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Lievesley Story |
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Minnie ( known as Minette) Thomson 1917-1988 Minnie was born in Glasgow the second of two girls a year before the end of the WW l . Her mother was also called Minnie and within the family they were referred to as Big Min & Wee Min.... eventually the nurse helping 'Big Min' look after one very new baby and a disabled 2 year old said 'This child can not go through its life being called We Min' & so gave her the name Minette. We know a lot about the family Minnie Benzies came from, but very little about her husbands and Minette's young life up to the war. We know that her parents moved down from Scotland to the South of England, living at times in Battersea & East Grinstead, beyond that we know little. |
Ada Kirkwood, Ella Kirkwood, John Kirkwood,
Lilly Thomson, ? , ?, Minnie Thomson(Big Min) John Thomson |
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In 1939 two things happened simultaneously, her Father died suddenly at 55 of a heart attack & the war started. By this time Minette was a qualified domestic science teacher and we believe joined the ATS (Auxiliary Territorial Service) at the beginning of WW ll, She started as a 'cook unclassified' (a private), but the army recognising her qualifications sent her to an Officer Cadet Unit. After training she had postings in the UK as a messing officer for various barracks, one being the Royal Engineers in Chatham. Where she learnt a maxim about cooking (and who knows what else) Because of food shortages she maintained, 'Find out what the men like, then don't give it them too often'. |
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Officer Cadet Thomson 1940ish? |
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In one of the messes Junior Commander Thomson (this was the ATS equivalent rank to Captain) met 2nd Lt. Lievesley & were married on 25th April 1945 Click on the link below to follow Neil & Minette's life together>>>
Minette <<<<1968ish |
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