Lizzie Watts
Her life, her family and her war
Published on 31. October 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-913460-44-0 (ISBN)
Description
This is the story of Lizzie Watts, born in humble circumstances in Chertsey, Surrey, spanning the period from the 1860's into the 1920's. It is also the tale of four sons and a son-in-law, who fought in World War 1. Three were wounded, one was evacuated after Gallipoli, one experienced the greatest single explosion in WW1, two were sunk at sea by separate U-boat attacks and two were awarded gallantry medals but they returned to news of a fatal accident to their father just months before the end of the war. Lizzie's life as a suddenly bereaved widow had to carry on for the sake of her younger children still at home.
Alongside Lizzie's story, local and national events are described including: Thomas Coram foundlings; Queen Victoria's jubilee; conscription; rationing; women's contributions to the war effort; perilous rescues at sea; the first female Town Crier in the country. And who knew that school children were encouraged to collect conkers to aid the war effort, or that families were able to post a single egg to soldiers at the front in France? Significantly, Lizzie lived to see one of her precious dreams fulfilled - to vote as a woman in a general election.
Comprehensively illustrated with over 150 pictures, postcards, news cuttings and advertisements of the day, this is the tale of an assertive, stoical, resilient and loving woman, who believed in women's strengths and also their rights, but who was also devoted to her family through all their experiences, tragedies and triumphs.
Alongside Lizzie's story, local and national events are described including: Thomas Coram foundlings; Queen Victoria's jubilee; conscription; rationing; women's contributions to the war effort; perilous rescues at sea; the first female Town Crier in the country. And who knew that school children were encouraged to collect conkers to aid the war effort, or that families were able to post a single egg to soldiers at the front in France? Significantly, Lizzie lived to see one of her precious dreams fulfilled - to vote as a woman in a general election.
Comprehensively illustrated with over 150 pictures, postcards, news cuttings and advertisements of the day, this is the tale of an assertive, stoical, resilient and loving woman, who believed in women's strengths and also their rights, but who was also devoted to her family through all their experiences, tragedies and triumphs.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Gloucester
United Kingdom
Illustrations
165 colour and mono photographs and illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
491 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-913460-44-0 (9781913460440)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Phil Watts grew up in the small town of Chertsey in Surrey. After graduating from Cambridge University, he spent his career working as a teacher, an educational psychologist and educational services leader, working on behalf of children particularly those with additional needs and disabilities. In addition, he established an IT software company and an organisational development consultancy. He is the co-author of several professional textbooks.
Following his retirement, he began his interest in family history, recently publishing his new book, based on his detailed research about the life and times his Great Grandmother Lizzie Watts. He is working on a further book about other individual ancestors from his family tree, who are varied figures and characters of interest in their own times.
He is a passionate amateur cook, a keen bridge player, and has continuing interests in music, comedy, classic cars and children's futures. Until the onset of Covid-19 he and his wife were avid travellers around all parts of the globe. In addition, a previous highlight of their year was their annual 'pilgrimage' to the Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival. Over many years, he and his wife have amassed a collection of over 1,500 cheap-and-cheerful vintage cruets, as well as old postcards, some of which feature in his recent book 'Lizzie Watts'.
Following his retirement, he began his interest in family history, recently publishing his new book, based on his detailed research about the life and times his Great Grandmother Lizzie Watts. He is working on a further book about other individual ancestors from his family tree, who are varied figures and characters of interest in their own times.
He is a passionate amateur cook, a keen bridge player, and has continuing interests in music, comedy, classic cars and children's futures. Until the onset of Covid-19 he and his wife were avid travellers around all parts of the globe. In addition, a previous highlight of their year was their annual 'pilgrimage' to the Edinburgh Fringe Comedy Festival. Over many years, he and his wife have amassed a collection of over 1,500 cheap-and-cheerful vintage cruets, as well as old postcards, some of which feature in his recent book 'Lizzie Watts'.