Harry Hemming moved to Tanworth Boot Store in the 1930s. He was married to Catherine from Ullenhall. He took over Catherine’s father’s blacksmith business and ran it from the garage and shed beside the Boot Store. Catherine’s mother known as ‘Granny Clayton’ lived 2 or 3 houses from from the Boot Store.
During the war years, Maud Hemming and her family lived in what was then a cottage at the bottom of Tom Hill (pictured left)
Harry and Catherine had a son Aubrey and 2 daughters Maud and Josephine. They also lost a baby boy.
Harry’s wife Catherine died of meningitis when she was 42 years old when Josephine was 2, Maud was 11 and Aubrey was 18. Harry never re-married and in later years had a Housekeeper.
Harry died in his home of 60 years in the mid 1980s aged 90.
Both Harry and Catherine are buried in the churchyard near to the little gate that does down to the lane.
Some photos of the Hemming family are shown below which were kindly sent in by Catherine James who is the granddaughter of Harry and Catherine Hemming.