Bert was the 4th child and 3rd son of Charles Frederick Swindlehurst and Margaret Smalley. He was born in Preston on 30th November 1898. He attended St Thomas' Elementary School until the age of 12 and then joined The GPO as a telegraph lad (the required first rung on a ladder which could lead ultimately to being Post-Master General!). As a boy, he joined the Scouts when the organisation was first formed, as a member of a troop at Walton-le-Dale. Other members of this troop included his older brother Tom, and 2 boys (Walter Hutchinson and William Atkinson) who later became his brothers-in-law - Walter marrying Edith's sister Doris, and Bert himself marrying Edith. These boys were very keen members of the Scouts and took their opportunities seriously - they particularly took to signalling (morse and semaphore) and on the outbreak of war all of them became regimental signallers with the Loyal North Lancs (and all survived the carnage!). Bert was wounded twice, one bullet in his left thigh and a shrapnel wound, and Tom lost an eye. Walter was also wounded in the left thigh, quite severely, and was not returned to France. Bill was untouched. Bert also served with the Manchester Regiment. He was a marksman, a required standard for promotion as a signaller (where shooting a messenger pigeon on the wing if it didn't start off in the right direction was vital). As a result he was promoted frequently, and, as frequently, demoted for transgressions.

With his undoubted talents, and the opportunity afforded by the GPO, Bert could easily have risen to commanding heights but chose to volunteer in August 1914, even though he was not yet 16 (he gave his age as 18). He was told that he would not be guaranteed his job back, but volunteered anyway. On his release in 1919, he was refused re-entry to the GPO and apparently was given some sort of unofficial apprenticeship as a tailor by cousins from the Middlebrook family, who owned a number of shops in Preston. He progressed at this and, with his mother's help and support, had opened his own business as a Gentlemens' outfitters at the time of his marriage to Edith.

Bert's family:

His maternal great-grandfather William Swindlehurst (b 1821, d 24-06-1891 Preston) living at 218 North Road, Preston, married Ellen Bond, living at 220 North Road, Preston, great-grandmother, and had children:

1. Mary Ann (b. 1841) - nothing known definitely, although possibly married a Dean, and had issue
   • Louise
   • Alfred
   • Joseph
   • another son
2. Daughter - not known for certain, but believed to have married a Joy and emigrated to the USA. Had 2 sons -
   • Tom
   • William
3. Jim (b. 1844) - nothing known currently for certain (may have lived in Manchester) but he is believed to have emigrated to New Zealand, some time in the 1860s.
4. John Bond (b. 1846) - nothing known currently for certain (apparently worked as a clogger in North Road, Preston), but he is also believed to have emigrated to New Zealand, some time in the 1860s.
5. Jane Bond (b. 1849, died 14-7-1928) - did not marry. She remained with her sister Elizabeth and helped to raise Elizabeth's illegitimate son Charles Frederick.
6. Kate (b. ?) - probably married a Ward and lived in the St George's Road area of Preston
7. Elizabeth (b. 21-07-1851 Preston, d. 09-08-1939 Preston) - grandmother - see below. The family at that time was living at No 6, Clark Yard, Preston. This was an alley off Church Gate (now Church Street), opposite the Parish Church and 50 metres to the east. It is clearly shown on (for example) Myers' map of 1836.

His grandfather (identity unknown) impregnated grandmother Elizabeth, out of wedlock, in 1871. Their son Charles Frederick (known as Fred at the time, but referred to as Charles Frederick by later generations in ironic recognition of his pretensions), was born in Preston on 17-11-1871. He was brought up by Elizabeth, believing her to be his aunt and referring to her as "Aunt Lib" (he was told that his mother was dead) and her sister Jane. He may have been a decent well-behaved child, but the truth of his birth (and illegitimacy) was eventually revealed to him and he degenerated into a drunken wastrel.

He married Margaret (Peggy) Smalley (he must still have been a reasonable prospect as a husband at the time, because Peggy was clearly no fool) and there were 6 children of the union, before eventually Peggy threw him out.

1. Mabel
2. Frederick William
3. Thomas
4. Bertram
5. Margaret
6. Helen

Their details are below. They lived variously at 95 and 240 Lancaster Road, and 191 and 209 North Road. Peggy divorced him six weeks after Nellie was born. He went to live in Longridge with his mother and Aunt Jane. Apparently he had had a good education (whatever that means) and was a master harness-maker. As a young man he had been a good writer and 'a gentleman'. His mother had owned property in Preston (one wonders how she got it - the unknown father perhaps) but over time this was sold off to provide him with money, which he squandered. They lived in a terraced stone-built cottage in King St, owned by Robert (Bob) Prince, and the rent was paid by Thomas (Tom) Swindlehurst, his son. (Bob Prince was a Preston-born and based millionaire, having started out selling newspapers at 14). Once divorced Peggy would not accept a separation allowance (one imagines that it would never have been paid anyway) and brought up the 6 children through her own endeavours. Peggy died in 1932, at 286, Garstang Road, Preston. Charles Frederick died in the workhouse at Sharoe Green Hospital in 1945. His funeral was paid for by his sons Bert and Tom.

