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The day war came Completed 26/10/10
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6523

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:09 pm ]
Post subject:  The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Based on some real life instances within my family, but going into EBD land instead of what really happened. starting in this week in 1939


Chapel finished early that Sunday and our parents hurried us back to Granddad house. We were staying at my Granddad’s in Blackpool for the last weekend of the School holidays and we usually stayed to talk to friends after the service as we did at home in Yorkshire especially as we were due home the following day. When we got home Aunty Renee had the radio on listening to music, unheard of on a Sunday. Suddenly the music which playing, was broken into by the announcement that the Prime Minister was to speak to the nation.
Mr Chamberlain announced that we were at war with Germany. Mam and Dad looked worried. Granddad and Aunty Renee said we had better start packing and catch the early train home on the Monday. Mam said she would pack as soon as we had eaten the meal which was cooking in the oven, if dad would finish the Yorkshire pudding. Then a most awful noise came at which we were sent to hide in the cellar. Granddad said it was the air raid warning siren which he had hoped never to hear again after the last War. A few minutes later a second sound came which granddad recognised as the all clear and we were able to come out and have our meal.
That afternoon Aunty took my brother and me for a walk along the front whilst our parents packed and prepared for the journey home.

Author:  Emma A [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

An interesting start, Pauline - wondering who the family are (is Aunty Renee Renee Lecoutier?), though.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

Thankyou, PaulineS, this is a very evocative start already. But who is talking?

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

Intrigued as to identity of one telling the story - some clues in there but nothing that jumps out.


Thanks Pauline

Author:  keren [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

I was just wondering whether this anniversary was going to inspire anyone to write anything

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 6:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

There is no EBD character here yet. You will have to wait awhile for one to appear. The speaker is a girl who will end up at the CS, but is not one of EBD's characters. I posted here because it is a story which EBD might have written, but it is not true cannon, but I hope to write true to her priniciples. If I have posted in the wrong place moderators please move.

Author:  Abi [ Tue Sep 01, 2009 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

Looks interesting, Pauline, thanks!

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 6:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

Very appropriate for this week - thanks, Pauline.

Author:  Karoline [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 8:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

Interesting start, thanks Pauline

Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came

The next day we return home, the journey is longer than usual as we have to change more frequently. At Manchester we have to change stations and both stations is full of children with small suitcases and their gas masks, with teachers rather than parents. They are being put on trains, in class order, school by school. Mam and dad exchange glances, and quietly ask each other if we will have missed our school “evacuation”. When my brother asks what they mean, he is told not to worry, we will find out when we arrive home.
At all the stations there are men in uniform, some are soldiers, others Navy and some I do not recognise but my brother does and he whispers “Gosh there are some Airmen, just like in my comic”. They all seem to be saying goodbye to young women in tears or to older women who are trying not to cry.
When we arrive home my parents give us supper and send us to bed, as they say we might have another journey tomorrow, but will not say where. We expected it to be a last day of freedom before returning to school and had plans to make the most of it with friends, so the thought of another journey is not welcome.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 2/9

Still haven't got a clue who it could be - thankyou, Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 2/9

Looking forward to finding out how she ends up at the CS (evacuated to Armishire?) - they sound like a very nice, normal family, not the sort who'd "have" to send their kids to somewhere like the CS because they didn't fancy the local schools, if that makes sense.

Author:  Abi [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 10:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 2/9

It's an interesting perspective, seeing the confusion of the little brother. Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 2/9

Thanks, this is good, am really enjoying it

Author:  Squirrel [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 2/9

I like the way you are colouring this through your writing PaulineS. There is already so much atmosphere there, and the thoughts of your character are so clear. I'll admit that 'Auntie Renee' did make me think of the Lecoutier family, though it would have had to have taken place in an alternative universe given what we know of the date.

I will be watching to see how you get your story teller to the school, and what happens as time goes on.

As for which house... in some ways it's rather early to tell, but Mods are good at letting you know if they feel that something has surpassed what they would have in some houses (and I did have one moved a few years back). The lines can often feel quite blurry, and a story can grow and change from what is suitable for one house, and what should really be placed in another.

Thanks for posting.

Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

There is no CS Character yet. She/he will come in time.

