A Life Well Lived

June

Yep, this is how we girlies looked on the 60s!

June 1953 I was selected to be Rose Queen of my Primary School. I have no memory of a selection process but Sister Pat reliably informs me that I was not selected, merely chosen by straw poll. Whatever … Mum was not best pleased, as I’d been informed that I had to wear a long white dress with matching shoes.  Money was very short hence Mum’s displeasure, nevertheless, using my white Whitsun dress AND canablising  my Sisters identical dress, she produced a decent, long gown that looked vaguely regal  and I wore the shoes I’d had for my sister’s wedding; too small, but as sling backs we were able to extend the strap and whiten them with ‘pump’ whitening. They looked pretty good I thought. The school staff made the crown out of stiff wire fashioned in a circle that was crisscrossed with further wire.  This scaffolding was the frame onto which a plethora of roses were attached; real, fully blown roses from someone’s garden.  Great that morning just picked, drooping by midday, dead by the evening. So sad. Miss Shearer,  “Bugwash” , who appeared to be in charge, told me not to get my hair permed  “it wouldn’t look right”. Rita permed it within hours of my message being delivered. So, with my double dress gown, my tarted up shoes and my newly fizzed hair, I lead the procession to Calverley Park where the ceremony would take place. Duly crowned,  I gave my first speech, thanking all who attended, taking great trouble to pronounce ‘accept’ correctly as I had been severely criticised by “Miss” for sounding it like ‘except’. I think it went quite well, but, as no one every mentioned it again, maybe, just maybe, it was rubbish!

On the longest day of ’53 I descended the stairs of The Mechanics Institute into the basement that was Calverly Library, and saw a new librarian: young attractive and smiling,  pinning up a banner “In pensive mood …”.  I asked her what pensive meant and she readily explained adding “Well done, if you meet a new word never be shy to ask its meaning” I’d never been praised for being nosy before and I’ve always heeded her advice.

As a child, I loved summertime, especially June because of the light evenings and strawberries! We had a very large strawberry patch so had to consume a couple of pounds each day, we even had strawberry  sandwiches for breakfast. The long summer evenings were just great, homework was still unheard of, our estate was carless and so, once we had helped our parents to water the gardens, we were free to “laik out”. We enjoyed skipping, whip’n’top, hopscotch, round village tig, kick can ‘n’ hop it,  PLUS if we were really lucky, group skipping! This meant a couple of Mothers holding a heavy rope, would straddle the street and start winding the rope whilst the children would start the skipping songs.  “On the hillside stands a lady, who she is I do not know, all she wants is gold and silver, all she wants is a nice young man, so come in ………. dear, ……….dear. At this invitation the named child would jump into the turning rope, and so on til seven or so children would be jumping in unison. Such great fun! The Mothers enjoyed these sessions too, proclaiming that it was okay for the kids to be out so late, it was deemed “too light for sleep”, and they enjoyed the kalling ( not cawling as in telephone calling, but with a short ‘a’, meaning chatting. Another song was “There’s a party on the hill will you come, bring your own cup and saucer and a bun, …… Will be there , blowing bubbles in the air, there’s a party on the hill, will you come?  Such wonderful memories, so many children playing together. I can never remember any acrimony among the children or Mothers. The Dads were absent.

1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and my only memory was of wanting a plastic replica of the Coronation Coach that was for sale in our local newsagents. I didn’t get one. However, Sister Pat tells me that she and I were invited ( Mother?) to view the ceremony on the TV installed in the bedroom occupied by my Sister Rita and her husband Laurence. It was not unusual in those days,  newlyweds lodged with their parents to give them chance to save for a deposit on a house.  So, they had the bedroom and the TV and we were allowed to watch on this occasion. We sat, quietly, in the dark, for hours, mesmerised.

Baby Ben

11th June 1974, Benjamin Mark made his entry into the Rowe family, on his due date and without any drama. A most welcome child as other children had been ruled out  following the demise of Christopher, and I should  “be grateful you have your beautiful daughter …”  He was such a happy baby, loved by all and waited on, hand, foot and finger by his big sister.

1974 , a new Baby Clinic was opened in Southsea, very near where we lived and on my second visit, Sonia, the head honcho, told me that a Mother and Baby Club would be starting soon and would I be its first chairman?  I would, I was,  and I made wonderful friends for myself and my family through this organisation.  Remembering especially, Maggie, Barbara and Polly who’s friendships added another dimension to our Hampshire life.