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Cecil Charles LeonardCecil Charles Leonard was born on 14 January 1877 in Newton Solney, Derbyshire. The eldest son, he was named for his parents, Charles Leonard and Mary Ann née Cecil. Charles was a coachman and it is clear that from an early age, Cecil wanted to follow in his father's footsteps; he was a stable boy by 1891. When Cecil left home he went to Holly Bush Hall, Newborough, a few miles to the west, beyond Burton-on-Trent, to work for Charles John Clay as second coachman, living-in to begin with, among an extensive array of servants. It was here that he first met the Clay's daughter, Adelaide Hilda who, in November 1913, married Henry Francis Clifford. By this time Cecil was also married, to Julia Mumford, in 1909. It seems that Cecil and Julia moved to Frampton to work for the newly-wed Cliffords. Knowledge of Cecil's war service, which is commemorated on the plaque in the village hall, is limited to the survival of his medal roll card. He served with the Army Service Corps in the rank of acting sergeant, and was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal. After Julia died in 1923, Cecil married Louisa Dowden in the Bournemouth area in 1927. They had a daughter, Elizabeth Joan, in 1928, but Louisa died a couple of years later. Olive Diaper became Cecil's third wife in 1931. Home was The Firs (North), on the village green, in one of the Estate's houses, for Cecil had remained chauffeur to the Clifford family. However, Olive's death in 1938 left Cecil as a single parent once again and in 1939 a widow, Mary Weaver, was his housekeeper. Cecil Charles Leonard was buried in St Mary's churchyard on 13 May 1947. |
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