Audrey Book

Audrey Bowie
(née Hulme)
1930 - 2018
The Early Years

Florence Parry

The Parrys
M
y great-great grandmother was born in 1835 in Knotty Ash
(near Liverpool). Her name was Sarah Ann Woods. She met
and married a Mr. Loughlin (Edward Daniel) in 1855 and as
was usual in Victorian times they had a large (6) family. I do
know unusually for the time most of them reached adulthood. Sarah Ann
must have been a tough nut as when Aunt Gladys went to visit her on her
ninetieth birthday - the bold lady was up a ladder hanging up freshly washed
curtains. She died the year I was born (1930).
My grandmother Eliza was born in 1873 so was one of the youngest ones. I
know there was a Kelly and an Alice. And Kitty and her family were great
favourites of my mother and her sisters. Kitty had four or maybe more
children but was much more relaxed than her sister Eliza and allowed chips
and mushy peas to be bought from the chip shop. I know the that four Parry
girls and four of Aunt Kitty’s lot shared a double bed but slept head up the
side and feet to the centre – 4 to each side – I doubt they slept much – but
that is getting ahead of the story.
Eliza married Robert Owen Parry in 1899 or 1900 (and had Gladys a very
short time afterwards). Bob Parry was a postman at that time and Eliza
opened a shop in the front room of their terraced house. Two years later
another daughter was born but didn’t live. I’m not sure the next sequence of
events but Bob got ill and left the post office – the shop failed and Florence
(my mother) was born on 24th January 1904. In November 1906 Emma was
born and on Xmas day 1907 Queenie was born. Emma was handed over to 7-
year-old Gladys to look after. A son Bob was born in 1914.
Church of England churches have church halls with caretakers to look after
them. They are responsible for cleaning – setting out chairs etc. for meetings
and often catering for small weddings or funerals. Anyway Eliza decided that
this was a good thing as accommodation went with the job so she and Bob
applied and got it. I am afraid I don’t know the dates or where it was but they
were there until they went to Holly Oak Hall after the 1st World War. This
was a dance hall and function suite of the new Co-operative store which was
the supermarket of the time. This was at Penny Lane (the name of song by
the Beatles). Again accommodation went with the job.
Bob was the perfect front man – got on with everybody and they got all the
big Jewish weddings etc. Eliza and her helpers did all the catering and there
was lots of it after all no modern help like mixers or dishwashers!
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This was a time when the world was dance mad – there were tea dances and
dancing most nights when there wasn’t a function. (Come to think of it the
weddings would be daytime ones). Gladys, Flo, Emma & Queenie were
totally dance mad and all good dancers. In the 1920s Fred Astaire and his
sister Adele worked in the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool doing exhibitions and
for a fee you could dance with them – so my mother and her sisters all boast
of having danced with Fred Astaire! – who became a movie star.
And all this time Eliza was saving her pennies as she didn’t like living above
the business as it were. So she put a deposit on a house not far away and then
phoned Bob to tell what she had done! After a while she rented out the first
house and bought another and did it a third time – not a slouch as a
businesswoman!
She also set up a business across the road from the Co-op – Gladys ran a
paper shop and tobacconists – Queenie had a hairdressing salon upstairs
and a pal of Bob’s had a barber’s shop behind the paper shop.
Eliza and Bob ran Holly Oak Hall until they retired in 1935 or 36 – Flo,
Emma & Queenie all had their wedding receptions there but Gladys didn’t
marry until 1937 so hers was in (I think) the Rialto. The girls all did
something different. Gladys started domestic but as I say ended up a
shopkeeper. I’m not sure what she was in between. Flo started out in nursing
and then became a nanny. Emma learnt shorthand & typing so became a
secretary and Queenie started out in a bakery come confectionary and then
became a hairdresser. I think Bob was either an electrician or carpenter. He
of course was called up when war started and when he was dismissed he had
contracted T.B. so I don’t think worked again. He was 6ft 6” tall with huge
hands and feet. He died in 1955.
The great place for holidays if you lived in Liverpool was the Isle of Man so
that is where the Parrys went. The attraction was you could literally dance
from 10:30 or so in the morning till late at night. Flo married Hedley Hulme
in 1928 – he worked for Hoover Limited. Emma married in 1935 to George
Hanson. He worked for the Co- op dairies. Queenie married in 1936 to Harry
Felton can’t remember where he worked he was a clerk of some sort. Gladys
married Jack Amos in 1937. He had his own electrical Contractors business.
Bob married Dorothy during the war. We always thought she was very plain
but she had another two husbands after Bob died! She (and Bob) were very
religious.
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As a family the Parrys went to the local Church of England at the top of
Elmhall Drive in Mossleyhill. Eliza sometimes played the organ – she and
Gladys were both musical. When I was little and taken to that church there
was always an argument between Gladys and Queenie about which one
would be able to take me out of the church before the sermon! Flo and Emma
wanted to stay. Another family thing was after church Bob and any other
men went to the pub while the females went home to cook Sunday lunch.
The only house I knew was 65 Elmhall Dr. a three bedroomed terrace –
lounge, dining room, small kitchen. Bob (young) had the small bedroom over
the front door. Eliza and Bob the front bedroom and the four girls had two
beds to share – remember they were in their twenties by then! Clothes were
hung on rails on wither side of the fireplace – first up best dressed! Emma
was the vainest sister – she wore shoes a size too small because they were
more elegant. Queenie had natural dark red hair – Gladys dark – Flo
chestnut and Emma a peroxide blonde.
The other story about the house – on either side of the parlour fireplace were
enlarged photographs of Eliza and Bob (see above). A boyfriend (don’t
remember whose) walked in one day and said “Who are the two frights?”
Naturally not asked again.
Although Eliza was a regular churchgoer she wasn’t always true to the
Christian spirit and was very critical of others. Not a lot of forgiveness in her.
Bob on the other hand was an absolute darling, but I dare say a bit
irresponsible. One thing both sides of my family did was to light fires for
Orthodox Jews on Saturdays.
Robbie gave me the needed bit of paper after I had got to here so Sarah
Anne and Edward Daniel Laughlin had six children. There wasn’t an Aunt
Kitty but George & Margaret Laughlin. George being the brother next in
age to Eliza had 12 children which might explain the fun and games – so it
probably was Aunt Maggie who approved of the chip shop! Anyway 8 out
of the 12 children were still alive in the 1980s.
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The Hulmes
W
e start with possibly a Joshua Hulme who was a cabinet
maker, his son was George Hulme born 1830 died 1914 he was
a master weaver. George married Caroline Bracegirdle whose
father was a Miller at Prestbury. They had Joshua (my
grandfather), Millie and Gertrude (she was a dragon). Joshua was christened
Joshua Bracegirdle Hulme and worked on the railways – he was born in 1873
and died in 1958. In 1893 he married Mary Foden. Her father was a
gamekeeper and her mother cook and housekeeper at Birthes Old Hall.
Unfortunately her father died when she (Mary) was 12 so she and her mother
moved to Macclesfield to work in the mills. Mary used to go to school from
6am until noon then work in the mill until 6 o’clock at night - I think that she
was younger than 12 year of age so she must have been sent away from home
quite young.
I don’t know how or when Mary and Joshua met but they married in 1893
when they were 20, so would need parental permission. The Hulmes were
not pleased but a baby was on the way – unfortunately the baby only lived a
short time. In February 1897 Hedley George Hulme was born, followed in
quick succession by Muriel and Jessie. Because they were so near in age they
were close buddies – especially Hedley & Muriel. Muriel suffered from
asthma and died in the 1919 flu epidemic. Jessie had a baby around 1917 or
1918 and both she and the baby died. Dorothy was born I think in 1904, May
in 1909. Joan was born in 1911 and Ashley in 1914 or 15. Mary was now over
40 and Ashley was born badly handicapped. He died in 1969, I think.
When the children were young they lived on a smallholding just on the edge
of Macclesfield – with a pig, donkey and presumably hens. Joshua worked on
the railways and Mary and the kids (3) did the hard work. They were poor;
my father Hedley said when Dorothy was a toddler she wore a cotton flour
sack for rompers with holes cut in the bottom at the corners and tied on her
shoulders!
Macclesfield always had a market on Saturdays when Mary went in to sell
produce and buy the other necessities. One day when Hedley was about 8 he
was told to take the donkey and trap in to collect her and as he went into the
square, the donkey saw Mary in the butchers and before Hedley could stop
him joined himself and the cart in the doorway of the shop! Great
humiliation for Hedley - he never forgot it.
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It may have been a hard life but plenty of fun was had as well. Hedley had a
pure boy sopranos voice and sang solos in church and other places.
Two stories – choir practise was on Saturday night (market day) they used to
come out of church – pinch a turnip or cabbage - play football with it until
they heard the police whistles – vanish into the local Italian fish shop and
loosen the tops of all the vinegar bottles and scarper home! Vandalism isn’t
new! The choir and Hedley were invited to sing at the local “Laird’s” house. It
evidently was a magnificent mansion and at the end Lord whoever he was
thanked Hedley and asked him if there was anything in the house he would
like to see - Hedley asked if he could see the stables! And this was granted.
He had a life long love of horses and many other animals – including pigs
and dogs. He naturally left school as so0n as possible to help the family
finances.
He started in the mills and at 16 got his first pair of long trousers so that he
could apply for position of foreman! War came in 1914 and like most young
men he joined up. He chose the cavalry (his love of horses again). Later on
when Tanks were introduced the cavalry became the Tank Regiment so that
was his war. He didn’t talk about it but was in the Somme etc.. He was
wounded not long before the end so was back in “Blighty” in hospital when
war ended.
As I said, Muriel and Jessie were both dead by 1919 and it wasn’t the same
without them. The others were too young to be of interest. They now lived in
73 Garden Street, Macclesfield (opposite the Gasworks before you think it
was country). The house was an end terrace with a passage leading to stables
so it was two down and four up (rooms that is) there was a room over stables
for the boy – a cobbled yard – outside loo and outside boiler (for washing) –
the loo and boiler house were shared by next door. It was nearer the station
(for Joshua’s sake).
At this time on the outside back wall were long nails so that Hedley could
creep into his bedroom late at night. By the time I knew the house in the
1930’s one bedroom had been turned into a proper bathroom, a kitchen
extension had been built off the “back room” and over this extension Joshua
built a greenhouse served by a door from the bathroom. He had also turned
the room above the stables into his private den – no one admitted!
Joshua was a master craftsman with wood – when I was little he make my
cot and a wooden baby walker (what is new) and they were used by all his
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grandchildren. He also made me a perfect doll’s cot with drop down side –
which my cousin had after me and Joan and Gillian after that! He also made
me a toy cupboard the size of a sideboard. He was as mean as mean and if
you went for a walk with him - his eyes were on the ground to look for nails
or screws!
Joshua had convinced Hedley his future lay with the railways and got him a
job there. (Can I add a bit here – if you worked for the railways you got a
certain amount of free travel and that was a bonus). Before I go back to
Hedley can I tell you that in the 1920s & maybe 30s Joshua took a week’s
holiday each year to the Isle of Man (on his own) because he loved dancing!
Anyway 1922 or 23 Hedley was working on the railway – small wage but with
“prospects”. Then one day someone he knew in the army turned up. They
had the usual chat about what are you doing now and this pal said he had
started working for this new company, Hoover, selling vacuum cleaners – it
was on commission only but good! Hedley had a day off due so the next day
they set off – his pal took one side of the street – Hedley took the other.
Hedley sold nothing but his pal had earned more that one-day than Hedley
earned in a week! I could learn to do that thought Hedley – so he joined
Hoover. I’m sure there was a learning curve but soon he was making money
and being promoted from door-to-door to the next step up. Leave him there
a while.
Go back to stories about Hedley and his pal Fred. They were the wild lot –
had motor bikes though according to Hedley’s sister Dorothy they spent
more time with the bikes in pieces than riding them. Fred was one of the
original choirboys. Hedley and Fred went over to the Isle of Man on holiday
and the window of their room looked across to a room with girls in it – so
Fred used to stand at his window to get dressed looked (nearly) naked –
great commotion.
Anyway we now have Hedley working for Hoover in 1927. He was in
Liverpool and lodged with a lady who worked for Eliza Parry in Holly Oak
Hall in the kitchen. Before Hedley meets Flo (another story) – the house was
in a terrace of houses – one night Hedley came home and couldn’t get his key
in the door - an irate owner came to the door – Hedley was in the wrong
street! All the houses looked the same.
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Four generations outside the house in Garden Street in 1962
Rear: Audrey’s Granny Hulme, Audrey holding Angus, Aunt Dorothy,
Front: Gillian & Joan
The house in 2014 showing the stable doors to the left of the car
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Hedley and Flo Hulme
I
understand they met casually in Liverpool and then on holiday in the
Isle of Man. Flo thought Hedley and Fred were very wild! After that,
they must have met again in Liverpool and maybe Hedley looked better
to Flo. They started courting – got serious and then I don’t know but
maybe just before or after they got engaged Hedley said they were going to
Macclesfield to meet his parents. Eliza was not happy but it happened
anyway and in August 1928 they married.
They started life in a rented house (top storey) in Cheadle Hulme (how’s
that!). By 1929 they moved to Bristol (another promotion) and in April 1930
I was born. I was born in Fishponds, Bristol in the upper room of a “private
house” – I imagine not a lot of “state of the art” but in spite of being breech
and quite big, all was well. The next day my father came to visit “us” with two
dogs – a borzoi called Alec and a Yorkie (the name I can’t remember).
Hedley talked to Flo – I expect admired me – Alec put his nose in the cot –
gave me a lick – and the little one went spare and had to be lifted up to me.
(Why do I like dogs)?
