| We had been planning our wedding
since the previous September. The big day arrived at last. The weather was
fairly good and we had a wonderful time. 63 people sat down for the wedding
breakfast with quite a few more in the evening. The reception was held in the
new Civil Defence hall; we had a small band to play for us (discos were yet to
arrive, records in the interval where the order of the day at any dance) I
bought my own wedding ring, a second hand one costing £12. It was what I
wanted but John, bless him, wouldn't pay more than £3. (Has HE paid for
it since!) My most weird memory of that day is dancing with a friend's guest,
whom I had never met, and losing 3 of my false fingernails. He opened his hand
to show them to me - just lying there. |
| After a week's honeymoon we
lived with my mum and dad for seven months. Our house was ready in April 1964
and we duly moved in with the help of Ted and Kath. Ashdene close was a
cul-de-sac of 13 properties, just a few minutes walk from Val's bungalow in
Mapledene. I felt that I belonged in Hullbridge from the first day. Living in
the Close was sheer delight. We became friends with the others living there,
many of whom had been married the same length of time as us. We spent many a
happy hour just sitting in someone's front garden talking. |
| Much of Hullbridge was yet
to be built; the majority of roads were unmade - in the winter they were just
seas of mud. There was no chemist, health centre, supermarket, library, St
Thomas's Church, separate junior and infant schools, just one primary school.
The Close has seven children, by 1968 there would be 26. Thorpdene Avenue did
not exist; it was just a field at the bottom of our garden. (not too far away -
the garden was 25 feet long.) We had got a mortgage, from Romford Council, at
6% fixed interest. John paid £16 a month; not much, I know, but he only
earned £12 a week. We had, thanks to John, most of the new furniture we
needed and the house was fully carpeted. John installed central heating before
we moved in, this really wasn't the norm then; we were the only couple in the
Close to have it in 1964. |
| Our dining room
suite (sideboard, table and four chairs) cost £99. This was a really good
teak suite. The three piece suite was £140, quite expensive then. The
carpets were £4 a yard. Living in Hullbridge was, to me, like being on a
long holiday. I have never wanted to leave it. I was still working in London;
leaving at 8a.m to catch the bus to Rayleigh station. (7/6d a week-return). As
I wasn't bringing very much money home, we decided to start a family sooner
rather than later. Val and I became pregnant at the same time - very
convenient, we thought. I left Scott Stratten after Christmas 1964, sad I was
leaving but excited about the future. I knew I would not be returning as laws
were different then; employers didn't keep jobs available; not only that, it
was just usual for mums to stay at home. |
| Everyone had to have their
babies at home, only being rushed to hospital in an emergency. John was a bit
worried about this and arranged for me to go into a nursing home for 10 days
(£25 for the whole time). Val was due to have her baby one week after me
and booked into the same home. On March 29th things started to happen; "first
babies never arrive early" so said my doctor.WRONG! John had brought a brick
lorry home that day instead of his van - that became my transport to the home.
Stephen arrived at 2.30 pm the on the 30th. We were not allowed to touch the
babies unless it was feed time and fathers were not to pick them up at all. I
must have been very slow then, I cannot imagine anyone taking notice of a
ruling like that now, but everyone took heed of authority then. Val had Guy 4
weeks later (he arrived late) I was so happy; being a mum was a state I had
dreamed of for years. I wasn't to be disappointed, life was perfect. It seemed
as if half of Hullbridge had a baby that year, statistics show that it was the
biggest baby boom to happen, there were eight babies born inAshdene Close
alone. I got to know so many people, many of whom still live in the village.
