The Village Boy's Tale Part 2
The CBB -> Ste Therese's House
#1: The Village Boy's Tale Part 2 Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 4:50 pm

This bunny was more insistent than the others! Thanks to Rachael for comments and encouragement (again).

“I can’t see why you want to know all that old stuff, it’s water under the bridge and I just did what was right for my family. There’s nothing as strong as family. You stick by them come what may.”

The old lady, her grey hair tied back in a severe bun looked up to the group of young women clustered round her door. She must have liked what she saw because the next minute she had stepped aside, opened the door wide and gestured to the group

“Come on in if you really want to know and I’ll put the kettle on.”

They trooped in with murmurs of appreciation. Some of them had travelled far to meet this woman and there were girls from every continent come to gather here. Instinctively, they took off their shoes and lined them up against the wall, their coats, piled beside them.

“Sit you down then as best you can. I’ve not enough chairs for all of you but some of you can sit on the rug, if you’ve a mind. There’s another chair in the kitchen and a stool as well.”

The old woman went across and riddled the fire with a vigour which belied her age and swung the old kettle over the hottest part in the centre.

They sat, some of the younger ones on the thick old rag rug in front of the fire, holding out their hands to it’s welcoming warmth. Three squeezed up on the sofa, another two perched on the arms. Each armchair held three, one on the seat and one on each arm. The others brought the dining and kitchen chairs and a stool over to make a cosy group. They made sure that one of their number had a good view of the chair where the old lady would sit. Instinctively, they were quiet, their usual laughter and teasing, held in check.

This was not the place for raucous behaviour.

Last edited by patmac on Fri Dec 03, 2004 7:16 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#2:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 5:00 pm

Intriguing - if the old lady is Reg's aint - who are all these girls? That is if they are girls? Slight clue perhaps in the fact that one of them needed to see the old lady? Thanks PatMac!

 

#3:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 6:55 pm

Oooh!!! I'm VERY intrigued here PatMac! *sits cross legged on rug and gazes up at 'Granny Patmac' with rapt attention!* Very Happy

 

#4:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 8:53 pm

Excellent - part 2's here! *joins Vikki on rug to wait patiently*

 

#5:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:16 pm

The old lady fussed around, laying a folded cloth on one end of the table, reverently lifting china cups and saucers from the dresser, together with a large Staffordshire teapot, which she put to warm on top of the oven by the fire (after ladling in what seemed like rather a lot of tea leaves). She brought in a jug of milk and bowl of sugar from the small lean to kitchen and some curiously small spoons with a tiny figure at the end of the handle, while the gatherers looked round and took in their surroundings.

Most of them had never been in a cottage like this before. They were in a small room. The ceiling was low and a little yellowed from the smoke of the fire. A small horizontally sliding sash window with a deep shelf, painted white, the full depth of the thick stone walls was framed by dark red chenille curtains, faded now from much washing. Small ornaments and pictures stood clustered on the shelf. Between the window and the door was a sepia photograph of a young couple standing stiffly for their wedding portrait. The door had a matching curtain hung over it to keep out the draughts.

The floor boards were wide and rather uneven, showing the age of the cottage and stained dark. The sofa and armchairs were old and shabby but still showed their quality. The springs sagged as the girls sat down and they sank back against the cushions.

A dark oak dining table with an embroidered runner was pushed against the back wall adorned with a vase of cottage garden flowers and a large oak dresser took pride of place against the fourth wall with very old delicate china painted with rose buds displayed on it. Everything was spotless.

Dominating the room was the fireplace. Black and shining with years of black leading it rose high on the wall. The mantelpiece had a large clock in the centre, ticking gently, and candlesticks stood at each end. One side of the grate was a small oven with a brass knob and, on the other, a boiler with a lid on the top and a brass tap on the front . An iron hoist with a hook on the end held the enormous, blackened kettle over the fire. Fire irons lay on the stone hearth, propped against the brass fender. Beside the fire stood an old lath back chair, a patchwork cushion on the seat, the arms polished to a sheen with the years of use. The girls instinctively avoided this chair, recognising that it was the old lady’s own.

The girls took all this in avidly but their eyes were drawn to the photographs, dotted round the room in profusion. One person dominated the collection which were mostly quite obviously amateur snaps. The earliest showed a toddler in a romper suit with a tall man holding him proudly in his arms. There were a couple of a small boy, tow haired and thin faced. A larger one showed the same boy in a smart and obviously new school uniform with a blue blazer and unnaturally slicked down hair, looking proud but scared and very serious.

Older still, he appeared again with a long striped scarf wrapped round his neck and a broad grin on his face. Later still, he stood on a grassy slope with a tall, snow covered mountain in the background.

The last one showed him with a tall girl, both were smiling at the camera and they were leaning towards each other, his arm possessively round her shoulder in unmistakeable love and the girl held her left hand forward to show the diamond ring on her third finger.

The old lady saw what caught their eyes and she smiled.

“Yes, that’s Reg,” she said with pride.

 

#6:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 10:55 pm

More so soon - Thank you muchly PatMac. Very Happy Liz *finding a space on the rug and offering round chocolate hobnobs*

 

#7:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Nov 21, 2004 11:36 pm

Ahhhh, how lovely. Thanks Pat.

 

#8:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:04 am

Glad to see part two is already here. I'm sill not sure who all the girls are, but Reg's aunt is obviously proud of him.

 

#9:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:35 am

Are the girls Reg's daughters? Does he die horribly after all? (ok I have a nasty nasty mind)

 

#10:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 3:31 am

Wow, part 2 already! *impressed* *looks forward to story to match photos*

 

#11:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:08 am

Can't wait to find out who those girls are!

 

#12:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:04 pm

I wondered if the girls were us? Bit out of time maybe, and a very different way of presenting the story to Part One, but...I dunno, I just wondered?? Auntie is coming across as much more human in this than she does in 'Rescue'.

 

#13:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 2:31 pm

I wondered that too Carolyn But whoever they are - it's great & I would like more as soon as possible Patmac See I can be polite too Very Happy

 

#14:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:45 pm

Thank you for the comments. I promise all will be revealed - eventually.

Soon the enormous kettle erupted with steam and the young women all held their breath as the old woman reached out with a crocheted pan holder and grasped the handle. They could not imagine how such an old woman could lift the weight. Holding the teapot in one hand, she expertly tilted the kettle, without lifting it and, when the teapot was full, swung the kettle away from the fire to hang over the oven, where it sang a soft hissing background for the rest of the afternoon. The teapot was left on the hearth to brew and the old lady sat down with some difficulty on her chair.

“It’s me knees,” she said, rubbing them through her long woollen skirt, “I’m not as young as I was.”

Now she was sitting down and the women could see her face clearly, they could see that despite her grim demeanour (for she had not smiled once) her eyes were sharp and attentive and had a twinkle in them.

“Ask away,” she said, looking round at them. “That woman wrote me all grumpy. I never got to speak even, and no one’s ever asked my side of the story. You’re the first ever. It’s been a long time.”

The women looked at one another and one, bolder than the rest, said, somewhat tentatively, “Could you start at the beginning please. We only know the bit where Mrs Maynard and her friends came to The Witchens. Before and after that, there’s nothing about you and nothing about Reg till he appears in Switzerland as a doctor.”

When she got no response, she added “It’s the same with lots of people in the books. You just get interested in them and then they disappear. We’ve found some of them and heard their stories and it’s been really interesting so we have come here to find you and we do hope you will tell us yours.”

The old woman stirred in her chair and closed her eyes.

 

#15:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 5:57 pm

Ooooh, thank you Pat. Is it Reg's auntie?

 

#16:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:42 pm

It is us, I'm sure of it - even the little bit about ensuring one of the girls (Lisa T) could see the woman.Lovely way to tell the story. Laughing

 

#17:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:07 pm

Thinks we should all set off for Yorkshire immediately.

 

#18:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:10 pm

I'll put t' kettle on. Wink

 

#19:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:24 pm

Take an order mark for that, PatMac. I was expecting lots more lovely story!

