Ada at Walsingham Lodge

The first picture show Ada Mackie standing in an arched doorway. Written on the back is "Walsingham Lodge, Chislehurst. During the War. 'Mum.'" The photographer must be her son Jack, more often behind the camera than in front of it. The fact that it says "during the war" highlights that the print was made some time later. That's also Ada standing in a doorway shading her eyes. I do not recognise the location and she is wearing a different dress. I think that is also Ada in the next picture, but it is difficult to be certain as her face is in shadows. Again, she is dressed differently and I cannot identify the location. I am guessing the ivy-covered building could be 'Walsingham' but cannot say for certain.

Walsingham Lodge - 1940s - part three

Another two carrying the same number on the back. The first picture is clearly Walsingham Lodge again. It is taken from a similar angle to the picture in the "part two" post, but some time later. A bough of the tree in front of the lodge has been cut back, but there is substantial new growth from the stump. Is the other building "Walsingham"?

Walsingham Lodge - 1940s - part two

These three pictures carry the same number on the back and so presumably they come from the same roll of film. They are also taken in practically identical weather conditions - light snow - so no doubt were taken in the same area at the same time. The portrait-style picture is clearly Walsingham Lodge, but seen this time from inside the grounds. The other two (which overlap and no doubt were intended to give some sort of panoramic view) were presumably taken nearby.

Walsingham Lodge - 1940s - part one

This is taken from the same angle as the recent photo in my previous post. The gates have gone, the ivy has been trimmed back and there is the conspicuous addition of a dormer window in the roof. Otherwise, little has changed.

Walsingham Lodge - history & recent photos

During WWII, Bert and Ada Mackie lived at Walsingham Lodge, Manor Park, Chislehurst. This address is shown on Bert's will dated 6th June 1943. They were living at Basildon Road, Abbey Wood (of which more later) before the war and returned there afterwards. It is very likely that they were at Walsingham Lodge in connection with Bert's work for the government. (His death certificate describes him as retired chief clerk with the Ministry of Supply.) Amongst the archives, I have an "On His Majesty's Service" envelope addressed to "Mr Mackie, I.M.T. Walsingham." It carries no postage, implying it was sent by some form of internal mail. It contains a number of passport-type photographs, some of which are stamped "Chief Inspector of Mechanization, Photographic Section, Chislehurst, 13 FEB 1941". The pictures are all head & shoulders portraits identified by surnames only in pencil on the back. I presume these were Bert's colleagues. (I wasn't intending to post these photos here as they are not actually of relatives and I imagine they will be of little interest. But if anybody would like to see them, let me know.)

Walsingham Lodge is still extant. Thanks to John Stiles for providing these two recent photos and also the following notes from Discover Chislehurst (D. Spurgeon, 2007):

'Walsingham' Manor Park. A 'Queen Anne' style house built c.1880 (architect - George Somers Leigh Clarke). Also part of property 'Walsingham Lodge' and 'Walsingham Cottage'.

Walsingham Cottage is to the right of Walsingham Lodge, but hidden behind hoardings at present owing to building work. Walsingham Lodge now has a dormer loft conversion in the roof.

Leo White - Further Internet References

Please check back on this section from time to time for updates

Here are some pictures of his grave. This also includes a picture of him without moustache.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8103797

The tombstone makes him older than other sources would have us believe, as it says he was born in 1873. [Update. I have seen his entry in the April 1930 census where his age is given as 47. This is consistent with the 1882 birth date quoted elsewhere.]

This website matches the dates given in imdb, but tells us he was born in Manchester
http://www.citwf.com/detailPerson.asp?personID=438091&sortOn=YEAR&sortBy=UP

http://www.screenrush.co.uk/personne/galerievignette_gen_cpersonne=184645&cmediafichier=18821062.html
Just three photos here and I have seen two of them before (in fact I have probably seen the other one, but it was not captioned with Leo's name).

http://www.historicphotoarchive.com/caps/00086.html
Leo White might be in this picture

http://www.lesgensducinema.com/entree.php
Enter Leo White in "Rechercher" box then click the icon next to the search result. Dates are same as for imdb but this source says he was born in Manchester.

Update 31 March 2008. A couple more pictures here
http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/H/HisNewJob1915.html
http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/N/NightOut1915.html
And possibly this one
http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/D/DevilsPasskey1920.html

Clips of him surface from time to time on Youtube. I won't give specific URLs as it would be practically impossible to keep the references up to date, but if you search Youtube for "Charlie Chaplin" plus the title of one of his Essanay films (See the BFI website referenced in an earlier post) you may find something. Currently there are some clips from "Police" in which Leo plays three parts. He appears as a fruit seller and flop house proprietor - and kicks Chaplin's backside in both roles. He also appears as one of the policemen but it is difficult to be sure which as he frequently performed in false beards and moustaches.

Uncle Leo, Blanche and Ethel

While watching old films on television, my dad would occasionally point out some minor character and announce "That's my uncle Leo". I presumed Uncle Leo must be connected in some way to Ethel McCann. But nothing I have found in the archives so far relates to anyone called Leo.

In particular, dad identified one of the three bearded avaitors in the Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera" as Leo. So I checked the internet movie database website and this identified Leo White as an aviator. I then followed the link to his imdb biography http://imdb.com/name/nm0925118/bio

This gives us the biographical details - born November 10, 1882 in Graudenz, West Prussia (now Germany), died September 20, 1948 in Glendale, California.

It also shows that his first wife was called Blanche White and they had two children. My sister remembers hearing that Ethel adopted the stage name Blanche White. So it now looks as if Peter and Jack were Leo's children and Bob/Bobo was Ethel's second husband/"significant other". Blanche's imdb entry is here http://imdb.com/name/nm0924527/ (Note. This blog was primarily set up for sharing genealogical information. "Ethel McCann" is generally used as an index label rather than "Blanche White".)

I have updated my tree in GenesReunited, but of course there is always the possibility that Leo White is a stage name.

I also made an image search for Leo White. These are links to stills from Charlie Chaplin movies on the BFI website.
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_thumb.php?fid=59446&resource=Stills
Stills from "A Night Out"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_thumb.php?fid=59403&resource=Stills
Still from "The Champion"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_large.php?fid=59426&enlargement=bfi-00n-hqf.jpg
Still from "A Jitney Elopement"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_large.php?fid=58582&enlargement=bfi-00m-z7y.jpg
Still from "Work"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_large.php?fid=58393&enlargement=bfi-00n-j49.jpg
Still from "A Woman"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_large.php?fid=59395&enlargement=essanay_section1.jpg
Cast of "The Bank"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_large.php?fid=59401&enlargement=bfi-00n-jbv.jpg
Still from "Charlie Chaplin's Burlesque on Carmen"
http://chaplin.bfi.org.uk/resources/bfi/filmog/film_thumb.php?fid=59450&resource=Stills
Stills from "Police". Leo played one of the policemen
There are others if you look for them.

The false moustache gets in the way, but does anybody else think there is a family resemblance between Leo, Peter and Jack?

Here are some biographical links, but internet searches reveal often contradictory information. More is to follow.

Wikipedia has an entry for him http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_White (dates match those given in IMDB)

Answers.com tells he was born in 1880, has him dying one day later than is stated in most other sorces and refers to "his native England" http://www.answers.com/topic/leo-white?cat=entertainment [Update. The answers.com link is a secondary source. Data is actually drawn from the All Movie Guide http://www.allmovie.com ]


Did Leo and Ethel meet and marry in the States, or did they know each other in England?