I’ve nearly completed the account of the eighty years of service to Brampton – Renold of my grandfather and father and I will of course send you a copy a tout fin utile. I’ve included most of the main developments at Bramptons from 1898 to about 1974, the date of my father’s retirement. Although my father was on the Renold payroll, he also represented Brampton in his sales territories overseas.

Interestingly, the factory remained unscathed until 30 September 1944, when there was a fire in the warehouse and sales office. On the same day the manufacturing area was hit thirty times by Canadian mortar bombs, but most of the machinery survived. I’m sure you know about the ill-conceived sabotage of the transformer on 16 August 1944, for which five young men were shot in the Citadel on 3rd September, seventeen days before the liberation?  And I’m sure you also know about the tragic story of Commandant Mengin, who persuaded 20,000 citizens to walk to Ardres on the 29th, during the 24 hour truce.

By the way you never told me whether you had met David Davies who left Calais at the same time as you and my grandparents, maybe on Venomous. He used to own the Hotel Normandy at Wissant and he ran the Atlantic Wall Museum, housed in the German Battery Todt at Audinghen, but sadly he has Alzheimers now.  His son Didier who has taken over the hotel has not responded to my telephone call and letter. Didier has an uncle living in Wales who might have interesting information as he was evacuated too, but looking for someone called ‘Davies’ in Wales is like looking for someone called ‘Dupont’ in France.

I’ve copied this e-mail to Marc Greenhill who has done some interesting research on his British ancestors who came from Kent. Marc’s ancestor, Thomas Greenhill taught at the school run by my ancestor Charles Arnett in 1841. Charles who also lived in Kent, emigrated to Saint-Pierre-Lès-Calais in 1833.  The Arnett name is not common in France, but as far as I can tell the few that exist, are also descended from Charles Arnett.

Amitiés Philip Emerson


11:06 23/01/2013
Bonjour Colette Young
Tout une période de ma vie est en train de surgir de ma mémoire à l'occasion de ces échanges dûs à Philip Emerson. Je suis le fils de Mr et Mme Albert Ratcliffe (mon père était commissionnaire en dentelles chez Stern et Stern Bd Gambetta), et je suis le neveu de Mr et Mme Harold Ratcliffe de la coopérative anglaise Bd Jacquard dont le fils, mon cousin, est Guy Ratcliffe. Nous étions tous deux au cercle d'escrime et nous avons partagé des circonstances de vie là... vous faisiez du fleuret et nous avons fait des assauts ensemble. J'appréciais Sidney Young avec qui je partageais beaucoup. Cette période de ma jeunesse à Calais m'a fortement marqué. Voici quelques autres noms de ceux qui m'ont influencé: Maître Michel et Madame, Octave Broussart dentiste, Mr Rogliano chantier naval, Luc Vasseur (décédé l'an dernier)... Je suis certain que, la mémoire aidant, vous vous rappelerez de moi... C'est pourquoi je joins une photo de cette époque. Ma photo actuelle ne vous dirait rien bien sûr.