Jean Marion Katharine Dufty 1936

Hello.  My name is Jean Dufty.  I was born in London on 30.12.1936, just over the county border from our home in Ryecroft Road, Upper Norwood, Croydon, Surrey (postal address Streatham, London SW16).

My full name is Jean Marion Katharine Dufty.

My father was Noel Evelyn Dufty, born 25.12.1877, in the village of Tuxford, Nottinghamshire.

My Mother was Lucy Kathleen Dinah, known by her second name, Kathleen.  Her maiden name was Fagan.  They married in Upper Norwood in February 1934 (15th I think).  As you will gather Dad married late in life.  He was married before, to Beatrix or Beatrice.  I don’t know the date of the marriage but I rather think Dad was in his late forties or early fifties then.  There were no children.  Beatrix died in hospital following I think appendicitis.

My brother John Evelyn Dufty was born on 1.9.1934.  In 1965 or 1966 he emigrated to Australia, where sadly he died in June 1968.  He was not married and did not have any children.

I had a very happy childhood (despite there being a war on).  I attended Westford Private Junior School, West Norwood from about age 4 to 9 and Rockmount Junior School, Upper Norwood for about 2.5 years, Croydon High School in Wellesley Road, Croydon, 1948 to 1956 (including a third year in the Sixth form), and Nottingham University, gaining a B.Sc. in Mathematics, including a 2-year course in Statistics, in 1959.  After a post-graduate year I taught Mathematics for five years in Lincoln.

For the rest of my working life, i.e. the next 31 years, I worked as a computer programme, mainly in medical research.

I always wanted to get married and have a family but never met Mr Right (perhaps I was too fussy, I would not marry unless or until I found someone really, really special to me and I to him, and I would certainly rather be unmarried than unhappily married), but if I had done I would not have had the career in computing, which I loved, especially the middle job, the longest one, in medical research with the Royal College of General Practitioners.  Gaining this post in December 1968 took me to the area of England where I now live.

My hobbies are Gilbert and Sullivan (watching, studying, enjoying – not performing unfortunately, as those of you who have heard me sing know that I cannot!), cricket (I played at school, club and University, and have watched first class cricket with three different Counties, since 1949 or 1950), my County Wildlife Trust (mainly Committee work), fund-raising for Cancer Research UK, and Opera North.  I belong to my local (Anglican) Church.  It is very active.

Any information on my family would be welcome at jean.mkdufty at btopenworld.com.  link to email removed to avoid spam