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This Is My Life
1965–1969: Weddings and engagements

Muriel Mary Baldrey (Johnson), 1915–1999

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Pages for 1965–1969

1965

Pat and Chris went back to Ipswich to stay with Pam after Christmas and on the 3rd January we went up there to bring them back. Then back to the start of a new Term. We went to see “The Nutcracker Suite” at the New Victoria with Frank and thoroughly enjoyed it. Chris wasn’t too well at the end of the month, but revived sufficiently for me to take her and Madeleine and Nicole to see “Father Goose” with Cary Grant and Leslie Caron.

Frank heard that Phyllis is determined on a Divorce, he came over quite a lot at week-ends, it must be a rotten time for him.

In February we went down to see Auntie Nell and Marion, and Terry, his wife Pam and Susan their daughter were there. We had a very nice meal, Marion is certainly looking after Auntie well, and the house.

Stan and I had ’flu, we both had drugs from the Doctor, Pam also came to stay and she had sinus trouble. Later Chris and Pat were both ill and I had to get the Doctor.

We heard that Monique had become engaged to Mr. Malone, so I expect there will be a Wedding soon.

Towards the end of March Belle was ill with the same flu bug, and had to have time off work. She has joined the Judo club at County Hall, but comes home covered with bruises.

We went to see “Hiawatha” at the Festival Hall sung by a choir from Barclays Bank, I love the music, so we really enjoyed it.

Eric and Sally were engaged on Sally’s 17th birthday, April 9th, so there was great excitement.

Frank and Sally came to lunch on Easter Sunday, and on the Monday Stan went down to Crawley to take some boys from the School to a camp down there, but it was very cold.

Stan painted the scullery at the end of April, and it looked very nice. Pam moved to a flat in Colchester after selling the house at Tattingstone, let’s hope things turn out well for her.

At the beginning of May I had a ’phone call from Mr. Hunt, Principal of Fulham & South Kensington Institute, asking me if I would be prepared to do some typing for the Institute, I accepted and on the 10th May I turned up at the Office with Stan and met Mrs. Sawyer and Mrs. Walker the other Secretaries, Mr. Hunt wasn’t there, and they didn’t know anything about me starting work – what a fiasco. However, when he arrived he soon got me started, and although it was all very strange I managed all right doing typing for the brochure.

At the end of May we went down to Colchester to Pam’s, and met Michael a chap from the College, that she is seeing a lot of. She has a very nice new flat near the centre of Colchester.

On June 5th we all went to Jane’s Wedding, Edith and Den had the reception in the garden, caterers put up a big Marquee and everything was done in style, but it was a very formal occasion, no Baldrey larks. During the service I started coughing and had to go out, I was almost choking and staggering around on the gravestones, I don’t know what the photographer thought, so I missed most of the service.

I went to the Doctor’s the following week and he put me on anti-biotics. On Whit Monday we went down to Goring-on-Thames, and finished up at Sally’s Mum’s for tea. They are very nice.

We took Dad and Edna down to Bournemouth as usual, and they got us a room in the Annexe to their Hotel. We had a good run back via the New Forest, we went right across it, and picked up the M 4, so home passing through Reading.

Eric went on holiday with Pete Morris touring Cornwall, in July, and about this time Monique came to stay, Mr. Malone had asked if I would put her up again this year.

At the end of July, the landing ceiling on the top floor fell down, and it was a terrible mess, more work for Stan.

In August a friend of Monique’s Elisabeth arrived to stay with us, and on the 8th August we took her with us to Folkestone to meet Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. It was a lovely day, and we had a very nice meal with them in their Boarding House on the Leas. I liked Mrs. Cooper and we had a long chat.

On Saturday 14th, we started out for Burnham, to join the Fairfield holiday group. The weather was lovely, we met up with Mr. and Mrs. Millbank’s and went around with them quite a bit, we even played tennis. On the 19th we went on a day-trip to Cardiff, coach and then boat across the Severn. We then toured Cardiff by bus and visited Llandaff Cathedral. One day we went to Lynton and Lynmouth having lunch at Minehead on the way. We also went to Bath and had a look round the Pump room and Roman baths.