 

#20:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:16 pm

What a lovely way to tell the story Patmac. There is such a homely feel about the cottage, and about us all sat around avidly listening to her story.

 

#21:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:30 pm

Wonderful, PaMac! I can see this affecting my cumulative preconceptions about Rescue, though.
Quote:
That woman wrote me all grumpy.
Laughing Laughing

 

#22:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:44 pm

Glad you're enjoying it. It's a bit weird because it just sort of wrote itself Shocked All I've had to do is correct my spelling Rolling Eyes

“The beginning,” she murmured, “That’s a long time ago. I was the second youngest of 10. Ivy, Harry, Will, Gertie, Norah and Maud (they was twins), Ethel, Mary, Me and Tom, the youngest. My Mam said he was a surprise package because he was six years younger than me. Six of us grew up ,which was good for the times. Two boys and four girls. Ivy, Harry, Ethel, Mary, me and Tom.

Then Tom died in what we called the Great War. My Mam never got over that and she died soon after. She just sort of gave up. The ones who died young are in the graveyard yonder with Mam and Dad as are all the others now, except Tom who died on the Somme and nobody knows where his grave is, if he has one.

I’m the only one left. I grew up here in Garnham and went to the village school till I was 12, then I went into service over at Garnley House for the Bassenthwaites. It’s a hotel now. I was that miserable away from home and could only get home once a month on my half day. I cried myself ill and they dismissed me because I couldn’t do the work. My Mam cried when I came home. She knew it would be difficult to get another post after being let go like that.

That was the first time I’d met what I thought were gentry but I know now they were only jumped up mill owners from Keighley. My Dad said they were all like that. Only interested in what they could get out of us poor working folk. He were a cobbler and many a night he’d work till the small hours to get an order out. If it were late, they were likely to refuse to take the shoes and then he’d have them on his hands because they wouldn’t fit anyone else. He were a bit bitter like, he had cause but it rubbed off on me.”

She stirred again and opened her eyes, looking round at the young women, hanging on her every word. For the first time she smiled.

“I know better now, thanks to Dr Maynard and his wife. Real gentlefolk they are and never looked down on me neither.

Anyway, after a bit I was well enough to go and work at the vicarage, not Mr Hart then and that wife of his, but a lovely old man who’s wife had died. That’s where I got to know Bert when I was about 17 or so. He came to do the garden two days a week and worked on a farm the rest of the time. He’d been sent home after being shot in the chest in the Boer War. Most of the time he were alright but sometimes he took real bad with his breathing.”

Her eyes strayed to the portrait on the wall and all the women turned to look, too. Looking back at her, they saw for a moment a glimpse of the bride standing straight and proud beside her new husband. Then the illusion faded as she started to heave herself to her feet to pour the tea.

Two of the younger women sprang to their feet.

“Let us pour, please, Mrs Thirtle!” One of them said.

The old woman sank back in the chair. “Thank you, dears.” She said, “You’ve got nice manners. Call me Auntie. That’s what all the young people call me. ”

When the tea was poured and passed round, she continued her tale.

Last edited by patmac on Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:59 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#23:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:54 pm

Oh lovely, this is so realistic Pat, and a wonderful way of getting a more rounded picture of Auntie!

 

#24:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:12 pm

This is lovely, looking forward to more of Auntie's life!

 

#25:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:32 pm

This is great Pat. All the best stories write themselves.

 

#26:  Author: Emily, Location: Land of White Coats and Stethoscopes. PostPosted: Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:44 pm

I love the way you're doing this, Pat. It's so different from Part 1, but equally enjoyable and gripping. Can't get the image of Rachael's living room out of my head, and Auntie being the one whose turn it is to read a bedtime drabble!

 

#27:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:03 am

This is really enjoyable PatMac. But why oh why do you insist on making me like Reg? S'not fair.

 

#28:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 2:37 am

*G* I've got exactly the same image as Emily- even to sitting in the same place with Auntie in Kat/Rachel's seat for the bedtime drabbles!!! This is fantabulous Auntie Patmac!

 

#29:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:43 am

Very shiny Pat - thanks Very Happy Very Happy

 

#30:  Author: keren, Location: Israel PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:03 am

patmac wrote:
. “It’s the same with lots of people in the books. You just get interested in them and then they disappear. We’ve found some of them and heard their stories and it’s been really interesting so we have come here to find you and we do hope you will tell us yours .
This looks like an opening for a whole series of drabbles!!

 

#31:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:14 am

Oh wow - what a wonderful way to tell the story! *settles down comfortably to listen to more*

 

#32:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:03 pm

Pat, this is marvellous! And so real!!!!!

 

#33:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:07 pm

As you're sitting comfortably, here's the next bit.

“We courted for five years, saving and scrimping to set up house. We rented a little cottage at the other end of the village, just one up and one down and a little garden at the back. We were ever so happy but no bairns came and that was a disappointment to both of us. I carried on working at the vicarage and Bert did too. We grew fond of the old Vicar. I think he should have retired long ago but the clergy didn’t in them days. He was really kind and considerate and always said please and thank you. I’m not boasting, mind, but we did little extras for him. He were that nice and polite it were a pleasure to do it.

It must have been, oh, about 5 years later when I went in one morning and he wasn’t up. I went and knocked on his bedroom door because he was always up early. When he didn’t answer, I got frightened and ran down to fetch Bert from the vegetables.

We went up together and, when there was still no answer, Bert turned the knob and went in. The poor old man lay in his bed cold and still. He looked real peaceful and must have died in his sleep.

Bert ran down to the village and told the Verger. He sent to old Jaycott to ride into Garnley and fetch the doctor. I were real upset and cried like I never did for my own Dad.

Anyway, he had a lovely funeral I did a really nice tea for all the people who came, and afterwards, the Lawyer from Garnley who was to read the Will, asked us to come through to the Library. He were a friend to Mr Garbutt and came to see him often. We were a bit surprised but thought they wanted us to sign something as witnesses. These jumped up folk didn’t seem to realise we could read and I signed things at the Bassenthwaites that would have shocked you.

I put my apron off and we went through with all the important people who were there, even the Bishop was there from Ripon. I went there once. The Cathedral is lovely. They say it was built by the Normans. Every evening, the Wakeman blows his horn at 9 O’clock in the evening in the marketplace. They say that years ago it meant that the care of the town's folk was now in the hands of the Wakeman - a kind of nightwatchman. The services of the Wakeman had to be paid for and if any person was robbed during the night, the Wakeman would have to make good their loss, providing they had paid for his service. It sent a sort of thrill through me to hear the horn.

Anyway I’m wandering a bit. Most of the old vicar’s money went to a school for poor children in Leeds as he had no family but right at the end, the Lawyer said he had left me £200 and Bert the same ‘for all the care and kindness we had shown him’.

You could have knocked me down with a feather. I cried a bit then and there to think how kind it were. I were earning about ten shillings a week and Bert were getting about fifteen shillings a week from both jobs. It seemed like a fortune to us but I’d lost my job and Bert had lost some of his and we had been worried like.”

 

#34:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:12 pm

A fortune in those days! how nice of the old vicar to be so appreciative. I love the realism of this, PatMac.

 

#35:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 5:43 pm

LovelyThanks PatMacLiz

 

#36:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 7:07 pm

Fabulous PatmacI'm sat on the floor listening to Auntie avidly:D

 

#37:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 8:42 pm

How beautiful! And if this was around the 1920's an absolute fortune! Thanks PatMac.

 

#38:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 8:58 pm

Lesley wrote:
How beautiful! And if this was around the 1920's an absolute fortune!
In an attempt to avoid EBDisms, I've had to do a timeline chart and it was 1918-1919. Well guessed/calculated.

Any road up, we were right stunned about it, but Bert, he always had his head screwed on and he said we should see if we could set ourselves up in a small way, perhaps get a cottage with a parcel of land, not too much mind, just enough we could manage it and still go out to work. We’d keep a few animals and grow our own veg and fruit. We could sell some of the milk and eggs and sometimes a chicken. Then we wouldn’t need so much money to live on. It would mean if the new vicar didn’t want me or the bairns came, we’ve be comfortable like. But right then we only had these bits of paper and we didn’t right know what to do.

