Harvey Austin
Harvey Austin.
born
9th January 1931 in Audley Staffordshire.
died
on Sunday 26 th January 2025 in Leighton Hospital Crewe.
married.
14 th February 1953 in St Johns Church Goldenhill.
Mavis Caton
born 13th June 1936 in Goldenhill.
died 23rd February 2023
Harvey Austin
Harvey was the only son of Leonard and Nellie and was born in ,Victoria Place but known as The Craft, Miles Green. Harvey then moved to Corbit Place, Black Lane in Miles green. The family apparently moved to a house just opposite to where they lived in Corbit Place - BUT only stayed for one night before moving back. The reason being Leonard did not like it; They finally moved to 10 Church Street which is part of the William White building in Audley. He had an elder sister, Betty but after his father Leonard died young at the age of 43, Nellie got remarried to Thomas Stubbs who had three daughters by a previous marriage to Elsie Jennings which ended in divorce. His daughters were :- Valda, Melinda May and Shiela .
Harvey had a happy childhood with the family finaly moving to Audley and Harvey going to School in Miles Green. Then in 1949 Harvey was called up to do National Service and on Thursday 5th May 1949 he left home in high spirits after saying goodbye to his family and mates. He caught an early train at Stoke station and after a 5 hour train ride he arrived at Richmond and was transferred by lorry to Catterick. to do his 18 month stint in the army. After 6 weeks basic training, he was transferred to Iserlohn in Germany and became a tank driver in the 10th Royal Hussars.
Soon after leaving the army Harvey met his wife to be Mavis Caton and they got married in February 1953, where they moved to Alsager and after living in lodgings for a while they got a house of their own. This was to be the home for the rest of his life and the place his three sons all grew up in. Harvey bought and rode a motorbike and side car. At first Harvey worked at Radway Green but after a short while he got a job as a brick layer. A job that he did for the rest of his life. He went self employed and gained a reputation as a hard working and very skilled brickie. Harvey never really exploited this for money but in the end was never out of work. A lot of houses and buildings in Alsager can be seen as the work of my dad.
The marriage to Mavis Caton at first went well and they were happy enough but they eventally ended up divorced in the seventies and Harvey was left to bring up his three sons alone. Harvey had several girl friends after the divorce but stuck with Margorie for a long time and then after she died he was with Lilly and spent many days at the sheltered accomadation named Denis Round where he was very popular and well liked and both of these women lived.
Harvey was an unassuming man. Very well liked by all who knew him his humour was infectious and as a father and grandfather he was loved dearly.