Daily archives: October 2, 2025

The story of two Sawley families, lots of aunts, and the largest airborne battle in history.  Lily Marsden was born in Melton Mowbray in 1894, but was brought up by her aunt, Eliza Jane Dawson (nee Marsden) in Sawley.  They’d moved to East End after her husband William Dawson started working as a platelayer on the Midland Railway.  They later moved to 3 Town Street. In 1917 Lily married a Frederick Hill and moved to Nottingham with him, but their son Frederick William Hill seems to have lived with the Dawsons in Town Street.  Lily may have moved back to Sawley too, but she died in 1922. In 1939 Frederick (Fred) was still living with the Dawsons, but when war broke out he volunteered for the Army and was drafted to the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) as a driver.   Whilst on leave in 1940 he married Marjorie Bennett. Arthur Bennett was born 1889 in Buxton.  His father, Philip Bennett, was from the Forest of Dean, but had moved to North Derbyshire while working as a signalman for the Midland Railway.   Soon after Arthur was born the family moved to New Tythe Street, Long Eaton.  Philip was probably working in […]