There was talk in the village, of course. Some folk thought we’d get above ourselves, perhaps even move away, but not us! Our roots are here and we’d be like lost souls if we went to foreign parts. I went to Leeds once and the noise and hurry made me real frightened. How can people live like that?

We are part of the moors, born and bred here for ever so many years. Some chap came once with tales of how the Vikings had settled these moors and he looked at all the gravestones and said my family came with the Vikings too. I didn’t think much to that, all that nasty burning and killing people. It didn’t sound like any of my family.

Anyway, you’ll be wanting to hear about the later times, not my young days. Is there any more tea in the pot?”

 

#39:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 9:24 pm

*runs to fetch the tea pot and settles down to wait for some more*

 

#40:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:35 pm

Ahhhh, I want to hear anything you want to tell us Auntie!

 

#41:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Nov 23, 2004 11:43 pm

Thank you, Pat! Hope it's a good, long story.
Quote:
I didn’t think much to that, all that nasty burning and killing people. It didn’t sound like any of my family.
-I can just hear her saying that. Laughing

 

#42:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 12:02 am

patmac wrote:
We are part of the moors, born and bred here for ever so many years.
Loved that line. Loving all of it actually Thanks PatMac Liz

 

#43:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:18 am

'S great PatMac. Offers Auntie (and any one else who's listening) a tim tam from my never ending packet of tim tams while we wait for her to tell us s' more.

 

#44:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 2:03 pm

Auntie please tell us more!

 

#45:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 4:02 pm

I havnt said as much before, but I am really enjoying these Mummy Pat Wink Hopes there will be some more soon, before the mth end rush hits !!

 

#46:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 5:33 pm

“Oh, no.” said the woman who had been their spokesman at the start. “It’s just this sort of thing we want to know. We all love the books but we get really curious about what happened before and in between and even after. There are so many gaps. When we’ve met the people we can find, we write up their stories to share with readers who can’t come with us to meet them. Would you mind if we told your story? We would ask you to read it first so you could see we were being fair and accurate. We always do that. Please let us! There are lots of people, who read the books and still love them. We come from all over the world. Some of us here are from other countries. Some of us are from England but also from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Germany, India, Canada, Kenya, Israel, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.”

As she spoke, she pointed at the representatives of those nations.

“The books are loved by lots of people – all ages, from children to grannies, like me. Only we don’t want to tire you. Perhaps I could come back again so you could finish it, if we don’t get it all today. I don’t live far away, only over in Halifax.”

The old woman straightened in her chair, her eyes gleamed and there was a flush in her cheeks.

“It’s for Reg, I’m doing it.” She said in a firm voice. “He’s a fine man now and that woman didn’t write him to do him justice. He looked like a cradle snatcher, falling in love with a schoolgirl! It wasn’t like that at all.”

“Then you’ll put the story right?”

“Aye! I will that!”

 

#47:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:37 pm

Oh lovely, you keep going back, PatMac - we need her story! Laughing

 

#48:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:49 pm

*listening raptly to Auntie* Liz

 

#49:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:01 pm

The next little bit and then off to pick Alan up from the airport.

Everyone stirred and stretched and one of the young women took Auntie’s cup and poured more tea. Everyone else declined. They had been too enthralled to more than sip their first cups. Indeed, some of them had never tasted good Yorkshire tea before and were struggling a bit with the unaccustomed taste.

When she was settled and had taken a good drink, Auntie sat back again.

“Now where was I? Oh, yes. We’d got these two pieces of paper that said we could have £200 each. They were cheques and the first I’d seen. We got a lift with the milk cart into Garnley and went to the Bank there. Word travels fast in these parts and we were in the Manager’s Office in no time, with a ‘Sir’ and a ‘Madam’ all the way. Huh! If we’d gone in any other time we’d have been showed the door.

He was all over us! He wanted to put all our money in something called stocks and shares. He knew a way we could make £400 into £800 in no time. A likely story!

It was then we realised that he took us for poor village fools. We walked out of there with the cheques still in our hands, saying we would think about it. Right crestfallen he was.” The old woman’s face took on a determined look that showed the strength of her character.

 

#50:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:01 pm

*all ears*

 

#51:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:09 pm

Loved her treatment of the bank manager! Served him right! Can't wait to hear a bit more!

 

#52:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 8:11 pm

Patmac wrote:
He was all over us! He wanted to put all our money in something called stocks and shares. He knew a way we could make £400 into £800 in no time. A likely story!
Or more likely have lost the lot in a few years - wasn't the Great Depression and Stock Market crash on the way? Thanks Patmac!

 

#53:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 10:39 pm

Love your way of telling the story, and Auntie is wonderful, such a clearly drawn character.

 

#54:  Author: Lisa_T, Location: Belfast PostPosted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 11:46 pm

*checks tea cautiously* Er- how's it different? *wondering it it's strong enough to tan leather* but more please! Very Happy

 

#55:  Author: Kate, Location: Ireland PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 8:14 am

*tastes tea gingerly* I think I was dreaming this drabble last night...

 

#56:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 1:09 pm

*squeezes into the last small space and listens avidly* Wonderful! Thank you.

 

#57:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 5:50 pm

I'll leave Rachael to wax poetic about 'Yorkshire Tea for Yorkshire Folk'. Wink

“Simple we might be, stupid we was not! We went and sat in the market square and ate our snap and talked about it. Bert was obstinate and proud. I’d have probably handed the cheques over but he was canny. Good thing too. A few years later came the big depression in America and men was out of work all over England too. Lots of the lads what had gone off to make their fortune in the mills or up to the Tyne to the ship building came home with their tails between their legs. Stocks and shares were worth nothing and that Bank Manager, he got so much stick from his customers what he had persuaded to part with their money to double it, he went mad and ended up in an asylum.

Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. Bert said, while we ate our cheese sandwiches, we had to find someone who would tell us the right thing to do. I said that the lawyer chap who had read the will had been a friend of the old Vicar and many a time came over to visit and didn’t turn his nose up at a pie and peas supper that was the Vicar’s favourite. He always said thank you and seemed nice. Bert was on his feet at once and across the square to the Lawyer’s office, with me trailing behind trying to put the sandwiches away in my bag for later.

He marched straight in and, no messing about, asked to see Mr Carter. The girl in the place where we went in was a bit taken aback. I don’t suppose she saw many people like us in her office. Bert said right out ‘We want to see Mr Carter. It’s about the Reverend Garbutt. We got money in his Will and need advice.’ She asked us to wait and went through a door at the back. Bert had his dander up and sat straight down on one of the chairs as though he had the right, though she hadn’t said we could. I had no sooner sat down next to him than Mr Carter himself came out of the door and came right across to us, beaming, and shook our hands.

He were what I call a gentleman. Mark you, you may live in later times, all you young women, but it is still the mark of real gentlefolk that is worthy of respect that you don’t look down on those folk who haven’t had the education what you have.”

A positive wave of nods went round the room as the gatherers agreed with this statement. Mrs Thirtle nodded in return.

 

#58:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 6:48 pm

Thank you Pat Very Happy Auntie is lovely, I wish she were my auntie!

 

#59:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 8:28 pm

Awww, that's so lovely! Laughing

 

#60:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 9:15 pm

Lovely*Would like to let Auntie know she is a gentlelady*Liz

 

#61:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 10:54 pm

Beautiful! I love Auntie's tale!

 

#62:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 3:06 am

Gee I've never thought of a solicitor as a gentleman before (the usual term that comes to mind is shark). Of course I know that any solicitors reading this are nice different and unusual.

 

#63:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:10 pm

We've got a lovely solicitor who is a real SLC. It's Bank Managers I hate Evil or Very Mad

“He wasn’t smarmy like the Bank Manager. He seemed real pleased to see us. We went through into his office and he asked the girl who was his receptionist (as I know now, though I didn’t know that then) to make us some real tea. I were impressed that he said please to her, though she worked for him, and right away I knew he would give us good advice.

