Leonard Albert Edwin was the son of Albert Edwin and Marjorie Ellen Lee of Swanscombe.
He was born in the village of Dropmore near Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 29th June 1917. It is likely that his mother had returned to her birthplace of Dropmore to stay with her parents while her husband was serving in World War I.
He later moved with his parents first to Galley Hill, Swanscombe and then to 14 Sweyne Road, Swanscombe. He was educated at Galley Hill School, but won a scholarship to the Grammar School which his mother prevented him from accepting because of the expense involved, for which he never forgave her.
He continued the family tradition by starting work for the APCM (Associated Portland Cement Manufactures), possibly at either their Johnsons or Kent works.
He was twenty-two years old when World War II broke out and enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 3rd April 1940, although his colour-blindness restricted him to serving as ground crew. His Service Number was 959177 and he reached the rank of Leading Aircraftman, serving entirely in the British Isles with unit FTS/21. When coming home on leave, he would walk from London to Northfleet during the Blitz.
On 25th September 1940, while briefly on leave, he married Rosetta Handley of 36 Samaritan Grove, Northfleet (who had first met when he was aged about seventeen) at St Botolph's Church, Northfleet. The couple then set up home at 8 Samaritan's Grove, although Len was rarely at home during the war years. They had one daughter, June Ellen, born in 1943.
Following his demobilisation on 8th January 1946 he trained as chemist via a correspondence course and worked first at Bevans Cement Works, Northfleet and then at Northfleet Cement Works. He enjoyed his job and spent more time at work than at home. In his spare time he played football, bowls and cricket for Bevans, he was also a supporter of Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club, kept tropical fish and was a keen gardener, growing dahlias to exhibition standard.
In later life he became somewhat withdrawn, and although always fit and active, after contracting hepatitis he became increasingly anxious about his health. When Bevans closed he worked in The New Northfleet Cement Works, and this, coupled with the demolition of Samaritan's Grove in 1964 and his move to 24 Fisherman's Hill (in a block of flats built on the site of Samaritan's Grove), lead to his gradual loss of interest in life.
He died suddenly of heart failure at home in August 1978 when aged sixty-one.
He was born in the village of Dropmore near Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 29th June 1917. It is likely that his mother had returned to her birthplace of Dropmore to stay with her parents while her husband was serving in World War I.
He later moved with his parents first to Galley Hill, Swanscombe and then to 14 Sweyne Road, Swanscombe. He was educated at Galley Hill School, but won a scholarship to the Grammar School which his mother prevented him from accepting because of the expense involved, for which he never forgave her.
He continued the family tradition by starting work for the APCM (Associated Portland Cement Manufactures), possibly at either their Johnsons or Kent works.
He was twenty-two years old when World War II broke out and enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 3rd April 1940, although his colour-blindness restricted him to serving as ground crew. His Service Number was 959177 and he reached the rank of Leading Aircraftman, serving entirely in the British Isles with unit FTS/21. When coming home on leave, he would walk from London to Northfleet during the Blitz.
On 25th September 1940, while briefly on leave, he married Rosetta Handley of 36 Samaritan Grove, Northfleet (who had first met when he was aged about seventeen) at St Botolph's Church, Northfleet. The couple then set up home at 8 Samaritan's Grove, although Len was rarely at home during the war years. They had one daughter, June Ellen, born in 1943.
Following his demobilisation on 8th January 1946 he trained as chemist via a correspondence course and worked first at Bevans Cement Works, Northfleet and then at Northfleet Cement Works. He enjoyed his job and spent more time at work than at home. In his spare time he played football, bowls and cricket for Bevans, he was also a supporter of Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club, kept tropical fish and was a keen gardener, growing dahlias to exhibition standard.
In later life he became somewhat withdrawn, and although always fit and active, after contracting hepatitis he became increasingly anxious about his health. When Bevans closed he worked in The New Northfleet Cement Works, and this, coupled with the demolition of Samaritan's Grove in 1964 and his move to 24 Fisherman's Hill (in a block of flats built on the site of Samaritan's Grove), lead to his gradual loss of interest in life.
He died suddenly of heart failure at home in August 1978 when aged sixty-one.
