May/Jun 2024

26
South Woodford Village Gazette
DD’s 65 th Woodford Diary
Some South Woodford scribbles from DD,
our resident diarist and observer of all things
local. Illustrated by Evelyn Rowland
I
can’t remember, or even imagine, a
time when I didn’t love words. Perhaps
some of you were at the ‘Red School’
when I was, with the formidable Miss Read
ruling the roost. If so, you may remember
listening to How Things Began on the radio
in the final year. We had to turn our
notes (starting from Neanderthal
Man in the Palaeolithic Era) into
a complete book. I still
have mine. Writing
letters has never
seemed like a chore to
me. My younger brother,
Michael, moved abroad
many years before the
email revolution and we
regularly filled those small,
blue, lick-round-the-edge
airmail forms with family
news on each side of the four-thousandmile
divide. He also still writes and has
several books to his name. But that’s quite
enough chat.
I would like to
say a big thank
you to those of
you who have
written to me on
my Gazette email
address. Nothing
warms my heart
more than realising
someone actually reads
the stuff I write. Thoughts,
comments, suggestions as to
possible themes: all welcome.
Your letters are like gifts, which
brings me, by a somewhat
convoluted route, to this issue’s
theme: gifts.
“I’ve been in gifts
for 25 years.” This was
Sue speaking, one
of the long-serving staff at Room 22
(directly opposite the approach road
into Sainsbury’s). “I love this shop,”
she continued. “Look outside:
people rushing by, heading
to the station, or the bus stop.
Wondering if they’ve remembered
everything they meant to include
on their shopping list. Now
look at those who have walked
in here. You can’t help noticing
it: they have slowed down, they are
relaxing, they are winding down. I feel this
myself when I arrive in the morning. A sense
of contentment. There’s nothing not to like!
Compare this with sitting at an office desk
all day! I am handling lovely things. I have
the opportunity to be creative, to think
about the best way to display newly-arrived
stock: William Morris porcelain, Gistella
Graham tableware, special items
for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s
Day. Warm mohair scarves in
bright unusual colours and
designs, dresses, woollens.”
“I didn’t know you sold
clothes as well,” I managed to
interrupt the enthusiastic flow. “Not
many left just now. Sundresses, hats
even; they disappeared fast.”
Another happy South Woodford
shopkeeper is Olga. “I always longed
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