Gladys Mary Raymond.

Simon's grandmother. His mother's mother.

Gladys Mary Raymond was born 1889 in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England. Her Christening was on 18th March 1889 at St Mary's Church, Kidderminster. After the Second World War, Gladys moved and settled in the Union of South Africa where she died in Pinelands, Cape Town 1975.

Gladys met her husband, Thomas William Johnson on the 30th August 1908

Gladys and Thomas got married November 1912 and celebrated their honeymoon at the Queen's Royal Hotel, New Brighton where she bought this post card as a keepsake.

Gladys had two daughters Joan and Mary. The photo above is of Gladys and her first daughter Joan born 1914.

Gladys, Thomas and Joan.

The little orange hand. Simon's grandmother was fond of telling him as a child, that the little hand is all that survived after the great war had decimated the family fortune. Simon never learnt when or how the pinky and index finger got broken off.

After the Second World War, Gladys and her husband, Thomas left England to live in Germiston, Union of South Africa.

Gladys with her five grandchildren. From left, Christopher, Peter, Gladys, Jonathan, Jeremy and Simon. Photo taken at 8 Peter Crescent, Bloemfontein circa 1960.

As of 2023 all in this photo have passed on saving Christopher and Simon.

Gladys with her youngest grandchild, Simon on the beach at Hamburg.