Observations regarding W.J.Dibdin's family

Peggy and Mrs Midd.

Apart from William and Marian and their children there were others involved in the family household. Notably, Peggy who subsequently became Rex's housekeeper and Mrs Middleton often referred to as Nan and later Mrs Midd.

It seems that Mrs Midd was brought in as a companion to the children of the family, from Derbyshire, but there is little mention of her from that time, however she must have left at some time and married Norman Middleton who spent most of his live as a merchant sailor. They had one son called Mac who married Marjorie and had a daughter called Frances. Mrs Midd's role within the family did not stop when she left and there are stories relating as to how she acted as the wise owl for two generations. She and her husband lived in a basement flat in (under) Victoria Street and must have been there since 1928 as they used to refer to the consequences of the great 1928 flood when the sewerage backed up into the flat and half way up the walls.  Being in such a central position in London, next to Victoria Station, she was in an excellent calling point for whole family and obviously was always available to them.
She was a source of support for her generation and advice for the next. Joan Dibdin was obviously grateful to her for friendship and support during the war years and after, and kept in close contact right up until the time she died in the 1960's.   

The whole family is very clannish, all keeping in touch pretty regularly although scattered over the face of the earth. They were all intensely interested in each other’s doings – often to the point of interference – but on whole were not very interested in other people. All the family geese are swans, no matter what the evidence to the contrary, and the fact that they don’t all succeed brilliantly is put down to circumstances outside their control or other people’s machinations. They are largely given to "Big Ideas" and rather wild cat schemes and, as they so often have very little practical ability or plain, old fashioned common sense, the results have sometimes been disastrous. They are basically very concerned, so that the kindness doesn’t get through. They all seem to have very high ideals, both personally and intellectually. Although there have been some really fierce family rows over the years I never remember any petty spite or malice. All are strong individualists: none of them, I’m sure, has ever been "one of the gang". [78]

This Clannish nature of the Dibdins was never apparent to youngsters in the family  as they were part of it in one respect. Joan Dibdin who because of her parents untimely death became dependent on the family rebelled and  grew up on the one hand rejecting the "guidance of all these Aunts" and yet totally convinced that elders know best. She later appreciated the love and support from all the relatives. [79]