Cecilia Mary Lopresti was born in Highbury, London, on 7 May 1908, the fourth of the five children of Herbert James Lopresti (1871-1917) and Amelia Maud Lopresti née Peckham (1873-1968). Her birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1908 in the Islington Registration District, London. On 7 June 1908 she was baptised in St Thomas the Apostle Church, St Thomas's Road, London, N4 2QP, where the baptismal register confirms her date of birth, that her family were living at 9 Ancona Road, Highbury and that her father was a solicitor's clerk.
Her four siblings were: Edgar Herbert Lopresti (1899-1990); Sylvia Amelia Lopresti (1902-1990); Sidney Ernest Lopresti (1904-1906) and Gerald Francis Lopresti (1912-2009).
When her father completed his 1911 census return form she was shown as aged 2 3/4 years and living in a five roomed property at 9 Ancona Road, Highbury, with her parents and her two surviving siblings: Edgar Herbert Lopresti and Sylvia Amelia Lopresti. Her father described himself as a solicitor's managing clerk.
Her father died in 1917, by which time the family were living at 30 Hamilton Road, Golders Green, Middlesex (now Greater London).
The 1921 census return form was completed by her widowed mother who showed her as aged 13 years and 1 month and in full time education, living at 30 Hamilton Road, Golders Green, London, NW11, with two siblings: Edgar Herbert Lopresti - a clerk employed by British American Tobacco Co. Ltd., at 7 Millbank, London, SW1 and Sylvia Amelia Lopresti - a clerk at the Post Office Savings Bank, West Kensington. Her mother described herself as on 'Home Duties'.
In May 1924 she was appointed as a telephonist in the London Telecommunication Region and following an open competition was appointed as counter clerk and telegraphist on the 31st July 1924. In December 1924 she was appointed as a sorting assistant in the London Postal Region.
She is shown on voter registers as residing with her mother at 30 Hamilton Road, Golders Green from 1932-39 where their telephone number, SPEedwell 3592, is also listed in the telephone directories.
The 1939 England and Wales Register shows her as counter clerk and telegraphist for the London Postal Service, still residing at 30 Hamilton Road, Golders Green, with her mother.
She was a member of the Women’s Transport Services, (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, FANY), service number 17089. Her death was registered as aged 35 years in the 2nd quarter of 1943 in the Aylesbury Registration District, Buckinghamshire. Probate records confirm that her address has been 30 Hamilton Road, Golders Green and that she died on 22 June 1943 at the Emergency Hospital, Tindal House, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. When administration of her estate was granted to her mother on 23 September 1942, her effects totalled £149-17s-10d. She was cremated at the Golders Green Crematorium, Hoop Lane, Golders Green and is commemorated there on Panel 2 of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorial. Her mother was sent her Royal Mail £211-4s-0d gratuity for her service in the Post Office on 5 January 1944.
She is shown as 'C. M. LOPRESTI' on the Women’s Transport Services (FANY) war memorial at St Pauls Church, Wilton Place, London, SW1 and as 'LOPRESTI C.M.' on the Western Postal District war memorial in Mount Pleasant, London, WC1. She is also commemorated on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's website.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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