THE HERMON FAMILY

A HISTORY OF THE HERMONS FROM BERKSHIRE UK

This photo was probably taken in a studio in Reading when she was about 25 years old. She was at this time either in domestic service or dressmaking, which was her profession as detailed on her marriage certificate in 1934.

This website is dedicated to the Hermon family. They were my mother`s family. She was born Margery May Hermon in 1905 at 21 Blenheim Gardens, Reading, Berkshire, UK. She was the second youngest of six children. Her elder brothers were, Frederick, Ronald and Ernest. Her older sister was Dorothy and her younger one was Irene. Her father, Frederick Hermon, died when she was very young and her mother died when she was about four years old. Margery and Irene may have spent two years in the Reading Workhouse, which is now the Battle Hospital, before they were fostered by the Montague family at Burghfield.

This is her eldest brother, Frederick, who was born in 1893. He was killed in France in the First World War, at the age of 20. He was Lance Corporal Frederick Hermon of the 5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment. He died on the 30th November 1917. Unfortunately his grave was among those, which the Grave Services were unable to trace after the war. He is commemorated by name, on Panel 8 of the Cambrai Memorial. His death came at the start of the German counter offensive, after the Allied offensive that began on November 20th. This was the first battle where tanks were used, and resulted in causualties of 45,000 Allied, and some 50,000 German combatants.

This is Frederick pictured with his father who was also called Frederick. In those days in was perfectly normal for both boys and girls to be dressed in the same sort of clothes, but I think Fred would have passed for a girl very easily. He sent many letters home to his sister Dorothy, telling stories of the terrible conditions endured by the soldiers in the trenches. Unfortunately these were lost some years later.

Margery is pictured here on the left with younger sister Irene, on the right and Margaret Dredge in the middle. The two sisters spent their childhoods together, firstly at Blenheim Gardens, then at the workhouse,and finally at their foster parents home in Burghfield. The house had recently been renovated when they moved there, presumably so the Montagues could accomodate their extended family, which included their own children and the foster children which included margery`s `honorary` sister Margaret Dredge.

Margery`s mother was Annie Maria Hermon formerly (Mortimer). She was born in 1871 and her parents were Isaac and Mary. She married Frederick Hermon in 1892 at the Register Office in Reading and they had six children before her husband died. She was then married to Jack Haines, who we believe was a relative of her former mother-in-law. She died in 1910 of consumption at the isolation hospital at Peppard and was buried at the Victoria Road Cemetery at Caversham. This is the only photo that Margery ever had of her mother.

Margery`s grandfather was John Hermon, born in 1842 at 1, Bartholomew St, Newbury, Berkshire, to Charles and Anne Hermon (formerly Fullbrook). This was not only the family home but also their place of business where charles and his brother Henry made riding boots for the gentry. John married Anne Haines in 1863 and they had eleven children. After taking over the business from his father he drank away the profits and had to move to Reading. His children always knew if he`d been drinking or not by the way he came along the road home from work. If he walked he was sober, if he was trotting, he was drunk, as trotting was the only way he could keep in a straight line. His children were Daisy, Albert Arthur, Ernest, Florence Gertrude, Edgar, Sarah, Laura, Charles, Edith Emily,Anne and Frederick (Margery`s father).
Margery's great grandfather was Charles Hermon who was born in 1811, he had a brother Henry born in 1813 and a sister Elizabeth born in 1816. Both Charles and Henry were master bootmakers at their premises at 1, Bartholemew Street, Newbury. Charles married Anne Fullbrook in 1835.
Charles' father (Margery's great great grandfather) was John Hermon who married Sarah Silk. She came from a village called East Ilsley, North of Newbury, they were married in the village church and their three children were were baptised there.

This is Margery's brother Ronald. He is pictured here with the many trophies that he won for boxing whilst serving in the merchant navy. When he left the services he married Margaret and lived in Southport. They had no children and remained there until he died sometime in the 1980's.

This is Margery's brother Earnest. He is pictured here in the Royal Navy during his training aboard what we believe was the training ship The Royalist. After leaving the navy he lived in Reading where he married and had 6 daughters and a son called Ronald. he is believed to have died in about 1966.

This is Margery's elder sister Dorothy or Dolly as she was known. She lived in Reading and had 5 children, Audrey, Doreen, Ken, Molly and Douglas. She was only in her mid thirties when her husband died and although she fell on hard times, her eldest daughter Audrey said that she had the most loving upbringing that was possible. Audrey is at present living in the Basingstoke area and is 82 years old.

Pictured below is a group of unknown Hermons, taken possibly at a wedding. We believe the woman in the middle at the back to be Annie Hermon.

I am interested in hearing from you if you are a Hermon, or if you have any information regarding the family. Please e-mail me!

graham.day7@ntlworld.com