When we arrived home, we found that one of the easy chairs in the Lounge was burnt somebody had been careless with a cigarette!

Mr. Hunt had asked me to carry on working for the Institute, but doing Mrs. Walker’s work, as she was leaving, I was a bit apprehensive, but said I would have a bash. I started on the 31st August, and Stan came along to the Office as well, as Mrs. Quelch, the Vice Principal is also leaving and so far a new one has not been appointed.

We went up to Pam’s on the 5th September, the baby is expected at the end of the month. As there is a lot to do in the house, a Mrs. Rushbrook from the Prison quarters is helping out.

Monique left for home on 19th September, and previously the family gathered together to celebrate their getting married. We bought them a set of glasses and jug.

We went down to Colchester on the 25th and saw Pam in Hospital – Michael was born on Monday 27th, weight 9lbs. 7ozs. I came back home, as there is so much to do. The following week-end we took Pat and Chris down with us and Pam and the babe were doing fine. Pat and Beryl helped Pam when she came out of Hospital.

Eric and Sally went down to Cornwall on November 13th, Eric had an interview for a job in Camborne, but on the way back they got caught in a snowstorm on the Moors, and had to stay the night in an Inn.

We went with Den and Edith and the family to see “Present Laughter”, and in December we went to a Polish Restaurant with the staff from Cardinal Vaughan, and had a very good meal.

On Christmas Day Pam came up with Michael and Colin was with us. Chris celebrated by developing Chicken pox very badly, so it wasn’t much fun for her. Sally and Dad and Edna came in on Boxing Day. Thus ended another year.

1966

Stan started at the Institute this term as a Tutor-in-Charge at Bousfield School, and the new Vice-Principal, Mrs. Farrant, commenced duties. I was a bit shocked when I heard that she lived in a little house in Chivalry Road, and was previously Tutor-in-Charge at Honeywell School!

On the 17th January Colin and Belle were engaged. Just after she and Chris were not very well, however it soon cleared up.

On the 29th January we took Chris to see “Red Riding Hood” with Cilla Black, her singing was a bit overpowering, but otherwise the show was good. The next day Mr. and Mrs. Cooper and Clive came to tea.

On the 12th February Beryl did a dinner party for her and Colin’s friends to celebrate their engagement. We went up to town with Betty and Frank to see “The Mousetrap”, and then had a meal at the Strand Corner House. It was a good evening. The next day we went down to Pam’s, and she and the babe are lovely.

In March there was a reunion of the Fairfield Holiday, we went and met the Scotts, we had a good evening.

Chris was not at all well at the end of March, her tonsils were up. Election Day on March 31st, and Labour won the election. On that Day Peter permed my hair.

We finished up at the Office on 6th April, after a very busy term. On the 10th April Michael was christened at a nice little church in Colchester, Colin and Pam’s friend Jean were Godparents. We left Chris and Pat up there and came back to London. The next day we started out at 10.30 a.m. stopped at Stoke-on-Trent for lunch at a restaurant, and then on to Morecombe where we managed to book in at a nice little hotel on the Front. Next day was lovely and we explored quite a number of the Lakes. On Wednesday we started out early and crossed the Yorkshire Moors – it was very cold and snowing a bit, through York, Doncaster and Grantham to Skegness, where we booked in at the Lion Hotel. On Thursday we travelled through Kings Lynn, Thetford to Colchester and arrived at Pam’s in a heavy snowstorm, back to London, and to the Office next day, we were moving over to Burne Jones, as our main office is being altered.

Stan did a lot of work on the top staircase covering it in. Chris was not well again, she may have to have her tonsils out.

In May Beryl decided that she and Colin must spend some time apart before thinking of marrying, so she applied for a post as ‘Au pair’ in Geneva. Carol was already out there. She left for Geneva on May 28th

Eric and Sally are getting married in July, but it will be in a Registry Office, and we shall probably have a party here.