When we woke the next day Dad had already left for work as usual and mam was preparing breakfast of fried bread and streaky ends of the bacon rashers. Mam told my brother to collect his books and everything he needed for commercial college he was to start attending that term. She passed him a letter which had been left the previous day from the head of the college, which included a copy of the list of books, pens and soft pencils for shorthand he had bought before we went away. She was going to pack his clothes as Mr Brown was coming back from Ripon to collect him and several other students who had been away the previous day at 11.00 am. They would be boarded with families in Ripon and have the lessons in church halls and a local Scouts Hut.
However they had not heard from the Grammar School I had attended the previous year, so I was to gather all my things together in case a letter came by post to tell me when and where I was to go. When I had gathered my things together I was sent out into the garden to gather peas and pull some carrots for lunch. It was eerily quiet and there were no children in the neighbouring gardens. Normally they would have been full of children making the most of the last day of freedom.

Author:  shazwales [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Thanks PaulineS this is very interesting;looking forward to the next bit.

Author:  MaryR [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Thanks, Pauline, have just caught up with this. A sad reminder of those worrying and frightening days so long ago now.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Thankyou.

Author:  Abi [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Thanks Pauline, this is a really interesting look at what happened.

Author:  Alison H [ Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

It must have been so frightening for all of them.

BTW, if it won't give too much away, where do they live - Leeds/Bradford?

Author:  leahbelle [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 1:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Thank you. Am looking forward to reading how this progresses.

Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 3:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

At present it is set in the Leeds/Bradford area, the brother is based on my father's experiences at this time and the narator is based on my aunt, but the drabble will shortly move from Yorkshire and no longer be family based.

No-one came for me. I was left to play or read on my own foe weeks. There were no children in church, no children in the streets or gardens, all my friends from home, school and church had disappeared. Even my brother was missing, staying in a strange place called Ripon and writing letters home which came on Monday mornings.
Dad was in the Home Guard and as he worked on the Railway he spent three or four nights a week patrolling the lines near the engine sheds and the main line stations looking for signs of damage and fire caused by bombs or something he called “subversives”!
Mam soon had me cleaning and shopping for her and time to read or keep up my studying was cut short. As a Scholarship Girl at the city centre grammar school I had few friends from school who lived close by, so I did not see the parents or brothers of girls I was an school with and felt forgotten and abandoned.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 4:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Whoever it is doesn't sound very happy at the moment - hopefully they will find friends at the CS.

Thankyou.

Author:  Squirrel [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

My apologies... I was assuming your narrator must be going to the school, but it seems you may well have other plans. I will look forwards to seeing how it plays out.

Your narrator does seem to be very much left alone, especially with the departure of her brother, and having to give up studying. I hope that something happens to change this, and to give her friends/

Thanks once again.

Author:  Abi [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

That's rather lonely and sad, and it's interesting to realise it's based on real-life experiences. Will be interesting to see what happens. Thanks, Pauline!

Author:  Alison H [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

She does sound lonely, but surely her school will have to make a decision soon about whether to carry on as normal or to evacuate.

Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Sep 04, 2009 10:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Squirrel wrote
Quote:
My apologies... I was assuming your narrator must be going to the school, but it seems you may well have other plans. I will look forwards to seeing how it plays out.


Squirrel in this life she will end up at the CS, so no apology needed. How she gets there is the story and from now on it will not be based on what happened to my family.
My aunt went to another Grammar School in the city after Christmas after a term at home helping her mother. She found out after her mother had died that her mother had stopped her evacuation, not that school had forgotten her. We hear about children who suffered because they were separated from their families, but those who did not leave home are not spoken about.
My aunt's school had been evacuated because it was based in the city centre, as was the commercial college my father went to. The school she went to after Christmas was on the outskirts of the city, where unlike the city centre school there were few scholarship students, most parents paid fees. This was unlike the city centre school where most girls were on full scholarships and all on some scholarship. As one of few students from the city centre school to be transfered to outer city schools she stood out in her different uniform to the other girls and she found it hard to settle. However she achieved School certificate and achieved well in her professional career.

