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This Is My Life
1960–1964: The children grow up

Muriel Mary Baldrey (Johnson), 1915–1999

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Pages for 1960–1964

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.

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.

1961

Chris had a nasty attack of gastritis at the beginning of January, and we had to ask the Doctor to come in a second time and change the medicine, as she was quite ill. Later we did quite a bit of visiting this month, we went across and saw Mr. and Mrs. Phillips; Pete and Daphne and to Frank and Phyl's. Then on the 18th Jan. Pat took the Common Entrance Exam.

Pam went up to Ipswich to John's at Easter having completed her second term at Mayfield. They came back here on Good Friday and John's sister came as well. They went up to Southwark Cathedral on Easter Sunday.

Stan's job for the Easter holiday was to paint the kitchen, and he then carried on and did the scullery, also concreting the scullery floor.

At the end of April Wendy was very sick, and the Doctor thought that she had an intestinal obstruction so she went to St. James's Hospital. However, panic stations were over when everything cleared and she came home again.

We heard at the beginning of May that Pat had passed to Clapham County School, thank goodness. One day during May Maureen Nicholas came over, she was nursing at Westminster Hospital, however Eric had a girl called Elaine over, and he didn't have much talk with Maureen.

We were invited to the Degree Ceremony at Albert Hall on 10th May. Pam received her degree, and it was a very impressive affair, the Queen Mother presented the degrees.

We now knew that Wendy and John were getting married on September 9th, and arrangements were made with Jack West to have the reception at the County Arms. I went with Wendy to Putney at the end of May to help her choose her wedding dress. She decided to have it made following or rather incorporating the designs of two dresses that she liked. Sylvia and Dennis have said that they will be able to have their top flat.

David and Pauline have found a flat in Arterbury Road, Wimbledon, they seem to have settled down all right. We let them have some bedroom furniture that formerly belonged to Mrs. Farmer.

We had an interview at Clapham County School on the 5th July, and later that month we went to Shoreditch Training College for a gathering of the clans. It really is a lovely place.

We sent out the Wedding Invitations on the 23rd July, everything for the Wedding was sorting itself out. Pat and Chris were to be bridesmaids with John's niece. Wendy is making the dresses, but Pam is doing Pat's.

We took the Morris's van for our holiday this year, and were also able to use the beach hut, we just went for the week as there was so much to do for the Wedding. We went on the 28th July.

Pat went up to stay with Pam on the 16th August, then we had a terrific bolt from the blue, as Pam and John announced that they had got married in a Registry Office on 19th August Pat was with them as a bridesmaid. They 'phoned this message through just as we were trying on the Bridesmaid's dresses for Chris and John's niece. What a shock.

The following week I went up to Kensington and bought a very nice pink dress and hat for the wedding. That week end we had a bonus from the Insurance of £181.00, which was greatly needed.

Pat came home and Pam and John went across to the Isle of Wight for a holiday. They came back on 30th August, and Pam had been in Hospital for a short while.

September 9th, came the day of the Wedding, the sun was shining it was a lovely day. Wendy looked lovely, and the service was good. Back to the County for a hot meal, beautifully served and arranged by Mrs. West. The old Vicar was just rambling on at the end of the speeches, when we realised that Wendy and John had changed and were off to Paris. In a trice practically the whole company took to their cars and followed them up to Victoria, leaving a few of us to survey the remnants of a very good meal. We went back to 18 and finally the rest of the company joined us after giving Wen and John a hair-raising send off!

Pam and John went back to Ipswich they are buying a caravan to park in the grounds of Mr. and Mrs. Weedon's house. Pam will not be going back to Mayfield.

Christine started at Beatrix Potter School on September 11th, but it was quite clear that she was not going to like School. Pat started at Clapham complete with uniform, she goes with Beryl each morning, so everything is O.K. with her.

As I shall certainly miss the money that Pam and Wendy have been contributing to the house, I decided way back to let their bedrooms to two students. I got in touch with London University and a Miss Walters came to see the rooms, as a result I was allocated a lad called Brian Robertson, then just before the beginning of term a chap called Ian Bradbrook 'phoned to say that he was desperate for a room, so I said I could let him have the back attic. They both moved in and started at Chelsea College on 25th September.

