Generation 10

Geoffrey Edwin Dyer SURL  - b 23rd Oct 1899 in Ferme Park, Hornsey, London, died 17th March 1959 in London

On 6th June 1931 married Bessie JONES b 10th Feb 1910 in London NW, died 13th April 1975 in Worthing, Sussex

Geoff had a very successful career in the Air Ministry in London and was awarded the MBE in the 1949 New Year's Honours (Flight Magazine, 6th Jan 1949)  but sadly he died (suddenly at his desk) before reaching retirement. During the early part of WW2, the family were evacuated to Bristol then Weston-super-Mare.

For well over 20 years Bessie was a lynchpin of the Beckwith family, not only regularly keeping in touch with the increasingly far-flung family but also, with Geoff, hosting the popular Christmas family get-togethers. Some 10 years after Geoff's death, Bessie moved from the long-time family home at 18 Barnard Hill, Muswell Hill, London N10 to Worthing in Sussex to where some of her old friends had already moved.

They had two children - Stephen and Christine - See 11-10.1 for details.

10.12

Arthur Lionel SURL - born 27th Jan 1902, died 11th July 1984

On 27th April 1935 married Frances Evelyn DEAN ('Evelyn'), born 28th Dec 1913, died 19th Sep 1983 - For more details see Dean Tree 3 Notes

Initially they settled in a new semi in East Finchley (which they named 'Allerford') then in 1938, after Arthur’s redundancy from his job in the City of London, they moved to 'Tewkesbury' in Aldenham, near Watford, a mock-Tudor detached house which they had designed themselves. Here Arthur initially worked as a partner in a landscape gardening firm but, after the outbreak of WW2, he resorted to jobbing gardening. Their only son Malcolm Greville was born December 1947, the 12 year gap after their marriage allegedly due to their having been given a dog ("Roddy") as a wedding present and their view that dogs and children didn't mix. Arthur continued as a gardener after the family move in 1955 to Cliftonville, Margate, but they both concentrated from 1957 onwards on running "Four Gables" as a very successful guest house thence from 1965 as self-catering apartments. Upon retirement in 1969 their final move was to a bungalow in Birchington, just west of Margate.

They had one son, Malcolm Greville - See 11-10.2

Generation 11

On 14th June 1958, married David RAYNER, also of Muswell Hill, b 20th Oct 1932

Before marriage, Christine was a secretary, a job to which she returned after the children had grown up. David spent his working life with Coutts Bank in the City of London. First family home was in Southgate, North London but in 1968 they moved to Lindfield in Sussex where they lived ever after. Christine was buried on 23rd Dec 2011.

Their four children are Colin, Paul, Gillian & Elizabeth - for details see 12-11.1 

On 24th August 1963, married Christine BISHOP of  Winchmore Hill, b 22nd Oct 1942, whom he met when they were both at the same school (Tollington).

Stephen became a teacher - and a very popular one too - initially in King's Lynn thence Spalding. Although showing dubious taste when young by supporting Tottenham Hotspur FC, his teenage years saw a transfer of allegiance to the gentleman's game ... to such an extent that when later playing soccer as a teacher, he was known to pick up the ball and score a try in the goalmouth. Always keen on keeping animals, this expanded in Spalding to keeping a variety of stock on a small-holding, including rare-breed cattle.

Their three children are Mark, Philip and Rachel - for details see 12-11.2

Offspring of Frances Evelyn Dean & Arthur Lionel Surl (10.12)

Brought up in Margate, he left school and Thanet in 1965 to work for London Transport as a clerk, moving to their computer department in 1967 where he stayed until 1985, specialising in railway signalling and photo-typesetting. Married Helene Marie OSSTYN on 23/09/1972 who had a Devonian mother, a Belgian father but was born in Morocco, brought up in France and  also worked for London Transport.  . After the 14-year task of re-furbishing their house in Pimlico and running it as bed-sit or student accommodation, the family moved in 1985 for education and health reasons to Luxulyan, Cornwall. Helen and Malcolm separated in 1992 and, following several spells of working in France, Helen finally moved there permanently in 2004. The marriage was dissolved on 14/02/13 and Helen died from cancer 3 years later.

Malcolm started a small computer business in 1986 ("LuxSoft") specialising in Amstrad equipment and he qualified as a Blue Badge tourist guide in 1996, both businesses still being run concurrently. He met Dawn Estelle VIVIAN on the tour guiding course and together they operated as ‘Cornish Riviera Guides’ in the context of the Du Maurier Festival of Arts & Literature and as 'A' Team Guides for cruise liner guide co-ordination work which now includes the Devon ports as well as the Cornish. In St Austell, Cornwall, on March 9th 2013, 16 years to the day after they first started going out together, Dawn became the 2nd Mrs Surl.

For details of Living son, see 12.11.11

Generation 12

Colin David Rayner - b 19th April 1960.

Unmarried.  Lives in Haywards Heath. Qualified as a Chartered Surveyor (ARICS) and now works in Billingshurst.

Paul Nigel Rayner - b 15th December 1961.

Unmarried. Lives in Haywards Heath. Works for a Car Hire firm at Gatwick Airport.

Gillian Claire Rayner - b 5th April 1964

Trained in Child Care.  After several jobs in play groups, including Play Group Supervisor now works as a Classroom Assistant in local school in Eastbourne.

On 11th July 1987, married in Mayfield, Sussex, Martin ONIONS, b 5th June 1963 

After training at Chichester Theological College, Martin was ordained on 27th June 1989.  Now Vicar of Willingdon, Eastbourne.  They have four boys:

Jamie Martin b 31st July 1988

Matthew Stuart b 16th November 1989

Dominic Timothy b 28 August 1992

Philip Aidan b 15th August 1994

Did her nursing training at Southampton General Hospital and now works in the Coronary Ward there as a Staff Nurse.

On 21st April 1990, married  Keith GRANT, b 23rd April 1960 .

They have three children:

George David b 28th June 1995

Rachel Louise b 4th February 1997

Ella Claire b 28th August 1999

Offspring of Christine Bishop and Stephen Surl (11.2)

Married Tracey H DAVIS in April 1992 and they have twins, Joe Samuel and Luke Edwin, b 1993. 

Married Claire L PRICE in June 2004 and they have two children, Jake Stephen b 2002 and Charlotte b2005. 

She and former husband Mark C PERRY have two children, Jack (b 1993) and Abigail (b 1995)

Educated at the Lycee Francais in London, DMC in Henley and Penrice school in St Austell.

He is single.