I must explain that Flo and Hedley were just a two. They adored each other
but also Flo cut all other family out and when they got Audrey it was a closed
circle. When Flo and Hedley got married she said to Mary Hulme “he is mine
now not yours” – Mary was very hurt but Flo also distanced herself from her
own parents so there were a cosy little family. My mother didn’t seem to
need or want friends just her beloved Hedley and me. Anyone we visited or
who came to us had something to do with Hoover Ltd.. Mind you we had a
move every two years as Hedley got promoted.
After Bristol it was Hove for two years then on to Leeds. I had my tonsils out
in Leeds and started school – not a great success, as I just wasn’t used to
mixing with other children.
In 1936 we moved to Glasgow and after living in a small hotel for a few weeks
found a house to rent. It was easy to rent then and with all our moves the
only sensible thing to do. (It was in Leeds we got our first car – I think – and
a large radio – very 1930s!) The reason it took so long to find somewhere to
live was because most rented property in Glasgow was flats and my parents
were used to a garden. Things were now looking up and we had a young
maid.
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My Mother took the train into Glasgow every weekday afternoon and had
afternoon tea in one of the many well-known stores. While you had your tea
a small orchestra played and models displayed the latest fashions. My
mother was very fashion conscious and Daddy indulged her – so if she saw
something she liked she would try it on and if okay charge it to her account.
There were Hoover dances around Xmas time and I loved to see my mother
in her lovely ball gowns. One year we even went down to London for one –
stayed in the hotel where it was held so I was put to bed and the next day
went to the circus. I was also taken to the theatre not just to pantomimes but
all the Ivor Novello musicals which I loved. We always had a box which is
very posh but you see better than in the centre of the stalls or the circle.
The houses were cold then – you woke up to frost on the inside of the
bedroom windows and the bathroom was freezing. There were fires in the
living room and a big range in the kitchen, but going from one room to the
other was miserable.
I had bronchitis more than once in Glasgow – before antibiotics it was a
serious illness – I was put in my parents bed (Mummy stayed with me) a fire
was lit in the fireplace and a little spirit kettle kept boiling to keep the air
moist. The only treatment was hot polices on your chest and back – and a
prayer that it didn’t go into double pneumonia. At that time it could be fatal.
Anyway I obviously survived but it did lead to weekly swimming lessons at
Deniston Baths to build me up – plus large spoonfuls of haliborange or cod
liver oil and malt – all pretty disgusting. I also naturally had all the
childhood diseases.
In 1937 Mummy and Daddy went to London to watch the coronation of
Queen Elizabeth and King George. I was left with an elderly cousin of
Daddy’s who lived in Bearsden (Glasgow). The days were all right but I
sobbed my heart our at night as the only other time I had been on my own at
night was when I had my tonsils out (and I cried that night too). You see
what a cosseted and sheltered child I was. Birthdays and Christmas were
marvellous as an only child and grandchild (until I was 7) on both sides I had
the best of everything. On Christmas Eve it was a pillowcase not a stocking
that was hung up and filled!
We expected to move in 1938 but as the move was to Holland and with war
clouds gathering that was cancelled so we stayed in Glasgow.
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Davisbank
O
ne Saturday afternoon when we were on the house-hunting track
again – we turned off Edinburgh Road into Springboig Avenue. At
the bottom of the long avenue was a large house with gateposts
topped with concrete balls and a fancy wall. I immediately
remarked how beautiful it was and when Daddy said that was house we were
going to look at – I was thrilled. Love at first sight. I think that everyone was
impressed with the lounge & Mummy & Daddy’s bedroom which were both
huge with windows at each end. Originally of course the bedroom would have
been the parlour. There was a little room off the lounge (probably meant for a
study), which became the maid’s bedroom. As it had three outside walls it
must have been as cold as charity – but then unless you were sitting next to
coal fires, everywhere was cold. The warmest room was the kitchen with a big
black range in it but it wasn’t until wartime that we used it. Pre-war the maid
at least had warmth there. Davisbank was actually semi-detached but
Davisbank was on Hallhill Road and the other bit around the in corner in
Gartocher Road.
I loved that house – it had a large walled garden and a little room half way up
the stairs which became my playroom – it had a large sash window which had
the flat roof of the back porch under it – strictly forbidden to go on – but I
did! The same room was lovely during the day but at night I used to dash past
it on my way upstairs.
As well as my parents bedroom there was a bathroom, then my L shaped
bedroom facing the front (another bright room) and across from my room a
large square guest’s room facing the back. Downstairs there was a family
room to the right of the front door – large enough for a full dining suite plus a
leather three-piece suite. A corridor went down the side of the stairs leading
to the back of the house – halfway down was a walk-in larder. When we were
given game it was hung on the inside of the door and moved when you walked
in! At the end of the corridor a door led into an inner hall – to the right the
warm kitchen – to the left a cold scullery with sink, clothes boiler & cooler. A
door from the hall led to a large porch – to the left a door went into the back
garden – to the right steps down to the coal cellar. That was Davisbank (I’ve
always adored houses – I could describe every house I’ve lived in and some
special ones I’ve visited).
So the next thing was school! I went to Rosebank School in Mount Vernon. It
was in a Victorian house run by two spinster sisters. It catered for 5-12 yearolds
but was very small – small classes etc.. We had to walk down Gartocher
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Road to Shettleston Road and take a bus to Mount Vernon & walk down the
avenue there to the school. Obviously at six I had to be taken & collected so
had to stay for lunch – the first day I had it with two teachers in their dining
room and was given noodle soup – now I was the faddiest of faddy eaters and
it just looked like worms – anyway as some other children had packed
lunches that is what I did from then on.
Although I had been to school for a year they discovered I couldn’t really
read – up until then I had managed to memorise what was read to me. But
now there were more words on a page, if I couldn’t remember it I had no idea
how to sound the letters out! Great fuss, so on Tuesdays & Thursdays I had
to stay after school to learn the basics. As I hated school anyway this was
painstaking – but I learned to read and never looked back – it has always
given me so much pleasure.
Because both Mummy & Daddy had to leave school as soon as allowed, it was
to be only the best for me so naturally it was a private school again. Again
there was the problem of mixing. However after a few ups and downs
although I never really liked school I did settle. I could start to make myself
ill on Sunday evenings and managed to miss quite a few Mondays. After that
it was Tuesday – Wednesday the middle of the week with only Thursday and
Friday to go – I spent years thinking like that! Daddy worked until lunchtime
on Saturday but after that he devoted his time to us. We always went for “a
run” in the car and usually stopped for afternoon tea.
So I’m the new girl at school with an English accent – and got bullied
especially by a girl called Sophie. I told Mummy about it and when she came
to collect me in the afternoon – asked who Sophie was – I pointed her out
and Mummy said as I had no-one to play with would Sophie like to come to
our house one day. She did and we became great friends. What a wise
Mother I had!
Through Sophie I became the fourth member of a gang – Jimmy Watt & Billy
Wallace were the other two – they all lived close to each other in Mount
Vernon. As they lived locally they walked to and from school and I often went
home with them. From school we walked down a road under the railway
bridge and past the bowling green to their houses. One day the boys
suggested we took a shortcut over the railway line – which we did –
unfortunately (or maybe not!) someone saw us and because we were in
school uniform reported us to the headmistress. She told us how dangerous
it was and if it happened again our parents would be told. I went straight
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home and confessed – don’t know what the others did but we did not cross
the railway line again!
The four of us often went to Kelvingrove Art Gallery in the holidays. The boys
pointed out the ‘rude’ statues but there were all the gems – animals (stuffed)
and working models of ships etc. The paintings were not of great interest.
For the rest of the time school was alright because I had pals. My mother did
become quite friendly with the two sisters – and I resented that. The Audrey
at school was one person and the one at home another and I felt betrayed. (I
have always been a different ‘me’ to different people which is why I never
liked to mix different groups of friends with each other). I did meet up with
Sophie & Jimmy when I came back from American but the gap was too wide
to bridge.
Holidays were a thrill – on the Saturday morning I got into bed between
Mummy & Daddy and a map of Great Britain was produced while we decided
where to go. We then had a cooked breakfast – set off in the car and half-anhour
later I was sick! It always happened so I wonder at the logic of that
breakfast.
Daddy was a great ‘explorer’ of a new territory so on Saturday & Sunday
afternoons we went out in the car and explored all around Glasgow – Loch
Lomond – the Trossachs – the Clyde coast. Always having afternoon tea
somewhere. The first summer holiday we went up to Tongue – up one side of
the North and back down the other. We had a magical warm sunny week in
Tongue with the lovely silver sands.
The next year 1938 was the Empire Exhibition in Bellahouston Park so we
had loads of family visitors. It was most impressive with all the pavilions –
that was when I knew Britain had an Empire. I know I was intrigued with all
the different people of all colours and the things they made but was too
young to be really impressed. However there were beautiful china dolls
dressed like Victorian Belles and I did want one of those. When Queenie &
Harry came up they bought me one – I was absolutely over the moon. A few
days later I took her into the garden – sat her on a small wicker chair and put
her hand on the dolls pram – then I went into the house for something and
when I came out the pram had pulled her off the chair onto the crazy paving
- one smashed china doll. I was inconsolable and Harry said he would get me
another – but it was forbidden as I had been so careless!
Although Mummy didn’t make friends easily, Daddy made friends with the
manager of the basement floor of Copeland & Lyes Store. Mr MacTaggart ran
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the department that covered white goods (Hoover), toys and fancy goods –
lamps and ornaments. We still have a present from Mr MacTaggart to Daddy
one Xmas which is the lamp I call Cleo. Eventually they used to come to us
on Xmas day and we went to them on New Year’s Day. Their son Jim was my
age and had super train sets which I loved. One Xmas Day when they were
with us, we were sitting in the lounge when smoke began to come out behind
the fireplace. Panic - we called out the Fire Brigade who came in pulled the
fire surround from the wall to discover it was packed with newspaper not
mortar! It was a smoky, sooty lounge but at least it hadn’t happened at night
when we were all in bed!
Daddy was doing well – his salary wasn’t big but the commission each year
provided the luxuries. We now bought a very big Wolsley car with walnut
veneer. It was still going in the end of the ‘40s where it enters the story again.
He tended to spend the commission but when Mother died young – Daddy
said to Granny – “do you still think it was wrong”. No answer to that as at
least Mummy had been spoiled while she was alive.
While we are in the Glasgow years – the first holiday as I said was to Tongue
– 1937 I can’t remember, could have ’38 we ended up in Exmouth – that was
nice – I know we went out in a boat fishing and my mother caught a very
small plaice – Daddy said for what the trip cost it should have been covered
in diamonds! 1939 we went to Blackpool – which at that age I adored.
The next year no holiday – I was going to America (more later) but Daddy
promised when I came home he would take me to Blackpool again – and
when I came home in spite of the difficulties he took me back in 1945. Things
were so bad that I shared a room with a stranger and so did he! He must
have hated it but in our family a promise is a promise – and I hope still is.
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Childhood Pets
W
hen I was born we had Alec – a borzoi – a very handsome man
and Yorkie called Dinky. We also must have had at least one
cat but I can’t remember it. I learned to walk by hanging onto
Alec’s fur and he was very patient. He loathed all other dogs
but adored cats and there is a picture of him with all the kittens climbing
over him.
When we moved to Hove, Dinky was no longer with us but we had Alec and a
beautiful cat called Tinker. While we were there my father rescued another
black cat from somewhere and called it Punch. Anyway sometime later
Tinker produced 5 black kittens and 5 days later ‘Punch’ produced 5 black
kittens! Now Tinker was a superb mother but Punch preferred to go out – so
every-time Punch left her kittens Tinker took them in with hers – when
Punch came home my poor mother had to decide which ones belonged to
which mother cat! I don’t know what happened to 9 of the kittens & Punch
but I imagine they went to good homes but I was allowed to choose one for
my self and so Willy Whiskers joined the family (I was three then and had
him until I was twenty). He was a beautiful black half Persian – handsome
and he knew it!
We then moved to Leeds with Alec, Tinker and Whiskers. Then my father
came home one night with a Shetland Collie puppy – just for me! I called her
Bunty and she was a great pal. When we moved to Glasgow she always slept
on the mat outside my bedroom door – then I went to America and after a
few weeks she went downstairs and slept in the kitchen with Bill (the Bull
Mastiff). When I came back to Glasgow over four years later she welcomed
me and when I went to bed took up her position outside my door! She lived
until she was 14.
Anyway while we were in Leeds someone in the area started to poison dogs
and poor Alec died. I can remember how broken my mother was. I must tell
how got Alec. My father travelled a lot and had favourite pubs where he
stayed and as a regular visitor went into the owner’s living room – not the
front of the house. He arrived this day and the owner said not to go into the
back as someone had given him a dog to pay off a bad debt and it was wild.
Daddy got on with all animals so went into the backroom and he and Alec
were getting on famously when the owner of the pub came in. He asked
Daddy if he would take the dog – naturally the answer was yes! Daddy was
with another Hoover Rep who had a little two-seater sport’s car – so the two
of them plus this large dog travelled to Bristol. When they got to the end of
- 16 -

