This Is My Life
1960–: The children grow up
Muriel Mary Baldrey (Johnson), 1915–1999
Pages for 1960
1960
Early in January we went to tea with Mr. and Mrs. Hills at Ashford, and apparently we called in on the Buckles beforehand, this must have been the last time that we saw Mr. Buckle alive, he died soon afterwards.
In February Barbara who had had extensive tests to find out why she couldn’t have children went in to Hospital for an operation as they had discovered that she had a number of cysts in the womb, which they were hoping to remove. I went up to see her in Hospital and she was progressing well.
On the 27th February we all went to Ann Heath’s 21st Birthday Party in a Church Hall at Raynes Park. Unfortunately we took Eric’s friend Roger and he let the side down by having too much to drink, we heard afterwards that he was very sick in the toilets and poor old Eve had to clear it up. It must have taken a long time for her to forgive this. At the beginning of March Barbara went to her Uncle’s at Margate to convalesce.
It was round about the 7th March that David went to Guys Hospital for tests after having a bad attack of renal cholic. Unfortunately they discovered that he had T.B. in both kidneys. I went up to see him, but as usual he was quite cheerful. It was later decided that he should go to the Royal Seabathing Hospital at Margate.
Pam was looking for a post and went for an interview at Mayfield School, again we heard later that she was accepted to teach there.
With the scare of T.B. in the family we were advised to take the younger ones to the T.B. clinic for skin tests, and they later had the B.C.G. injection. Stan and I went to St. John’s Hospital for X-Rays, but were both O.K.
On April 23rd we went down to see David at Westgate in the open air Hospital there, he seemed to have settled in well. Barbara’s Uncle was there and he gave us a lift along the coast, as we wanted to have a look round with the idea of booking a holiday there. We found a nice Boarding House and booked a week there in August.
On May 9th we heard that Auntie Bessie had died, more or less in her sleep, and she was buried on the 12th.
Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day on the 6th May, and we invited the Fesseys down to watch it on T.V.
Beryl was confirmed on the 27th May. Then on the Sunday we went down to Wye to see Pam, and on to Margate to see David.
We had a nice trip to Hampton Court by boat with Dad and Edna in June, it was a lovely day, and we went down by the lake there and sunbathed.
On the 2nd July David was discharged from Hospital and came home.
On the 5th July we went to Pam’s Commemoration Day at the College, a very interesting meeting for parents and friends. The Staff and students in caps and gowns, and the higher ups of the College in elaborate gear. We helped Pam put all her stuff together and this was the end of College for her. Probably rather a sad day for her as she had really enjoyed College life.
The invitation to Wye College’s Commemoration, Tuesday 5 July 1960, for “Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Johnson”. Pasted into the album below the last 1960 page. Click to enlarge.
Pat received a prize at Beatrix Potter on the 8th July, and the following week they had their Open Day.
On the 16th July it was Wendy’s 21st birthday party, David had decorated the dining room with some very elaborate drawings, and Pam did massive flower arrangements with the hundreds of daisies in the garden. I think I shall always remember this evening with the garden white with daisies and fairy lights. I think the food was all right. I did a salad buffet for 45, and a good time was had by all. Dad of course organised the games.
On the 28th July David came over and informed us that he had broken with Barbara and we gathered that there was somebody else at the Hospital. I shot up into the air, as I had been so friendly with Barbara and hadn’t an inkling that things were wrong, but apparently the rest of the family knew!!
However we went off to Westgate for our holiday on the 30th July, and had quite a good time as the weather was lovely.
We went down to Middleton with Dad and Edna and Den and Edith on the 14th August, I think we had our picnic on the beach.
Stan spent a lot of time painting and repairing Uncle Will’s greenhouse this month.
I went over and saw Barbara and her Mother, and they were both in a state of shock. I felt so sorry but there was nothing I could do.
On September 5th Pam started at Mayfield as a Biology Mistress, and Beryl went back to Clapham County.
On September 22nd Uncle Will died suddenly in his sleep, he had been suffering from slight heart trouble, but it was a shock to Dad. He was buried on the 29th, and we went to the funeral, St. Mary Magdalene’s Church was packed, loads of men from the Club came along. We went back to the house afterwards, and felt sorry for his housekeeper, as she had given up her home to look after him. Her daughter was there from Canada and she later joined her there.
Eric was doing some audits for his firm at Norwich and Clacton – staying at Hotels paid for by the firm. He seemed to enjoy doing the work.
Chris was four in November and she had a little party on the 5th November with fireworks. On the Sunday David brought Pauline to tea, they were staying in a flat over at Wimbledon. She seemed a very nice girl, who had been suffering from T.B. of the lungs at the Seabathing Hospital. She was married and came from Folkestone.
Pat took a music exam in December Mrs. Sinden arranged it.
A fairly quiet Christmas, and Frank and Phyllis and boys joined us on Boxing Day.
With thanks to Muriel’s family.