MAURICE CHARLES TITAN BAMFORD.

Jack, story one, had a brother born almost 2 years after his birth, also at ‘Oakdene’ 10 Mill Rd, Northumberland Heath, Erith, Kent. Maurice Charles Titan Bamford was born 6^th February 1907.

We know the family moved to Park Rd, Dartford, in 1911, and Maurice was the 5^th child of 7, born to ‘Thomas’ and Susan (Nee Flanagan) Bamford. Susan was Thomas’s (John Thomas Bamford) 2^nd wife; his first marriage had been to Mary Mucklow, whom he had married at St Olave, Bermondsey.

Bermondsey was then a dock area, just east of Tower Bridge, and up river from Erith, on the southern side of the Thames. It was known as Britain’s Larder, as there most of the food for Britain, arrived via these dockyards. The family appear to have lived in nearby Rotherhithe. Thomas gave his occupation at the time of marriage to Mary as a Marine Engineer.

Maurice also attended the Roman Catholic Salesinas College, in South London, where he excelled in Mathematics, and where he developed sporting interests like long distance running as had brother ‘Jack’. Maurice also played Table Tennis, and became the S.E. England Table Tennis Champion.

In his younger day when in the R.A.F., 1915-1925, he stayed with the family at 11 Park Rd, Dartford, Kent. This was the Bamford Home for over 40 years.

Maurice’s secondary education achievement was at 16 years of age, Matrix. The headmaster had admitted that though only 16, Maurice was academically advanced, and the school could no longer be of use to him.

At tertiary level, he held Commercial 1st Class Certification from the Royal Society of Arts, London Chamber of Commerce and National Union Of Teachers.

He was an accomplished, although self taught pianists, with a natural ear, though unable to read music. At school he had played the French horn in the band.

When Thomas his father died 23^rd September 1923, Maurice was 16 years old.

After completing his education, Maurice was employed as Divisions 1, Chief Storekeeper, for J.E.Hall, Iron Works Dartford. Residing at the family home 11 Park Rd, Dartford.

On 12^th October 1925, he enlisted with the R.A.F., Aircraftsman 2^nd class, aged 19 years and 7 months.

His sporting interests continued during his RAF service, and he held a medal inscribed, ‘RAF Inter Block 27-28’.

From approximately 1928-1930, Maurice held the position of Ground Flying Instructor, teaching the principles of aeronautical knowledge, and operational procedures of the Avro 504N- training aircraft.

However, he was never a pilot himself.

On the 12^th July 1931, after 6 years serving in the RAF as a regular, he volunteered to be transferred to the Air Force, as Leading Aircraftman (LAC) "E" reserve, to serve abroad with the British national airline, Imperial Airways, the forerunner of B.O.A.C., later British Airways.

In 1925 Imperial Airways engaged the well-known aviator Sir Alan Cobham to survey a proposed air passenger route from Southampton in the U.K., to Cape Town in South Africa. By 1936 the Airline was using a fleet of Short S 23 C- Class flying boats for the long haul.

The flying boats landed each night for fuel, passenger accommodation and navigational, on suitable long stretches of water which were the Great Lakes run down from the Nile in Egypt, through the centre of Africa.

These aircrafts were finally phased out of service for economical reasons, mainly poor fuel consumption.

During this time, Maurice resided at "Keith Hall", 513 Marshell St, Belgravia, Johannesburg.

His wife to be Effie MacGillivay was residing with her parents Hilton and May MacGillivay at the nearby "Willow Tea Gardens", Alberton. This was 1933, and they later relocated to the family home of her grandparents

Finlayson and Sophia, at 23 Collingwood St, Kensington Johannesburg, just 500 metres from "Keith Hall".

Maurice Charles Titan Bamford married Effie May MacGillivay in Johannesburg South Africa on 7^th June 1934.

They had three children, Brian born 1939, Graham born 1943, and Janine born 1947.

Voluntarily discharged from the R.A.F. reserve on the 11^th October 1937, after 12 years service, at the age of 28 years, his Civil Occupation between 1937 and 1900 is listed as "Aircraft Storekeeper/Aircraft Salesman".

At the time of his eldest sons birth (Brian), the family home was 30 Phoenix St, Kensington, Johannesburg, later 38 Main St, Rouxville, Johannesburg.

In 1940, on the 26^th February, Maurice enlisted as a volunteer with the army. At the age of 31 years old, he was listed as Corporal, Technical Service Corp (TSC).

On the 17^th June 1940, he was commissioned to 2^nd Lieutenant TSC, with administration duties of Adjutant.

The Officers identity card issued 26^th November 1942, states he is an officer of H.M. Forces in East Africa, and holds the rank of Captain.

He served first with the TSC in East Africa, then North Africa and Italy, by which time he held the rank of temporary Major.

Demobbed at the age of 39, on the 14^th January 1948, having served almost 8 years in the army.

For his war service he received the 1939-1945 Star, the African Star, Italy Star, War Medal 1939-1945, and the African Service medal.

During his lifetime, Maurice served a total of 20 years military service, Air Force and Army.

From 1942 until 1949,the family had lived at 54 Elray St, Fairmount, Johannesburg.

After the war, Maurice and Travel Agent partner Mr Lindsey, started up an airline business, and he became the director of "Air Freights and Transport Pty Ltd."