Author:  abbeybufo [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Interesting to hear about your aunt, Pauline, and looking forward to hearing the rest of this story when you are able to update it :D

Author:  Alison H [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:22 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Also interesting to hear about your aunt. My old school (although obviously I wasn't there at the time!) was also evacuated because of its proximity to a city centre (good job, as the building took a direct hit from the Luftwaffe during the Manchester Blitz) to the countryside, but I'd never really thought about what might have happened to any pupils whose parents didn't want them to go and who were separated from their friends as a result :( .

Author:  jmc [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 9:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

It must have been very hard in many ways for those left behind. Thanks Pauline, looking forward to more.

Author:  PaulineS [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Life went on in a similar way for the next two months. There was no sign of me being required to go to school. I spent the morning dusting, living near a railway line and with a coal fired power station nearby there was plenty of soot mixed in within the dust so daily dusting was essential. Some afternoons Mam let me read books from the local library to keep up my schooling, but it was difficult with no one to say what I needed to read.
Then one day Dad came home from work early. He had been gassed in the last War and suffered from Chest infections, especially if there was fog about and the last few days had been bad. Fortunately working for the railways Dad was on the local doctor’s Panel and he could visit the surgery that evening.
The doctor told Dad to stay home and use steam inhalations and Friars Balsam every two hours and with rest Dad slowly improved, but his chest remained weak and I later found out the doctor was worried his heart was starting to show signs of damage.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Uh-oh, this isn't going to be an EBDish storyline, is it?

Thankyou, I think :?

Author:  Abi [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

It must have been a very lonely life. Thanks, Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 7:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Chest infections were so common in big cities, and men who'd been gassed in the trenches were particularly susceptible to them ... wondering if it'd be practical for him to go to the San when it gets to Wales, but also wondering how steep Jem's fees were.

Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

The San would ceratinly be beyond the reach of a railway worker's pay. However the Union might pay for treatment as might the British Legion. Neither are planned at present.

Over the next few months Dad’s chest became worse. The doctor cam regularly and in the end suggested to Dad that we needed to move out of the city and its smoke and fogs. The Union steward came to visit one day when dad was off sick and dad said he needed to move out of the city. The steward suggested that he applied for a post with one of the other railway companies which had routes in the country. Dad started to look at adverts in the rail journals and found that a Company on the English Wales border wanted experienced men to train women as guards and to act as senior guards on munitions trains.
Dad applied and several weeks later he was awarded the job. He went down to the area and stayed in lodging whist he found a house we could move into.

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came update 3/9

Aha - the move near the CS. Pleased her Dad was able to find other work.


Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Abi [ Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

Glad her Dad found a job out of the city. Hopefully his health will improve. Guess the CS is looming nearer :D .

Thanks, Pauline.

Author:  shazwales [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 4:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

Looking forward to seeing when the CS comes into it.

Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 6:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

Ah, so that's how they're getting to Armishire.

Author:  keren [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

My father always said that his grandmother had stopped their evactuation
As a baby of a year old, I think that mothers and babies were evactuated together from the center of London, but Great grandma was against this

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

And thus the CS comes.

Thankyou!

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 7/9

Christmas came and Dad and my brother came home for a few days. They arrived on Christmas Eve and returned on the 27 of December. It was good to see them both as Christmas was a poor affair compared to previous years. Mam had saved and we had a rare joint of meat, a piece of brisket which she pot roasted with carrots and potatoes stored for the winter in the oven built into the side of the fire. She had also been able to make a small Christmas pudding in September before food became scarce. Presents consisted of an apple, a book and some pencils. We were able to attend church together as a family, but it was strange with all the young men missing as they had been called into the services and many of the children still away as well.
Dad was finding it hard to find some were to rent near his main base and he and mam spent time discussing where else on the routes he worked he could look for a house. They also discussed where I was to go to school the next term as the Education Authority had said I must go either to grammar school on the outskirts or to the secondary school my brother had been to near home. The secondary school would not allow me to take school certificate and it would mean having more limited choices when I left school than I would after leaving a grammar school.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

Thanks, PaulineS, it's good to see this continuing.

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 8:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

Nice that her brother was able to join them for Christmas.

Author:  Abi [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

Hope they manage to get things sorted soon - it must be a really hard time.

Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

How difficult for them.


