Helena (Nellie) Logan was born on 29th September 1904, the second daughter of photographer Charles Logan and his wife Deborah.
Charles was Deborah's second husband, having previously married her cousin John Thomas Snowball in 1892. Following John Thomas' death in 1901, two of their five children were sent to a Barnardo's School in London, while two others, Edward and Deborah, were raised by Deborah and Charles.
Helena's older sister, Dolly, was to die of TB as a young adult. Her other, surviving siblings were James, Hilda and Edith.
In 1911 the Logans were living in Essex Street, Middlesbrough but, as Charles and Deborah were also having to bring up Edward and Deborah, Helena was brought up by her paternal grandparents, James and Ellen Logan, who lived in Garnet Street, Middlesbrough.
James and Ellen were strict Roman Catholics and had Helena educated at a convent school in Whitby. She became a talented singer and regularly gave concerts.
Helena's 
father Charles (left) had enlisted at Middlesbrough on 2 January 1915 into the 10th.Battalion Durham Light Infantry and was Killed in Action on 16 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. His body was never recovered.
On hearing of Charles' death, Deborah wrote, "“It is very hard to realise that all you hold dearest in this world is gone”
Charles' stepson Edward Snowball also served in the war and though he survived, he suffered badly in a gas attack and never really recovered. He turned to drink, lost the fiancée he had before the war and had to rely on his mother for financial help.
Providing such financial help would have been difficult though Deborah received a pension of 30/- per week from 9th April 1917 and was granted a war gratuity based on Charles’ service in 1919.
After her education Helena found work as a paid companion to a Mrs Robinson, whose family owned the Robinson's Stockton High Street department store - now Debenhams. She met her husband George Moss when he turned up at Mrs Robinson's house to do some decorating work. Much in demand, it was actually George's boss, Fred Roe who first proposed marriage but Helena turned him down and she married George on 7th June 1930 in Stockton Parish Church.
Don't feel too sad for Fred though - he'd turned his attention to Helena's sister Hilda, and by the time Helena and George walked down the aisle, Fred and Hilda were already married.
