Jot by Derek
My father's
elder brother Jot was a widower, whose first wife, Olive Mather, was the sister
of Ernest Mather. After Olive died Ernest married Constance Holt. . In 1935 Jot, age 60 became enamoured of a woman called
Helen Bridger, a divorced woman of 35. My father could not accept this.
In September
1936 Cecil and Audrey were getting
married and the wedding took place in Broughton Church. It went off alright. I
was an usher. Pam was there with John. They were to marry a year later in the Savoy
Chapel in London and I was John's best
man. However Helen Bridger put on airs and tried to act as hostess at the
Grange – a position which was obviously my mother’s. Father (Robert) was very
angry at her behaviour, which embarrassed Alfred Gardner father of the bride. It
was a grand affair with a marquee on the lawn. I was an usher, John was best
man. In the evening there was a dinner dance at the King’s Head in Lincoln. I
was told that at a dinner party she drank too much and told people that Jot was
impotent.
Thenceforth
Father would not attend any family function at which Bridger was present and
Jot could only come to our house if he came alone. I believe they got married
at Gretna Green in 1947. When Jot died in 1959 the Grange was up for sale. John
Holt made an offer but Bridger accepted a lesser bid. She looked after Jot in
his old age but she was not a pleasant woman.