And then there was this girl born into a loving close family just after the War. She knew that her parents were nuts about each other and equally nuts about their two daughters. Our subject was born seven and a half years after her sister. Her sister was very precise about this age difference, it was important it wasn’t a full eight years. A very large baby she managed to put her stamp on life by getting wedged in a high chair at an early age, and not walking well into her second year of life. Her parents paid to see a specialist as they were convinced she was damaged in some way. This however was not true the Doctor found she was perfectly healthy just lazy !! Her inactivity at that age was totally wiped away by future actions. Her sister had chosen her name from a popular children’s book which was fine but coupled with her surname made her initials WC also the name at that time for a toilet. It went down well with her school mates in subsequent years. She was totally different from her sister much more bouncy and noisy her sister was a quite studious girl who listened to her parents through school and into her passage to an all girl’s High School. Our subject attacked her childhood climbing trees riding horses sneaking her bike out to ride on a Sunday ( totally forbidden) She too loved reading Black Beauty Give a Form a Bad Name Little Women and many many more She also had at least 6 penfriends based in America Sweden and Germany. Her mother was not happy about the long term pen friendship between her and a German penfriend as her mother had lost a brother in WW1 and her other brothers had served in both WW1 and WW2. She and her German penfriend wrote to each other for about 8-10 years. At home she had a friendship with a very serious older boy whose parents lived apposite. He was into Egyptian history and at one time she could write in heiliographs so they could exchange messages not one else understood. He moved to Scotland at that time it seemed the other end of the world. She also had a friend whose parents lived at the end of the road in a bigger house with a huge attic. They were a Jewish family and their youngest son became friends he showed her the amazing train set he had in the attic and the family shared Passover with her and the Friday rituals. She found all that fascinating and so interesting. However her friend was able to buy icecreams on Sunday but she wasn’t, the reason was her maternal grandmother who although didn’t live with her and her sister and parents, influenced them very strongly from a few miles distant. Grandma was a member of Plymouth Brethren a section of Chapel goers who had strict rules. Amongst them was, no newspapers on Sunday no purchasing of anything on Sundays and no playing cards in the home.
She accompanied her Mum and Dad occasionally to the “family” chapel Ebenezer ( very Fire and Brimstone the preachers terrified her) in a different area to where she lived. This area was where her Mum had come from and had been part of a family of thirteen children ( eleven surviving) Her Mum was the youngest and she and her Dad had lived when first married in the large terrace Victorian house with their oldest baby. However Grandma expected that her Mum should continue to look after her and all the other grandchildren ( there were many) Her Dad was not happy with this and decided to buy a house few miles away out of reach of his dominating mother in law. Her influence still stretched far but had not quite so much impact. Our heroine remembers going to this family home and passing down the long dark passage to the kitchen. There were steps down into the kitchen and two doors on opposite side of the passage at the top of the steps. One led to a Food Pantry the other to an amazing China Pantry full of the most amazing dinner services tea services plates all shiny and glorious. In her grandmothers she had a walk quietly and not raise her voice Children she was told should be seen but not heard and this was from a lady who had given birth to thirteen. Across the road from her grandmother’s house was a wall dividing the road and foot path from the sea. Her Dad used to pick her up to look over this enormous wall and he pointed out bits of land poking into the sea that apparently had some significance. She remembered them and tried very hard to scramble up the wall herself. The top was rounded and smooth so she couldn’t get a grip the result was her “Sunday shoes” were horrible scuffed and her dress marked and dirty. “typical” was the word used can’t you control her ? was the question asked. That more or less followed her through life.

 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton