Leonard Michael Raynor
23 May 1919 to 29 May 1997
Leonard Michael Raynor, known as "Len", was born on the 23 May 1919 at 3 Ellerslie Terrace, Gosforth, Cumberland. The youngest of 6 children, his eldest sibling was 21 years old when Len was born.
When his birth was registered, Len's name was given just as Leonard Raynor. His middle name Michael was added at some point later and appeared on both marriage certificates and his death certificate.
Len's father, Thomas, died on the 30 November 1930 when Len was 11 years old.
On the 21 December 1930, Len took First Communion at St Mary's, Cleator, Cumberland.
Len married Abigail Morgan on the 31 October 1945 at the Parish Church, New Bury, Farnworth, Lancashire. The wedding was witnessed by Richard Graham and Edith Lily Bramhall. When he got married Len's occupation was listed as H.M. Forces. He was serving in the Borders Regiment. Both Len and Abigail were living at 21 Grayson Road, Little Hulton, Lancashire when they married.
The marriage certificate shows Len as being 33 when in fact he was only 26! It also shows Abigail's age as 28 however they were married on her 29th birthday.
When their daughter K Raynor was born, Len and Abigail were staying at 21 Grayson Road, Little Hulton, Lancashire, even though Len gave his home address when he registered K's birth the following day as 3 Ellerslie Terrace, Gosforth, Cumberland.
Len had been working for Egremont Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd for some time and on the 16 September 1949, Len received a letter informing him that he had been appointed as the Branch Manager for the Beckermet store. Len started the new job the following day and his salary became £6.9s.6d per week, equivalent to about £153.14 in 2005 based on the Retail Price Index.
Abigail died on the 11 May 1955 at 8 The Crescent, Egremont, Cumberland, the long term home for Len. At the time Len was a grocery manager for the Co-operative Stores.
Len met his second wife Pauline Elizabeth Doherty at work and they married on the 20 October 1962 at St Mary's Catholic Church, Egremont. Len was still living at 8 The Crescent, Egremont and working as a grocery manager for the Co-operative Stores.
On the 11 July 1963, Len bought a Hotpoint washer on hire purchase. This made the family "dead posh" according to mum. The washing machine cost £65.2s [2005=£912.56] and the HP charge was £5.17s.2d [2005=£82.12]. Len paid a deposit of £6.11s [2005=£91.82] followed by weekly payments of 12s.6d [2005=£8.76] from 20 July 1963.
When daughter K Raynor married, Len was working as a shop buyer.
Pauline died at home at 8 The Crescent, Egremont on the 20 October 1978. Len was now working as a cloth inspector at a textile works.
Len was living at 16 Woodbank, Egremont on the 29 May 1997 when he died. Len was buried at Egremont Cemetery with Abigail.