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Park Lane, Wembley. It was a very wet day on June 2nd 1926 The wedding took place at St John’s Anglican Church, in Wembley. The Reverend J.W.P, Sylvester, (father of Victor Sylvester the well-known dance bandleader), conducted the ceremony. Arthur Moore the Bridegroom’s brother in law was the best man. Her father gave her away. Constance’s father was well known as the oldest playing member of the Wembley cricket club. Little Dorothy Pass was the trainbearer and performed her duties in a fascinating manner. She wore a silver dress that matched the bride’s train, worked with lilies of the valley. A silver crown adorned her head! In a later chapter “Dorothy’s Story” Dorothy tells of her own life in Wembley. Marion, the bride’s sister was the chief bridesmaid and the groom’s sister; Muriel Wakeling was a bridesmaid. Horace and Victor (Harold) Comben acted as groom’s men.

Even though the weather was dreadful the church was full to overflowing. Over one hundred and fifty guests attended the reception at Dagmar House. After the celebrations the couple left by car for their honeymoon in Devon, the bride wore her white fox fur, a wedding present from the groom.

After the honeymoon the couple set up home in a semi-detached house in Park Lane. The house had been a gift from Eric’s father, William Henry Wakeling. It was at this time that Connie Everette joined the couple as a personnel maid.

Connie’s family lived in Wembley; she had two brothers and a sister. The brothers worked as delivery boys for the shop in Wembley owned by the Pass family. Sarah Pass suggested that Connie should take up service as personnel maid with Eric and Con Wakeling. Connie accepted the advice and held the position for nearly seventy years.

In May 1928 Constance had a baby daughter,     Pamela Mavis. Nurse Barr joined the staff as Nanny to Pamela and shared her room. It was now obvious the semi-detached house was far too small for the growing family and a move was made to the luxury Spanish style, modern, detached house. The house in East Lane, Wembley, was called, ‘Villa d’Este’. William Henry Wakeling had built the new house for his son Eric it was here in 1933 that Pamela’s brother, Rodney was born.

Motor bike racing had become a very popular sport at that time. Bike racing was held at the Wembley Stadium and this in turn brought great numbers of supporters to the area for the races. The supporters usually took a route along East Lane. And many had motor bikes of their own! The noise and inconvenience upset the family and a decision was made to look elsewhere for another house. In a quieter area.

Eventually they found their ideal home in Elms Road, Harrow Weald. The Paddocks had almost three acres of ground with a further nine acres adjoining the property. This nine acres was purchased by the company for use in the future but in the meantimes Eric would manage it and have the use of the area. This further acreage included a wood and an old horse pond. Mr. Wakeling modernised the house, extended the sunroom, and added a further bedroom and bathroom.

Wood panelling was put in the hall and landing, and the whole house was painted white on the outside. A rose garden and vistas were prepared and the family moved in later that year. Constance Wakeling, Pamela’s mother, suffered from agoraphobia and would never go out alone. When she did venture out it was usually in a car. Pamela and myself have felt that Eric’s father designed and built “Villa s’Este” as a wedding gift to Eric and Constance but it had not been suitable. The Paddocks was purchased with what Eric obtained from the sale of the Wembley house . The extension and modifications

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