I start with the memories of my cousin Doris who was born in Norwich but who emigrated to the USA after the war. Doris adopted the Mormon faith and went to live in Utah. I enjoyed putting this piece on my personal website as it gave an insight into the city of Norwich and her home thousands of miles away.
I had the pleasure in August 2010 of travelling to Utah to meet many of the family members. The American line is due to the emigration of the Durrant family from Norwich.
Doris Durrant (nee Steward) was my second cousin and lived in Provo, Utah, until her death in December 2011 at the age of 91. She was born and brought up in Norwich and as a young girl attended both the Calvert Street Methodist Church and the Mormon Church in Park Lane.
Doris admits that of the two she enjoyed the Mormon Church the most and that had far reaching repercussions for the rest of her life. The church in Park Lane has an interesting history. A tiny brick built chapel it was designed by Augustus Scott and built at the expense of James Spillings who was editor of the Eastern Daily Press newspaper. This brings another co-incidence as I worked as a journalist on the EDP for many years.
Spillings was a follower of Emmanuel Swedenborg, the 18th century Swedish theological philosopher, who had a considerable following in Norwich which eventually declined and, within 20 years, the chapel was sold to the Mormons who worshipped there until moving to a larger building in Eaton. Today the building is a private house, but the current owner hires it out for concerts and other events.
Doris married Cyril in Norwich and set off for the USA on the US vessel Washington in 1948. A list of passengers shows that Doris and Cyril who were aged 28 and 30 travelled with their daughter Christine who was one and Cyril's mother Emma who was 61.
Their point of entry was New York and the remainder of the journey to Utah was taken by train.
In 1961 Doris wrote her own life story up to that point and I reproduce it below with the permission of her children. It gives an insight into the Mormon religion.
Doris Steward - My Own Life Story
My name is Doris Evelyne Steward. I was born 5 February 1920 at my grandparents' home (my mother's parents) where my parents lived in the early part of their marriage, in Norwich, Norfolk, England.
My father's name is Arthur William Steward. He was born 28 December 1893 in Norwich, Norfolk, England. His father's name was Arthur Steward, and he also was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. His mother's maiden name was Eliza Rosy Kelf,
My mother's maiden name was Alice Harriet Tuttle. She was born 18 January 1893 in Norwich, Norfolk, England. Her father's name was Frederick Tuttle and her mother's maiden name was Jeanette Elizabeth Fountain.
I was a convert to the church, so I was not blessed in our LDS (Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints) Church, but was christened in the Methodist church.
When we were very little girls, my two little sisters and I started Sunday School at the Methodist Church close by our home. It was held in the afternoon. We also attended evening services. At this time, my grandfather, Frederick Tuttle, was superintendent of the Sunday School of the little branch in Norwich, of the LDS Church. As soon as my sisters and I were big enough to walk there, a lady who lived close by and who was a Latter-Day Saint, started to take us to Sunday School. It must have been two or three miles each way and a very long way for us to walk. We called the lady Auntie Mabel, and I recall that every few minutes we would say, "Are we half way there yet, Auntie Mabel?" As I have mentioned, my grandfather was Sunday school superintendent, and I was very proud of him and enjoyed immensely attending Sunday school (there in the morning and Methodist Sunday School in the afternoon). As I grew older, I began to realise there was a great difference in the two Sunday Schools I was attending. After much thought, study and prayer, I became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
I was eighteen years old and was baptised on the 17 December 1938 in our little chapel in the Norwich Branch in the British Mission. I was baptised by a missionary by the name of Francis Patterson and was confirmed by my grandfather, Frederick Tuttle. What a wonderfully happy day that was.
