Home › Our Memoirists › Muriel Baldrey (Johnson)
Last modified: 5 November 2026
Muriel Mary Baldrey was born on 30 May 1915 at 12 Dulka Road, Battersea, in the tenth month of the First World War. Her memoir follows her from a Battersea childhood — Vardens Road, Strathblaine Road, Plough Road School and Clapham Junction — through marriage, the Second World War and the bringing up of five children, into the mid 1950s and the birth of her sixth child, Chris, in 1956.
The memoir has been sent to this site in parts by Muriel’s family, and more are expected. Her words are given as she wrote them; only the headings, the years beside them and the paragraph breaks have been added. Notes from the family, and from this site, are shown in square brackets.
It is now long enough to be read in instalments, so it has been divided into pages of about five years each.
1915–1926: A Battersea childhood (Parts 1–2)Born at 12 Dulka Road in the First World War; Vardens Road, Strathblaine Road and Plough Road School.
1927–1934: Growing up, and meeting Stan (Parts 3–5)The top class at Plough Road School, Sunday school and church, and the start of her courtship with Stan.
1935–1939: A first home, and Pam (Parts 6–7)Cycling to Esher and Richmond Park, a little house of their own, and the arrival of Pam.
1939–1943: The war years (Parts 8–11)Evacuation, Maidenhead, the Manchester Blitz, and the move back to No. 16 in 1942.
1944–1949: The end of the war, and after (Part 12 and the later pages)The last years of the war, peace, holidays at Middleton, and Pam’s place at Twickenham County School.
1950–1954: A family of five children (Later pages)The death of George VI, Eric at Hampton Grammar School, the Albert Hall, an old Armstrong Siddeley, and Pam’s O levels.
1955–1959: A move to Wandsworth, and Chris (Pages for 1955–1959)The death of Stan’s mother, the closing of the School at Ashford and the move to 18 Dorlcote Road in August 1955; settling in at Wandsworth, Bec School, a hard pregnancy, Pam’s year at West Malling, and the birth of Chris at the Weir Hospital in November 1956; Chris’s christening, Beryl starting at Clapham County School, Pam going to Wye College, holidays at Middleton, the family’s first car and Pam’s 21st birthday party, 1957–1958; a holiday at Hartland, Pam’s javelin in Paris and a grand piano at the door, 1959.
1960–1964: The children grow up (Pages for 1960–1964)David’s illness and the Royal Seabathing Hospital, Pam’s Commemoration at Wye and her first post at Mayfield, Wendy’s 21st birthday party in a garden white with daisies, the death of Uncle Will; Pam’s degree at the Albert Hall, her surprise Registry Office wedding and Wendy’s wedding at the County Arms (1961); students as lodgers, a German visitor, the Johnsons’ silver wedding and Eric’s 21st (1962); the big freeze; Wendy and John’s son Huw is born, and they buy No. 17, the Trowers’ old house (1963); a Ford Popular, a French teacher to stay, Wendy’s second son, Richard, and prizes at Clapham County School (1964).
1965–1969: Weddings and engagements (Pages for 1965–1968)Muriel starts work as a secretary at the Fulham & South Kensington Institute, Eric and Sally engaged, Jane’s wedding, Monique’s marriage, a Fairfield holiday at Burnham, and the birth of Pam’s son Michael (1965); Beryl and Colin engaged, an Easter drive to Morecambe, the Lakes and Skegness, Beryl an au pair in Geneva, Eric and Sally married at Windsor Registry Office, a week on the Isle of Wight, Pat’s eight O levels, and a new lounge suite from Arding & Hobbs (1966); Easter in Paris after a Force 8 crossing, Muriel a 1st Class Secretary, Stan at the Cardinal Vaughan School, the birth of Eric and Sally’s son Peter, a Broadstairs holiday, Pat accepted at Balls Park College, and Stan’s card for their 30th wedding anniversary (1967); lunch at the Post Office Tower, a tour of Devon and Cornwall, the birth of Pam’s daughter Emma, Pat’s A levels, Chris to Broomwood, and Beryl and Colin’s wedding at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate (1968).
1969 onwards: more to come.
With thanks to Muriel’s family.