our street Daddy asked his pal to stop there and wait. He then took Alec up
to the house opened the gate – pushed Alec in and rang the doorbell – he
then hid behind the hedge. My mother opened the door and said “Well
beautiful where did you come from?” Daddy waved his pal that all was well
and told the story to Mummy. That’s Alec’s story.
We moved to Glasgow in 1936 with Bunty, Whiskers and Tucker. Tucker
took ill sometime later and had to be put down. Then in 1937 my Grandad
Parry & Aunt Gladys started to breed Pekinese dogs and I was given Chang
for my birthday. He was a darling and used to lie in my dolls pram and I took
him for walks in it. Then they sent up Betty - in the theory we could breed
from them. Betty only liked Mummy and was not a pleasant dog. Daddy
didn’t really like small dogs and I still loved my Bunty. Anyway Daddy and
Eric Colston were on a sales trip and stayed somewhere where there was a
litter of Bull Mastiff pups (more Daddy’s type of dogs). They were quite
expensive so Eric made a deal with Daddy – they would each pay half price –
Daddy would have the pup – if he won the next sales competition Eric would
pay the other half – if not Daddy would have to – Eric paid! Anyway Daddy
came home with this super puppy – even then largish with big feet and it was
put to me that Bill could accidentally harm Chang or Betty with his big paws
so we would look for other homes for them. As it happened Daddy’s secretary
Nancy Corr got Chang and a friend got Betty. Mummy & I did go and see
Chang at the Corrs’ where he was living the good life and was not very
interested in me!
So Bill became the 2nd dog. Bunty was still mine and Bill definitely was
Mummy’s. I went to America in 1940 – Mummy took ill in 1941 and died in
1942. Bill pined so much for her that Daddy had to have him put down.
Another thing about the war years - food for animals was difficult but my
father queued for fish heads for the cat and “lights” for Bunty. I think lights
are lungs from cattle and the stench when you cook them is awful.
So I came home to Bunty & Whiskers. The end of 1946 Daddy married Nancy
Corr and we moved to Clarkston. When we had been there some time
Whiskers went missing - as we know cats go away to die. When he didn't
come home after a couple of weeks we were prepared not to see him
again...After 3 weeks he returned - obviously well-fed and settled in again. In
the summer Nancy was out in the garden with Whiskers in attendance when
a lady passed by - saw Whiskers and asked if he was Nancy's cat. She then
told Nancy that he was in the habit of visiting her - made himself quite at
home and after awhile left again! Both the lady & Nancy were pleased to
- 17 -