Thanks Pauline

Author:  jmc [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

Hope everything comes all right for them soon. Looking forward to seeing how the school fits into all of this.

Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 8/9

It was decided that I could try the grammar school on the outskirts of the city and so on the second Monday in January I took the tram to school. I had to wear the uniform of my old school which was maroon whilst all the other girls wore navy. There was one other girl in the year above me wearing a green uniform who had transferred from another school, but I never got to know her. It was difficult, I had missed a term and the teaching styles were different as well. I found it difficult to make friends as all the girls in my class had been together for over a year and were in friendship girls. I was travelling from a distance and there were no other girls going all the way home. Some travelled by the tram as far or even further than I did, but none walked my way from the tram.
Dad was now looking for a house to rent in Medbury and the surrounding villages. He had taken his bike with him and this meant he could explore the area before he went on a late shift or his day off.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

It must have been horrible to feel so lonely. Thankyou.

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

Thanks PaulineS really enjoying this.

Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 7:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

How horrible - having a different uniform to the others must have made her feel so self-conscious - yes there was good reason but even so. :cry:


Thanks Pauline

Author:  Abi [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

That must have been really hard for her. Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Sep 09, 2009 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

Hope she manages to settle in despite the problems.

Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Sep 10, 2009 7:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 9/9

Dad was able to find a cottage in a small village outside Medbury and mam went down one weekend to see it. I stayed with a family friend my brother and I knew as Aunty. It was a good weekend as Aunty had no children and she decided we would go to the pictures on Saturday afternoon as a treat, something my mam did not allow during term time when I was expected to help with house work and do my school work.
My mam returned on Monday morning after I had left for school so I did not learn of my parents plans until I arrived home from school that evening. My parents had decided to take the cottage and to move there during half term, which would mean I would change schools again. The nearest grammar school would be in Medbury and would mean I would have a three quarter hour cycle ride there and back every day. My father had made an appointment to see the head teacher the following week to see if I could join the school either at half term or at Easter.

Author:  Alison H [ Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Ah - is this the school which merged with the CS? I can't remember if that was a private school or a grammar school.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Intriguing - am wondering the same as Alison. Thankyou.

Author:  Abi [ Thu Sep 10, 2009 10:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Yes, that was my first thought too! It must be really hard changing schools so often.

Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

A very short update tonight, the reason for this will become clear over the next few posts.

At half term I said goodbye to my class mates, and left. I had made no friends and was not sad to leave the school, however the uncertainty of where I was going to go to school for the rest of the school year remained. A local private school was closing and so the grammar school was full and the local secondary school was full with pupils evacuated from Birmingham at the start of the school year. It looked as if I was going to without a school again!

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Can't wait to hear more!

Thankyou.

Author:  Abi [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Hope she will like the CS when she gets there... :D

Author:  shazwales [ Fri Sep 11, 2009 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Thanks,looking forward to more of this.

Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 10/9

Half term saw us move to Medbury. Dad had found a cottage with a three rooms upstairs amd downstairs. There was a small kitchen with a York type stove for cooking with an oven built into one side and trivet for the pot or kettle. The sink only had the one tap for cold water and there was a copper boiler in the corner for heating the water for baths or the washing. There was backroom with room for a settee and an armchair, table and chairs which would be used as the living room. The front room would be used for high days and visitors. Upstairs there was two large and one small bedroom. The toilet was outside in the yard which also contained a shed for storing the coal for the three downstairs fires.
There was a large garden which included some fruit bushes, a row of raspberry canes and some winter green s waiting to be picked. The cottage had been the home of an elderly couple who had moved to be with their daughter who had three small children and had been left on her own in a neighbouring village as her husband had been called up into the RAF.
It was decided that I would return to stay with the “aunt” in the city until Easter, as there was no school places in Medbury in the hope that my parents would be able to access a school place for me for the summer term.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

Thanks for more - lovely to see a description of the house.

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

Slightly more down to earth description of a house than the 'small one' that Marie and Eugen wanted! :lol:


Thanks Pauline

Author:  Alison H [ Mon Sep 14, 2009 11:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

Must be nice for them to have a big garden (I've always wanted a big garden but never had one!). Also hoping she'll like the CS when she gets there.