Leonard Albert Edwin was the son of Albert Edwin and Marjorie Ellen Lee of Swanscombe.
He was born in the village of Dropmore near Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 29th June 1917. It is likely that his mother had returned to her birthplace of Dropmore to stay with her parents while her husband was serving in World War I.
He later moved with his parents first to Galley Hill, Swanscombe and then to 14 Sweyne Road, Swanscombe. He was educated at Galley Hill School, but won a scholarship to the Grammar School which his mother prevented him from accepting because of the expense involved, for which he never forgave her.
He continued the family tradition by starting work for the APCM (Associated Portland Cement Manufactures), possibly at either their Johnsons or Kent works.
He was twenty-two years old when World War II broke out and enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 3rd April 1940, although his colour-blindness restricted him to serving as ground crew. His Service Number was 959177 and he reached the rank of Leading Aircraftman, serving entirely in the British Isles with unit FTS/21. When coming home on leave, he would walk from London to Northfleet during the Blitz.
On 25th September 1940, while briefly on leave, he married Rosetta Handley of 36 Samaritan Grove, Northfleet (who had first met when he was aged about seventeen) at St Botolph's Church, Northfleet. The couple then set up home at 8 Samaritan's Grove, although Len was rarely at home during the war years. They had one daughter, June Ellen, born in 1943.
Following his demobilisation on 8th January 1946 he trained as chemist via a correspondence course and worked first at Bevans Cement Works, Northfleet and then at Northfleet Cement Works. He enjoyed his job and spent more time at work than at home. In his spare time he played football, bowls and cricket for Bevans, he was also a supporter of Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club, kept tropical fish and was a keen gardener, growing dahlias to exhibition standard.
In later life he became somewhat withdrawn, and although always fit and active, after contracting hepatitis he became increasingly anxious about his health. When Bevans closed he worked in The New Northfleet Cement Works, and this, coupled with the demolition of Samaritan's Grove in 1964 and his move to 24 Fisherman's Hill (in a block of flats built on the site of Samaritan's Grove), lead to his gradual loss of interest in life.
He died suddenly of heart failure at home in August 1978 when aged sixty-one.
He was born in the village of Dropmore near Taplow, Buckinghamshire on 29th June 1917. It is likely that his mother had returned to her birthplace of Dropmore to stay with her parents while her husband was serving in World War I.
He later moved with his parents first to Galley Hill, Swanscombe and then to 14 Sweyne Road, Swanscombe. He was educated at Galley Hill School, but won a scholarship to the Grammar School which his mother prevented him from accepting because of the expense involved, for which he never forgave her.
He continued the family tradition by starting work for the APCM (Associated Portland Cement Manufactures), possibly at either their Johnsons or Kent works.
He was twenty-two years old when World War II broke out and enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 3rd April 1940, although his colour-blindness restricted him to serving as ground crew. His Service Number was 959177 and he reached the rank of Leading Aircraftman, serving entirely in the British Isles with unit FTS/21. When coming home on leave, he would walk from London to Northfleet during the Blitz.
On 25th September 1940, while briefly on leave, he married Rosetta Handley of 36 Samaritan Grove, Northfleet (who had first met when he was aged about seventeen) at St Botolph's Church, Northfleet. The couple then set up home at 8 Samaritan's Grove, although Len was rarely at home during the war years. They had one daughter, June Ellen, born in 1943.
Following his demobilisation on 8th January 1946 he trained as chemist via a correspondence course and worked first at Bevans Cement Works, Northfleet and then at Northfleet Cement Works. He enjoyed his job and spent more time at work than at home. In his spare time he played football, bowls and cricket for Bevans, he was also a supporter of Gravesend and Northfleet Football Club, kept tropical fish and was a keen gardener, growing dahlias to exhibition standard.
In later life he became somewhat withdrawn, and although always fit and active, after contracting hepatitis he became increasingly anxious about his health. When Bevans closed he worked in The New Northfleet Cement Works, and this, coupled with the demolition of Samaritan's Grove in 1964 and his move to 24 Fisherman's Hill (in a block of flats built on the site of Samaritan's Grove), lead to his gradual loss of interest in life.
He died suddenly of heart failure at home in August 1978 when aged sixty-one.
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