meet but thought Whiskers was making use of each of them! Bunty &
Whiskers both died while we were in Clarkston.
Maybe I should add Bason and Macduff (and Skipper) to the story. When I
went to live with the Steeles' they had a Great Dane called Bason - and in the
early homesick days he was a great comfort. Before I moved to Alliance
Gloria got a Beagle called Skipper and he was great fun. When I moved to the
Krichbaums they had Macduff - a mix of Spaniel & Scottie! Short legs,
Spaniel coat and ears and he was a darling. I'll do another chapter on our
family pets -the Bowie ones.
Aunt Gladys, Dinky and Audrey
Flo & Audrey - holding on to Alec,
who has a kitten on his back.
Audrey on a swing with a cat
Bunty, Audrey & Bill
- 18 -

Days out with the Family
Audrey with her Mum (Flo) and her
maternal grand parents
(Eliza & Robert Parry)
- 19 -

The War
I
n 1939 war broke out – we all had identity cards and gas masks which
we had to carry with us all the time and practise putting them on at
school and getting under our desks – so that we would know what to
do when the sirens went off. We didn’t have an air raid shelter in our
garden but went to the communal one across the road – I can only remember
going to it twice because a great change was about to happen.
In the beginning of 1940 my father’s cousin who lived in Australia wrote
offering to have me for the duration of the war and so we got all the forms for
that. But then Eric Colston (Daddy’s boss) and Herb Hoover (chairman of
Hoover Ltd.) got together and arranged that employees in this country could
send their children to Ohio (the headquarters of Hoover). The children had
to be between 5 – 15 years old. So instead of Australia I went to America.
Hoover employees in North Canton volunteered to take children into their
homes and Herb Hoover promised that if Britain was occupied he personally
would fund the upkeep of the children until they left school. That must have
been a great comfort to the parents as they parted with their children.
So on 9th August 1940, 87 children and their parents gathered In the
Grosvenor Hotel – we said goodbye to our parents and marched out to buses
to begin our journey. I knew Barbara & David Herring vaguely as their father
and mine both worked in sales and that was it. At least I had been told where
I was going and why – lots of the others had been told they were going on
holiday!
The buses took us to the station where we boarded a train for Liverpool. We
stayed overnight on camp beds in school – there was an air raid so we all had
to go to the shelter. In the morning we went to the docks and boarded the
S.S. Samaria. Three of us shared a cabin. For the next five days I was seasick
(and homesick) but eventually was carried up on deck and began to feel
better. We all went on deck to see the Statue of Liberty before docking in
New York.
After passport and medical checks we left the ship and got on waiting buses
– much bigger and more luxurious than the British ones and had a quick
tour of New York before boarding the train for Canton, Ohio. We were all
amazed by the skyscrapers and the train was another surprise. Again bigger
with proper bathrooms and at night the seats became beds – two up with
curtains across each bed so you had your own privacy. The bathrooms
(restrooms they called them) had showers in them which were a novelty.
- 20 -

Mr. Hoover travelled with us as did the counsellors who had travelled over
with us. We arrived in Canton in the morning and were taken to Hoover
Camp in North Canton where the Hoover company had its headquarters. The
boys slept at the camp but girls went to Hoover House (used by Hoover Ltd.
for guests). We were at the camp for two weeks to let us settle into our new
country. We went swimming and to the cinema and there were lots of things
to do at the camp. One day there was a call over the tannoy for Audrey
Hulme to go to the reception hall. When I got there I was introduced to Mr.
& Mrs. Steele. Mr. Steele lent forward and said “I’ve met your daddy” – oh
what bliss to meet someone in Ohio who knew my Daddy. Anyway it was
arranged that I would go and live with them.
Mr. and Mrs. Steele had a granddaughter, Judy, who was only five years
younger than me – so had they had a big heart to take on a ten year old when
their own family were grown up. Their son, Bill, was in the forces – he had
volunteered and sadly Judy’s mother Marjorie had died three years before in
a tragic accident. Mr. Steele’s sister was married to Mr. Herb Hoover so I
went to live on the Hoover estate.
There were four mansions – Steele’s, Hoover-young, Herb Hoover and the
Connelly’s. Mrs. Connelly was the Hoover’s daughter – they had a daughter
called Polly who was eight so was a playmate for us. Polly had a two-storey
playhouse – built just like a real house. Apart from the four mansions there
was a private golf course, a stables, a home farm, huge greenhouses filled
with lots of fruit and a large lodge where they entertained! It was luxury that
I hadn’t experienced before. Naturally there were servants, gardeners, a
groom at the stables (he came from Dunfermline and was called Scotty) and
lots of others to keep everything running smoothly.
The Steele’s – who now became Aunt Grace and Uncle Bill – had servants
who were sisters Mary and Rose – Mary did the cooking and Rose looked
after the house and served at table. They had a gardener called Albert who
lived in a flat over the large garage with his wife Ida and their daughter
Gloria. Gloria was my age and we quickly became the best of friends and still
are.
I mentioned Eric Colston before - his three children and their Nanny lived at
the home farm so were also playmates. There was also a lake with a small
boat in the Hoover grounds where we used to swim in the summer and ice
skate in the winter. I was given a white pony called Tarzan. Scotty used to
call for me early in the morning (on holidays) and I would go with him while
he exercised one of the horses used for hunting. Uncle Bill, Mr. Hoover and
- 21 -