Mr Carter asked straight out what we wanted to do with the ‘windfall’ as he called it. Bert said we thought of buying a cottage with a parcel of land and getting a few animals. That way we would have extra to live on and could manage better if we were out of work

Bert told him what the Bank Manager had advised and why we had come out without giving him our cheques. He even told him what I had said about the pie and peas supper. Bert could be very blunt when he needed to, although I blushed a bit and was a bit worried that he had been too familiar like.

The Lawyer laughed. ‘I really enjoyed my evenings with Mr Garbutt.’ He exclaimed, ‘and the pie and peas were always delicious.’ He grinned like a school boy. ‘ I don’t get them often nowadays. I’d really like to help you.’

 

#64:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:20 pm

Awww, he sounds a real gent! Lovely Patmac! Kiss

 

#65:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 7:21 pm

Quote:
I’d really like to help you.
*sounds like there might be a "but" here* Neutral Thanks for the update!

 

#66:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 8:34 pm

Thank you Pat Very HappyVery HappyVery Happy

 

#67:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:31 pm

We're out tomorrow evening, carousing at a housewarming party so don't know if I'll post tomorrow.

We all relaxed a bit then and the girl came back with a teapot on a tray with the most beautiful china I’d ever seen. I couldn’t help saying how lovely it was. When she’d gone, Mr Carter poured us out a good strong cup of tea and pulled a pad of paper in front of him to make notes.

To cut a long story short, for we was there over an hour, we worked out that if we bought a cottage and a couple of cows, a pig and some chickens, we could put the rest in a savings account that would be safe and get us interest and it would bring in enough, that if we lived careful, we’d not have to touch the main money (he called it the capital) while we were working and it would be there for a rainy day or for when we got old.

He even went over to the Bank with us and helped us open a savings account and showed us what to do to get money out when we needed it. He was stern with the Bank Manager who seemed almost scared of him.

We went home and worked it out, I’m good at sums so I wrote it all down and we planned what we would do. This cottage was up for sale and we bought it and moved here. We distempered it from top to bottom, had the roof fixed and then moved in with our furniture. We didn’t have a lot then. We bought a bit here and there as we could, always buying good stuff to last. I wrote to Mr Carter to say thank you and could he send us his bill so we could be straight. If it hadn’t been for him we’d have been in a right fix. He sent word that he’d like to visit us when he was passing through and he came and we had pie and peas and a lovely evening. He wouldn’t give us a bill. He said it was worth it to see the Bank Manager get his comeuppance

Two weeks later, he died. It was his heart gave out. I cried a bit and we went into Garnley to the church for his funeral. About a month after that, a pony and trap drew up outside the cottage and a lady got out all in black. It was Mrs Carter. She knocked and when I opened the door and asked her in, she said Mr Carter had told her how I loved the china in his office so would I accept it in his memory.

Those are the cups you are drinking from now.

 

#68:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 10:34 pm

Awwww, how sad that he died so soon afterwards, but how lovely for them to have the china in memory. Thanks Patmac.

 

#69:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Nov 26, 2004 11:00 pm

*Looking with new respect at my teacup* *And then hopefully back at Auntie for some more story* Enjoy the party! Liz

 

#70:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 12:31 am

Awwwwww!!! Patmac!!! Are you trying to make me cry????? That was lovely!

 

#71:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 11:07 am

That was beautiful PatMac Crying or Very sad Mr Carter reminded me of Mr Jameson from the Roll of Thunder books!

 

#72:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 4:44 pm

The new Vicar came and I went back to work for him and his wife, though they didn’t need as many hours and Bert went back to doing the garden. That would be about 1923 or thereabouts.

We soon had our own milk for most of the year and eggs, too. I’d put down the spare eggs ready for the winter and sell any extras. There’s folk with no room to keep chickens and we were cheaper than the shop. We got a pig. A Gloucester spot what was already in litter and we fattened the piglets and sold them to the butcher in Garnley. I salted vegetables and bottled fruit and made jam and I learned to make butter an a bit of cheese too. Within a couple of years we were doing right well and not touching the interest from the savings and even putting a bit by.. Bert used to go into Garnley once a quarter and pay it in and check out how much we had. I don’t think he trusted that Bank Manager.

We worked really hard with the animals and the land as well as going out to work, but we were happy and we were always laughing at something. Those were the happiest days of my life. I thought it would go on for ever.

But nothing ever does.

 

#73:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 5:00 pm

Thanks for all the updates, Pat!But - oh, dear. Sounds like things are about to take a turn for the worse. Sad

 

#74:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 8:17 pm

Wonder what's going to happen to Bert...Thanks Patmac. Laughing

 

#75:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sat Nov 27, 2004 10:31 pm

Thanks Patmac Liz

 

#76:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:36 am

Thankyou, worrying about what will happen next though Confused

 

#77:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 12:47 pm

We had a lovely evening, thanks to all who wished us one. “Our Alice used to love coming up to our house when she was a child. She was my older sister Ivy’s daughter, her only bairn and a bit spoilt. Pretty she was, with fair hair, not like the rest of us, and a way with her. She was determined she would leave Garnham, she moaned that nothing happened here and she wanted to see the world but her Mam wouldn’t hear of her going.

Ivy said what she did when she was twenty one was up to her but till then, stay she must. Ivy was thinking how I was ill when I went away to work and how worried our Mam was then. Alice was different though. Always got her nose in a book and asking questions. I think things were changing and the young folk were hearing stories of people going to the pictures and dance halls and it made them less satisfied with making their own amusements.

Anyway as soon as she was twenty one she went to Garnley and got a job in a shop and went into lodgings. She came home to see us a lot at first, full of herself and what a fine life she was having. Then she met a young man. He was a teacher at the Grammar School. She went head over heels in love with him and they was married.

I’m right glad Ivy saw her get married. Shortly after that, she had a fall and stubbed her toe. It swelled up and went all red and she couldn’t put it to the ground. We saw she had pus in it and we poulticed it but it wouldn’t burst so I got her husband to sharpen a knife till it was like a razor blade and then we boiled it to get it real clean. We gave her some whisky and I lanced it. The pus spurted out and we washed it all out and bandaged it up.

But it was too late. The red line was spreading up her leg and we knew she’d got blood poisoning. The doctor came but there was nothing he could do. We didn’t have antibiotics in them days and the doctoring was rough and ready. She died a few days later. She was only forty seven. It rained for her funeral. It always seems to rain for funerals.

That was the start of the bad times.

 

#78:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 2:00 pm

Sad Thanks for the update, poor Auntie!

 

#79:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 2:03 pm

Thanks Patmac :crying: am really enjoying my Tea Wink As Rachael will testify, I am partial to a cup of Tea Laughing

 

#80:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 4:24 pm

Oh, how sad - and so likely - any infection was a potential killer before anitbiotics. ( :worthy: to Dr Fleming's poor housekeeping and enquiring mind!) Assume this Alice is Reg's mum?

 

#81:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:48 pm

Well guessed Lesley. The actual story is true and happened to my maternal grandmother. I'm afraid the next few posts all need tissues Crying or Very sad

Alice didn’t come home so often after that. Her husband was a nice chap but we didn’t really have anything in common with him. He’d never lived in a village and didn’t know anything about farming or country life so we was stuck for things to talk about a lot of the time.

He knew a lot of clever stuff about the country and the birds and things. When they came, he used to go off with his binoculars and come back all excited about a rare bird he had seen. We was a bit bemused. To us, a bird was a bird!

He’d got Alice to go to the Institute and take lessons in the evening and he taught her lots of things as well. I suppose we all seemed a bit boring to her. It must have been hard for her too coming back here after her mum died. One thing I will say, they was very happy together. You could see how they looked at one another.

