Stella Doris May Simpson

' Stella was born in Southend on sea 'to Beatrice Rose & Leonard James Simpson ( a local builder) Stella attended St Audreys college Thorpe Bay during the late 1920s then Clark's college in 1930s Southend. Became a pianist with great encouragement from her mother Mrs B R Simpson. Employed in the early war years at Senate house for the ministry of information. Was the personal secretary to a Colonel in 1940/41 The evenings were often spent dancing. ( 1939/40) whilst working in London, Stella played Piano as a guest with Bands in Hotel resident orchestras. This often meant returning to Thorpe bay on blacked out last train returning at night, on the LTS railway & many a blackout experience being relayed in the following days travel to the city & work breaks !

She met several of the then popular stars of radio broadcasts. Stella obtained quite a few autographs of the stars of the war time radio. Henry Hall with BBC dance band, Larry Adler of Harmonica fame & various lesser known or publicised stars of the war era. Collected many of the songs & music sheets popular at the time ( obviously for piano) Stella had a huge collection of Ray Noble,, Al Bowlly ( he died in a bomb strike at the time) recordings bought as gifts by Beatrice throughout the 1930s/40s .Latterly amassed a collection of every recording of Major Glenn Miller & his Orchestra. Mother ( Beatrice) often met her in the city to join her at the dances particularly on Friday evenings Family stayed in Devon at "Fair oak" temple street Sidmouth. Mid 1940 returning to Southend September 1941 Taught piano to many Southend children 1938/48. ' Married 1948 July 17th to Hugh Wallace( also a Simpson, pure coincidence!) They actually had known each others families since 1935 when Hugh & his mother Gladys moved to Thorpe bay.