Beryl managed to get a Saturday job at Woolworth's, which will help her with pocket money.

On the 7th October we had a Reception for Pam and John – 50 guests, and a good time was had by all.

Daphne's father died suddenly on the 22nd October, and Barbara's mother collapsed and died after a small operation on the 27th.

We went to Ann (Heath) and Peter's Wedding at St. Saviour's Church, Raynes Park on the 28th October, and the Reception was at the Cambridge Room, Shannon Corner. Very nice.

We went up to Ipswich on the 4th November and met Mr. and Mrs. Weedon, we stayed in their house, as there was no room in the Caravan. They had a very big bonfire in a field on the Saturday night, and afterwards during the night Chris had a rather frightening attack of croup. She recovered a bit in the morning and we were able to get her home safely.

Phyl Pedler wrote on the 6th December to say that her mother had died suddenly with coronary thrombosis, it was a great shock to her.

We went to the Institute Dance at Fulham Town Hall, and had drinks with the Principal. Then on Christmas Eve Dave and Pauline gave a party. We went in to Dad's to tea on Christmas Day, and they all came to us on Boxing Day. End of another year.

Ian and Brian settled in quite well, to start with I layed their breakfast in the dining room, but they seemed to prefer to have their meals with the family, which suited us.

1962

Brian and Ian the students arrived at the beginning of the January term. Chris still did not like school. Pat had a big party for her birthday on the 13th January, she seems to have settled well at School.

On 24th February we took over a new car a Vauxhall Velox 1954, and we let Eric have the old one. The following Saturday we went down to Pam and John's, and left Beryl and Pat there for a few days. We heard over the 'phone that Beryl caught her finger in their car door, and they had to take her to Hospital where they gave her a tetanus injection.

Christine was becoming friendly with Madeleine and Nicole Watson, I helped their mother by taking them to school. This means that she is liking school better.

Brian and Ian returned home on March 30th, and the next day Wendy and John had a flat warming. They are certainly very comfortable in Sylvia's flat, it is very nicely furnished. I enjoyed going to lunch with Wendy it is nice to have a daughter near.

We had a very quiet Easter. We visited Mr. and Mrs. Heath in April and explored Pinner, Beryl and Pat get on quite well with their two – Vivian and Janice.

In May we took Dad and Edna up to see Pam and John at Ipswich, we had a very good day. Later in June we took them down to Middleton for the day, using the Morris's beach hut.

This year we celebrated quietly our silver Wedding. Wendy and John bought us a sparklets syphon!

On the 7th July Brian booked seats for us and Beryl to see “Oliver” – it was a very good evening. Brian is quite keen on Beryl, but I am afraid that it is not reciprocated. He seems to be having a lot of worries concerning his home life. His mother and father are separated and he lives with his grandmother, there is also a brother. He seems to worry a lot about his mother, who from all accounts is having a good time. We heard later that he would not be coming back next year, he had thrown up his place at Chelsea College. Stan thought it was a great shame as he is a very intelligent boy.

Beryl had said that we would take one of the german girls coming over to the School for a week or two. Her name was Isolde and she arrived on Friday 13th July. We went down to Polesden Lacy the next day and on Sunday Stan took them up to Westminster Abbey.

We went over to Wendy's on her birthday and she had a lovely cake. Then on 29th July we went down to Pam and John's and had a conducted tour of Ipswich. John made it very interesting. We saw the site on which they hope to have a new house. Isolde went back on 3rd August, and she seemed to have enjoyed her visit.

We all went to Hampton Court with Dad and Edna in August by boat, it was a lovely day and we enjoyed it. Then on the 12th we took Beryl Pat and Chris up to Ipswich to stay with Pam for a week. They came back on the 18th in time for the big family party to celebrate Eric's 21st.

