A memory from Maria Da Asceusao Jose and Joaquin C. Jose M.B.E.

Based on a interview with Steven Gregory and Patricia Hammond

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Maria and Joaquin 1957

Maria Da Asceusao was born in Lisbon in 1930 on 28^th January. She arrived in London on 26^th October 1952. At 22 years old she was earning £2 6d working in a private house where her sister also worked looking after a baby. She stayed there for two years. Maria and her sister left in 1954 and went to stay for a short time with friends in Banstead in Essex.

She went to work at 3 Cumberland Gardens, engaged by Mrs Hoby, Stella’s aunt, who lived there at the time. Mrs Pearce, Stella’s mother was also living there at the time. Stella and Eric were away lecturing in America. Maria was to live there for three and a half years.

Eric wrote for The Times, The Manchester Gardian & New York Times.

 

Whilst living at Stella & Eric’s home she started courting with Joaquin Jose, a young man also from Portugal. They were married in 1957. Eric Newton gave her away as her family were not able to come over from Portugal. The reception was at Cumberland Gardens. After the wedding, Eric asked Maria where she and Joaquin were going to spend their wedding night. She told them they could not afford to go away. He gave her a bottle of Champagne and the address of a Hotel in Brighton where he had booked them a hotel room. When they arrived there was a large vase of beautiful flowers.

Mrs Hoby later died in a Hospice in Putney.

In the drawing room on the ground floor there was a piano. When Eric was leaving in the morning he would go and say good-bye to ‘Georgiana. Who would then come down and play the piano.

 

From the Hall, down the stairs, was the dinning room, and at the rear a kitchen.

On the first floor were the bedrooms of Mr & Mrs Newton, on the garden side, Mrs Pearce in the large bedroom at the front, and Maria in the small bedroom over the Hall. She does not remember a third floor, this must have been added later.

There was also the Bathroom.

Stella and Eric liked to have their breakfast in bed. Maria would take it to them. Maria was in charge of the cooking and was given free range with the only instruction from Stella “give us something we have not had before”.

Other ladies came in to do the cleaning and also sewing jobs.

When there was any machine sewing Maria would be asked to do this.

They also made their own wine in the cellar. This annual event involved anyone they could get to help.

They believed in Natural remedies. Whenever they had an illness they would not take drugs like aspirins but would drink fruit juices and Liquafruita. Stella would dispense yeast tablets from a large bottle to everyone at the dinner table.

Mrs Pearce was buried in Highgate.

Eric died from a stroke in 1965. It happened in Fleet Street. (I have heard at his desk SG)

Eric Newton, Maria, Joachim, Stella & Georgiana.

The wedding breakfast at Cumberland Gardens in 1957. Eric Newton is on the extreme left of the photograph. You can see the piano in the foreground on the left.

Maria & Joachim with her bridesmaid in front of the fireplace.