Ewen – 27 Anerley Val

EWEN – 27 Anerley Vale

In 1921, Joseph Ernest Albert Ewen (Bn 1878 Baptised at Christ Church– Gipsy Hill) and wife Rosa (Bn 1879 D1981 aged 101 years) lived at No 27 Anerley Vale, with their 3 sons, Joseph, James and Frank (Bn 1920) and 3 daughters, Winifred, Rosa and Constance. Joseph (Senior) served in WW1 Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) and later became a Bill Poster, working for Partingtons Advertising Company, Victoria Embankment (they printed the predecessor to London’s Underground map). They were still resident at No 27 in 1939, when Joseph’s occupation was a Garage Attendant.

Son Frank (Bn 1920), occupation a Sheet Metal Worker (from tin plate), joined as a Private in the 61st (Norwood) Battalion Surrey Home Guard aged 24, in 1944, based at Beulah Hill. They were affiliated to the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, whose cap they wore. The Home Guard was developed as a response to Prime Minister Anthony Eden’s appeal for volunteers on 14 May 1940, to defend Britain who was on the brink of invasion. It remained unpaid and equipment including uniform, weapons and meeting places had to be pulled from all resources as it received limited funding from the government.