others were all dressed in the red jacket etc. for this. I had beautiful jodhpurs
etc. that had once belonged to Marjorie. Aunt Grace took me into the attic,
which was lined with beautiful cupboards and drawers and all Marjorie’s
riding gear was being kept for Judy.
Aunt Grace kitted me out in wads of new clothes so that I would blend in
with the American children. Even when I went to live at Alliance she had
Jean & me over once or twice a year when we went shopping in Canton for
new suits or coats and shoes. She really was most generous. We went to
school on the Yellow School Bus and after the initial strangeness I got on all
right – except in writing!
You had to draw lots of circles joined together – now right handed people
draw circles in a clockwise direction but left handers draw anti-clockwise so
it caused a great deal of anguish! That first term was difficult because I was
still homesick and had very little self-confidence – however when Xmas
came and it was obvious the war was nowhere near ending - I started pull
myself together – with hindsight although it was tough – it stood me in good
stead for the rest of my life. I decided I would never be that miserable again
and I haven’t!
- 22 -

- 23 -

The Steele’s House
Y
ou came up a long driveway and around a centre circle of flowers
and shrubs. Into the house from the driveway (really the back of
the house) you enter the hall – on the right was Bill’s study – next
door went onto the corridor then a door on the left to the dining
room for the waitress – door on the right to the cellar, carry on to the kitchen
with a dining area for staff and a back door to the garden. The door after the
corridor door led to a large formal dining room. On the window side a door
off of the dining room led to a room of the same size that was surrounded by
Mosquito screens used in summer. (With me so far?) On the left a beautiful
curved staircase and at the end of the hall wide doors leading out to the steps
and terrace. Just past the staircase on the left were double doors taking you
into a large lounge with a grand piano. It was a pianola so you put a roll of
music in – turned it on and it played with the keys going up and down. I used
to sit there and dream I was playing! Off this was another large lounge – and
again a large screened room to use in summer.
Go up the super staircase – on the right a corridor with a bathroom on the
right. My bedroom next to that and across was a twin room, then at the end
of the corridor a door led into Rose & Mary’s bedroom & bathroom. Opposite
the stairs was Marjorie’s bedroom & bathroom. To the left a door led into
Aunt Grace and Uncle Bill’s bedroom suite - bedroom, dressing room, sitting
room and bathroom. As I have said there was a fully floored attic lined with
cupboards and drawers all in cedar wood for moth proofing.
Sounds grand – it was marvellous. The cellar ran the full length of the house
with the boiler room, laundry, large larder and a room for hanging game.
Gloria and her parents had a kitchen on the ground floor of the garage and
upstairs a large lounge, two bedrooms and a bathroom. Gloria’s dad was a
“ham” and his room was filled with radios – he used to get British stations
and let me hear them.
* * *
Back to the first year in America - in the summer (1941) I went to camp for a
month. It had everything – swimming, tennis (no thanks) and canoeing
which I really loved.
- 24 -

I teamed up with a girl from Massillon, Ohio and afterwards went there for
weekends. Her father owned the local newspaper and that’s when I fell in
love with the smell and hum of printing. Her mother was a very
understanding and wise lady. I think I had resented being sent to camp
although it was the done thing in the States (and I did enjoy it other years).
Anyway this motherly soul asked if I was happy with the Steele’s. I said yes
as they were very kind. She advised me to tell Aunt Grace I loved being there
– it was sensible and again stood me in good stead whenever I was living in
someone else’s house.
* * *
Back to the Steele’s… It was a formal house – pre dinner drinks in Uncle
Bill’s den if it was just the three of us – I had peach juice, they had cocktails.
Then into the dining room for dinner served by Rose. There was then a
problem – so many dishes I had never had before and lots of vegetables
which I didn’t like but had to eat! On most Sundays we had a formal lunch
with the Hoovers. It was always chicken, which in those days was special. At
thanksgiving and Christmas it was turkey with all the trimmings.
Gloria and I spent all our time together. I was so fond of her mama. In the
summer of 1941 we wrote, directed and acted in a play put on in the rose
arbour. Naturally we gave the Hoover’s granddaughter Polly the leading part!
Everyone came and we collected for the “Bundles for Britain”. Gloria’s
parents were Swiss and so in the winter in the snow (there was always snow)
Albert, her dad, took the two of us skiing on the golf course – other times we
went sledging or ice-skated on the Hoover’s pond.
The summers were gloriously hot and I loved it. At weekends if the Steele’s
were home, we went to church and then to lunch at the Hoovers. Sometimes
in the summer I went out to the Swiss Club with Gloria and her parents. This
was great fun with lots of young company. Other Sundays Mary and Rose
took me to Mass first and then we went to their family – again young
company.
- 25 -

Alliance
I
n the spring of 1942 Uncle Bill had (I think) a slight heart attack and
the doctors advised in the future they should have the three winter
months in Florida. It was impractical for me to go with them – a
different school for three months each year. I could have stayed as
Mary and Rose were there and Gloria’s Mama, but that was leaving me with
the hired help and I was the Steele’s responsibility. All this Aunt Grace
explained and then said a couple in Alliance with a ten year-old daughter had
applied for an evacuee. It was suggested I stayed the Easter weekend with
them (my birthday) but if I wasn’t happy I could refuse. Anyway I went to the
Krichbaum’s and all went well. School finished for the summer holidays the
end of May so I moved to Alliance then.
It was good to be in a family again, there was Jean aged 10 and in no time at
all the couple I called Mother & Daddy. There was also a dog called Macduff
– half Scottie, half Spaniel – a delight. There were Aunts & Uncles and
Grandparents. Gramma & Grampa Krichbaum had a smallholding and in the
summer we helped hoe the corn. They had lots of books – which pleased me
as Mother and Daddy weren’t readers - if I got lost in a book I was wasting
time and should be out doing things! Mother’s mother, Gramma Galbraith,
had married again after her husband had died. They weren’t such an easy
couple as the Krichbaum’s. They lived in the country in a “one horse town”.
It was at a crossroad – one corner a petrol station, one general store, the
third corner an agriculture business run by grampa’s son-in-law, can’t
remember the fourth one. It was just farms around there. They had sheep
and cattle and Jean and I used to bring the cow in for milking. In the
summer there were lots of family barbecues with the aunts and uncles.
I loved the climate – baking hot summers, colourful falls, snowy winters and
pretty springs. The only snag in summer was the humidity that made it hard
to get to sleep. No air conditioning then. In the summer ‘42 we went to camp
– rather different from the previous one – outside loos and a pond not a
swimming pool – it was fun all the same. The next year we went to a slightly
better camp and Aunt Grace paid for Gloria to come as well (Aunt Grace may
well have paid for all three of us). It was marvellous to be with Gloria again.
We were intents that year and one night a tornado ripped through the camp
– we were in the wooden hall - but when it was over the tent Jean and I were
in was down & everything got soaked. Luckily the tent Gloria was in was okay
so we shared that night.
- 26 -

The next year Jean and I went to very nice camp (again Aunt Grace paid)
nice log cabins – a pool & lots of activities - we even produced & acted
H.M.S. Pinafore. In 1943 we had a holiday with Aunt Helen & Uncle Karl
Krichbaum and their ½ year-old son Danny - that was fun. We drove to
Cleveland – took the ferry across Lake Erie to Michigan – we then drove
through Detroit to Lake Huron. Driving through Detroit was scary as there
had been race riots – all car doors were locked on the inside and when we
had to stop at traffic lights black youths were hanging round the street
corners – we made it safely and had a good holiday in a cottage right on the
shore. We were on the border with Canada, but because of my British
passport couldn’t go as there might have been trouble getting me back into
U.S.A.
I think we had that holiday because at the beginning of 1943 Mother told us
she was expecting a baby. What joy – a little brother or sister to spoil!
However when the time came the wee boy was stillborn. It was shattering. In
fact no one knew then about the effect of a mother having rhesus negative
blood when the father was rhesus positive. Now they can check for the
antibodies and babies can be saved.
When I lived in South Linden Avenue it was a nice neighbourhood. We all
had bikes (the Steele’s gave me one for Christmas in 1941) there was a nice
park near with a lake – we skated there in winter. There were lots of children
the same sort of age. We naturally played lots of baseball. In September 1942
I joined 6th Grade in South Liberty School. I soon made friends. The next
year I went to State St. Junior High. The American system was 6 years in
elementary, 3 years in junior high and then 3 years in High school.
I found school easy – seldom below 90% and I.Q. tests were a dawdle (What
a shock when I came home!) I was in lots of clubs. The Krichbaum’s were
Methodists, so a lot of activities centred round the church. It was no
hardship as all my friends were there – I sang in the choir, helped run the
Sunday school and also was involved in organising junior church services.
In October 1942 my own mother died. She had had a couple of operations
but naturally wrote cheering letters to me saying she was getting better.
However she wrote more truthfully to Mother who gently prepared me.
Now I hadn’t seen Mummy for over two years and she wasn’t part of the life I
was living so although I felt sad it wasn’t until I came home and she wasn’t
there that I did my grieving. In 1944 – in September maybe – a Hoover
friend of Daddy’s came to America – on route to Australia and asked to see
- 27 -