Author:  shazwales [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 4:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

The description of the house especially the room for 'high days and visitors' reminds me of my grandparents house years ago,although where i live lots of people(mainly elderly) still keep a room for that reason.
Do we get to the CS in your next installment?
Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 6:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

When I was a kid in the '80s and '90s we always sat in the back room and kept the front room for high days and visitors. So did most people in our street.

I've only got a little house now because there's only me, so I've only got the kitchen and the living room downstairs, but I always call the living room "the front room" even though there's no back room as such :lol: - just force of habit, I suppose!

Really enjoying this, Pauline.

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 14/9 on p5

The house is based on a terraced house I knew well in South Wales. The CS is still in the Guernsey and are not yet planning to move to Armishire. It is mid February and CS starts planning the move in March. However there is a clue as to how the family will make contact with the CS in this post.


The second half of term went slowly, it was fun at times with aunty, but I missed my parents and strange to say my older brother. School was still difficult, but I started to make friends with another girl, Sally, who had returned from evacuation with her school as her mother had moved from the south of the city to the countryside north of the city as she had taken a job as housekeeper to a doctors’ family after being bombed out of their previous home. The doctors were both working and they had four young children who went to a nearby local private school. Sally was able to take the children to school and collect them to take them home on the bus which meant their parents did not have to make special arrangements when they were on house calls or taking surgery. This also meant that her mother did not have to pay lodging for Sally and they could live together in comparative safety.
Mean while my mother had joined a group which provided refreshments for airmen and land girls in a local church hall. This counted as war work and meant it was less likely she would be sent to work full time on the airbase or in a local office. Whilst taking part in the tea making and washing up she made friends with some of the other local women who discovered that before her marriage she had worked in a costumiers as a seamstress and still had her sewing machine. Several of the women asked if she would help them alter dresses for themselves and their daughters. She also helped the land girls with repairs to their trousers.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Thanks for the update - it isn't the "nearby local private school" perchance, is it?

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 8:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

The nearby local school is in Yorkshire where the author is spending a half term living with her aunt, whilst her parents are in Armishire looking for school for her to attend after Easter.

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Doctors and the CS usually go together :lol:, but I can't think of any CS doctors (except Reg, and he's too young) who lived in Yorkshire :? .

Author:  Lyanne [ Tue Sep 15, 2009 10:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

The Marrillars? But I thought there was only one doctor in their family?

Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 4:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Thanks Pauline - pleased she has a friend now.

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:19 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Thanks Pauline,are we getting nearer to the CS now?

Author:  jmc [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Trying very hard to place the doctors and failing miserably. Thanks for the frequent updates.

Author:  keren [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

When we meet them I think there is no mother.

Maybe they move to somewhere else?

Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

The clue is based on Armishire. The Yorkshire doctors was an unintentional red herring. The CS have just decided to move to Armishire, so yes it is coming nearer and I have found a solution to my problem of getting the author there when the family would not be able to afford the fees.

Letters from my parents came regularly and at first there was no hope of school place for me at Medbury or in the surrounding area. Then my mother said she had heard that a private school was moving into the area and some of the daughters of the woman she had altered clothing for were to go there when it opened after Easter. However it would be outside the range of the family. The only hope would be if girls of the right age moved there from the local grammar school leaving a space I could move in to.
Life in Yorkshire continued to improve as my friendship Sally grew. I occasionally went to visit her on a Saturday when we could explore the surrounding area and spend some time doing our homework. The thought of leaving Sally and starting over again to make friends and face new teachers and new methods for the third time in two years was frightening. The first grammar school I had attended two years ago had been good, but the one I had attended since Christmas had been tough, what would the third one be like?

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Pleased that your plot bunnies are starting to light their lamps :D Thanks for the update!

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

It's a shame she'll have to leave her friend behind, unless they both somehow end up at the CS.

Author:  Abi [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 8:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Thanks Pauline, glad to see things going a little better.

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Thanks Pauline,

Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

Advert in Armishire papers
Wanted
We require a competent seamstress to alter uniform dresses and blouses at the start of a new school in the area. Work will include repairs to bedding, and household furnishings. Ability to teach young children basic sewing skills an advantage. Post can be classified as war work if able to provide teaching input. Position can be residential or none residential. The ability to start at the beginning of April an advantage.