The only thing that seemed to make her down was that she didn’t seem to be able to carry a baby. She lost two early on and I know it grieved her. The doctor said she would probably never have a bairn. I knew how she felt and I went to see them a few times and they made me right welcome but she had gone beyond us and the visits got farther and farther between.

The next year, Alice’s dad died. He had a cough and in the end he was spitting up blood. He just wasted away. Alice came then and did what she could but she was torn between her dad and her husband and she couldn’t really stay. She was their only one and she fretted badly about her dad. It was a mercy when he went, both for him and for her. She knew he was dying and it was pitiful to see him so weak and in pain.

He were buried here and Alice and her husband came of course and helped sort the cottage and go through her parents things. She cried a lot but they didn’t have much and it didn’t take long. I had that clock on the mantelpiece and Alice took some snaps of them but she didn’t want anything else. She hugged me and clung to me when it was time to go and the last I saw of her she had her head buried in her husband’s shoulder.

I never saw her again.


Last edited by patmac on Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#82:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 5:59 pm

Crying or Very sad Oh this is sad.

 

#83:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:02 pm

Oh, poor Auntie. And poor Alice. Pat this is terribly sad. Sad Thanks for the updates though. Will keep the tissues handy for the next lot..

 

#84:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 6:16 pm

*wibbles, and reaches for the tissues!*

 

#85:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 8:01 pm

How sad. At least Auntie saw that Alice and her husband were happy together. Thanks Pat.

 

#86:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:30 pm

Thanks Patmac Liz *stocking up on tissues*

 

#87:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 9:44 pm

*positions herself next to tissue box* Poor Auntie! Thank you Patmac.

 

#88:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Sun Nov 28, 2004 10:46 pm

Finds another tissue box as this one is nearly empty thanks Patmac - hope Auntie doesn't notice I haven't drunk my tea

 

#89:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:41 pm

“We carried on the same. We worked hard but we found time for laughter and jokes. We got a wireless and we found we really like the music they played in the evenings. There was nearly always a concert, though the sound sort of came and went.

I missed Ivy. I’d always been closest to her. Harry, I never got on with and Ethel and Mary had married away in the next village so I hardly ever saw them. Tom had died in the Great War. I missed him. He was a good worker and cheerful with it. War is a terrible thing.

Bert had a bad turn one night. He had a pain in his chest and he was sweating and shivering. After a bit it went and he was fine in the morning. Then it happened again a few weeks later. I wanted him to see the doctor but he insisted he was fine and it was just indigestion. I was worried for a bit but after a few weeks went by and he seemed his old self, I put it from my mind.

The weeks went by and we were planning to draw some of our money and go to Scarborough for a few days. It was to be the first holiday we had ever had. We were real excited and I had made a new dress and got a new hat and gloves to go in. We would go to Garnley with the milk and then get a train to York to change to a train for Scarborough. That bit I wasn’t looking forward to but Bert said he would look after me. I was really excited at going to the seaside.”

 

#90:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:15 pm

Oh gosh Crying or Very sad I hope they get their holiday nicely.

 

#91:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 8:20 pm

Don't like the sound of those chest pains... Crying or Very sad Thanks for the update, Pat.

 

#92:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Mon Nov 29, 2004 9:26 pm

Please don't let anything bad happen to mess up their holiday! Confused

 

#93:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:06 am

They brought him home on the back of the cart. His mates said he had just sort of keeled over and they thought he had tripped and knocked himself out. But he weren’t breathing.

I came over all cold like. They said afterwards that I didn’t shed any tears or anything. I just coped with all the funeral and everyone else getting upset and did everything as he would have liked. Somehow, I kept tending to the animals, though neighbours were good and helped. I stopped going to work then and it was as if a wall was all round me. I could see and hear but I couldn’t feel anything.

Everyone, even family, were a long way away like at the end of a tunnel. I missed him so much my chest hurt and I were sick. I didn’t want to be with people. They were well meaning but they didn’t know what I was feeling. They’d say “Have a good cry and you’ll feel better.” But I couldn’t. Gradually they stopped coming by.

I had to go to the Bank and sign papers so the savings was in just my name. I wasn’t frightened of doing it now. I insisted on reading all the papers before I put my name to them. No one was going to do me down after all the hard work we had done. All for nought.

There’s no choice though. You have to go on and I did but it were hard and it took me a long time to be able to be normal round people.


Sorry. The bunny insisted! Crying or Very sad

 

#94:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:12 am

Crying or Very sad Poor Auntie, she needs lots of huggles!

 

#95:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:55 am

Crying or Very sad poor Auntie. This is wonderfully written Pat. You really feel like you are listening to her speak. thanks for the updates.

 

#96:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:02 am

Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad This is wonderful Pat, Auntie's so real.

 

#97:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:37 am

Thank you Pat, this is really bringing auntie to life for me. Crying or Very sad

 

#98:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:41 pm

Ohh, Pat, I really like this! It really is, as others have said, like being there drinking her Yorkshire tea!But how sad for Auntie!

 

#99:  Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:09 pm

How sad, poor Auntie, all her family dying or leaving Garnley. She must have been so lonely till she got Reg!

 

#100:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:15 pm

Poor Auntie. Crying or Very sad Can see where her later personality came from now. Thanks Pat.

 

#101:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:54 pm

Awwww! Thank you Pat! Please may we have some more soon!

 

#102:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:17 pm

Unless Bunnie gets stroppy, this is the last real tissue post Wink Thanks for the kind comments. It does keep me posting.

Auntie gave a sigh which was echoed round the room as tissues were passed from hand to hand.

“That was 1928. I don’t really remember the winter that year nor the summer the next. By early 1930, I had pulled myself together. I did my sums and worked out that if I were careful, I could live on the income from our savings and selling eggs and a bit of butter in the summer and then there would be a litter of piglets each year to add to the money. I was coming up 42 and there’s no work hereabouts for women my age and the Vicar had got a new younger girl, so it was needs must.

I soon had another reason for being careful. I had a letter to say Alice were expecting again. This time she was able to carry the babe by being very careful. She spent most of the day in bed and her husband managed with a bit of help. Lucky he was earning enough to get help in. I wanted to go and see her but they said she had to keep real quiet and not get excited. I wished many a time, I had gone.

She wrote a few times but her writing were that shaky you could hardly read it. Then I got a letter to say she had died. The babe lived, a tiny little boy and they didn’t know if he would live for a few days. I did think she might have lived had she been here where her roots were and with people she knew to help instead of townfolk strangers.

That’s water under the bridge and you can’t go back. I made up my mind that little Reginald (and I wasn’t happy about a name like that you can imagine) would have what was left of my money when I died. I went and saw the solicitor in Garnley and made a Will, all legal, so there would be no arguments. I never told no one – in fact you are the first to know. Reg doesn’t know to this day, so don’t tell him if you see him. He needs to make his own way in life.”

 

#103:  Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:25 pm

This is wonderful Pat. As other have said, you can really hear her talking.

 

#104:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:54 pm

So real! Glad she didn't like the name Reginald either! Thanks Patmac. Kiss

 

#105:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:02 pm

This is so real - I feel as if I can hear her talking - poor woman though - no wonder she didn't want Reg moving away,

 

#106:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:32 pm

Awwww! Patmac! That was luvverly!

 

#107:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:46 pm

How lovely. This is so real.

 

#108:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:57 pm

His Dad’s sister came to look after him but she were cold and saw it as her duty, not for love. I went over a couple of times to see them but she made it quite clear that the likes of me was beneath her. I didn’t have the confidence in those days to cope with that.

Now and then, his Dad brought him to see me. It were kind of him for it brought him out of his way. He were right different from his sister. He obviously worshiped the little lad but the heart had gone out of him. I understood that. He must have loved our Alice a good deal.

Reginald, as he were called then, was seven when his Dad died. I didn’t hear till he was buried. That’s what his sister thought of Reg’s mother’s family. I heard later that he had died in a motor bus accident on his way home from work. I fretted about poor Reg (as I called him in my mind) being left with this cold woman. He was my blood kin and I cared. I didn’t have to wait long.

