Records relating to Mary Ann Egan, the Warner family and to J. F. Smart

Mary Ann Egan, popularly known as Polly, was the grandmother of Miss F. Warner, the depositor of this collection. Polly was born at sea in February 1850, whilst her parents were emigrating from Ireland to escape the Potato Famine. Her mother died and upon arrival at Liverpool Polly was taken to Birmingham, to live with an aunt in Edgbaston. Polly's father John Egan continued his journey onto America and contact was lost. Polly lived until 1930.

Polly was brought up as a Roman Catholic. She trained as a dressmaker and worked as a seamstress serving households in Edgbaston. In 1872 Polly married Thomas Warner, an engine tool maker journeyman (died 1916). Thomas became a Roman Catholic after the marriage and they lived at 20 Summerfield Crescent, later moving to 31 Monument Road. They had one daughter who died in infancy and four sons: Arthur John (1873-c.1906), Frederick Thomas (1877-1953), Austin (1884 - ? 'died young') and Leo Dunstan (1893 - 1956).

Leo was the depositor's father. He attended St Pillip's R.C. Grammar School where he studied shorthand & typing and the Spanish language. Leo worked at Wolseley Motors in the Experimental Shop. In 1915 Leo married Louisa Bushell, who had grown up in Ladywood. They honeymooned in Bewdley and began married life in rented accommodation in Ladywood, but they quickly moved to lodge with Louisa's sister in Ladypool Road, Sparkhill. Their son was born here in 1916 and they soon moved to 57 Finnemore Road in the Ideal Village, Little Bromwich (built by the Ideal Benefit Society). Leo contracted T.B. and was sent to Clows Top in Shropshire to recuperate. He was declared unfit for military service. In the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918/1919 the entire family was affected but all survived. Leo became a technical secretary to the manager at Wolseley, which later became part of Morris Motors.

Miss F. Warner (the depositor) was born in 1926, not long after her brother had passed to attend St Phillip's Grammar School. Miss Warner initially attended Bordesley Green School, later transferring to a new Catholic School in Lyttelton Road, Stechford [now Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School]. At age 11, she attended St Anne's Convent School in Bordesley. This school was evacuated during World War Two, but Miss Warner remained in Birmingham and attended St Agnes Convent School in Erdington for a short time. She and her mother moved to Wilmcote and later to a rented house in the Clee Hills (later returning to Wilmcote) whilst Leo Warner remained in Birmingham on war work at Morris Motors. The family home in Finnemore Road was damaged by bombing and the family never returned there.

Miss Warner trained as a dressmaker at 'Sally', Needless Alley, Birmingham. She later became a library assistant at Stratford upon Avon Library. In 1945 she transferred to Solihull Libraries when the family moved to Acocks Green. In 1956 they moved to 134 Marcot Road, near the Sheldon / Solihull boundary. Leo Warner died shortly after this, from a recurrence of T.B. His wife Louisa died in 1974 in Hollymoor Hospital.

Miss Warner left the Library Service and became a Housing Welfare Visitor with Birmingham Housing Department. She worked on re-housing people from slum clearance areas, transfers to the New Towns and hostels for the Homeless. A further career change saw Miss Warner become an Instructor of Mentally Handicapped Adults. She retired in 1986.

Information based on notes included at MS 1645/28