The Parents
South Woodford - Leslie - Highams Park - Epping
While living in Onslow Gardens, South Woodford during the war, De La Rue asked John James Harper to move to Leslie in Fife to manage the Stathendry Mill factory that was printing banknotes and manufacturing Onoto fountain pens. He later became General Manager of the Halex factory in Highams Park, London, E4 manufacturing plastic household goods, toothbrushes and table tennis balls
John James Harper "Jack"
"Jack" Harper was Works Manager of De La Rue Plastics Ltd., Walthamstow factory on Walthamstow Avenue along side the North Circular Road (A406) before moving to Scotland as General Manager of De La Rue, Strathendry Mill, Leslie, Fife.
He was very good at sport, playing cricket, boxing and an amateur footballer playing for Leytonstone and England Amateurs. While playing for Leytonstone, they won the Isthmian League in 1937-38 and 1938-39.
During the war he was a warden in the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) and there was an underground air raid shelter in the back garden in Onslow Gardens, South Woodford, E18
He introduced the Canasta card game (a De La Rue product) in Leslie which became extremely popular, he was a good golfer and a fantastic father but sadly died from a heart attack while playing golf when he was only 59 years old.
Marjorie Violet Harper "MarJ"
Marjorie Violet Harper "Marj" was married to "Jack" and they had two children, Michael and Gillian while living in South Woodford. She went to West Ham Municipal Secondry School and worked for the Stationers' Company in London. After moving to Epping, she worked as an Almoner in St Margaret's Hospital in Epping.
"Nana" was a very capable person, a loving mother and grandmother who lived to the ripe old age of 96.