John Bay 

John Bay

My Grandfather, 1908 - 1972

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John was born in Salford to John William Bay and Lilian Mary Sadler. His daughter, Mavis, said that he was a tiny baby and that the family did not have a cot so he slept in a drawer! He was the oldest of three children and had a brother, Leslie and a sister, Edna. The family lived at 6 Thornfield Street, Weaste, Salford.  

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As a young man John was a keen footballer and I am told that his nickname was 'Bonnie Johnnie'. John also loved musical theatre and would often tap dance round the house! 

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At age 22, John married Elsie Hurst at St Ambrose Church, Pendleton.  They had two daughters; the eldest, Mavis was born in 1932 and June, my mother, was born in 1939. John's daughter, Mavis, said that he was out of work for seven years during the Great Depression and that he would try to get work at Salford Docks but was unsuccessful as he was a short man.  At the time men went down to the Docks each day to see if they could get a day's work; it must have been terribly demoralizing. It was only with the outbreak of World War 2 that John started to receive a regular and reliable income.  

The 1939 Register showed John living alone at 12 Thornfield Street; he was a labourer and an A.R.P. Fire Warden. Elsie and the children had been evacuated to Mawdesley, near Southport. During World War 2 John served in the R.A.F., including a spell in Paris. This was a real adventure for someone who had never been abroad before!  

John had a variety of jobs including packer, labourer, caretaker etc. He and Elsie lived at 12 Thornfield Street all their married life, living just 3 doors along from John's parents. John died of cancer, aged 64.