tree

Dan was born in Islington, London - but his father came from Llanybyther in Wales.

Dan was in the Terratorial Army in London for 4 years from February 1909. This would also have been about the time he got engaged to Kate. He was discharged from the T. A. in February 1913 - "Character Very Good".

Dan served in World War 1 and lost his sight completely shortly after the end of the war - there was never any obvious reason. He and Kate were engaged for 9 years before marrying in 1918. Kate had inherited land and income from rent.

On the 5th February 1918 when Dan married Kate, his occupation was Gunner RGA and he was resident at 32C Station Road, Westcliff. Dan and Kate's marriage certificate shows Dan's step brother Aubrey and Kate's sister Eleanor as witnesses.

Dan's inability to work and several failed businesses resulted in the the inheritance being whittled away.

One of Dan's business attempts was to buy land and build houses. He was forward thinking in paying the builders even if the weather was such that they couldn't work. No doubt he believed he would get the best builders that way. An uncommonly wet period saw the collapse of that business.

Dan and Kate spent most of their married lives in various houses around Leigh-on-Sea. In 1940, they were at 129, Leigh Road, above a bakers shop. Megan, then aged 20, slept under the stairs. By the early 1950's they lived in a bungalow on Canvey Island. One night in March 1953 the sea walls were breached by exceptionally high tides and a storm that caused severe flooding there and in many places around the UK and other countries facing the North Sea. Dan & Kate awoke to find 3 feet of water in their bedroom. Kate was sent up into the loft, whilst Dan passed wet cases of books up to her (he was a second-hand book dealer by then). He spent several months putting tissue paper between the pages of the books in an attempt to draw out the moisture and water stains. His family remembered how his books always smelled musty!

Dan's attestation in 1940 declares that he was in R.G.A. Heavey (sic) Btry No 130718 from 1916 - 1918. it also says he was in Lagos Volunteer W.A.F.F. from 1914 to 1916. Dan's father's work took him to Lagos - Dan presumably accompanied him.