My own branch of the Pye Family?
Mainly thanks to my youngest sister Linda, We have managed to trace back to a Stephen Pye baptised at St Giles Cripplegate London on 12th Oct 1760. We have him recorded as the son of Stephen and Susannah Pye but there the trail goes cold! In 1785 Stephen Jnr. married Augusta Garelia Van Astricht at St Matthews Bethnal Green. From the mid 1700's most of the line appear to have been tailors in London's East End!
Eric, my father, was the youngest of 7 and grew up surrounded by dogs and horses. He had a passion for both for the rest of his life. He was apprenticed as a locksmith at the age of 14. at Chowns in Crouch End North London. Shopwork, even in an ironmongers was poorly paid in the 1930's and soon after marrying my mother, Dad went to work for London Transport as a tram conductor. When the Trolleybuses replaced them in 1937 he became a driver.
In WW2 he served with REME in the now legendary 79th Armoured Division -"Hobarts Funnies" Landing in Normandy on D Day+2. he rose to the rank of WO 2. Returning to civilian life he was invited to return to the shop by Mr Chown, becoming the manager when taken over by Timothy Whites. He then resumed a career in ironmongery, retiring in 1975 as a director of Allgoods the architectural ironmongers. He died in 1996 just after he and Mother celebrated their Diamond Wedding.
Present Insignia with Original in background