The Head Office was situated in Baker Street, London. His secretary at the office was his sister in law, Mrs Lillian Bramford, wife of brother Jack.

Maurice utilised 4 or 5 classical designs, 3 fin-tailed Lockheed Constellation aircraft on lease from the USA, with American pilots to fly freight and passengers on a ‘No frills’ BYO basis.

The service operated between London, Europe and Rand Airport Johannasburg. The motto was "We fly anything anywhere", and when all the seats were removed, the freight might include livestock, such as sheep for the Middle East.

The business did not last more than 6 months due to the high operation costs, and commercial and/or political pressures, similar to what airlines experience today.

During early 1949, Maurice immigrated with his family to East Africa, on the "Llansteffen Castle", of the Union of Castle shipping line. The family settled in Nairobi Kenya.

In Niarobi, Maurice purchased 4 acres of land with a weatherboard and iron house, in Slaters Rd, Lower Kabate, 8 km north of the city.

Homes in Nairobi are usually built of granite and stone blocks about 400 x 150 x 150mm, quarried and shaped from solid blue granite.

He bought a 2-ton Bedford truck, leased a small area of farmland outside Nairobi, and obtained a ‘blasters and explosives certificate’, mined and quarried vast quantities of stone blocks.

He built a 4 bedroom stone and tile home on the front subdivided section of the block. The family lived at 99 Slaters Rd for 5 years until 1952.

In Nairobi, Maurice was involved in many entrepreneurial schemes, operating part time, a motor vehicle panel repair and paint shop.

His main employment though was with a brewery, known initially as Taylor’s Brewery, then Allsops, followed by East African Breweries, and finally Kenya Breweries Ltd, which make the famous ‘Tuskar Lager’.

Each month he would receive gratis, a case of 2 dozen large bottles of Lager and Pepsi.

Maurice took the whole family on his 6 months long service leave in 1955 to London on the ship "Uganda". Departing Mombassa on the 7/4/1955 for Marseilles and London via the Suez Canal.

On arrival at Tilbury, River Thames, the family were met by Maurice’s elder brother ‘Jack’. Employed by the British Foreign Office, Jack was with his chauffer driving an official black limousine.

The two sons Brian and Graham flew back to St Mary’s School in Nairobi in either June or July, on a twin engine DH Dove. The journey took 3 days, with overnight stopovers in Malta, and Wadi Halfa, on the Nile.

On his return to Africa, Maurice was employed in the East African Railways and Harbours, involved in Engineering and Planning for the Railways. This was around 1956.

Maurice, Effie, Graham, and Janine emigrated from Kenya to Perth Western Australia, on the 22^nd June 1961, on the P & O Liner ‘Oriana’. Their eldest son Brian, remained in University in Johannesburg, where he was studying Dentistry, intending to join the family later.

Brian migrated to Perth from Durban, on board the "Zuiderkruis", arriving in Freemantle 24/2/1962, resuming his studies at the University of WA.

Maurice was employed in Perth, by the railways, later working with the civil engineering firm, Maunsel and Partners. The family was living at

8 Brockman Avenue, Dalkeith, later 58 Leake St, Peppermint Grove. Later

re locating 1964 to 31 Riverview Terrace, Mt Pleasant.

In 1965, Graham commenced his studies as a novitiate at St Charles Seminary, Guildford to become a priest in the Catholic Church.

Within 18 months, Graham had moved to Papua New Guinea to work for the Capuchin Order of Missionary Monks in Evave, in the southern Highlands of New Guinea.

Maurice worked as Quantities and Cost Engineer for Hamrsley Iron Ore in Dampier, Pilbara Western Australia from 1966 –69.

Graham left Perth 26/1/1966 to live in Papua New Guinea, and in 1967, Brian was working as a qualified dentist on various mobile dental clinics in the remote outback of Western Australia.

While with Hamersley Iron, Maurice was regarded as a competent costs engineer, with his estimates of quantities or ore removal, proving less than 5% error. A phenomenal result, in the world of mining.

During this time, Maurice was also involved in establishing a rail link from iron ore mines in Paraburdoo and Mt Tom Price to the Indian Ocean Sea port of Dampier in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The longest trains in the world operate in this region, and the records stands at 7 km, hauling enormous loads pulled by 4 engines spaced along the length of the train and operated by only one driver.

Maurice, Effie and Janine re-located to live and work for Con Zinc Rio Tinto Australia, CRA in Melbourne from 1969 – 1971, living in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton.

In 1971, they left Australia, for Port Morsesby, Papua New Guinea,

To live near Graham, their 2^nd son.

Leaving Papa New Guinea in 1972, Maurice, Effie and Janine returned to live and work in Durban, South Africa. Choosing to live in Natal, so Effie could be close to her 1^st cousin Ernest. The home was then 8 Clifton Manor, Clifton Rd, Gillitts Natal.

Maurice died in Natal SA on the 10^th December 1988, nearly 82years.

His body was donated to medical science.

"When I was fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have him around.

When I was twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.

Mark Twain.

Maurice Charles Titan Bamford.

6^th February 1907 Erith, UK - 10th December 1988 Natal SA.

Farewell to thee! But not farewell

To all my fondest thoughts of thee:

Within my heart they still shall dwell;

And they shall cheer and comfort me.

Ann Bronte.