A follow up to “Lingering Memories”, written with the people from BCOP day centre: (tidy up transcript and link)

I began my previous story at my birth. I now will begin at about my third year. This was the year that my father left home after his continually cruel and negligent behalf. behaviour towards my mother, sister and myself. I have already said that Mother worked in a Gown and something factory in Thorpe Street, Birmingham, and at first I was taken along with her. However, she eventually left me at the day nursery at the settlement in Summer Lane. The settlement is still there, doing good work for the community. My sister was at this time going to St. George’s School, Tower Street. After school, she would collect me from the settlement, and we would go to a confectioner’s shop in Summer Lane, near the Hanley Street, near to Hanley Street, where we lived. The confectioner’s was run by two very nice spinster ladies and they cared for us until Mother returned home from work. Sometimes I was taken to what I believe was a Christian building called Havickle House. I haven’t any idea how the name was spelt, so please forgive me if it is incorrect. The group I was in was, of course, the Tiny Tots group. I well remember playing with the other children, singing the Grand Old Duke of York, etc. During this time, I became sick with measles, followed by complications and a mastoid developed whilst I was ill. The leaders of the Tiny Tots group came to see me and brought me a beautiful double-jointed doll with hand-knitted clothes, all with lacy edgings. Needless to say, the doll became my very favourite toy. Only to be given away a few years later to a younger child next door, very much to my dismay.

I spent quite some time in Selly Oak Hospital with that particular mastoid, remembering that it was over the Christmas period. I can still see the ward in my mind, octagonal in shape, and the cot I was in was facing the door, so I could clearly see Father Christmas. and a trolley full of gifts for all the children as they came through the ward door. I was given a doll, chocolate and three big colourful balloons were tied to the head of the cot. I recovered and life continued.

At 4 1/2 years, I began school at St. George’s. The classrooms were large and badly lit. They were dark with long wooden benches and cast iron frames. On my first day, the teacher played records on a very old-fashioned gramophone with a huge horn. I remember that we celebrated the coronation of King George and Queen Elizabeth at the school, and every child was given a tin box with the King and Queen’s picture on the lid and a bar of chocolate inside.

Before long, my sister and I went to the open-air school at Marsh Hill, Erdington. My experiences there were quite good, except it was here I developed a phobia where showers are concerned. On arrival, all children had to take a shower and change into school clothes provided for wear at the school. The showers were piping hot or extremely cold. never a happy medium. The shower basin was sunk into the floor and there was a long line of them, all tiled in clinical white tiles. A box of carbolic soap and a scrubbing brush had been placed beside each shower. Each child’s back was scrubbed so hard it was a wonder any flesh was left. when the assault was finished with you. When dried, you put on a pair of knickers and a cotton print dress to match, and if it was winter, there was either a bottle green or dark brown thick winter sweater to put on. An afternoon nap was considered a necessary and essential part of the day. as the children were either considered deprived or undernourished. Good meals were provided and plenty of outside activities, weather permitting.

My sister and I attended this school until just after the outbreak of war, when children were being evacuated to Australia. And as I explained in my previous story, My mother decided against this. We moved house on 11 September 1939 to live in Perry Common and began school at Hastings Road. We began attending St Martin’s Church of England. Irene and I were both in the children’s choir and I attended many other activities for children. for example. ballet classes, etc. At the time, Mother was attending Bible study classes at St George’s, and Irene and I went to Sunday school. We also joined the Brownies.

About 3 years later, my sister married the son of an old school friend of Mother’s and went to live at Tockholes near Darwen, Lancashire. This is on the edge of the Lancashire Moors and is only a very small village. This left just my Mother and myself. Since Mother had come to Birmingham from Blackburn, Lancashire in 1923, and had always had a hankering to return. The feeling now became stronger. My sister acquired a cottage just on the edge of the village and Mother duly returned there.

I did not accompany her as I was now engaged to be married. The day Mother went off to Tockholes with all her possessions, I moved into lodgings in Park Road, Hockley. It was a sad day for me and I was unable to concentrate very much on anything. Mother and I had been very close to each other. I had a great deal to thank her for. After all, if it hadn’t been for her careful nursing through the years, I certainly would not have been here. Eventually the hurt subsides and you have to get on with your life. That year I married Bill, my husband, and within a short while Mother returned to Birmingham, unable to settle in Lancashire.