There were very few members of the Church in Norwich and I wanted everyone to know that I had become a member of the true church. I wanted them all to be as happy as I was. Of course, I knew there would be much criticism. People had many strange ideas and beliefs of our church and could not understand my joining the Mormon Church. At that time, I was working mostly with ladies much older than myself. I was very shy. I did not talk of my religion as I felt I had so much to learn and understand. I knew I would be asked many questions. When a lady who I worked with learned I was a Latter-Day Saint, she could hardly believe it. I recall so well how she bounded into the room and said, in a very loud voice, "are you a Mormon?" It seemed as though you could hear a pin drop as everyone turned to me. I told her I was, and she was truly astounded and said she didn't know how I dared. She told how when she was a little girl, her mother threatened them that the Mormons would take them away if they were naughty. She said even then, and at this time she was middle aged, she wouldn't dare walk by our chapel for fear someone would pull her in. In time, I was able to convince her that it was not like that and our church was very special and wonderful.
Here's one very happy experience I had.
Another lady who worked with us, who belonged to the Salvation Army, said to me one Monday morning, "I came by your chapel last night and the congregation were singing. It was such a beautiful hymn that I had to stop until they had finished singing. That hymn was "Oh My Father," a hymn that has always been very special to me. This lady was a very quiet person, conversing with us very little. She was very staunch in her own religion. But she had stopped outside our little chapel to listen to our hymn and had told me of the pleasure it had given her. I was filled with joy and gratitude. There was so much criticism that this little instance was very uplifting and encouraging.
When I was in my early twenties, I was conscripted into the service, it being war time. I was in the A.T.S. which was attached to the British Army. I did my training in Leicester, then moved on to Derby. There were about five hundred girls in our platoon. We lived in a huge old building, which had once been an orphanage. I was the only Latter-Day Saint there. We worked in an ordinance depot and worked long, hard hours. I had never been away from home before and was very homesick. One great blessing, we never had to work on a Sunday and were free to attend the church of our choice. Both in Leicester and Derby, I met wonderful saints. I will never forget their kindness to me. Nor will I ever forget the wonderful spirit in those little branches. It was a great comfort to me then and is still an inspiration to me now.
During this time, I was writing to Cyril John Durrant. He was a member of our Latter-Day Saints Church and of our little branch in Norwich. He was in the Medical Corps of the British Army at this time. We had been out together when he was stationed fairly close to home and before I went into the services. Now we were writing to each other often. In fact, John (since going into the Army, he was called by his second name) wrote to me every day. By this time, he was overseas, stationed in many places, amongst which were Ceylon, Iraq, India, etc. After about nine months of service, I was released, as I had developed rheumatoid arthritis. This had settled in one foot and I had great difficulty walking for quite a while. After returning home, and with warmth, rest and care, the trouble gradually cleared up and I was able to work. I had a nice job in a large audit office, which I enjoyed immensely.
In 1945, John came home from overseas. He arrived in Norwich on V.E. Day. We started wedding arrangements at once, and were married in our little Norwich branch by our Branch President, Brother Alfred Woodhouse, the following week, just nine days after John's return, on the 17 May 1945. After his leave, John had to return to his unit, but this time in England. I lived with his mother whilst he was away. Finally he had his release from the Army and returned home. The city of Norwich had been badly bombed and many, many homes were destroyed. Young people getting married lived with relatives, as no houses were available. Names of those needing homes were put on enormous lists at the City Hall.
So it took years to get a house. We, however, were more fortunate. My grandfather owned some houses and, when some tenants moved out, he offered us a nice little house and helped us paint it. It was a great joy to us to move into our own little home and greater joy when our first little daughter was born on 7 February 1947. We named her Christine Dianne.
In October of that same year, we knew there would soon be another baby. We had planned on coming to America at some future date, and now decided we should go soon and while I could still travel. So many arrangements had to be made. Our furniture etc., all of which we had had such a little time, had to be sold. Finally all arrangements where made and we moved into my parents' home to stay until our departure for America. They were happy yet sad weeks in my parents' home. It was a happy home and lovely being with my parents. Sad, because we knew we soon would be leaving them.