We were in our redecorated Office at Beaufort House, and it was so much nicer. I needed to have the green linen suit that I wore to Jane’s wedding altered, so Mrs. Sawyer took me along to her friend, and she agreed to do it, this will make it ready for Eric’s Wedding.

On June 18th we took Dad and Edna down to Bournemouth, and in the evening we went along to Lulworth and had a look at Durdle Door. A run home through the New Forest next day.

I had the day off on Friday, 15th July to prepare for Eric and Sally’s party Beryl, Carol and Wendy spent all Saturday cooking, strawberry shortcakes, eclairs, etc. Peter was in good form at the party and organised the games. Mrs. Mann was not at all well, she is to have a hysterectomy soon.

On Friday 22nd July we went to Windsor Registry Office at 12.15 – I am afraid it was a miserable place, and looked as if it could do with a good clean up. We went back to Mr. and Mrs. Mann’s and had an excellent meal, then the happy pair left for Cornwall.

Eric and Sally, Stan and I had been doing a tremendous alteration set up to the attics, and amazingly we managed to get it all finished while Eric and Sal were on their honeymoon. They had a good time, Mrs. Mann had the operation on Friday 29th July, and all was well.

We left home on Friday 5th August for Portsmouth and caught the 4.55 p.m Ferry to Isle of Wight. We arrived at Greylands at 6 p.m. saw Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, and finally settled in at Swainsend. Mr. and Mrs. Scott and the Gales were with us. We went along to see Eileen at Shanklin during the week, but there was trouble at their Hotel something wrong with the drains, and it smelt like it. Poor Eileen. We travelled around quite a bit, we took the Armstrongs to Ventnor and had tea at a lovely little village nearby. We started for home at 11 p.m on the Friday night, and had a lovely run back to London, arriving home at 2 a.m. Started back to work.

Pam has bought a new house in Colchester and it is very nice. We heard in September that Pat had passed 8 ‘O’ levels good for her.

In September Stan took Chris to the E.N.T. Clinic at St. James’s and it was decided that she should have a course of penicillin for six weeks, which might do the trick.

Dave and Pauline had a son Jonathan on the 21st September, all well. We are most likely going to Paris with Helena and Norman next Easter.

Belle was back from Geneva, she only stayed two months, as Carol’s work permit was rescinded, and they both came home together.

On December 3rd I took Chris down to Pam’s by train, as Stan had to do the Club share-out. The journey down was good, but coming home at night there was a derailment on the line, and we had to do part of the journey by bus. It took ages to get home.

[Added by hand, in blue ink] We bought a new suite for the lounge (£99).

We went to the Palladium with Dad and Edna and saw Russ Conway, and Harry Secombe – very good show. We had drinks and sandwiches afterwards at Rayners in Piccadilly.

12 to dinner on Christmas Day, and Dad and Edna joined us in the evening. We all went down to Den and Edith’s on the day after Boxing Day. Another busy year ended.

1967

At the beginning of January several of the Staff from Parsons Green came over and we had a pleasant evening. On the 14th January Pat had a party and about 40 came, she wore a very nice turquoise long dress. Helena and Norman came over later in the month, and we discussed our proposed holiday in Paris at Easter.

Jonathan was christened on the 5th February and I was Godmother with Nancy. He is a very good baby, and it was a good party. Nancy and Frank brought their two girls all very beautifully dressed, what it is to have money!!

In February we went to an Orchestral concert by Mr. Vandernoot at Hammersmith Town Hall and afterwards we went back to Doris and Fred’s for drinks.

At the beginning of March Eric and Sally moved to a house in Hitchin, Eric had managed to get a job up there (including renting the house) with a firm of Chartered Accountants. We certainly missed them. Three days later Derek and Susan moved in their furniture prior to their getting married. We went up to Hitchin and saw the house it is very nice, and they have a lovely garden.

Chris was in the choir at a Concert at Garret Green on the 16th March – very good. Helena and Norman came over to discuss final details of our Paris visit and finally on the 27th March we set out. We met Helena and Norman and Anne at Victoria and then through to Newhaven where we boarded the boat. I don’t think we had realised that there was a Force 8 gale, but we soon knew when we left the harbour.

