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GREAT GRANDPA GEORGE

by Colin Gordine

I would like to tell you about my Great-grandfather George, a man of many talents, a village character and one whose legacy is to be found in Minnis Bay today.

George Willshire was born the second child of George and Selina Willshire on Christmas Day 1861, near Chartham.   Father George was employed as a gardener and general labourer.  In the early 1870's the family, now increased to four children, moved to York House, Birchington, the building at the Epple Road end of York Terrace. Three more children, two boys and a girl were born in quick succession, though one boy died in infancy.

George junior was apprenticed as a blacksmith and also trained as a cobbler. He joined, with his brothers Charles and Leon, the All Saint's Bellringers and regularly performed at the Church and the Waterloo Tower in Quex Park.

Christmas Day 1885 was an eventful birthday for George.  On this day he married a local girl, Emily Ann Gardner and moved into Lower Gore End Farm.  This is now the thatched cottage with the wood-framed annexe next to the shops in Minnis Road. The farm, with its surrounding land had been taken over by the Birchington Bay Estate to develop the area as a residential resort which we now call Minnis Bay.  George had been appointed bailiff and one of his duties was to keep an eye on the gate which closed off the road (now Minnis Road) to the Estate.  Other duties included collecting rents, acting as a 'security guard' for the properties and the brickfield to the rear of the farm between Minnis Road and the railway line (now the site of Ingoldsby Road). His skills as a blacksmith and cobbler proved to be an asset to the new residents of the Estate.

George and Emily had two daughters, Rosie born 1886 and Florrie born 1888. Tragically, Rosie died at the age of eight.  Florrie, who was to become my grandmother, was educated at Park Lane Church of England School, a lengthy round trip in the days before the school bus.  Whilst at the school and, no doubt, encouraged by her mother, Florrie became an accomplished needleworker and dressmaker. As such she gained an apprenticeship in a large London fashion store.  George and Emily were not keen on the idea so soon after the loss of their precious Rosie, so they proposed an alternative.

In 1903, they had built a general store in the grounds of the cottage (now the office building at the front of the cottage). Florrie was asked to manage the shop with her parents instead of moving away to London.  This she agreed to do thus making the Willshire family the proprietors of the first Minnis Bay Stores. Later, the Post Office established a sub-office on the premises and George became the first sub-postmaster. In 1913, Florrie married Harry Johnson, son of a local coastguard, and a qualified master baker.  He moved into the cottage and with George set about converting the property into the two adjoining premises we see in Minnis Road today.  Harry became joint owner of the business and established a bakery in the basement. With Emily's death in 1920 and because of his advancing chronic arthritis, George withdrew from the practical side of the business leaving it to Harry and Florrie Johnson.

The growth of Minnis Bay in the twenties and thirties increased the demand for shopping facilities and a parade of shops was built in Minnis Road.   George and Harry needed to expand their own business and a brand new store was built on land next to the cottage.  This new shop became known as ‘H.C. Johnson’ and is still the Post Office Stores to this day. Harry sold the business to his son-in-law, Laurie Gordine, my father, in 1946 and it remained in the family until his retirement in 1975.

George lived in the cottage with the Johnson family, now enlarged with the addition of his three granddaughters. Many of his activities had been curtailed by the crippling arthritis. He spent much of his time in the garden and sitting at the door of his shed perhaps thinking of the days and loved ones long gone. He did manage one last peal of the Parish Church bells for the wedding of his eldest granddaughter, Gwynneth, my mother, in 1939, just before the onset of War prohibited the ringing of church bells.

George Wiltshire died just before his 90th birthday in 1951 at Hill House, Minster. He is buried with Emily and Rosie in All Saints' churchyard, close by the west door of the church, where the bells peal just as they did when he and his brothers were young men.