There is a family story that Nancy Golding's grandparents originated from Yugoslavia, They moved to Belgium, then Ireland. During the potato famine of the 1800s and having had to eat their own horses to survive, they took a boat to Liverpool, then walked to Kent with their offspring. This story is not backed up by any of the documentary evidence.
Nancy Golding's parents were farm workers who lived in a farm cottage in Kent.
This is where Nancy was born. Her elder sister (actually her mother) was Martha Phoebe Golding, always known as Phoebe. Nancy’s first job was at a jam factory in Reigate, where she weighed out ingredients for Marrow Jam. Marrow jam was marketed as raspberry jam but was a cheaper version. It was actually marrow jam with a little added raspberry essence and grass seed instead of raspberry pips.
During the 2nd world war, Nancy registered at the Labour Exchange and took up work at the workhouse at St Anne’s, Redhill as a vegetable cook. She continued to work as a cook after the war, including at The Pantry, High Street, Reigate – in the late 1950s-mid 1960s.
Annie (Nancy) Golding