The following Monday we went down to Middleton to the Morris's van. Eric, Wendy and Co came down to see us on the 26th, but it was a very cold day. The StJohns came to tea at the van on their way home from the Isle of Wight, and we spent the day with them on our way home on the 31st.

Stan then started to paint the outside of the house. Dad and Edna had their holiday at Dr. Horler's cottage at Hythe this year and on the 16th September we went down to spend the day with them.

Ian's parents brought him back for the new term on the 23rd September, and as Brian is not returning I have let the room to a Mr. Doe a civilian from the Prison. I don't have to do anything for him, and he goes home at week-ends.

Phyllis Pedler lost her father in July, he died of cancer of the lungs, and it must have been a very sad time for Phyllis. She now has Auntie May to keep an eye on.

Pam came down for the half-term and we went down to Helena's to have a look at her under-floor heating as she wants to have this in her house.

We had some car trouble in November we had to get a new dynamo. We went up to Pam and John's on the 24th November and their house is progressing fast. The following Friday we went to Beryl's Prize Day and she received her G.C.E. certificate.

Betty's father died in December, a shock for her. Wendy is probably expecting roughly about July 25th, she saw the Doctor and is to be booked in at Westminster Hospital.

We had a lot of people round on Christmas Eve, and Pam and John, Wendy and John joined us on Christmas Day. We went round to Basil and Audrey's on Boxing Day.

Thus ends another year.

1963

The first news this year that was important was that Wendy is expecting possibly in August, and she went up to Westminster Hospital and was accepted for the birth. We bought a new red carpet for the lounge, and put the old one up in Eric's room (front attic). Stan started at a new school at Lambeth under the Special Staff. It was terribly cold at the beginning of January, one day the temperature was 17 degrees, and we weren't very well off for fuel.

Mr. Doe, the Prison Instructor was transferred to another Prison, so I applied for another student and a chap called Michael Headon decided to take the room. Both Pat and Chris had flu and were home from school for a week or two, then Ian, the student had a lot of ear trouble and had to go home. Stan was moved to a big comprehensive school which he didn't like very much. During February it was still very cold and continued snowing.

On 20th February Pam arrived home with all her things after a big row with John. I got in a right old state, and finally persuaded her to go back, she has a very good job in Stowmarket, and I thought she should try to patch things up. However during the following weeks she 'phoned that things with John weren't much improved.

Then in March we went over to Phyllis and Frank's – there is constant rowing there, I don't know what will happen about their marriage. On the 24th March we went down to Croydon to Alan's Confirmation, but there was a big row going on there, as Frank said he wasn't going, all Phyllis's relatives were there in one room, and we were in the other trying to sort things out. However, it was impossible and Frank did not go to the Service.

At the end of March, our car was out of action, but we had promised to go down to Pam's, so we went by train. Early in April Chris wasn't well, and she developed measles quite badly.

Mrs. Trower next door is not at all well, and I am afraid she is going senile, so they have decided to move up to Birmingham to be with their daughter. They offered Wendy some furniture and she bought the mahogany sideboard and table. I think Wendy and John will try to buy No.17.

During the Easter holidays Stan started to redecorate the kitchen. On April 18th we went down to Pam's and it was a lovely day, they took us to Flatford Mill. Then in the evening we had a big row with John, I don't know what will happen there. Stan finished the kitchen, and then went on to paint the scullery.

At the beginning of the Summer Term Stan started at the Cardinal Manning School. We heard from Mrs. Phillips that Valerie had a son – Francis Fredrick.

In May Michael Headon the student left to go to a Hall of Residence. I then applied to U.N.E.S.C.O to take some French girls. Somebody called to inspect the room.

At the end of May I had a bad pain in the night, and the Doctor called the next morning to diagnose Pylitis, I certainly felt rotten, he gave me terramycin. Just before my birthday London University asked me to take another student – Tom from Liverpool. Had a very good birthday.

At the beginning of June Wendy was told by the Hospital that she had an infection, but with tablets it soon cleared up. We took Dad and Edna to Bournemouth on Thursday 13th June, Stan had the day off for Corpus Christi. We enjoyed the day and had a lovely lunch at Ashhurst. Two days later Eric and Ian went off to Scotland for a holiday, and the following week Ian flew back to do an examination at the College (mad fool).

