(82) 'The Forgotten Existance Of Fluff Tuffs'

[Ken]

During my first day of reading my nephew Peters book, I came across many things that recalled forgotten memories. The more detailed census records in the book some people will understandably gloss over, however, they were of particular interest to a budding historian like me. (Can a sixty eight year old legitimately use the word budding?) So I thank Pete for the hard work and the time they must have taken to investigate.  I found there were many memories that the book triggered and I will begin by telling of a visit Jenny and I made to the town of Eye.  The year was 1979 and Jenny, five year old Kathryn, and I, were holidaying in nearby Norfolk.  So my one and only visit to Eye in Suffolk was sadly a one day affair.

Before you join me on my time machine trip to the Eye of 1979, It must travel even further back to the Wednesday lunch times of l962.  This was during the days of half day shop closing and during those mid day meals in our Hullmead home I had both my mum and dad to myself.  So I had the rare opportunity to not only hear stories of their early years but to also ask them some questions.  Until I read the census details in Pete's book, one aspect of those long ago conversations lay completely forgotten.  That was of my fathers fond recollections of his female cousin who he called Fluff and I can now recall laughing at such a ridiculous name as Fluff Tuffs.  During those treasured chats he would sometimes mention her and he told me that they lived next door to each other and played together, he also told me she was an illegitimate child of his aunt Emma.  

My father grew up with many relatives living in the Eye region and he was fortunate to have his paternal grandparents living next door.  The knowledge gleaned from Pete's book tells me that also living there was their 20 year old son John, and their daughter Emma, aged 27.  John and Emma were, of course, my dads Uncle and Aunt.  The way all this knowledge fused together was fascinating for, as I studied the details, the memory of Fluff Tuffs surfaced for the first time for decades.  I recalled dad telling me me of this cousin, who he described as being as close to him as a sister.  He also said she was the bastard daughter of one of the upper class.  The cad concerned had obviously decided not to do the decent thing and marry dads Aunt Emma, so the local gossip mongers had a field day.  My father also said he recalled the adults speaking of monies being made available for Fluff, so perhaps at least one of the guilty party's family had  a sense of duty and honour.

Both my father and Fluff were born in 1899 and the 1901 census shows a girl aged two living where Emma Tuffs lived in Cranley Hill, Eye, it also clearly shows the child real name was Violet. Recalling the affection my father clearly felt for this cousin this may be the reason my parents named their third child and my beloved sister, Violet. Thankfully, Fluff was a nickname, for had it not been, we may all have been sending our Christmas cards to the home of Fluff Wilcox.  Long after those chats of 1962, my time machine once again goes to 1979 and a conversation I had with my mother.  I had been speaking of my forthcoming holiday to Norfolk and, having said I would visit Eye, mum gave me the address of a cousin of dads she thought I should visit.  I'm so glad that I did.  

The days passed and it was not long before I found myself knocking on the door of a nice house in Eye, High Street, and I introduced myself to the old lady who lived there.  She confirmed she was a Tuffs and when I told her who I was, she excitedly invited us in and was very welcoming.  We talked at length about my father and enjoyed some tea together as she made a fuss of of a very young Kathryn.  She also took great delight in showing me some of her framed photographs.  She was the sweetest person with a lovely smile and I had every intention of keeping in touch.  But on my return to Guildford and my then busy life, I sadly failed to do so.

The years flash by and until the reading of Peters book I have hardly thought of that little old lady.  I had certainly not linked her with the name of Fluff Tuffs for that memory had also faded.  But in the week that followed my reading all the facts coalesced.  The old lady had confirmed she'd lived next door to my father so she could had to be the two year old Violet Tuffs of the 1901 census.  When  I thought back to our meeting I recalled she had looked about eighty years old and it dawned on me that she must be the Fluff Tuffs of my fathers stories.  For some reason this excited me and I rushed to tell Jenny how the jigsaw pieces were coming together.  I think it is likely that Violet 'Fluff' Tuffs never married for she still called herself Tuffs.  The house I visited was one of quality, so it is possible that the monies my dad said were made available for his cousin had continued as the years went by. It would also be nice to think that in time she came to know her father.  Ironically I am writing of these recently resurfaced memories on a Wednesday, more than fifty years after the Wednesdays of 1962.  They were special days when my parents were well and able to enjoy their uninterrupted chats with their youngest son and I learned of the existence of my fathers favourite cousin and childhood playmate, Violet Fluff Tuffs. The person my very own sister was named after!

.  

     

[Ken]

Memories often trigger other memories and recent events made me recall some long ago private conversations with my parents.  I suddenly recalled the pleasure my father had whenever he spoke of the above lady.  A Tuffs born out of wedlock when such events brought shame on all concerned.