Joseph "Harris" Solomon later known as Joseph "Henry" Raymond

The following piece appears courtesy of Raymond family history researcher and highly skilled genealogist Vanessa Hannington:

Joseph H (Horace / Harris / Harry / Henry) Solomon later Raymond, circa 1911. Picture courtesy of Nick and Nina Klein.

An alternative picture of the young Joseph 'Harris' Solomon  circa 1911, aged about 30. A similar picture of greater clarity  is view above. Two of his families both had a slightly different version of what appears to be the same picture for all these years, not knowing of the existence of the other alternative photograph. Each portraits gives a different character aspect of the man.

"...I never knew my Grandfather Joseph but of course can tell you what he was like from what my Mum has told me.

He was very clever,knew a lot about a lot of things.He was as you know an Antique dealer but also knew a lot about herbalism and my Mum can remember him making up Beachams type pills and smelling salts and selling them door to door where he would then pick up the odd antique along the way.He was a great story teller and a bit of a joker too.He was kind and gentle but his was the final word,the children would not have dared talk back to him and had to behave correctly but he spent alot of time with the family.Unusually for the time he would do certain things in the kitchen like making faggots,bubble and squeak and large bowls of finely chopped salad which he called 'Russian Salad'

22 Meeting House Lane, Central brighton, Joseph 'Harris' Raymond's home and business circa 1918, and birthplace of his third daughter, the second by his wife Mary Agnes (Nee Hirst), Blanche Mary Dorothy Raymond, later Blanche Klein, wife of Max.

He liked to tinker with cars and they always had a car.

He would take in any stray animals,loved dogs and also had cats and even a goat at one time.At various times he had Bull terriers ,Alsations,a Bull Mastiff and an Airedale.

Wilton House on Landsdown Road, Cheltenham, home of Joseph Raymond  and his family between 1937 and 1939. Francis O Raymond was born at this house.At one stage A moat ran around the house. Vanessa's mum Doris' bedroom was situated at the corner, 2^nd floor of windows. The windows on both sides were in her room (one is obscured by the tree).

He would help anyone out,often people would knock on the door asking for food or begging for money ,he would find a small job around the shops or house fro them to do and then would either give them food or pay them for their work.He was well respected by fellow business men.

Joseph 'Harry' Raymond in later years, circa late 1940's.

He never married my Grandmother (Elsie Knight) although the children were unaware of this till after his death.There was a large age gap between them 27 years.They had 10 children but they are Barbara, Evelyn Doris (known as Doris-my Mum),James known as Jim, Ronald known as Ron (no longer alive),Celia (no longer alive),Pamela known as Pam,Francis (boy ,died at 6 months),Juliet Victoria known as Vicky,Jaqueline known as Jackie and Paul (died 3 months).

They moved a lot,Isle of Wight ,Brighton ,Southsea and nearby areas like Emsworth ,Chichester and Fareham later Ipswich and Bedford and Kingston then a long spell at Cheltenham, then they moved back to Portsmouth and surrounding areas where they stayed till his death.

He was a massive figure head in the family and still is."

Vanessa Hannington wrote about Richmond Buildings online in 2009...

"...I have just found out from the Kellys directory that my grandfather lived at No. 8 Richmond Buildings in 1930. He was a furniture dealer (probably second hand) and would have lived there with my grandmother, Elsie, and their two young daughters and possibly their son who would have been a baby at the time. I don't expect there is anyone reading this who would remember him. The photos and stories are fascinating, it sounds like it was a great place..."

By Vanessa Hannington (20/07/2009)

Richmond buildings, Brighton during the 1930's. The block of houses and shops was situated off the present-day Richmond Parade.  The street was condemned in 1958.

 It was the home and work premises of Joseph Harris Solomon during the 1930;s, and also the address of his parents James and Harriet Solomon (nee Harwood / Horwood) up to 1924 when Harriet died in February, at 250 Elm Grove – the Brighton Workhouse.

 James had died two years previously in January 1922 of .Arteris Sclerosis and Gangrene of both feet, while Harriet perished from Sarcoma of the Antrium  and Cardiac Failure.