She was quick enough to write when she wanted to get rid of him.. Her brother hadn’t been in the grave long enough for the dirt to settle and she couldn’t wait to get the poor bairn off her hands. I got this letter to ‘Dear Mrs Thirtle’ and signed ‘yours faithfully, Miss S Entwhistle’. Baldly put, it said she was getting married, going to Canada and, unless I could offer ‘Reginald’ a home, she would place him in an orphanage. The cheek of it!

I wrote back in my best handwriting to ‘Miss Entwhistle’ and signed it ‘yours faithfully, Mrs Thirtle’ in return, saying I would be glad to take Reg (and I shortened it to that) and would she let me know when and where I should collect him.

Then I laid my plans. Though Mr Carter had died, a Mr Butterfield had opened up as a solicitor in Garnley shortly afterwards. He were an off-cummed-un, from Bingley, but not stuck up and I went to him to make my will after Reg was born. I went in to see him about Reg and what should happen to his father’s belongings and his house. I had a feeling that this Sarah was going to do our Reg down and I was not going to allow that. His son had been a scholar at Garnley Grammar and he knew Reg’s Dad and thought highly of him. He’d met this Sarah and had a low opinion of her because she had ignored him till she knew he was a solicitor and he couldn’t abide ‘jumped up snobs’.

There was no will so Reg should inherit everything and we hatched a plan. When I knew when I was to meet that Sarah to collect Reg, I should let him know and, if I needed to, I should bring her to his office, where he would be waiting and he would see all was right and tight.

And we did it. I arranged for her to bring him to the Marketplace so I wouldn’t have to carry his belongings far. As soon as I saw the pitiful little bundles that were all he had I knew I had been right. I had to grab her by the arm to get her across the square but she was too ‘refined’ to make a scene. If she had, I think I would have dragged her across!”

Auntie paused and there was a muted cheer as her visitors applauded her actions and held their breaths for he result of this action.

“Mr Butterfield was waiting as he promised and soon had her sorted. I didn’t know he could be so stern. He said he’d go for something called an injunction so she couldn’t go to Canada till it were all sorted. Huh! That changed her tune. The proceeds from the sale of the house and contents were to be put in a Trust Fund for Reg, together with his father’s insurance money. He couldn’t touch the money till he was twenty one and it would be invested till then, with Mr Butterfield managing it. I didn’t want anyone saying I had benefited from taking in the poor bairn.

And so I brought him home.”

 

#109:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:09 pm

This is outstanding, Patmac! (I have a feeling I'm going to be horribly disappointed if/when I finally read Jo to the Rescue.)

 

#110:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:23 pm

Very loverly!! Kathy - would you like me to lend you "Rescue" - I can mail it to you.

 

#111:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:20 pm

Way to go Auntie sticking up for Reg!

 

#112:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:21 pm

Go Auntie!!! You've really brought her to life Pat!! Thank you!

 

#113:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 10:46 pm

2 wonderful updates Pat. Good for Auntie. Loved that 'she wrote back in her best handwriting'. It's so true to life

 

#114:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:05 pm

Wonderful Pat - so real.

 

#115:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:10 pm

Yay for Auntie! Thanks Patmac! btw, what's an 'off-cummed-un'?

 

#116:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 11:17 pm

*cheers on Auntie* Wonderful, thank you Pat Very Happy

 

#117:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 4:05 am

Thanks patmac! And after all this it's easier to understand why Auntie didn't want Reg to leave the area or aim at being "better than he should".

 

#118:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 7:38 am

Ann wrote:
btw, what's an 'off-cummed-un'?
Some one who comes from another place and wasn't born here. I'm one myself and the local paper only recently called me 'a former Southerner' after 24 years living here Shocked I suppose that's an improvement. The solicitor came from about 30 miles away at most from where I've set this so it gives you an idea of the insularity of country places at the time. To add to the glossary, a pie and peas supper is hot pork pie with mushy peas served in a bowl and topped with mint sauce. Yorkshire tea - as someone guessed - is strong enough to stand the spoon up in.

 

#119:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 10:02 am

ahhhhhhh Crying or Very sad I thought that was some more. Thanks for all the updates before Pat. Hope work isnt interfering too much with the drabbling Wink Thats how I have my Tea, I get told I'm fussy Rolling Eyes

 

#120:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:22 pm

Hey your tea's really very good - thank you Kathye! Thank you Pat and yay for Auntie!

 

#121:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 1:55 pm

Thanks Nell Unfortuately its other people who say I'm fussy, when they ask how do you like your Tea, I actually tell them.... Embarassed

 

#122:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:05 pm

Well if they don't want to know they shouldn't ask!!!

 

#123:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:18 pm

Thats what I always say, but it is a standing joke with a lot of people now, that and the fact I have 3 sugars...... Embarassed

 

#124:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 4:45 pm

Good thing you weren't around during the war, Kathye. Sugar was rationed. 4 oz a week didn't go far Wink

We settled in gradually but he was like the ugly ducking in the fairy tale. He wasn’t popular with the other boys because he wasn’t used to real country ways. He were more likely to try and nurse an injured rabbit than skin it for the pot. They thought him soft.

He were right touchy at times but I think he had a hard time learning to trust anyone. He never said anything about his Aunt Sarah but I often wondered if she had been harsh with him. Poor little mite. He missed his Dad who had been the only one to give him kindness and he wanted to be just like him. I thought at the time that was why he wanted to go to be a teacher. The Headmaster said he had the brains for it but I wasn’t sure. He was a right one for day dreaming and you can’t do that if you are a teacher.

Looking back, I suppose it was partly my own experience that made me want to keep him here. It’s safe in Garnham. We got no bombs in the 2nd war, we don’t have the nasty problems that even towns like Garnley have. All I can say is that I did my best – and saints can’t do more!

I let him roam free because that seemed to be what he needed. I made him do little chores because I didn’t want to spoil him and he grew to love the garden. He didn’t like the cows though. He hated mucking out. He liked getting out in the country and many’s the time I’ve packed his snap and seen him ride off on his bike of a Saturday and he’s been gone all day, coming back somehow calmer and more content.

I hoped he would settle here, for I loved him, though I don’t think I ever told him that. People didn’t go in for that sort of talk in my young days though it’s different now. His money from his Dad would help when he was grown up and what I would leave him was growing but it wasn’t enough for him to get a real education and be a teacher like his Dad. If he had passed the scholarship it might have been different but he had tonsils and adenoids and missed it.

With the free health services you’ve got now he could have had his tonsils out but it were expensive then. We paid the doctor a shilling a week to help when we had illness but it wouldn’t cover things like tonsils, so he missed the exam and that were that.

Auntie stirred in her seat. “I’m parched and you young things must be stiff sitting around like that. I need to feed the chickens and the pig anyway so we can have another cup when I come in if you want me to go on a bit longer.”

A chorus arose:

“Can we come with you? I’m not sure we’d be much help but we could at least carry things.”

“The fresh air would do us good. I’d love to see your garden.”

”Would you mind telling us some more? Are you sure you aren’t getting too tired?”

Auntie laughed, “Aye, you can come. I forget some of you poor souls don’t have gardens and animals, living all cooped up in cities. I’ll go on a bit when we come back in, I’ve nought else to do.”

The girls were more sure of themselves here now and some carried the precious crockery into the kitchen while others collected coats and shoes and carried them to the back door.

 

#125:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 6:13 pm

Thanks Pat, I'm sure I would have coped ! Am really enjoying this, are you going to follow it through the "Jo to the Rescue" time as well, really hoping you do !

 

#126:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 7:06 pm

Thanks Pat - but I do have a garden and animals - two cats!

 

#127:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 8:12 pm

Thanks Pat, I've got a bit behind with drabbles again, but I'm glad I've caught up with this one, it all seems so very real, I can just imagine Auntie sitting there saying all these things. I hope that she didn't notice that I didn't drink the tea though - noting to do with the strength, I just don't like tea. Seriously though, I wish my grandparents had lived long enough to tell me their stories.

