ROY COWTON (PLEDGER)

ROY COWTON (PLEDGER)

		Roy was born in 1935 at Coteheads Farm, Brompton-by-Sawdon, the tenth child of William and Dorothy Cowton. Roy was born into a family already consisting of 9 children. From an early age, his mother’s sister, Violet Mary and her husband, Harry PLEDGER, brought up Roy as their own child. They had no children of their own and he became known thereafter as ROY PLEDGER. They lived at No 1 and later at No 4 Burton Terrace, (now 47, Main Street), Cayton, near Scarborough.

Roy c1938

Harry Pledger with Roy & Violet

Roy went to the old Cayton School and when he was 11 years old won a scholarship to Scarborough Boys’ High School.
He left school in 1950 when he was 15 years old and worked in the village shop until he was 18.

On 9th April 1953 he was conscripted into the Royal Air force and signed on for 3 years, as Clerk Provisioning and later as Supplier 2, attaining the rank of substantial corporal, (Service No.3515935).
Most of his RAF service was completed at RAF Eindhoven in Holland, which was a first opportunity to travel.

Roy 1945

Roy 1947

RAF 1953

It was during this period that he met his future wife,
Marie Jeanne Leone Clarke from Leeds, (born 1935 at Calverley, Leeds, daughter of Ivy (Boyle)) who was on holiday at Cayton Bay. Marie has a sister Yvonne who is married to Vic Buck.

On 27th May 1956, Roy (at the behest of Violet Mary) changed his name by deed poll, from Cowton to Pledger

Upon demobilisation from the Forces in 1956,
Roy joined the Leeds City Police on 30th March 1956.
He served in that force and later, on amalgamation, in the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Police, and attained the rank of Detective Sergeant. (Police No.773).
He retired on 30th March 1982 after 25 years service.

Marie & Roy Pledger

Det Sgt Pledger 1970's

Roy and Marie were married at Adel Church, Leeds, on 23rd March 1957
and lived in various parts of Leeds
before settling at 21 Church Mount, Horsforth, Leeds.

On 28th April 1958 their daughter, Janet Marie was born at Leeds Maternity Hospital.
Unfortunately Janet suffered from the hereditary disease, cystic fibrosis and she died in March 1961 at Leeds and she is buried in Lawnswood Cemetery, Leeds. (SectionX No.654).
Because of the nature of Janet’s illness, they decided not to have any more children but they subsequently adopted a boy and a girl:

Roy's brother Dennis was best man

Janet

ANDREW IAN (PLEDGER)

born at Middlesborough 1962
(Adopted 1963).

Andrew in 1990

Roy with Andrew & Jill 1964

JILL LEONIE (PLEDGER)

born at Hull 1964
(Adopted 1964).

In 2007
Jill married Allan Anderson
(born 1946)
at Newcastle-Upon-Tyne .
They have a daughter:-

ERIN FRANCES LEONIE (ANDERSON) born at Harrogate 2001.
They live at Otley near Leeds.

1962

1965

1976

1985

Silver Wedding 1982

Jill

Marie and Roy 1993

Roy with Erin 2003

Marie and Roy 2007

At Jill's wedding 2007

Roy with Erin 2007

Roy 2009

Jill 2009

When Roy retired from the police, he and Marie managed a pub at Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire for a short time.
Then in 1982 they bought the village shop and post office at Newton-Upon-Rawcliffe, Pickering, North Yorkshire,
which they ran until 1993 when they finally retired to Cayton, near Scarborough.
They have a motor caravan and their main interest is travelling in Europe. Roy and Marie now live in Leeds.

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