me. He had seen Daddy a few weeks before – he asked me how old I was (14)
and said it was time I went home and looked after Daddy! The war was still
on and the Atlantic not entirely clear of U-Boats, so we had to get Daddy’s
permission for me to sail home. After a few cables he gave his permission – it
was now late October and most people had to wait months for passage.
Mother naturally phoned Aunt Grace to tell her – Aunt Grace said to me
“You want to be home for Xmas” me – “Yes but it’s not possible”. Aunt Grace
– “Leave it to me”!
The advantage of knowing people like the Steele’s is they have friends in high
places who bend the rules. Anyway in no time at all a booth had been booked
on the “Rangatiki” – end of November. What excitement. I know we went to
the usual Thanksgiving dinner that Herb Hoover gave to us and our foster
families every year. Three of us were coming home – me first.
Everyone rallied round – clothes for me, the bottom of the trunk stuffed with
tins of food, bacon, meat etc. plus lipsticks, other make up and stockings for
the Aunts. There were loads of tearful farewell parties and then the final
farewells at the station as I took the night train to New York. I travelled with
one of the counsellors who had been checking up on our welfare all the time
we were in the States. Then to New York and down to the docks – and there
was the Queen Elizabeth – towering over the other ships – she was at that
time a troop carrier. Then on to the rather meaner Ragatiki. Here I was
introduced to my “minder” who would look after me as I was an
unaccompanied child. She had been a nanny in New York – very brusk no
nonsense type. I had come over in a proper cabin – going back was very
different. We were in a large barrack type room – berths 3 high all round the
walls and in the middle! The only thing between us and the sea was the cold
store. Never mind I was going home.
We were still travelling convoys so once that was assembled we set off. 24
hours later our engines failed and we returned to New York. We then had to
wait for repairs and then the next convoy – that took a week (I think). My so
called minder immediately went back to the family she worked for in New
York until we sailed again (she must have come back but I can’t remember
her after that).
Adults were allowed to disembark and sample New York but obviously
youngsters weren’t. There were three of us – not known to each other – I
think the others were Eastman Kodak evacuees whose company had done
the same as Hoover. Anyway we were confined to the ship and a super
person took pity on us. (The ship carried lots of war brides as well as some
- 28 -

military personnel). She was a war bride from the southern States – lovely
accent and very pretty – she volunteered to be responsible for us and took
the three of us on a magical tour of New York.
It was December – everything was glittering with Xmas decorations – Santas
on the streets – we went to the famous Macey’s Dept. store and met Santa.
We saw ice skating in Times Square, we went up the Empire State Building
and wandered around the eastside where our new friend went wild buying
hats. If you think of it – she must have paid for all sorts of things. We did all
thank her very-very much and she also kept a watching eye on us during the
voyage. (Why didn’t we get her address in Britain – at that age you don’t
think)! We had one night when we slept in our clothes as U-Boats had been
sighted – but apart from that it was okay and I wasn’t nearly as sick as the
first time.
A reunion visit to Ohio in 1965.
Jean, Joan, Evelyn & Audrey
The American foster family c. 1942
Evelyn, Jean & Ralph
- 29 -

Home
I
arrived in Liverpool on 23rd December 1944 – Home for Xmas! The
family had a bit of worry because they were told the first sailing date
then a gap but finally an arriving date. Liverpool was the perfect
arriving port as the Parry’s were all there. I came through customs with
my well-loaded trunk – passed and walked down to the gate. Gladys &
Queenie were there to great me – Daddy had gone to get a trolley for the
trunk. Then we were altogether and went to Gladys & Jack’s house. The
neighbours came in for a welcome home and on Xmas day we had a proper
Xmas dinner. All the neighbours and family had contributed – we had turkey
and Xmas pudding because all had given up their rations of sugar, dried fruit
& margarine etc., etc. to make my homecoming something special.
It wasn’t until I knew how strict rationing was I was able to appreciate it! The
trunk was opened and shared with great glee. We (Daddy & I) went to
Macclesfield to see Granny & Granddad Hulme and Dorothy. We stayed one
night – and believe it or not the sirens went off – I was sharing a bed with
Granny and she said not to worry.
Daddy & I then took the train to Glasgow – packed as they were then. Then
we got back to Davisbank where Aunt Joan & Ian (my cousin Ian) were
waiting for us. (Not quite so as Ian was in bed). Also my dog Bunty, who
hadn’t forgotten me & for the first time in four years slept outside my
bedroom door as she always used to. It was when I went to bed that night
that the loss of Mummy hit me – I broke my heart – Daddy did his best
comfort me but said I would make him cry as well. I had never thought of
Daddy crying!
We were home in time for Hogmanay & just toasted my safe homecoming
and the hope the war would end in 1945. The beginning of January we
started the hunt to get me into school. As I had been privately educated
before we started with Laurel Bank, Park etc. But with no languages and
other drawbacks they suggested a year’s private tuition! Daddy said I needed
friends of my own age more than private tuition so he phoned the
headmaster of the local secondary school – Eastbank Academy.
We went for an interview the next day and Mr. MacFarlane suggested
putting me in 3rd year (my own age group) and see how things went. We
asked when I would start and he said ‘Now’. So Daddy went off and I was
taken to a classroom. It was the time in the morning when you got a 1/3 pint
of milk for a half penny. I didn’t have one but the teacher paid. I had gone for
- 30 -

my interview in a smart pink/grey tweed skirt with a pink waistcoat so stood
out like a sore thumb! The next class was English and the class had had to
say a speech from Julius Caesar. Mr. MacDonald, the teacher, said I was
excused from this task – but I said if I could have the speech and could be
last I could do it. I did, as in those days I could memorise very quickly –
mind you lots of times I could forget it quickly as well.
Anyway I settled in to Eastbank. Latin and French were unknown to me so I
did have extra tuition for Latin but it was a hard struggle and luckily you
could drop both of these by 4th year! Maths was a mixture as in the States
you do nothing but Arithmetic for the first six & half years when you have
covered everything including compound interest etc., so I was ahead there -
but I had to re-learn pounds, shillings & pence. At least measurements were
more or less the same. I had had 2 ½ terms of Algebra but that was a period
every day of that time so I was okay there, but geometry was a complete
mystery & although I could memorise & produce the theories and proofs – I
had no idea what came after. I did eventually get the hang of most of it but
when we came to trig. of course I was completely lost.
In 4th year you started to concentrate on the subjects for your highers – 2
lower & 3 higher subjects were mandatory – I started taking lower History
(there wasn’t higher History which I would have preferred), higher English
(a must), higher Maths, higher Science & higher Art. A bit ambitious – after
the prelims in 5th year I dropped to lower Maths, which I passed. But at that
time you passed all or got nothing. As I failed higher Science (the physics got
me – chemistry I understood) I left school without anything to show I had
been there at all! If you failed you had to sit them all again as you weren’t
credited with the passes you had.
To go back to third year…there was history & geography – as it happened in
History I had done the American war of Independence, the French
revolution – the American Civil war and the Industrial Revolution in
America – and from 3rd year did them all again but from a different angle! I
never did catch up on British history. In the History exam the 1st third of the
paper was on British history and I had to hope I recognised relevant dates
but knew I could make up for it in the next 2/3 of the paper. Geography was
a problem at first as I couldn’t place rivers or towns in the map of Britain
unless I was familiar with them – I soon learned. As for how river valleys etc.
were formed – that was a complete mystery – I managed to drop geography
at the end of 3rd year.
- 31 -