There were big parties of school children aboard all knocking back fizzy drinks and crisps before we started, then once the ship started rocking the bags were handed out fast. I should think nearly everyone was sick, but Helena and Norman had advised us to take two quells before we started, and this managed to save the day and none of us were sick, although Pat looked decidedly green.

Arrived at Dieppe and we all felt better – train to Paris and then Coach – the driver couldn’t find the Hotel so Norman directed him!!! It was a nice Hotel with a quaint little lift. Anne, Chris and Pat shared one room and got on fairly well together. We had breakfast, croissants, etc. served in our rooms, and then each day we visited places such as Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower – Norman had planned all this and worked out buses and tubes on which we travelled – he did a very good job.

We had a meal with their friends Andre and Marguarite, which gave us a good incite into life in Paris. Unfortunately we couldn’t understand much and Norman had to act as Interpreter. We returned on the Friday (31st March) and had a marvellous crossing.

On the Sunday we went up to the Tate Gallery, probably because we still had the Louvre fresh in our minds. We saw the Turner Rooms and the Modern Gallery, which I thought was awful.

At the end of April the Institute ran some Audio Visual Aid Lectures at Bousfield and Doris and I agreed to help Mrs. Farrant prepare the lunch – a three course meal – but it was certainly tiring work.

Jane had her first son on April 24th and all was well.

On April 28th Pam telephoned to say that Sam and his children had moved in with her. My stars there are problems to be sorted out there. On the 30th Wendy and John went off to Amsterdam where John will be working for a time.

I became a 1st Class Secretary on the 15th May – big deal. We met Sally and Eric at Whipsnade at the end of the month and had a nice picnic then back to Hitchin.

We took Dad and Edna down to Bournemouth on the 17th June, and had a nice room in Dad’s hotel. It was lovely weather and we got quite burnt sitting in the sun on the Sunday morning.

Stan is now working at the Cardinal Vaughan School, Addison Road, and on the 24th June we went to the School Fete at their Sports Ground at Twickenham. Then in the evening we went to Sylvia and Dennis’ Party, and met George and Barbara Cruikshank we had a long chat – quite an interesting party. This was followed on July 8th by a visit to Jack and Phyl’s caravan at Marlow, where there was a Barbecue. Again the Cruikshanks were there, but I think Sylvia blotted her copybook this time as she was sick in their car on the way home.

On the 17th July Pam and Sam moved down to Somerset, they have rented a furnished house called ‘Little Garth’ at Ashill near Ilminster.

Sally had a son on the 20th July, weight 5lbs. 2ozs. I went down there as I had promised to help as Sally had the baby at home. I looked after the baby the second night to give Sally a rest. He is very tiny, now under five pounds. I gave him sips of sugar water during the night as he was very restless, and I think this helped as he got rid of a lot of mucous. On my return home I learnt that Daphne’s mother had died, which was probably a happy release as she had cancer.

On the 5th August we started out for Stone House, Broadstairs, and began a good holiday with lovely weather. Chris was in a dormitory with Mary Scott, and the two of them either went out with us or the Scotts. The usual Fancy Dress Party, and I played the piano as usual. Afterwards drinks with Lynda and Arthur. Good journey home, lunch at the British Legion Restaurant, Preston Hall.

On our return we went down to Pam and Sam’s for a few days, then back to prepare for Beryl’s 21st Birthday Party. Pat’s boy-friend Brian was set-upon whilst they were parked outside in the car the night before the party, and he was knocked about badly but no bones broken. Pat was a bit hysterical at the party!!

Stan managed to re-decorate the kitchen before starting back to work. Then followed the usual massive enrolment at the Institute.

Eric and Sally are buying a house at Ashford, Mdx. it will be so much easier to see them as it is a long journey to Hitchin.

Susan and Derek had a baby daughter Janice on November 30th, they had assured us in March that they would not have any children whilst living in the attic flat, they must have taken me for a sucker.

Mr. Maple has produced a magazine at the Institute, and there has been a great deal of work typing it; now it has to be collated and we are all involved in getting the pages together – what a life.