We left Norwich the 12 February 1948 by train with our family and friends to see us off. We went to Southampton and onto the boat the S.S. Washington. Everything on the boat was very nice, comfortable rooms and good food, little of which I could enjoy. I was very glad when we reached New York on the 21st of February. John had enjoyed the voyage immensely, also his mother, who had come with us, and of course baby Christine, just past her first birthday, had a happy time wherever she was. We journeyed by train from New York to Salt Lake. The journey had been very tiring for me, but I felt much better on the train. A crowd of friends were at Salt Lake to meet us and took us to one of their homes where we had a wonderful meal and visit with old friends, some of whom had preceded us to America. Some had known us in our little branch of the Church in Norwich.
Then we came with friends to Orem. We lived with Delo and Alta Rowley. We had met Delo whilst he was in the American Service in England. He had been an ardent worker in our little branch. He and his wife were wonderful to us. They then had one little son, Keith. They insisted on John and I and Christine living with them until our baby was born. John's mother was living in Springville taking care of her elderly Aunt and Uncle, who also had come from England many years before.
John worked on a church, building for a while, then onto Firmages in Provo. On 28 May 1948, our little daughter was born and we named her Marilyn Joy. We had been to the Salt Lake Temple, so she was born under the covenant. What a wonderful experience that was, to be sealed to each other for time and all eternity and to have our baby daughter, Christine, sealed to us.
When Christine was 16 months old and our new baby two weeks, we moved to Provo into the home where, at this time, 9 October 1961, we are still living.
On 18 May 1950, our third little daughter was born. We named her Jo-Anne.
In May of 1951, John changed his work from Firmages, where he worked in the shoe department, to Geneva Steel Plant.
Early May of 1954, I took my three little girls home to England to see our family. What an experience this was, travelling with three small children. By train from Provo to New York, then by boat, and again, train. Our family met us in London, and we went the rest of the way to Norwich by car. We stayed until September, and it was wonderful to be with my family again. Again that long trip across the ocean. Then train and at long last back to Provo with John. His mother and a group of dear friends were there to welcome us at the train depot. It was good to be home again in America.
In 1957, 13 April, our little son was born, John Marvin, and what a joy it was to us. Our girls, Christine, Marilyn and Jo-Anne were so delighted. Indeed we were a very grateful and happy family.
So we continued on, happy with our family and in our church. I have enjoyed and still do, working in the Relief Society as organist, teachers' topic leader, etc. and still as a visiting teacher and visiting teacher supervisor.
Soon after coming to America, I received my Patriarchal Blessing. It was given me by Patriarch Amos Newlove Merrill on the 26 September 1948 in Provo, Utah. It was a wonderfully inspirational experience to me and has always continued to inspire and give me joy.
Christine and Marilyn are now both in junior high school, attend and love MIA, also, Sunday School and Sacrament meetings. Jo-Anne is in her last year of elementary school and Primary, attends other meetings and loves them. Little John loves his Sunday School and Primary. How grateful we are for the Gospel, for the Priesthood in our home and all of our Heavenly Father's blessings.
The following obituary appeared in Utah following Doris' death:
Doris Evelyne Steward Durrant, age 91, of Provo, passed away December 8, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 15, 2011 at the Bonneville 13th Ward Chapel, 1498 East 800 South, Provo. Friends may call at the Berg Mortuary of Provo, 185 East Center, Wednesday evening from 6 until 8 and at the church Thursday one hour prior to services. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.
Doris obituary also appeared in the local newspaper in the following format:
Doris Evelyne Steward Durrant
1920-2011
Doris was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England on February 5, 1920 and raised with two sisters, Elsie and Marjorie. She completed her education in Norwich. During World War II she served in the British Army. She joined the LDS Church during her teen years and enjoyed playing the pump organ during services.
She married C. John Durrant on May 17, 1945 in England. They relocated to America and were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1948. She resided in Provo until the time of her death.
Doris was blessed with four children - Christine Hamilton (Ron) of Logan, Utah, Marilyn Mortensen (Jay) of Springville, Utah; Jo Anne Christensen of Orem, Utah and John M Durrant of Orem, Utah.
Throughout her life she enjoyed family and friends, playing the piano and reading. She was always active in the LDS Church and loved to serve.
She is survived by her children, one sister, Elsie Shailer, 18 grandchildren and 50 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister and her husband.