We will now go back to day one. In spite of my unsuitable clothes I wasn’t a
figure of fun but greatly admired. There had been years of clothes rationing
& clothing coupons only stretched to necessities so this was different. Never
the less I made Daddy take me into to Glasgow to get a Blue Gymslip so that
I would fit in. I had been given some clothing coupons from the government
when I came home. I think I shared the rest with Joan & Ian (Daddy’s sister
and her son). Luckily before the war Daddy always bought six of everything –
suits, shirts, underwear, shoes etc. as he changed each day so he was lasting
out not too badly. Also he was working in the Hoover factory in Cambuslang
doing war work so didn’t need to look as smart as pre-war.
Most classmates were friendly. When the time came to walk home – Betty
Bishara said she lived near me – so we walked home together. Her father was
an Egyptian doctor but in the forces by then. She & her mother lived in a
council house in Badhill, just down the road so we became friends. Her
mother was very caring and came from the North of England so there was a
connection.
Four houses up from Davisbank was another family of three brothers
Alistair, Tommy & Eric – Eric was Ian’s pal and the mother & Joan were
friendly, so they also became friends. Also they had one of Bunty’s puppies
born after I left – so Alistair & I used to walk the two dogs after school. There
was a three mile walk – a triangle – up Hallhill Rd to the Edinburgh Rd
along that to Springboig Avenue and home again. Half way up Hallhill Road
was an abandoned mansion and we used to go into the grounds & look into
the windows of the house – there was also a Borstal on Edinburgh Rd just
before you came to Springboig Avenue. After the war a huge housing estate
was built at the top of Hallhill Rd called Easterhouse. They only built houses
no facilities and that caused trouble for years to come. We walked miles then
– sometimes to the other side of Edinburgh Rd up to Steppes.
Back to school – Betty & I became friends with Marjorie and Nancy
MacFarlane. We did lots of things together in each other’s houses. It was now
1946 – Marjorie left at the end of 4th year to go to nursing college – Betty’s
father came home and they moved to Wales so that left Nancy and I, which
suited us fine.
I’ve got to 1946 but must go back to 1945, because on 9th May the war in
Europe ended. Jubilation bonfires - parties – at the local bonfire I discovered
Be Bo Babitie a great kissing game and I liked kissing! We still had the
Japanese war to finish – I was down in Liverpool with Queenie & Harry on
the 6th August 1945 when the two atom bombs finished the war. This time
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onfires in Liverpool and another young man to kiss! He was a medical
student and I went back to Queenie & Harry next Easter and met him again.
Joan’s husband Bert (regular Army) came to Glasgow on a short leave that
summer and brought SCABIES with him. It was a very “itchy” thing that
most soldiers were suffering from. We all got it and the horror, Daddy got it
(he probably had had it in 1st world war). Anyway the cure was hot baths
(not easy in Davisbank) and liberal applications of gentian violet. It all
cleared up eventually.
So I think we’ll go back to 1946. Joan & Ian joined Bert in Germany in the
Army of occupation. In Spring Nancy Corr (Daddy’s secretary pre-war)
returned from Australia where she had been a Wren officer. I had always got
on with – the then Miss Corr – and before I came back from America –
Mother had asked me if I liked her and I said I did she said Miss Corr might
be my stepmother – wise to mention it. Daddy must have mentioned Nancy
in letters and Mother played up the possibility. Anyway Nancy came home –
slim and beautifully dressed as I remembered. She had promised to work in
a hotel in Studland Bay for the season with her sister Cathy & friend Janet.
Anyway she & Daddy went to Arran for the May weekend and I got a phone
call to say they were engaged. I was delighted – the only person to disagree
was my class teacher who said I couldn’t possibly be pleased with someone
replacing my mother. That time was so long past I was just content with the
present.
So that summer there was just me & Daddy – the same summer Grace
(Nancy MacFarlane’s mum) had to go into Hospital for a number of weeks so
Nancy & I were left in charge. There was still rationing so were given the
housekeeping and left to get on with it.
Nancy was the eldest of six so we had all the younger ones to look after. Val
was the youngest about 2-3 so I had a ball. I got up in the morning – fed cat
& dog – saw Daddy off to work and then Bunty & I walked to Nancy’s. We
cleaned the house – looked after the others – did the shopping and then
Bunty and I went home to feet the cat and make tea for Daddy. Nancy & I
had a ball, to be in charge was a heady feeling.
I did go to Southport that summer with Queenie & Harry but think I’ll do a
separate chapter on holidays. So Grace is safely home and we go back to
school. Then in the end of September Nancy comes back from Studland and
plans are made. I explained before that Davisbank was a rented house so
now Daddy & Nancy decided to buy a house. Daddy explained that it would
be wrong to ask Nancy to live in Davisbank as it had been Mummy’s house. I
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understood that. They found a lovely bungalow in Clarkston on the south
side of Glasgow. I now know Daddy had no reserves left after the war but
Nancy had her “bounty” from the WRENS and that was the deposit.
We then started to clear out Davisbank which was large to go into a smaller
bungalow. The worst bit was books (so what’s changed?). I willingly gave up
my Child’s encyclopaedias and also bound copies of Forsyth saga – I think
they may have been worth something later! Anyway it was easy to sell carpets
and furniture as they were in short supply, but it did mean Nancy had to
inherit furniture instead of getting new for the new house. She did manage to
get enough coupons to recover the lounge suite to make look new.
14 Highfield Drive was a lovely bright house - it did take Daddy and I a while
to get used the lower ceiling and smaller rooms but it was a happy house.
Daddy and Nancy got married on 30th December 1946 and went to the
Trossachs for their honeymoon. Grace invited me to stay with them in
Sandyhills to give Daddy & Nancy time for themselves. I stayed the Xmas &
New Year holidays and I think went back most weekends for a couple of
months!
What can I say about the winter of ’47, it was the coldest for years – snow for
months! Luckily the people we bought the house from left a shed full of coal
– Nancy spent the first six weeks of married life digging herself out to it each
morning – but we did have coal as the electricity was only on for a few hours
a day!
Because I was finishing at Eastbank I had to start early in the morning – get
a bus from the end of Highfield Drive into Glasgow then a tram to school.
Luckily I had snow boots I had brought back from America & Nancy had
brought two sheepskin coats from Australia (fleece on outside but heavy &
warm) she had a full length white one and gave me a ¾ grey one. It was cosy.
We had four happy years in Clarkston – in the beginning there were
‘scratchy’ patches but both Nancy & I tried not to upset Daddy because he
was ‘perfect’. Their first anniversary, when naturally there had been ‘settling
down’ periods, I gave Nancy a book and inscribed it “To a lovely Happy Year
– Thank you”. Now I didn’t really mean all of that – but going back to my
Massillon friend’s mother who guided me in the clever way – it worked
beautifully and Nancy was absolutely delighted. Remember this all who read
this and come after me – to other halves – in-laws, children maybe
grandchildren – when all is not quite sweetness and light – finesse them by
our thanks & gratitude. It does you no harm – especially if you don’t
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completely mean it – but can do so much good in the future. I always did the
same to ‘Mum’ Robbie’s Mother – it’s called how to be clever. But Mum also
thought I was the perfect daughter-in-law and that is something!
* * *
Back to Eastbank – at the end of 3rd year all those that weren’t going onto
highers left school to start apprenticeships etc. For a few years they lorded it
over the ‘stay at schools’ as they were earning money and we were just school
kids! It was quite good for their self-esteem as they were proud to be
working. Because we were now a smaller group we did lots of things together
– maybe six or eight of us – going for walks – going to dances or the cinema
and always talking! Great discussions trying to understand the world and set
it to rights.
The winter of 1947 we also did a lot of sledging and great snowball fights.
The people who stayed on for 4th & 5th year all had ambition – a few were
going to be Doctors or Vets – others accountants – the girls going to work for
the town council or into the civil service. There were great opportunities if
you were willing to study & work hard. One of the group became director of
Education in Glasgow and Nancy worked her way up in the telephone side of
the Post Office and ended up with a very responsible job & a good pension.
The dances were mostly in halls of some type – church halls, Scout halls, the
T.A. Hall. Always live music by a local band. At that age we hadn’t graduated
to Dance Halls – Glasgow was famous for its Dance Halls and all attracted
many of the big bands. Church halls tended to be old-fashioned dances – the
Valetta, Military Two Step, Canadian Barn dance etc., while the other halls
catered for modern Ballroom dancing – Quickstep, Slow foxtrot (it had lots
of fancy steps) Tango & Waltz. There was a little bit of jitterbugging but not
as much as in the States. 5th year was an enjoyable year - Bert Lambert & I
were the only two art students so that was fun – pity for the failing of the
exams!
* * *
There were also boyfriends of course - Andy, Eddie & Bert were the main
ones. There was also Archie who had left at the end of 3rd year but was a
singer in one of the local bands, quite glamorous – blond wavy hair and he
wore a trenchcoat like the gangsters in the films did. He really was a poser
but quite fun for a while. It was quite a thrill to have someone sing a
romantic song directly at you! He didn’t last long.
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Before we left Davisbank – when the carpets etc. had gone – Daddy & Nancy
let me have a party. We had a wind up gramophone and it really was great
fun!
* * *
Anyway that was school finished for me – Nancy had also failed but she resat
and passed the next year. I had decided to be a hairdresser – Daddy
didn’t really approve but let me go ahead – with hindsight I should have
some kind of work with children! I think part or most of Daddy’s objection
was because his least favourite sister-in-law (Queenie) was a hairdresser and
that was enough!
The end of the summer of 1947 Nancy took me to Pettigrews (an upmarket
department store in Sauchiehall St.) to have an interview with the manager
of the hairdressing department – Mr. Shepherd. He agreed to take me on for
a three-year apprenticeship at £1 a week. As it cost more than that for bus
fares & a snack lunch Daddy had to add to it. So I started in Pettigrews – it
was a large hairdressing department over two floors. Between 30-40
hairdressers – each hairdresser had their own cubicle where they attended to
their clients (never customers). Each hairdresser had an apprentice –
obviously some in years 2 0r 3 – you stayed with the same person all three
years.
I was sent to Agnes – in her thirties I would guess and an absolute gem. Our
cubicle was next to the desk of the receptionist who was a very glamorous
blonde (she’d lost her fiancé in the war so was sometimes a bit depressed).
Within a year lots of new things came into hairdressing but at the beginning
it was Eugene perms. This was a horrific contraption but the only way to get
curly hair. There were long metal spindles that coiled the hair around – then
plugged them into an electrical contraption which heated the spindles up –
you had to be very careful not to let the metal tip touch the scalp or neck or
your client got burnt! I also had to try to master Marcel waving (though
hardly anyone wanted it then) this was done with metal curling tongs –
heated on a gas burner – too hot and you burnt a the client’s hair! I never
really mastered this, it was a small wrist movement and I couldn’t decide
whether to use the right or left hand. The people who still wanted waves like
my Mother’s style could have what was called a finger wave – the hair was
formed into waves and a metal clip put on the crest – there was metal small
rollers to make curls at the neck and cheek – then under the drier with
cotton wool under the curlers so that you didn’t get burnt.
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Luckily things were changing – to get waves & curls (much softer) you did
rows of pin curls – small strands of hair formed into a circle and fastened
with a Kirby. One row was clockwise – the next anti-clockwise and when
brushed out formed waves & curls – I knew how to do this as I had been
doing it on my own hair for a few years. Then a new perm came Jamal. This
was done on rollers and then a clamp with a heated sachet put over the
rollers –much more comfortable to have. A few years later the ‘cold perms’
arrived like we have now. You also had to learn to bleach hair – getting the
right shade was important. Tinting with Henna was the worst it look &
smelled like foul mud & it was very difficult to get it just right.
Pettigrew’s obviously had lots of apprentices and we all got on and had fun. I
enjoyed it and did well. In spring 1949 one of the younger hairdressers –
Pearl – left to open her own shop in Paisley (where she lived) and invited me
to go with her, although I hadn’t completed my 3 years (just over half way)
but after two years you became an ‘improver’ and Pearl offered me an
improvers wage.
The years in Pearl’s salon were the happiest. Pearl was only 21 and after a
while we had a 16 year-old apprentice called Chrissie – so we were three
young girls – got on fine – worked long hours when needed but nearly
always managed to get away early if you were going to a dance – with you
hair newly done. The long hours were before Xmas & New Year or for one of
the County Balls and before the Paisley Fair – often until 9 o’clock at night
but there was always an extra £5 note in your pay so it was okay. Because
Pearl’s family were well known in Paisley (her mother & brother had a super
furniture business) we catered for all the wealthy county set around Paisley.
In 1950 Pearl got married and then became pregnant so went part-time and
hired an older woman (all of 35) to run the business. She didn’t like the ‘fun
bit’ so it wasn’t the same. Pearl suggested I left to get more experience which
I did with a glowing reference from her!
For a while I did home hairdressing – quite a good cliental but with a hand
hairdryer and using public transport I wasn’t making a lot. I then went to
work in a shop in Maxwell Road (spring ’52) that was just starting- the owner
was a queer soul and after a few months committed suicide! The family
asked me to carry on meantime but there were very few customers and it was
so boring! (Mind you that’s when I lost weight which I never put on again!)
Then I saw an advert for a receptionist with hairdressing experience in
Leon’s in Glasgow. I applied and got it. Leon’s was very upmarket again –
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large perfumery department, a barber’s downstairs and three of the
hairdressers I had worked with in Pettigrew’s. It was a very happy time and I
stayed until I got married the following year. We used to be able to try out all
the testers in the perfumery counter. Great when you were going out!
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Nancy & I
I
n 1948 we were both working in Glasgow – if our lunch hours matched
we met up had a snack & prowled for second hand bookshops. Those
days there were many on street corners with a wooden barrow of books
– worth a plunder. In the alley next to Lewis’s in Argyle St there was a
treasure trove – two packed floors of second hand books. We tried
philosophy – the great religions – weird not quite ‘cult’ but odd theories –
rejected most of them but we were just at that age. Quite fascinated with reincarnation!
Our other great love was the theatre. The Wilson Barret rep came for six
weeks every year – new play each week – on Mondays you got two seats for
the price of one so we sat high up in the ‘Gods’ and enjoyed great plays. I
remember particularly ‘The voice of the Turtle’ it was famous afterwards.
Wan Druten (I think) was the playwright, and Wilson Barrets’ leading men
were there to fall in love with.
Always lots of talk – hours of it – she stayed with me or I stayed with her at
weekends depending on where a dance was or a play. Two summers I joined
the MacFarlane’s for a weekend when they were on holiday. Once in Dunoon
& the next year on Arran – we shared the bedroom and sometimes the bed
with Elsie but we had been out in the evening and had to push her over when
we got into bed. The four boys usually shared a room – sometimes one bed
sometimes two – it didn’t matter!
- 39 -

