Alice Stout Bidwell, from Titusville to Singapore

Coral Streader, a niece of Roy and Alice Bidwell, who lived at 90 River Drive during the early 20th century, is visiting from England and will speak to us about their lives. Pat Brundage, the current owner of the house will host the event to be held at the Titusville Presbyterian Church.

Roy Bidwell, a dashing young man, born and brought up in Singapore, a stone’s throw from what became  the super classy Raffles hotel after his father redesigned it, regularly commuted between Singapore and America as a Salesman for Ford cars in the late 1920s and 30s. Alice Stout grew up in Titusville where her sparkly personality led her to parties and fun, even as far as the Steel Pier in Atlantic City, where Alice felt the classy types hung out. By chance the two met and fell in love. From the steamy letters that began to fly between their two countries on an almost daily basis,  it was clear to see that Roy was besotted with Alice as indeed she was with him, and engagement moved into marriage pretty quickly.    

And the rest , as they say, is history …  including painful separation during the Second World War  when Alice sailed back on one of the last boats out of Singapore back into the family home with their baby John in her arms,  while Roy  became an internee.  And so the glitz and glamour of colonial times darkly dimmed and so did poor Roy, who made it back to Titusville six years later and lived out the rest of his life with his Alice and young John at 90 River Drive.  But what about his background, his siblings and his parents, and the life they  each led, in part, later crossing paths with Alice. All will be revealed at Coral's talk! No family escapes drama and scandal and nor did the Bidwells.