On the 12th December Pat had an interview at Balls Park College, Hertford, and Beryl took her down in the car. We heard later that she had been accepted. She was in the end-of-term play ‘The Merchant of Venice’, which I thought was very good.

A hectic Christmas, Pam and Sam stayed with Wendy. Dad and Edna joined us on Christmas evening, and then on Boxing Day we went to Sally and Eric’s. We went to see “Dr. Faustus” after Christmas, and took Chris to see “The Wizard of Oz”.

Auntie Nell died on the 29th December she had a thrombosis. Sadly ending another year.

1968

Auntie Nell was buried on January 8th, we sent a wreath but weren’t able to go to the funeral. Stan made appointments at the Dentist as he is having a new set of false teeth. Edith brought Jane over to lunch and saw Mark for the first time, a lovely baby.

At the end of January we went to a Vandernoot Concert at Fulham Town Hall, and they played a piece by Mahler, they had a young girl on the timpani, and she really let herself go, as we were sitting in the front row, the noise was unbearable, and I was actually trembling. Never again.

Sam and Pam came up in February, but they stayed in Wendy’s. We all went to Peter’s (18 Feb 68, added by hand) Christening at St. Hilda’s Ashford, and we had a very pleasant evening at Eric and Sally’s. Then we all went down with heavy colds.

We went to the Theatre with Frank and Betty and saw “Dear Octopus”, the same week-end Mr. and Mrs. Cooper (Colin’s Mum and Dad) came over and we talked about the Wedding. It was finally decided that Belle and Col will be married on November 9th at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate, and the Reception will be at the Dominion Hotel.

Sally went into Hospital and had a minor operation – Eric stayed home from work and looked after Peter. This was at the beginning of March, round about that time I went across to Broomwood to see the Headmistress, we are hoping that Chris will be accepted there.

On the 10th March we met the Coopers at the Dominion Hotel to sort out the Reception, and we also saw the Church, which is very nice, just round the corner from the Cooper’s Hotel.

On March 14th, we went to the Portcullis Theatre to see “The Farmer’s Wife”, played by the Hurlingham Drama Club, Mr. and Mrs. Hunt were there, and it was quite an enjoyable evening.

Soon after this Lily White brought Mr. Chessil up to see us, he was still a very cheerful man living on his own on the South Coast, what a tragedy that David should have been killed in the War, apparently he was in a truck with other soldiers and it was blown up. Poor old Mr. C. he had already lost his wife and daughter Ruth.

On March 21st, Dad and Edna’s Wedding Day, I met them up at the Post Office Tower, I took a taxi from work, and really enjoyed doing this, it was a marvellous day and it was fantastic having lunch so high up above the Town. It was not possible to feel the Tower revolving, but of course the view was slowly changing. I must admit that it was a bit hot on the sunny side, as there was so much glass. I thought it must be a bit difficult for the Waiters as they came from the stationery bit in the middle, and had to find the table they were serving.

All this time I hadn’t been very well, the heavy cold had affected my ears and I had been on drugs. Then I started an attack of pylitis, I felt so rotten and shouldn’t have gone to work, I managed to cut Mr. Mortimore off in the middle of a ’phone call, and he was annoyed, this upset me, and I started to cry – what a stupid nit!

I recovered and at the beginning of April I went to a meeting at Chris’s School about the proposed trip to the Isle of Wight.

Chris developed German measles, but she wasn’t much upset by it. On the Good Friday we went down to Eric and Sally’s, Belle looked after Chris, and we came back early so she could go out with Colin. We went to Communion with Dad on Easter Sunday, and on the Monday Helena and Norman came to tea, there was some discussion about us spending a holiday with them in Belgium.

On the 16th April we went to St. Thomas’s Church, Fulham, to the Wedding of Mr. Morgan Phillips, a member of Stan’s Staff at the Vaughan School. Stan didn’t tell me that his mother was Baroness Phillips, and his sister and husband the Dunwoody’s were M.Ps. It was a lovely Wedding and the reception was at a Hotel in Kensington.