Phyllis let us know that Frank lost his job at the end of June, so matters won't be improved there. Our student Tom had several gastric turns, and when he went back to Liverpool, I decided that it would be better if he looked out for somewhere else, as it is difficult to cope with somebody who is ill a lot, when I have so much else to do.

In July a french girl Marie-Francois arrived to stay, she seemed very nice. She will be out a lot with the group that she has come over with. On Thursday 18th July, Beryl left with Frank and Alice to travel overland to Tubingen in Germany, where Isolde lives. We had managed to get everything sorted out, fares, passport, etc.

Pat had a nasty attack of flu in July, and Chris developed pityriasis rosea, a small skin complaint. Beryl had had it before, and by adding something to the bath we managed to get rid of it. Belle returned from Tubingen on August 5th, and apparently she had enjoyed the trip – they had a lovely house with a swimming pool in the garden. Frank thought nothing of doing 500 miles across Europe in a day!!!

Huw was born at 11.15 a.m on Tuesday, 6th August. Wendy went into Hospital on Bank holiday Monday to have the baby induced. However, she was in labour for a long time, and then there was some trouble with the babe, so finally it had to be a forceps delivery, and Huw was badly marked on the head, and it had to be three days cot nursing.

On the 9th August we went down to Pam's to leave Chris and Beryl for a week, and Pat went off to Minehead with Susan Mountain. I went over to the Hospital to see Wendy several times, and once took Hillier over there. Wendy came out on Thursday 15th, and Huw is fine, they soon settled back in the flat.

On Saturday 31st August we went down to Middleton, taking over the Morris's van, Susan Mountain came with us. We had a good week, went around to Arundel, Goodwood, etc. On our return we heard that Mrs. Trower had died.

On 14th October Wendy and John heard that everything had gone through with regard to their buying No.17 and they got the key. So we all started to give a bit of time to the clearing up. Our house was bad enough when we took it over, but I think this was worse, the Trowers hadn't done any necessary upkeep for years, and the owner a single woman hadn't been able to afford to do much, especially as they were paying such a low rent. Phyl and I did as much scrubbing floors and cleaning as possible. Stan asked some of his pals over at Parsons Green to give him a hand to renew the water pipes and put in a fresh boiler. What a job this was, but they managed to get it done by November 2nd, when Wendy and John moved in.

We had a big shock at the beginning of December, as Pam rang and said that John had gone back to his mother leaving her in the new house. We went down there but Pam says that she will be O.K. on her own, and wants to carry on with her job in Stowmarket for the time being.

I went to Clapham County Prize giving, Pat in the second year had a prize. Belle in the lower six has passed Human Anatomy and gained her Advanced Level in Art – good for her.

Pam joined us for Christmas, and on Boxing Day we all went in to Wendy's with Phyl and Jack. Pam went back to Ipswich on the 30th December, and took Pat and Susan Mountain with her. So ends another year!

1964

Stan started off this New Year by decorating the upstairs toilet, and then painted the staircase white. We realised that there was no hope of Pam and John staying together. Pat and Susan stayed with her for a few days before going back to School. We went to see Peter Pan at the Scala Theatre, Chris really enjoyed it.

Beryl started to apply to University and she had an interview at Birmingham on the 29th January, we heard later that she had been accepted on condition that she passed her “A” levels.

In February we went to Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe's at Richmond for the evening, and we met Mrs. Griffiths for the first time, she seemed so different to Mr. Griffiths, and when we took them home later, it seemed that they weren't getting on too well. They asked us in to their house at Streatham. Apparently their son is training to be a Doctor.

At half-term we took Beryl and Chris up to Pam's, she has a french girl, Danielle, staying with her. They all came home on the Tuesday.

Huw was christened on 1st March, we started out in the car, but had a puncture in Henderson Road, so we were late getting there. However everything went off all right, and he was very good.

