Edith Alice Binks

Edith (known as 'Edie') was born on June 13, 1901 in Holborn, London. She married William Vail (born May 4, 1898) on June 13, 1925 at Islington Registry Office.

William (better known as 'Billy') fought in the First World War and apparently - as a result of shell shock, lost his hair and remained bald for the rest of his life.

Edith was engaged to marry Dominic Sabini when she met William. According to family legend, Dominic was related to the Sabini family which produced the notorious 'Darby Sabini Gang'. They were the 1920s equivalent of the 'Kray brothers' of the '50s and '60s. Legend has it that George Raft (the Hollywood film star) was once an associate. The 'Blue Hall' in Islington was a regular haunt of the Sabinis, and apparently this is also where Edith met William.

William and Edith secretly married in a registry office and neither appear to have crossed the paths of the Sabini family from then onwards.

'Billy' and 'Edie' had two children, Jean Vivian Vail (born December 17, 1928) and Yvonne Charlotte Vail (born November 10, 1930).William Vail died on September 26, 1967 at Rochford Hospital, Essex and Edith on March 13, 1971.

'Billy' Vail