|
| Christmas of that year saw
the first school dance; the first of many we were to go to over the next nine
years. As time went by, the 'crowd' grew larger, until about 40 friends would
go out together. Parties started to be held a couple of years later and there
would be either a dance or a party every six or seven weeks. We held a number
of them - they would start early (8 pm) and finish late (any time up to six
a.m). As everyone in the neighbourhood was invited we could make as much noise
as we wanted to. Believe me, we knew how to be loud. When a party was held in
the Close, baby alarms would be fixed up, this meant that we could listen out
for our children and did away with the need to have baby sitters. |
| I became
pregnant again in 1967 (yes, Val did as well) This time I was having the baby
at home. Liane arrived at 4. 30am on September 18th. She was 2 weeks early and
Sally, Val's daughter, arrived late - six weeks after Liane. Having her at home
was smashing. I could pick her up when I wanted and be with Stephen all of the
time. |
| Man's exploration of Space
took a great leap forward in 1969. America sent men to the moon; many people
watched this event with friends , it was an occasion to share. I, Steve and
Liane were with Val and her children. |
| 1971 found me dieting
again. This time I lost 3 stones. I went down to 9st.6lbs, which was too low
and I went up to 10st. 3lb. and stayed there. My world was complete. I had the
husband I loved and the son and daughter that I had always dreamed of. We had
the ups and downs that most marriages have, but life progressed at an easy
pace. The next big milestone was when I passed my driving test and then started
work again. |
| On September 16th, 1974 I
became the secretary at Rawreth Primary School. (now St. Nicholas). I didn't
realise it at the time but this was the beginning of nine delightfully happy
years (plus one HORRIBLE term). There were 48 children at school when I
started, infants and juniors, in three small classes. After two years the head
teacher left and Joan Rowland took her place. Shortly after this Pat Smith
joined the staff, with Ann Drage joining some years later. Joan, Pat and Ann
are still my very good friends; twenty four years have not diminished our
friendship merely enhanced it. I could write a book about my time at Rawreth
School - but I won't even try! Suffice to say that the first nine years were
wonderful and the last term was dreadful. (Joan had left and I did not see eye
to eye with her successor.) |
| Fashion: the beginning of
the Seventies saw shoes getting higher again and skirts becoming longer (floor
length). The 60's were the heyday of the mini and Flower Power (anything weird)
now anything could be fashionable - long or short. I loved long skirts and
dresses: 'going out' was a real occasion. My favourite dress, for evening wear,
was dark silver lurex (slightly sparkled) - halter neck with a skirt split to a
decent (just) height. My everyday shoes had up to five inch heels with three
inch platform soles. A favourite pair of mine were sandals with rocker soles
that were made of cork with bright orange spots on. Rocker soles were curved so
that when I walked I rocked back and forth. The soles and heels were joined
into a wedge, 5 1/2"! These, together with brushed up hair, made me over 6'
tall. They were worn with very flared trousers (22" wide) that reached the
floor. |
| I had been the
District Guides secretary for a few years when I helped with the starting of
4th. Hullbridge Brownies. This was February 1977, I enjoyed it so much that I,
eventually, took the pack over. I was known as Snowy Owl and revelled in the
activities surrounding Brownies. I joined in or organised twenty three Pack
Holidays (2 - 5 nights); I asked Beryl and Margaret to help me one year; little
did they know that they would be 'joining' the pack for the next five years. As
they are still my friends (2001) I think they must have liked it. I was a
Brownie Guider for 10 years. We had spent our family holidays on a farm or at a
Butlin's holiday camp until we decided to splash out in 1977. Unfortunately, we
didn't splash out enough! We spent 10 days on a Russian cruise ship that was as
basic as it could be. We were glad to get home! |
| In 1978 we bought a very
tiny bungalow in Ambleside Gardens, not to live in but to build a house on the
land. John's ambition to build his own house was about to be realised. Dave
Rackham, our neighbour in Ashdene, designed it and John became John the
Builder. He did as much of the work as he could and laboured for the trades he
had to employ. Because of planning difficulties, weather and material
suppliers, the chalet was not completed until 16 months after the purchase of
the land. We moved into 5, Ambleside Gardens on December 27, 1979.; a house
that was the result of much hard work by John. We reckon that the completed
building cost under £40, 000 - this included the land, building, fitted
bedrooms, carpets and curtains. A marvellous achievement for which John
deserves all of the credit. We moved in on the understanding that John didn't
do any more alterations. Our chalet in Ashdene Close had been extended out the
back, out the front, on the side and upstairs. I thought that our new home was
safe! WRONG! |
| 1988 saw John extending the
back bedroom and bathroom by 2 feet. This may seem odd but it did give us room
for more wardrobes (and showers and bathroom suite and.....). I was determined
to celebrate my 40th birthday with a bang. I gave myself a party. Now, I wanted
a good crowd and , knowing that there's always a number of people who can't or
don't turn up, I invited 100 friends - 90 came. John had booked a disco, which
occupied a large space; there were 'bodies' everywhere. A good time was had by
all. |
| Our first American holiday
was in August 1981. We went to California for three weeks, visiting all of the
tourist sites - Disney, Knotts Berry Farm, Sea world etc. We really enjoyed
that holiday and returned to our home determined to go again. |
| I left Rawreth School at the end of
1983 and began helping at playgroup at the beginning of 1984. I also began to
work, one afternoon a week, in the Cleaners. This was the shop next to the
Garden Association that sold shoes, underwear, wool etc. and handled shoe
repairs and cleaning. I was in my element in this shop; I had knitted since I
was six and to be surrounded by all of this wool was marvellous. |
| I gave up smoking in the mid
eighties. 30 a day and £12 a week were going up in smoke. Believe me, it
was hard! The ONLY way to easily STOP is NEVER START. |
| We went to Italy in 1986, for three
nights in Venice and four in Rome. Venice did nothing for us but Rome was
something else. It was very hot, very dusty and very old. The history dripped
off us. The Vatican was amazing. If you never get to another place GO TO
ROME! |
| I was fast approaching a traumatic
time in my life. |
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