Chris left for the I.O.Wight on Thursday 18th April, after seeing her off we left for Pam and Sam’s at Ilminster to start a tour of Devon and Cornwall. We left there at 12.15 on the Friday morning and went through Exeter to Teignmouth, Torquay and Dartmouth and finally stayed at the Salcombe Hotel. Next day through Plymouth to Looe and Polperro, St Austell Mavagissy to Truro, saw the Cathedral then on to Falmouth, where we managed to find a room in a boarding house (strangely enough we found out later that this was just across the road from Sally’s Uncle).

Next day we went through Helston, Coverack to the Lizard, on to the Land’s End, St. Ives to Newquay, where we managed to stay at the Sandridge Hotel. In the morning we made our way back through Padstow, Wadebridge, Port Isaac, Tintagel, Launceston to Ilminster, we got back home on the Tuesday, and all was well. Chris came back from Shanklin on May 2nd, and she had thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly as David Bangerter was there.

On the 8th May Pat was Confirmed at St. Augustine’s, Tooting, it was a very nice Service, and on the following Sunday we went to Communion with her. Then at the end of May she managed to develope German Measles, but just as well to get it over and done with.

Carol was married on June 8th and Belle was a bridesmaid, she looked very nice in white and pink. We had an awful job to find the Church, and arrived as they were coming out.

We took Dad and Edna down to Bournemouth (15/6, added by hand), then after Stan had a rest we went on to Pam and Sam’s, we arrived to find a note to say that Sam had gone to the Hospital – Emma was born that evening. Mike was asleep in bed, so it was fortunate that we arrived. We went to see Pam in Hospital on the Sunday and they both were very well.

We went to the Festival of Light Music with Betty and Frank on June 22nd, very enjoyable.

On August 5th we went down to Pam and Sam’s – Emma weighs 13lbs and is a lovely good baby. We went to Charmouth and had a lovely cream tea.

On Saturday 10th August Derek and Sue moved out, so Belle and Colin can now get on with re-decorating the flat. We heard that Pat had passed 2 “A” Levels, Religious Knowledge and English, so this means she will be going to Balls Park College.

On 17th August we set out for Broadstairs. We went to Hastings one day and one evening we went across to Folkestone to “Friday Night is Music Night”, we took Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong. Hilary Shannon came with us the second week, but she didn’t get on with Mary, so it wasn’t a good idea. We took her home on our way back after having lunch at Preston Hall.

Back to the Office, I am supposed to be Secretary at Melcombe this year. I went to work at 2 p.m did enrolment at Burne Jones and then on to Melcombe, what a life. On the 17th September we saw Pat off to Balls Park College, she rang later and didn’t sound too happy. Actually Roger went up and brought her back after a fortnight.

We sent out the Wedding Invitations on the 22nd September, and next day Stan developed a bad attack of cystitis, he had to stay in bed, and I had to carry on with enrolment at Melcombe, Mr. Hunt came down. Stan recovered but in October he had to have more “Negram”, as the cystitis hadn’t properly cleared.

On October 20th we settled final details at the Dominions Hotel – 80 coming. On November 7th Stan started a temperature and had to have more “Negram”, we also heard that day that British Eagle had gone bankrupt and Colin had lost his job.

The Wedding at Christ Church went off beautifully, apart from the fact that Stan still had a temperature. There was lashings of food at the Hotel, Pam and Sam arrived with Michael and Emma in a pram. Belle and Col went off at 6 p.m to the Canary Islands, and a load of the family came back to us, but Stan had to go to bed.

Pat managed to get a job with the National Provincial Bank as trainee Computer Programmer, thank goodness.

[Added by hand, in blue ink] Chris started at Broomwood.

We went to the Club Draw on December 21st, Frank came with us, he told us that he now has a lady friend and will be spending Christmas with her family.

On Christmas Eve we went up to Belle and Col’s. Christmas Day Beryl and Col and Roger were with us and Dad and Edna joined us in the evening. On the 30th we all went to see “Secretary Bird” and back to Wendy’s afterwards. Thus ended another year.

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With thanks to Muriel’s family.

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