TEIGNMOUTH & SHALDON

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Leonetta Maud Owen Tucker née Arden was born circa 1889 in Adrian, Michigan, United States of America. She was the daughter of Edward Cooper Arden who was born in Madras, Tamil Nadu, India (1868-1941) and Sarah Arden née Foster who was born in Canada (1856-1929). Leonetta preferred to be addressed as Maud Owen-Tucker.

The Ardens are considered to be one of the three longest surviving families in England, Maud's grandfather held Longcroft Hall in Staffordshire, and her father held Finchley Manor, Middlesex (Bibsworth House) until 1905.

In 1901 Leonetta was living with her family at Liddelbank Mansion in Castleton, Roxburghshire, Scotland. Her parents and her siblings (Albert, Edward, Philip, Eustace, and Ethel, all born in North America) were present. The family had three servants living with them (one was a governess). 

Sladnor Park, Stokeinteignhead, home of the Arden family for many years.
Photo Maidencome Community Group

In 1911 the family was living at Sladnor Park, Stokeinteignhead. Maud, her parents, and her brothers, Albert and Edward, were present and the family had three servants living with them (a cook, a housemaid, and a between maid).

Leonetta Maud Arden married Arthur Owen Tucker at Sladnor Park in 1912Maud married Arthur Owen Tucker in 1912, he was born in Kensington, London and in 1911 had been working in Newton Abbot, Devon as a Bank Clerk whilst living there with his mother and sister.

Leonetta Maud Owen-Tucker with son Eustace, born in 1914

At the start of WW1 in 1914 their son Eustace Arden Owen-
Tucker was born. Post WW1, in 1920, their daughter Phyllis Leonetta Frances Owen-Tucker was born.

Both births were registered at Newton Abbot.

Maud was engaged with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) as a cook from October 1917 to April 1919. During that time she worked part-time at the VA Hospital, Newton Abbot, Devon for 972 hours. When she became engaged with VAD she gave Sladnor Park, Teignmouth as her permanent address.

Arthur Owen TuckerArthur Owen Tucker (1885 – 1943)

Leonetta’s husband Arthur had been a serving officer with the army engineers during WW1 and had returned from active service in Egypt with severe kidney damage.

Aged in her early thirties c1922, Leonetta and her husband Arthur and her two children, Eustace and Phyllis, emigrated to Tasmania, Australia. After having a kidney surgically removed in post-war London, it was envisioned that the Australian climate may better support Arthur’s health.

Passenger Vessel "S.S. Malwa". Photo C.G. Wightman. Ref 1418 ( CC-BY )

They sailed on the P and O Passenger Vessel “S.S.Malwa”. 

Their Tasmanian home was lost to a summer bushfire and as a result c1924 Leonetta’s family relocated to Northcliffe on the south coast of Western Australia.

Arthur had been put in charge of the Northcliffe “Group Settlement”, a poorly envisioned scheme aimed at attracting migrants for the UK to open up the SW of WA to agriculture in heavily timbered, temperate rain forest inhabited by some of the thickest bushland and largest trees in the world.

Maud, Arthur and dog parked in their Buick in front of a giant Karri tree base circa 1926 - Northcliffe, Nelson Lands Division, south coast of Western Australia.

Maud's son Eustace became a pilot in 1933, he gained his licence in a Gipsy Moth 85/100 H.P. at Surrey Flying Services and he enlisted for WW2 at Margaret River Western Australia, service number 300169.

Her daughter Phyllis married in 1942, her marriage was registered at Newton Abbott. Phyllis died in 1959 in Margaret River, Western Australia.

Maud's husband Arthur died on the 27th of August 1943, he had been living at Hotel Windemere Flat Cary-crescent Torquay.

Maud is recorded on the Australian Electoral rolls in Sussex, Forrest, Western Australia, Australia in 1963.

Leonetta Maud Owen Tucker preparing food on her enclosed back verandah at 161 Bussell Highway, Margaret River, Western Australia at the age of 91

Newton Hall VAD Hospital, Newton Abbot

Newton Hall VA Hospital was opened in 1914 and run by the St John's Ambulance Brigade. It began as a 40 bed hospital but was subsequently enlarged to about 100 beds.

Two Hours' Notice

"The St John Hospital at Newton Abbot received a sudden message that forty cases were coming direct from overseas and would be with them in two hours time. The hospital was not open to patients but the staff turned to, and within two hours forty beds were ready for the men."

The Story of British V.A.D. work in the Great War by Thekla Bowser

Photo taken at the Newton Abbot VA hospital (TBC) From the Teign Heritage Collection

The rail connection between Teignmouth and Newton Abbot in Devon existed during WW1.

As it is only  a 10 minute between the two towns so several of the Teignmouth and Shaldon VAD nurses and support workers worked at the Newton Abbot VAD hospital.

“2,560 patients have passed through the hospital, (1914-1919) but although many were very critical cases, only six deaths have occurred during the whole time, which is a remarkable tribute to the zealous care shown by the doctors and trained staff.

 

It was a first line hospital and received patients direct from overseas.”

Mid Devon Advertiser

The Newton Hall VAD Hospital was located on College Road, Newton Abbot, it closed in 1919 and was later demolished.

Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Cards

Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)

Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) Card. ©2018 British Red Cross (CC BY-NC 2.0 UK)