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Note: J C L Prosser was born 17/8/28 in Greystones Nursing Home, Cottingham, (Hull Maternity Hospital then). He was the eldest of 12 siblings, his mum & dad were then living at 175 Anlaby Rd, a flat over Linsley's Wine Shop on the corner of Linnaeus St. It is believed that they shared the flat with his Grandad who died in 1932.
When Josie was born in 1929 complications arose and his mum was seriously ill. Whilst this was happening the senior Prosser family decided to put Tony (J C L Prosser) in a home under another name. Nobody knew where, but fortunately Grandad Colingwood found him in Beverley Rd Workhouse and took him home to Grandma where both him and Josie were well taken care of. The only damage done was to his lovely black curls.
His mum was warned not to have any more children but in 1930 Alan was born, in 1932 Tom came along and this went on with only one or two years between each birt until the last three. They were Brenda, Margaret, David, Peter, Anne, John, Christine died at six months and lastly Faith.
They lived over Mallorys Ironmongers on Hessle Rd at the corner of Hawthorn Avenue. His dad wad working as a tram conductor rising to driver for the rest of his working life. During this time Tony had a slight accident with a cyclist leaving him with a permanent scar on his chin.
The family moved to 22 Carrington St and lived there until after his father retired. Tony was found to have a heart murmur, his mam had always said he was a blue baby but it was hard to believe as he led a very full life, joining in everything it was possible to join. Except for a painful leg ache when he exerted himself too much the condition was not much in evidence. In later life it was to dog him quite a bit and restrict him career wise.
He always had a sense of fun and good humour by the tales his mum told, and was often in trouble. Once, having been told to watch over therest of the others whilst mum was busy at the door he decided to entertain them by giving them a shower swinging round a very wet flannel round their heads, the kids thought it was great, not so his mum when she saw the mess.
His dad was not so easy to get on with and easily lost his temper and what a temper. He was a very stentorian man, his role in life was to be a strict Victorian type husband and father. He came first in every aspect of family life. His discipline was cold and hard and this led to trouble for Tony in his teenage years, he left home home on many occasions to find comfort at his Grandma Collingwood's, aunts and friends homes. One of his aunts to whom he went offered to foster him, there he would have had ease, comfort and a better education, but his dad would have no part in it.
He was evacuated to Filey but after getting on a train to come home to see his mum he got into trouble for causing a panic and was sent straight back. He didn't stay long, the next time he did it he came home for good. His school life seemed happy enough, his first formative years were spent at Saner Lane School, this was badly damaged in the war. The pupils were spread to various schools, Tony ending up at Constable Street. He talked very little about this period of his life but enjoyed his rugby. As they lived behind Hull F C's ground he had plenty of opportunities to join in despite his heart problem. Their house backed onto the ground and when balls came over into the yard they could earn halfacrown when they took them back. He probably helped to make a few of these opportunities a regular thing.
One task he did have in his senior schooldays was to attend the Jewish Rabbi's home on the Boulevard. Each Friday sundown till Saturday sundown is the Jewish Sabbath, his job was to go and light fires, bring in the water, fill kettles and any other light household tasks. The Jews were not allowed to do any of these things on the Sabbath for this he was paid a small sum, his pocket money for the week. The rest of the family took it in turns before each one left school. He filled his teenage years with his hobbies.
He left school at fourteen in 1942 to be an apprentice joiner, but after only a few weeks he collapsed pulling the cart (every apprentice's job), which was his first big disappointment in life, a sign of what was to come. From there he was taken on at Ideal Boilers and Radiators in the office, he now had to carry a green card, another inpediment to the many hopes he still had. During the war he volunteered as an ARP messenger boy, cycling through the city on a message of great importance, he loved the excitement and the danger. At last he had a sense of purpose in his life. 1946 found him at the Navy Recruiting Office for service in the force only to come against a geat disappointment. He was labelled Grade 4 with no chance in any of the services. With this way of life he had to be content. However, he enjoyed most kinds of sport, cycling and dancing.
He didn't like his work at Ideal, as he would have liked a more active role in life but he enjoyed himself nevertheless. He attended night school at Boulevard Institute but wasn't keen and didn't stay long. In his teens he had many friends, took holidays at Butlins Filey, visited Grandma in London. There was many a time in this period he would find the door to his home locked after 10pm, nobody was allowed to let him in, Father's orders. Josie was often in the same boat, the lads used to haul them both up over the back kitchen tiles and through the windows. They would often trail all the way to Priory Rd or Paisley St to spend the rest of the night there. Tony made light of this but Josie has never really got over it or forgived dad for it.
Tony's favourite venue for ballroom dancing was Newington Hall, Albert Avenue, it is still there just as it was when Jean Cole met him in August 1950. They met in the Lady's Desire Waltz. Jean knew him by name, he had an admirer at Metal Box who thought he was the bee's knees. Jean had taken on a bet to dance with him, she said he was a beautiful dancer and didn't like some some one inviting him to walk round the garden at a first meeting. Jean thought no more about it but the following Friday he appeared at her side. They danced and after that she spent the whole evening dodging him but the attraction was there.
Tony was a slight dark haired man with warm dark brown eyes about a head taller than Jean's five foot height. He was always smartly dressed, shoes polished and slightly waved thick hair in the day's fashion, short back and sides. His whole manner was gentle, friendly, humorous and a quiet air about him. They had so much in common the outcome was inevitable, both had a sense of responsibility being the eldest in their respective families, niether having a lot of money to throw around so didn't expect too much from each other. It soon became evident that their single paths would end together. Their courting days progressed and they found they had many interests in common, music, dancing and cycling. They also found a few irritating charateristics to annoy each other but ups and downs were always sorted out before they became too serious, perfection can be very boring.
It was only when they got to know each other really well that Jean found out what his life had been like with his dad. Victorianism was no exaggeration, his word was law, no wonder Tony left home on so many occasions. Even as young men and women until they left home did they have the freedom enjoyed by most young people of their age. Food was dealt out at meal times, cupboards locked between meals, no chance to help oneself to a little more. Jean thought her life had been difficult but this was a holiday compared to Tony's. It did not look as though life was going to change, Jean met him every morning before work, they rang each other every lunchtime from the office, now was the time to decide how their lives together would work out. Her lovely, romantic but practical Tony proposed, not on bended knee but in the Prosser back passage with his hand on the door sneck ready for a quick getaway. With the words definitely not taken from Byron.
"What do you say we get married soon, two can live cheaper together than two apart".
Needless to say she said Yes.
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