 

#128:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 8:13 pm

Thanks Pat! *Think I may possibly have been a bit scared of the animals if I had to go to close Rolling Eyes *

 

#129:  Author: Helen P, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 9:14 pm

Just caught up with this again after somehow missing yesterday's updates altogether Shocked how did I manage that? Thankyou Pat, this is fabulous - so much detail and really interesting background. Kathye - I too am dreadfully fussy about my tea - but you and I should never attempt to make tea for one another - mine has to be black, very weak, no sugar, and filled right up to the top of the cup (my pet annoyance is the number of people who make me a cuppa and leave a lovely inch gap at the top of the mug for the milk - even though they know I'm not having any - result - I only get half a cup of tea Evil or Very Mad ) Oops - that turned into a bit of a rant - sorry. And I hope Auntie didn't notice me take one sip of my tea, pull a dreadful face and then set it quietly aside while listening attentively to everything she had to say!

 

#130:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:50 pm

Patmac this is wonderful - it feels so real. I hope you carry onto Rescue and beyond!

 

#131:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 3:25 am

I hope there is not any nasty dirty dirt and mud in this farm yard we're being dragged into. Hmmm. Offers to do the washing up. And promises not to break any of Aunties precious crockery.

 

#132:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:05 am

Thanks Pat. A cuppa and a trip to the garden would go down a treat!! Very Happy

 

#133:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 5:09 pm

Thank you Pat, a trip down the garden sounds lovely. I soooooo miss my parents' garden when I'm not there as we only have a few dead bushes outside the house here.

 

#134:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 7:03 pm

Once Auntie had her old coat and Wellington boots on, they all trooped outside, looking around with interest.

The area outside the back door was paved with old local stone. A stone building with a plank door stood to one side and was recognised by some as an outdoor lavatory. “I’ve a bathroom upstairs now with a proper flush toilet but it doesn’t seem worth knocking down a good building. I keep my garden tools in there,” said Auntie, pointing to it.

Behind that was a wooden shed which had seen better days. “ I keep my wood and coal for the fire in there. Reg used to hide in there when he were upset. I used to pretend I didn’t know. He were like me there, he kept his troubles to himself.”

They walked slowly down a stone path, edged with rope top clay tiles. which stretched down the long, narrow garden. The wider side held neat rows of vegetables. At this time of the year much was bare except for carrots, potatoes, parsnips, swedes and various cabbages, brussel sprouts and kale. Where the earth was bare, it was neatly dug. At the end was a compost heap built from planks and with an old piece of carpet on the top.

The narrower side was obviously the flower garden, though not a lot was showing at in late November, a few dahlias still bore some flowers, an old fuschia bush still hung with it’s purple lanterns and over the fence trailed old man’s beard. A hebe sported small purple flowers and there were other shrubs with scarlet and orange berries. At the end was a gate with an trellis arch over, a rambling rose climbing through the trellis.

Auntie opened this gate and they were in a small yard. Excited snorting from a pig pen at the end greeted them, together with raucous clucking from the five chickens, confined in a wire pen to one side. A gate at the side of the yard opened up into a field with a small barn. Auntie opened the door and went inside, followed by some of the women. They came out with the buckets of pigswill and chicken feed and the noise subsided as the animals were fed.

The hills stretched above them, bounded by dry stone walls, farther up the hill the grass turned to bracken and heather and farther up still, stone broke through the ground. The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow to the scene and turned the gritstone walls golden. Far up in the sky, a kestrel hovered and, as they watched, arrowed down, rising again with a small animal in it’s claws.

Auntie paused to scratch the back of the enormous pig with a stick, obviously kept for the purpose and it grunted in contentment.

“We kept three cows when Reg was young, but nowadays milk is so cheap it’s not worth it and all the regulations about testing for TB and all that makes it more trouble than it’s worth. Besides, I can’t do as much now but I do like having the animals and the garden. It’s what I’m used to and it keeps me active. Reg and Len would like me to give up and move out to Switzerland but I can’t do that. It’s all very well for a visit but I don’t know what I’d do with myself. Besides, they need to be on their own and make their own way.” She paused and looked up at the hills above. “This is home. I hope I never have to leave.”

 

#135:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 7:05 pm

Kathye wrote:
Thats what I always say, but it is a standing joke with a lot of people now, that and the fact I have 3 sugars...... Embarassed
*grin* I have actually witnessed Kathye being accussed of fussyness..... Wink

 

#136:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:31 pm

That was such a vivid description Patmac, is it somewhere you really know, or are you just extremly good at making us see what you imagine?

 

#137:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 8:49 pm

That was lovely Pat - so nice that Auntie knows and is close to Len and Reg now.

 

#138:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:26 pm

Carolyn P wrote:
That was such a vivid description Patmac, is it somewhere you really know, or are you just extremly good at making us see what you imagine?
Most of it I grew up with. We didn't have a pig but we did have chickens and rabbits and sometimes ducks. I learned to wring a chickens neck and pluck and draw one. I can skin a rabbit. Any waste food went to our local butcher, whose meat came from his smallholding (Recycling at it's best), and we gleaned wheat from the local fields after harvest for the chickens. The dairy was just down the street (with stables) and the horse often left nice manure in the street for the roses Wink . All gone. Auntie's 'room' is my Auntie Joan's room. She was a 'pot aunt', no relation but a friend of my mother. She never had electricity and cooked on just such a range. She died in the 1950's. Her attitude is where I get a glimpse of Auntie's viewpoint. I didn't understand it then, though I can see where she was coming from now. The countryside is where I live now. From my office window, I can see the moors right up to a wind farm near what was once the 'highest pub in Yorkshire' - now a private house - and and see the weather and the seasons change at a distance of around 10 miles. From my bedroom and sitting room windows I can see the rolling moors. Would I move back to London? No!

 

#139:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:54 am

Thank you Patmac, so invocative and makes me yearn to be away from London again where its cold, damp and foggy this morning! Lovely.

 

#140:  Author: JenniferG, Location: Durham PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 12:20 pm

Ah, lovely. The atmosphere of this is perfect..- Jennifer (lives on the edge of the NY Moors when not at uni, and knows several Auntie-type people)

 

#141:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 12:26 pm

Wonderful! You feel like you're in the garden with her there. Thanks Pat. This drabble is just lovely.

 

#142:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 4:00 pm

That was lovely PatMac!

 

#143:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 4:18 pm

Thank you PatMac, that was just so perfect. *feeling a little homesick now*

 

#144:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 5:54 pm

Thank you one and all. ((((hugs)))) to the homesick ones. If it's any consolation it's grey and drizzly here.

A few of the women had gone back to the cottage and washed the cups and saucers and, by the time the others arrived, were settled again. Once more, Auntie Bertha tilted the kettle over the teapot and, once it was set to brew, she sat again.

“Now, where were we? I remember. I was telling you how Reg was finding it difficult to fit in and make friends. He got on with a few of the boys at school and I always made them welcome but he seemed lonely even so and there weren’t any living this end of the village.

He made friends with a young crippled lass up the hill. An odd couple they made, she were around eighteen or so when she moved here with her father, and he used to go up and help Debbie who looked after her from when she was about twelve and got ill. She hadn’t been here long when her father died, all unexpected. He was a musician and we heard him on the radio once, Reg and me. Lovely music he played. He had a run in with the Vicars wife – that was Mrs Hart. They’ve long gone now, thank goodness. She thought he should play for the village folk for nothing. I think if she’d asked nicely, he would have for he were a nice man and always passed the time of day with anyone. I reckon she did them a favour because all the village found the vicar’s wife a real trial and I know a lot of people who were a bit wary of off-cummed-uns got friendly with them after that.

After her father died, she didn’t have a lot to live on and I know Debbie was worried what would happen when she couldn’t cope any more. She used to come in for a crack and a cup of tea sometimes when she came into the village to the shop. I think she was lonely up the hill with no other people round about. We got on real well. I miss her sometimes, but she writes regular and I see her when I go over to Switzerland to stay with Len’s parents or Len and Reg. She lives with Phoebe and her husband. But I’m getting ahead of myself.”