Bert's siblings:

1. Mabel born Preston 1892. Married Fred Nightingale from Manchester and had 6 children:
   • Fred. Married Sylvia (?) and had one son, who attended Preston Grammar School, eventually becoming Town Clerk of Nottingham.
   • Mabel. Married Walter Fletcher, a jeweller and (later) an insurance salesman.
     • Stephanie
   • Clifford. Married Ellen (Nellie) Thompson from Plungington Rd. They had 4 children
     • Dolores
     • Keith
     • Sandra
     • Sheila
     Clifford was an electrician on HMS Exeter, and was taken prisoner when the ship was sunk by the Japanese. He was a PoW for years, his family knowing nothing of his fate. After the war he had an electrician's shop in Plungington Rd, but lived at Barton.
   • Ellen (also known as Edith!). Married
     • (1) Alan Green (son of a solicitor) both young. Children Judith and Edward. Lived in Shaftesbury Avenue, Penwortham. Alan was in RAF during WW2 and left Ellen for a WREN officer. Ellen divorced him.
     • (2) Elderley man from Shaftesbury Avenue - she nursed him until his early death, when she inherited his house etc.
     • ? Rawcliffe. They had 1 daughter. He eventually gassed himself.
     • ? Eastham
   • John. Married ? And had a son Malcolm.
   • Joyce. Unmarried(?).
2. Frederick - died at 15 (probably from peritonitis)
3. Thomas - married Mabel Clark. After service in WW1 (losing an eye in Palestine) Tom opened Preston's first "wireless" shop, having acquired appropriate knowledge in the army. The shop, at 112, Lancaster Rd, generated a huge income and over time Tom became a wealthy man. At the same time, Mabel ran her own sweet shop in Lord St (their original marital home and earlier a wardrobe shop), and subsequently the Grosvenor Cafe at 259 Garstang Road, to which they moved their home. This shop was a bakery in which Mabel and her sister Emily (Emmy) made their own pastries etc to supply the cafe. Tom's problems multiplied (fast women, slow horses and non-stop whisky) and he eventually lost everything and ended his life working as an early-morning milkman. They had one son, Neville, who married late in life and died childless.
4. Margaret (Peggy). Married Fred Oldfield from Halifax. They had 2 children:
   • Dorothy - married Herbert (Bert) Rowe and had 3 children
     • Susan
     • Martin
     • Christopher
   • Thomas (Tom) - married Margaret (Peggy) and had 3 children
     • Michael
     • Nicholas
     • Richard
5. Ellen. Known variously as Ellen, Helen, Nell(y) and Hélène. Clearly inherited her grandmother's wilfullness and obstinacy. She was set up in business as "Boutique Hélène" by her mother but was not particularly successful, through lack of attention. She was courted by Bob Prince (a well-known Preston millionaire), but refused his offer of marriage. Closed the shop and got a good position as secretary to Professor Joad (of the BBC's Brains Trust) but was sacked for arguing with him. Returned to Preston. Took on the job of executor of her mother's will, collected all the money which her mother left (quite a considerable sum) and instead of sharing it with her siblings, as required by the will, took off to the USA and spent the lot on high living. Broke again, she returned to Preston and expected the family to keep her. When this didn't happen, she was forced to support herself and took a training course as a chiropodist. In the event it appears that she never actually worked at this. She subsequently found work as a counter assistant in a town centre bakery. She eventually latched onto a widow with some small means (having told her some sob story about her ungrateful family) and lived with her, completely free of charge, for the rest of her life.

Bert's Mother's family:

Grandmother and grandfather Smalley lived variously (or perhaps simultaneously!) at Walton-le-Dale, in a chip shop in Church St and/or a North Road wardrobe shop. They had 6 children:

1. Minnie. Married a Jemson, lived at 34 Fishwick View (or maybe 134). They had 1 daughter who married Leonard Cartlidge - he was a commercial traveller and she had the wardrobe shop in North Road.
2. Martha. Married John Kinloch (an engineer) and had 3 children:
   • Molly. Died unmarried and childless in 1938, about 38 years old.
   • Helen. Died unmarried and childless about 1969 or 70.
   • Marjorie (spelling?). Married John Miller (of Miller's taxis). Had 3 children (2 boys, the girl married a Bannister.
3. Margaret. Bert's mother.
4. Louie (presumably Louise!). Married Alfred Dean and had one son also Alfred, who married Audrey?
5. James. Nothing known.
6. Seth. Emigrated to America. Nothing known.

The above John Kinloch died 1945 aged 77. Martha Kinloch died 1957 aged 81. Helen Kinloch died 1969 aged about 72. Lily Gregson died 30th November 1974 aged 84. These all buried in Broughton Churchyard.

Bert's and Edith's children:

1. Geoffrey Maurice (see here for a brief History of his life)
2. Stanley Noel
3. Jean Margaret
4. David Michael
5. Edith Jennifer