Daniel Frederick BALL

Daniel Frederick Ball Ball Daniel F Death Cert 1951

Daniel was born in 1876.  Daniel's father was Charles Thomas BALL and his mother was Louise. He had two brothers named Thomas and Bill.  He died at the age of 75 on June 14th, 1951.

• General Notes

  Rodney Locks recollects:
  
  "Daniel was known to us all as ‘Darney Daddy’. I absolutely adored him. He was so kind and gentle and genuinely interested in us. He had a music studio in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, where he taught the violin and where I believe he met his wife – a student. He played in the London Philharmonic Orchestra at Queens Hall and concertmaster.
  
  Regrettably, I have no memory of my maternal grandmother who died in 1938, about 59 years of age and I have only one framed photograph of her holding me in her arms on the beach at Felpham, where my paternal grandfather had one of his homes.
  
  Although now aged 82, I still have vivid memories of Mother taking us to visit regularly Darney Daddy. It was a semi detached house fronting 58 Station Road with a small front garden and side alley way and there was a board up advising Painter and Decorator.
  
  It was close to The Doric Cinema (long since gone) and Chingford Station. Many of the old ‘High Streets’, main thoroughfares, were fronted with residential homes with small front gardens only to be either converted in shops, or be redeveloped to create parades. I will come back to this point later.
  
  
  The house was on two floors and the front two rooms which I recall were very Victorian with ornamental cornices and somewhat dark and with no electricity, relied on gas light. I was fascinated to see the gas mantles which had to be periodically changed and would crumble at a touch. The inner room, leading to the kitchen had a large dresser with drawers and a centre table with a dark heavy covering and when seasonal hyacinths in the centre. Diana can recall an oil lamp being lit.
  
  
  We would arrive to a very welcoming Darney Daddy and when sat at the table, we would wait for the drawers in the dresser to be opened to receive comics such as The Beano and Dandy (later on to get The Eagle) and of course, sweets.
  
  
  Within a 5 minute walk was a vast expanse of open recreational grounds known as The Chingford Plain (part of Epping Forest) and Fun Fares were frequently held and of course one of our special treats would be to be taken by our Grandfather to enjoy all that they had to offer.
  
  When we moved from Woodford to Loughton, I remember Darney Daddy walking from Chingford to see Mother, whilst Dad was at work. Dad would kindly pass onto him suits, and indeed to me when I started working.
  
  
  I still recall being taken to a tailor in High Road, Leytonstone (Killens) and being measured up for a suit to wear at my confirmation, and my embarrassment or say indignation, when the tailor wanted to measure my inside leg! It was a brown cloth and it did me proud!
  
  Enroute from Loughton to Chingford, we would pass Connaught Waters, a 10 acre lake where we could fish and subsequently hire rowing boats and this was one of our favourite treats from home. Close to the lakes is a Tudor building , Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge built for King Henry V111 in 1543 as a grandstand to watch the hunting of deer in Epping Forest.
  
  
  I recall stories of the infamous highwayman, Dick Turpin taking refuge in the lodge with his horse Black Bess. He also used a ‘cave’ at nearby High Beech to take refuge in and I would often show this hideout to visitors. He was hanged aged 33 on 7th April 1739 in York.
  
  
  Mother’s sister, Aunty Gaby, our second Mother and we all adored her, had a house for a while in Loughton, and Darney Daddy moved in during his later years. This is when I last saw him, and he was in bed, and he died shortly after I saw him on 14th June, 1951.
  
  
  I was thirteen at the time and my memory of my time with him when I just knew he was dying, will never fade. He looked so much at peace and blazoned across his lovely smiling face was the words of the 23rd Psalm. He gave his leather bound bible and it contained a lifelong commentary he made in its margins, and a most beautifully hand written study headed Propitiations. When he handed it to me, I just could not stop the tears running down my cheeks and some landed on the front cover of the bible which to this day have left their mark. I knew he was dying.
  
  
  He also gave me his treasured Violin.
  
  
  I have given the Bible to James following his confirmation and the Violin to Joanna in recognition of her great achievement in the nursing profession. Hill & Co, Violins, Violas and Cellos, 5 High Street, Welwyn, Hertfordshire, in February 1991 advised:
  
  
  ‘In our opinion this is a French violin labelled “Carrodus” and is in excellent condition. We consider it to have a current market value of £250.
  
  With the violin is a Silver-mounted bow by Charles Bazin with a current market value of £250.’ Hill & Co did some repairs on 15th December 1980 (£38.66) and their receipt and the valuation is with Joanna.
  
  
  I attended his funeral Darney Daddy’s funeral at The Old Church, Chingford, where he was buried and where his wife and other family members were also laid to rest.
  
  
  Returning to the earlier reference concerning houses and being made into shops, a quite extraordinary thing happened in my latter teens.
  
  
  On a Saturday night out, possibly dancing, I was without transport to get home from Wanstead and as was my custom, I thumbed a lift to be picked up by a delightful beefy young man and in conversation realised we both were musicians and he invited me to attend a music session at his friend's house in Chingford one Saturday evening.
  
  
  I duly took the invite up and only to find it was Darney Daddy’s old home 58 Station Road, with the front now with a plate glass window and used as a ladies dress shop.
  
  
  I walked down a side way and up an internal staircase to the first floor where a small grand piano was being beautifully played and some other musicians joining in. I heard for the first time It’s Magic and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, being played and both subsequently became my favourites and signature tunes. I must say I realised at the time just how coincidental this happened. Does it have an explanation?"
  

Details of Daniel's family with Alice Elizabeth JONES