While she talked, two of the young women had poured the tea and passed it round, quietly. They all sat sipping it while she carried on.

“When the war came a lot of the young men had to go into the army. The best farm round here was Jaycotts. His Bert went away early in 1943 and he needed a boy to help, there being no men around. When I spoke to Reg about going to work for him, he were dead set against it. He still wanted to better himself and I couldn’t see how he ever could. It would have taken a lot of money to put him through Grammar School and, though I suppose I could have done that, I couldn’t have afforded to put him through college as well. It would have taken all my savings and left nothing for a rainy day. I was too scared to take the risk. Besides, what if he didn’t make a teacher? All that money for nothing and he’d have been even more bitter. I couldn’t take the chance.

Reg was twelve when we heard the Witchens had been taken for the summer. A doctor’s family, they said. I couldn’t see why rich people should pay good money to come to a place like this.

Anyway, they came and everything changed.”

She fell silent and there was a general stirring in the room. The young women exchanged glances and there was a general nodding.

The one who had been the spokesperson at the start said gently “You’ve been so kind to share all this with us. It’ll be getting dark soon and we have some way to go. May I come again, perhaps with just one or two of us who live in Yorkshire? Maybe in the spring when the days are a little longer.”

“Aye, you can that. You’ve showed yourselves to be polite young women. The rest of the story is really Reg’s and you’ll need to ask him about school and that but I can tell you what I do know. I’d like to do that for him.”

There was a bustle as cups were taken to the kitchen and washed, dried and put reverently on the dresser. One of the women took the coal scuttle out to the shed and filled it. Others put the chairs back where they belonged. When everyone had coats and shoes on, Auntie stood by the door and each gave her a hug as they left with murmured words of appreciation.

As the cars drove off down the lane, some of them looked back and saw a small dauntless woman standing at her door watching them go.

 

#145:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:08 pm

Really really wonderful (how many times have I said that about this now?!!) Thanks so much Pat. Very Happy Very Happy It was nice to have an explanation for why Auntie wouldn't pay for Reg to go to grammar school too. Makes it seem much less cold-hearted than it does in Rescue. So, presume we're heading back to Reg now? Looking forward to Part 3....

 

#146:  Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 6:20 pm

Wonderful Patmac - I hope we don't have to wait too long for Part 3!

 

#147:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 7:06 pm

The first part of Part 3 has already been to Rachael for comments, encouragement and corrections (thank you Rachael!). Would you believe I managed to use 'can' incorrectly Embarassed so it will start very soon. I've had various queries as to where Auntie and the cottage came from. Some I've answered but some more is below. Before anyone asks, yes, the village I'm writing about is a real one (lots of poring over OS maps to get various things EBD mentions as correct) and a trip to the area which was very enjoyable. I'm not naming it for fear of upsetting the locals - though maybe they could do with the tourist trade. Despite a search of the PAF file, I couldn't find 'The Witchens' or 'Many Bushes' in the area so assume EBD made them up or took them from elsewhere - or, of course the whole area was imaginary. There are some inconsistencies in Rescue which point to a very poor geographical knowledge Shocked I was only young when I read Rescue for the first time – 9 or 10 I think. I felt sorry for Reg, who has little mention and is whisked away to boarding school in a rather casual way at the end with no apparent regard to his or his aunt’s feelings in the matter. I remember feeling quite indignant and wondering how he would cope!Auntie and her cottage have been real in my mind for some years. I’ve already said that the room is based on that of my Auntie Joan. I have fond memories of lying on the rag rug with Trixie, her collie, reading while the conversation between my mother and Auntie Joan went on unheeded over my head. I may even have read Rescue lying there and perhaps that is why I saw her room when I looked back.She had the long narrow garden in the same way, though brick paved as she was in a clay area. Chickens and ducks and rabbits were in a yard (though we called it ‘the ground’) at the end.I’m reasonably sure she would have the same reaction as Reg’s Auntie and I know she was very doubtful about my acceptance by a Convent High School on a scholarship and actually had some arguments with my mother over the wisdom of risking me ‘getting above myself’.

 

#148:  Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 8:01 pm

Looking forward to the next part in the saga PatMac! I'm really enjoying this.

 

#149:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 8:15 pm

Lovely Pat - and so nice to get the real story!

 

#150:  Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 8:39 pm

Oh, thank you Pat, that was wonderful, the garden seems so real, I was even feeling cold while I was looking at the pig and chickens. For some reason I always associate Yorkshire with being cold - perhaps because it as been everytime I've ventured that far north.

 

#151:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 8:40 pm

Pat, that was absolutely marvellous! Thank you!!!

 

#152:  Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:05 pm

I've been reading this avidly, Pat, but I don't think I've commented - sorry! I have loved every bit of it, perhaps because my mother came from a similar family, though they also worked in the mills and kept only chickens in the garden. I was absolutely horrified as a child when Mum told us about her pet hen (Alfred!) who ended up in the cooking pot and she ate him. As a well fed child who could always have bread and butter if I was hungry I didn't quite understand the concept of having to eat what was on the table or go without a meal! *just realised that makes Mum sound incredibly old - she's only in her late 50s, but is the youngest of a family of seven, who were spread over 20 years* Are you taking the view that Garnley is Helmsley and Garnham one of the nearby villages, as has been suggested by somebody somewhere? Helmsley is only about 30 mins drive from Marton(my bit of Middlesbrough), I could very easily pop in to visit Auntie. *politely adds that Marton is in North Yorkshire and BAH! to the Government for messing about with counties in 1974*

 

#153:  Author: Helen P, Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:07 pm

Thankyou Patmac, I so enjoyed that. Looking forward to part 3 with eager anticipation, although I will miss Auntie.

 

#154:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 9:08 pm

That was marvellous Patmac. thank you. Looking forward to the next part and hoping we don't have to wait till after Rachael's holiday.

 

#155:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:02 pm

Thanks again, Pat. Very impressive! Vivid, as Carolyn said, and the bits of human nature ring true as well. For example, I can just see the locals opening up a bit to the johnny-come-latelys after the squabble with the vicar's wife.

 

#156:  Author: pim, Location: the Derbyshire wilderness PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 1:05 am

Thank you Pat, that was just so real. And do you know, you're the first person to make me REALLY homesick and want to jump on the next train back to the wilds of Derbyshire and just sit in my parents' garden looking at the garnden and the hills?

 

#157:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Sat Dec 04, 2004 7:59 pm

Thank you Pat. That was lovely. Am looking forward to part 3>

 

#158:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Sun Dec 05, 2004 6:36 pm

Thank you so much Pat - Part 2 has been just as good as Part 1 and I'm really looking forward to Part 3. I've been transported back to my Auntie Elsie and Uncle Jacks house (in reality my great aunt/uncle). The very small cottage with a greenhouse which always seemed bigger than the cottage! The outside loo was round the back and as there only was a front door I was always a bit apprehensive about going out in the dark. They did have a bath, but it was in the kitchen and there was only a Belfast sink, so there was a cover over the bath and that was used as both a draining board and a food preparation area. The other downstairs room (complete with rag rug), wasn't very big, especially as Sunday tea was for all the family, so I think at least 6 probably 8 adults, 2 teenagers and myself as a young child. When we moved back to Yorkshire, I went looking for the cottage, but it had long since been pulled down.

 

#159:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Dec 05, 2004 10:41 pm

PatMac, I've just caught up on about 3 pages of this, and it's been a wonderful read. Thanks so much for taking us to visit Auntie. Liz

 

#160:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Tue Dec 07, 2004 6:56 pm

Thanks Patmac I have really really enjoyed this, can't wait to go see it all for myself one day !

 

#161:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Dec 23, 2004 2:46 pm

Thanks Pat that was a beautiful story. Sorry it has taken me so long to get round to reading it. I was transported back to my Grandma's stories whilst reading it. Off to find part 3 now!

 

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