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Samuel Pullen

Born: 22nd April 1891
Died: 19th May 1971

(As advised by Ivan)

Samuel was the son of William James Pullen and Emily Maria Pullen neé Hunt and the brother of Alice Pullen, Edwin Pullen, Emily Elizabeth Pullen, Ernest Pullen, Francis George Pullen, Frederick Pullen, George Pullen, Henry Pullen, Herbert Pullen, Mary Pullen, Robert Pullen, Rose Pullen, William Pullen.

Samuel spent all of his early life in Ruby Street, Peckham. He 'joined up' when World War One came around, and must have joined a horse regiment because as well as being taught to read and write, he also learnt how to make boots and saddles.

In the interim, he married Marguerite Sarah Ives on 1st August 1915 in Camberwell , and just over a year later came the birth of their first son Samuel George Pullen, the birth of the twins Francis William Pullen and Frederick John Pullen following on 29th September 1918.

After the war Samuel went to India, and again was involved with horses judging by a number of the photos that we have. He was forced to leave the army and join the ranks of the unemployed after Geddes Axe. He managed to get a job building, and was apparently involved in a number of notable buildings including the science museum. Being something of a little bloke, he had to prove his worth, but eventually succeeded and became a ganger, or a team leader.

The Second World War arrived and Samuel more than likely went to France with the British Expeditionary Force. He took part in the Dunkirk landings with his son Frank and was brought back home on the Destroyer Ivanhoe (this is where Ivan got his name). He spent the rest of the war in the Pioneer Corps building gun emplacements around the coast.

After the war, Samuel and Marguerite moved to Feltham and probably worked in the F.E.M.E depot. When his wife died, he moved to Lewisham with his son Sam and the rest of the family until returning to Feltham once again. In about 1962 he moved Margate and spent the rest of his days there, going to work with the family in Sandwich. After Senile Dementia set in Samuel died 19th May 1971.