Things weren't going too well with Frank and Phyllis, there seemed to be lots of rows, and we seem to get involved in them.

At the beginning of April we went to Pride and Clark's and bought another car a Ford Popular at £239.00, we decided that the garage should have our other one in part exchange.

In April Dad and Edna went to Paris on a trip with the Wandsworth Central Evening Institute. Edna has joined the French class at Garratt Green School. They had a very good time and visited a lot of places.

We heard that Nancy had gone in to St. Mary's Paddington for an operation as she has a breast tumour.

On Saturday April 25th, Eric brought Sally home, he had met her at one of the firms at which he does audits. We all liked her, but were a bit shocked to hear that he only told her on the way up that he had five sisters – poor Sally.

Stan decided that he liked it at Cardinal Vaughan School, and that he would apply to stay there permanently.

On April 29th Dave and Pauline had a son – Robert, and all is well.

We heard at the end of May that Phyllis is leaving Frank and taking the boys with her, I suppose it was bound to happen.

We took Dad and Edna to Bournemouth in June, and on the first evening there was a terrible storm. We had gone down to the beach without the car, and we sat in a bus whilst the lightning was appalling. We got soaked through going back to the house. We had a good run back through the New Forest.

We had a good day out on Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe's barge going from Uxbridge to Hillingdon, quite a party of us. It was a bit of a bore having to work the locks, I think there must have been about fifteen of them there and back. However, we enjoyed it, and she provided a lovely spread.

I had arranged to take the French Teacher this year from the Centres Linguistiques de Vacances at Putney. On seeing Monique, we were pleased as she seems a very nice girl. We took her up to Coventry Cathedral at the end of July, and had a look at Warwick on the way, we were disappointed at seeing they had knocked The Lodge down, and built a factory in the grounds.

We went to Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe's retirement party on 21st July, and met all the other teachers from St. Mark's. There was a very bad storm during the evening.

On August 15th we went down to Pam's house, she had gone to France with a party from her school. We had rented a beach-hut at Felixstowe, and we went there each day so that Chris and Pat were able to bathe. Pam collected dysentry, so she wasn't well on arriving back, however we left Chris with her, and took Pat up to Yarmouth to join the Fairfield holiday. We stayed at Scratby for a couple of nights, and liked it very much.

When we arrived back home we found that Monique was ill with liver trouble, we went over to see her at Mr. Malone's flat, and later he arranged for her to come back to us in an ambulance. I had to be careful about food, but she soon recovered, she finally returned to France on September 22nd, and we had a nice note from her thanking us for everything.

On October 11th Mrs. Robinson died suddenly with thrombosis, She had gone to Church and had an attack during the service. Of course Edna was terribly upset, and went straight up to Oxford.

Chris started piano lessons with Mrs. Sinden at the end of October and seemed to get on very well.

We went to the Club Dinner Dance at Wandsworth Civic rooms, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Dad took Mr. and Mrs. Horler, and we joined up with the Morris's. Frank came with us and a good time was had by all.

We went to Clapham County Prize giving on November 27th. Pat and Belle both received prizes.

Richard was born on December 4th, weight 8lbs. 14 ozs. and everything was O.K. We saw Wen and the babe the next day and he is lovely. I looked after Ceasar and Mrs. Morris had Huw. Hillier came with me to see Wendy. On arriving home Wendy had a very low blood count, so she will have to take care.

We went to see “Romeo and Juliet” at Clapham County – Pat was in it, and it was a very good production. Christmas was approaching with a round of “Dos”. We went to Fulham Town Hall Institute Dance, The Club Draw, and a dinner at the Cardinal Manning School. At Christmas Frank and Pam joined us, then on Boxing Day Dave and Pauline, Den and Edith and Pete and Daphne came over – we had a good party.

On New Year's Eve we went to a Club Do and enjoyed it, so ended another year.

Belle did not pass her “A” levels and as she had not passed Maths at “O” level, it was not possible for her to go to University. She, therefore, applied to County Hall for a post and started there in the Housing Department.

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With thanks to Muriel’s family.

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