Junior Unionists
I
did have a spell in the Junior Unionists while still in Springboig
because I remember canvassing in one of the many villages in
Lanarkshire. But when we moved to Clarkston, Nancy saw something
about the J.U. and suggested I would meet young people if I joined. So
I did – we met at each others’ houses – the boys were interested in politics –
the girls were interested in boys! We also had meetings in a hall on a regular
basis – lots of discussions about politics because Labour had a landslide
victory in 1945 and everything was changing. Forming the N.H.S. was such a
good thing – as before the war Doctors & Hospitals were very expensive and
it was a serious worry for most people. They also started to nationalise
various things like coal mines, railways and steel. It was going very fast and
was a bit worrying. Nye Bevan formed the N.H.S. but was a real firebrand
and I felt (then) was a bit of a threat.
There was also the fun side – dances where you met other branches of the
Junior Unionists and Spring & Autumn there were weekend schools. Sprint
was in Glenburn Hydro in Rothseay – autumn in Dunblane Hydro. I have to
now introduce Bill Gibb and David Martin in the Clarkston brand. David
treated me like a kid sister – made sure I was included in the group that went
to discuss and introduced me to my first weekend school. There were part
serious with lectures morning & afternoon but after that it was party time.
David arranged I would share a room with his girlfriend – that was so that
they could share and I had room of my own! I was just 18 and felt very
unsophisticated as all the 20 ‘plus’ were very glamorous. (Two years later
Robbie, Nancy & I were very much part of the gang).
Because I was enjoying meeting all the different group I talked Nancy (M)
into joining also, she joined Central Branch. Lord John Hope was coming to
Glasgow to address the Faithful so Nancy & I went along to see who we knew.
Back track to a few months before when the Clarkston Branch were at a
dance in the Tudor and joined up with the Pollokshields Branch - Andrew
Bennie, Robbie Bowie, Barbara, Morag & Helen. Barbara had big “keep
away” notices all round Robbie so I concentrated on Andrew! Anyway as we
were leaving the Lord Hope’s meeting I saw Robbie on the way out – as the
perfect gentleman he walked Nancy & me to our bus in Clyde St. I asked if he
was planning to go to the next weekend school and was surprised (and
pleased) when he said only if he had got rid of Barbara by then!
- 40 -

I was going with Bill Gibb at that time and we were both on the Clarkston
committee. Robbie phoned and invited me to a dance in Pollokshields – I
said I would go to the meeting first and then meet him. When I got to the
meeting I said I would have to leave early. Bill was appalled – “You’re going
out with Robbie Bowie?” It turned out Robbie had phoned Bill to get my
telephone number!!
I’ll leave the story there at the moment.
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