Walter Schartenberg, younger son of Jakob and Sofie, was born in Zierenberg near Kassel in July 1913. Lisbeth (Elizabeth), nee Jungster, eldest child of Hugo and Elfriede, was born in Augsburg in 1914. After education locally and in Kassel, Walter went to Munich to work in his uncle Steppacher's knitwear factory. Whilst there he met Lisbeth who was working as a maternity nurse to a Jewish family (a permitted occupation). Walter obtained exit permissions and entry to the UK in 1938. He came with his uncles Steppacher (later Steel) to North Shields and established a knitwear factory, Great Northern Knitwear, on the Chirton industrial estate. Lisbeth and Walter married in Whitley Bay in 1939 and had four daughters Margaret (died 1943), Dorothy, Marion and Susan.
During the war Walter was interned on the Isle of Man from May to October 1941. He and Elizabeth became naturalised as British citizens in 1947. In the 1950's Walter left his uncles' business to establish independent trading, first in knitwear and then in gloving, in Bedlington, Northumberland. He developed a successful export business and was a supplier to Marks and Spencer amongst others. In 1969 the business was sold to Radley PLC and a few years later Walter retired.
