Leon Greenman was born on 18th December 1910 in Whitechapel, London.
His parents were Clara and Barney. He was the fifth of six children.
His family, who had originated from Holland, arrived in Great Britain holding the last name 'Groeneman'.
This name, which had spanned generations of history, suddenly changed into something new.
The name 'Greenman', which we know Leon by in the modern day, was born - simply due to the matter of difficult pronunciation.
Shockingly, the only reason Leon's family - specifically, Leon's grandparents on his mother's side - moved to Lodon, was due to anti-semitism.
But this was decades before WW2 began; years before the Nazi party rose to power, and centred in Holland rather than Germany.
Early on in Leon's childhood, due to the needs of ha grandparents, his family moved back to Holland.
Leon's father found a house to move to, in the city of Rotterdam.
The street they moved to was a Jewish one, named Helmersstraat. The people who lived on it were just like everyone else in the city - rich and poor lived there, as well as skilled craftsmen and labourers.
At the age of two and a half, Leon's mother died.
He was too young to remember her in any significant way.
Due to the stress of six children, Leon's father had to make sacrifices. Two of his children were sent to an orphanage - one left to join the British army. But Leon remained.
After a few years being a widower, Leon's father engaged a housekeeper named Frances.
They later married. Frances was now Leon's stepmother.
She was for discipline, and didn't fail to go to extreme measures if it was what she believed to be right.
Because of this strong stance - and the frequent beatings that came with it - Leon's childhood wasn't the most pleasant of times.
Because of strong family ties in London, the Greenman family - namely Leon - frequently alternated from living in Rotterdam, and visiting London.
After many failed job trials - of which Leon hated all - Leon finally went into a profession.
He became a hairdresser, training within a cinstitution which had served haircuts to the rich and famous.
This turned out to be a brilliant start for his short-lived career.
After two years, he left Mr HVD's Salon, where he had entirely practiced men's hair.
After many Sunday classes in ladies hair, which lasted around 7 hours every time, Leon began to work at another salon, full time.
Things went well at first - but, after the shock of the 1929 Wall Street Crash, business died down, and his career ended shortly afterwards.
A few years later, Leon was introduced by a friend from what was known as the 'Jewish Circle', to Esther Van Dam.
Else for short.
On 9th June 1935, they were married at the local synagogue.
Their honeymoon lead them to Holland.
And, due to Else's grandmother needing desperate care and support, they decided to stay.
His parents were Clara and Barney. He was the fifth of six children.
His family, who had originated from Holland, arrived in Great Britain holding the last name 'Groeneman'.
This name, which had spanned generations of history, suddenly changed into something new.
The name 'Greenman', which we know Leon by in the modern day, was born - simply due to the matter of difficult pronunciation.
Shockingly, the only reason Leon's family - specifically, Leon's grandparents on his mother's side - moved to Lodon, was due to anti-semitism.
But this was decades before WW2 began; years before the Nazi party rose to power, and centred in Holland rather than Germany.
Early on in Leon's childhood, due to the needs of ha grandparents, his family moved back to Holland.
Leon's father found a house to move to, in the city of Rotterdam.
The street they moved to was a Jewish one, named Helmersstraat. The people who lived on it were just like everyone else in the city - rich and poor lived there, as well as skilled craftsmen and labourers.
At the age of two and a half, Leon's mother died.
He was too young to remember her in any significant way.
Due to the stress of six children, Leon's father had to make sacrifices. Two of his children were sent to an orphanage - one left to join the British army. But Leon remained.
After a few years being a widower, Leon's father engaged a housekeeper named Frances.
They later married. Frances was now Leon's stepmother.
She was for discipline, and didn't fail to go to extreme measures if it was what she believed to be right.
Because of this strong stance - and the frequent beatings that came with it - Leon's childhood wasn't the most pleasant of times.
Because of strong family ties in London, the Greenman family - namely Leon - frequently alternated from living in Rotterdam, and visiting London.
After many failed job trials - of which Leon hated all - Leon finally went into a profession.
He became a hairdresser, training within a cinstitution which had served haircuts to the rich and famous.
This turned out to be a brilliant start for his short-lived career.
After two years, he left Mr HVD's Salon, where he had entirely practiced men's hair.
After many Sunday classes in ladies hair, which lasted around 7 hours every time, Leon began to work at another salon, full time.
Things went well at first - but, after the shock of the 1929 Wall Street Crash, business died down, and his career ended shortly afterwards.
A few years later, Leon was introduced by a friend from what was known as the 'Jewish Circle', to Esther Van Dam.
Else for short.
On 9th June 1935, they were married at the local synagogue.
Their honeymoon lead them to Holland.
And, due to Else's grandmother needing desperate care and support, they decided to stay.