Life in the 20th Century in England

SUSAN and IAN [ former manager] at St Giles House 76 St Giles Street Northampton. Head office for Relate Northamptonshire.                  2014

Being presented with a long service award for working as receptionist for Relate on a Saturday morning for 21 years .

May 2014 Susan was accepted as a telephone befriender for elderly people living on their own with THE SILVER LINE CHARITY.

I grew up in a town in the Midlands in England.Helping my grandparents on their farm at weekends There I developed my love for nature and the country life.For days out and holidays we travelled by train. My father worked on the railway and was entitled to free travel for us. Now I  am retired and my time is my own.

Interests

I enjoy  travel. I love animals and have two cats and a dog and garden pond filled with fish. In the spring it is filled with frogs and i leave nature to sort out what frog spawn will grow into frogs.I have been always interested in fashion as i studied dress design at college.I also enjoy researching  history of buildings and dress styles of the day.I was lucky to be able to study history of art with the famous artist. Henry Bird at Northampton School of Art. He wanted me for a model but i refused.  I understand Henry Bird liked to draw well build females.

I gave it all up to become a Pharmacy Technican at Jeyes Chemist Wellingborough Road Northampton . The shop was open from 9am to 6pm with an hour at dinner time. We was very busy as supermarkets hadnt arrived in England and all medical items were sold by chemist. our biggest rival was Boots the chemist. sometime they was cheaper. as we got a discount on our items we bought from Jeyes we kept faithfully to the firm.I stayed there until i got married. The work was very fulfilling. Customers came and ask for advice on medication which we was allowed to do or refer them to visit their doctors.For me it was the best job ever as I was helping people.

 After my marriage and moving to Rugby i spent most of my time bringing our five children up and doing part time work distributing local free newspaper at Daventry, then later on with the family in Hillmorton Paddox.I also made soft toys for fetes Christmas fairs. giving the money to church and schools.I worked voluntary in the lower school in Fareham Avenue . Rugby, helping the children with art and craft work and in the summer with gardening.I did this until we was to return to Northampton.

 I was to work  part time at  middle schools. Work for Northampton hospital ,clean a large house once a week, work in Relate charity shop and Relate Office. The only day i had off was on a Sunday.

  At Kingsthorpe Middle School i worked up to be a head lunch time supervisor . This was a job i really loved to do. I was in charge of  nearly 500 children. I had a whistle and was able to get them in straight lines before they went in side  for their dinner. After dinner, they was allowed to run around outside on the large playing field, only if the weather was really bad did they stay inside in their classrooms.We each had one floor of 4 classrooms of up to 30 children each[120] to keep in order.

 Mereway Middle School 

 I was a a special needs assistant.

I looked after a girl with a disablilty. Name of Victoria. When she born she was starved of oxygen . She has cerebral palsy she is unable to walk, talk, dress or feed her self.

 We soon got a rapor between us and would use signs by hand , head nod, shake or she used a grunt or a smile or a frown.It was  hard work but a joy to be able to share just a small part of her life.

 I  have worked voluntary for Relate as a receptionist.

 I  worked for them since 1993 and enjoy the work. No two days are the same.In 2014 i have worked for them for 21 years. September there was   an award celebration for people who have worked for Relate for many years.it is was held at Moulton College.I have since left Relate in May 23rd 2015.I fel it time for the younger generation to do the work.in 2016 I shall be 70 yrs old[ where do the years go?] and I would have retired then anyway. Resigning in May 2015 gave me 2 months to be at home with my pets including my dog Daisy who was poorly and was put to sleep on July 24th. She had grown up with me out at work every Saturday since she was a tiny puppy. She always had company of other pets , dog and cats.I am thinking about getting another dog but at this moment am undecided.The house is very quiet and I find I have to listen out for someone at the front door.A Labrador dog would be good as they can be trained and accept cats in the household

 We moved office buildings in 2008 to the Old Vicarage , St Giles street with more rooms and disabled access.I have come a full circle as 1951 i travelled this way to St Giles School. Many of the shops fronts in St Giles street are still like they was in the 1950`s. It comforting to walk and shop in St Giles Street where the personal touch can still be had in the shops. My favourite shop is the kitchen shop which sells everything you can possible need  for the kitchen. There are three or four shops empty at the moment [ 2014].One food shop the owner died suddenly in 2012,he and his shop will be greatly missed. He sold produce, such as meats. cheeses. pies  from local sources.2014 this is a sweet shop and a cafe. 

SilverLine befriending services for lonely elderly people to have a phone call each week.all provided free.

Silverline helpline is available 24 hours 0800 4 70 80 90

To date there has been 1373 older people linked to weekly friendship phone call. More is needed.

it was started by Esther Ranzen  as she learnt what it was to live on your own and have no one to talk to.It is a great service for people that have no family live near by and cant get out much. Just an half hour phone call via headquarters to a elderly person can make all the different to them and they can get through the week knowing some one cares about them and look forward to the next conversation. As of 2014 it may be possible to send birthday ,Christmas cards via Silverline to put a personal touch on the thought of giving.

I have been to many places in Europe and British Isles and hope to travel more. For every trip I try  keep a travel log of my journey.

 Now some of my children have carried on my love of travel.I have a daughter and two children living in Gozo Malta. A son  worked in the Falkland Islands,now working in Malta.My two daughters and son  have also travelled abroad but are living in England.

I have been asked to do a write up on my visit to Holyhead Anglesey,on Virgin Trains,which i have done.

 i continue to research family trees.I came across connections to the CADBURY [chocolate ] family at Birmingham. This is most exciting.

Also my great grandmothers first cousin Althan Blackwell became a silver jewellery maker in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham.He was in partnership with his first wife and brother in law, they had workshops employing many people. I would like to see what is left of the Elkington factory or workshops where they made silver plate, including the  venus rosewater  dish awarded to the champion at Wimbledon .

I am hoping to visit the area .

 I have also come across the SAINSBURYof the famous grocery business family married into the GULLIVER family whose ancestors came from Northamptonshire Oxfordshire boarder, near Banbury.

The Cadbury family were Quakers as were some of the Gulliver family from the Banbury area.they were buried in the area.

Mary Heritage family are connected to Arthur Mold the famous cricketer.

 More information is available about my family, my great x2 aunt Rosetta married into the ISHAM family. the family owned Lamport Hall. Now run by the trustees

In 2014 i have been able to find during my research that my paternal grandmother Gertrude Rose from Belton Leicestershire , her 4th cousin John Rose married Ann Stephenson daughter of John Stephenson brother to GEORGE STEPHENSON [father of the Railways].They probably met in Leicestershire as the railways came to be built for the coal mines. More research is needed.

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