My mother had been starting to worry about the need to register for war work when she saw the advert and decided to apply. Her experience of teaching the young women of the area how to mend and adapt their clothes gave her the courage she needed. She told me about it in her weekly letter when she was asked to attend for interview at the Round House.
Her next letter told me that she had been successful in her application.

Author:  Alison H [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

I never thought of that!

Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/9 on p4

When I came home for the Easter holiday mam was busy making blackout curtains for the school which was due to open after the holiday. However there was still no place for me in a local school and I was to return to Yorkshire at the end of the holiday. My brother would join us just before Easter and I would return with him. Sally was to come to Armishire with my brother and return with us.
Whilst we waited for my brother and Sally to join us Mam had me pinning the blackout curtains ready for her to sew them on her treadle machine. One day Mrs Russell came to collect the curtains mam had finished and to bring some flowered curtains for the dormitory windows in exchange which required shortening. Mrs Russell was interested to meet me asked me about where I went to school and how I enjoyed it.

Author:  shazwales [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 4:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

Thanks Pauline really enjoying this.

Author:  Abi [ Thu Sep 17, 2009 8:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

Will she be awarded a scholarship, maybe? Thanks Pauline - an ingenious way for them to make contact with the school!

Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

I've just read all of this, and it's very interesting to see how easily someone could slip through the cracks despite everything. My own mother, aged 12, was evacuated to her great-aunt's home in Wales, stayed for six weeks but missed her parents so badly that she went back to Liverpool to them - and stayed. There must have been numbers of other families where that happened as most of her friends seem to have stayed with their parents....

thank you Pauline

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

Aah, I hadn't thought of that! Hope Madge gives her a scholarship or something :)

Thankyou.

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 2:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

Lovely that Madge is so interested in the daughter of their seamstress - it's what makes her such a lovely character.

Thanks Pauline

Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 17/9 on p5 X 2

I told Mrs Russell that I had to change schools because of the war and after not liking the new school for the first half of term, the second half had been better when Sally had joined my class and we had made friends. I told her I liked most subjects, and enjoyed Latin and English. I liked to be challenged and had found the first part of the term hard because we had repeated some work I had done at my previous school. I was looking forward to continuing to do new things in the Summer term, but would prefer to be nearer my parents even if it meant going to a secondary school rather than a grammar school, but it looked unlikely. I also told her that Sally was coming to spend Easter with us.
Sally arrived safely with my brother and we were able to explore the country side around the village. We went to chapel on Good Friday and Easter Sunday morning and met some of the local girls who asked us to join them for a walk and picnic in the afternoon. My mother agreed and we were able to explore areas which we had not seen before.
The following day there was a knock on the front door, when Mam opened it she was surprised to see an RAF officer. As she asked if could help him and his name she was surprised to hear Sally called out “Dad” and come flying to the door to greet him.

Author:  Alison H [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 18/9 on p5

Does she know that Madge owns a school? Hope Madge is able to arrange for both girls to go to the CS.

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 18/9 on p5

Pleased for Sally - wonder what this will mean for the author of the peice - have we found out her name yet?


Thanks Pauline

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 18/9 on p5

Also wondering if she knows that Madge owns the school...

Thankyou.

Author:  PaulineS [ Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 18/9 on p5

I am sorry for the EBDism in the previous posts. I had Magde moving to Armishire a few weeks before she did in CS at War. EBD had her move to the main land the week before Easter (that would be Holy Week) and Joey in Easter week. However for the drabble to work I needed her in England a few weeks before so I hope you will all forgive me,

“Dad” Sally cried. “What are you doing here? I thought you were in Scotland training?”
“I finished the training and have been given promotion to officer level and have been posted to an aerodrome near here in charge of the tower. There is married staff accommodation here so you and your mother will be able to join me here soon as well. Bt introduce me to your friends and I will tell you all the news later.”
Sally introduced her dad to my parents and myself and my brother. He shared his news of the families impending move to the area. My parents told of the problems of finding a school for me, and of the move of the Chalet School to the area which would be fee paying but which would have places and was to have some day pupils which would be less expensive than full boarders.
Sally’s father said that as he had just got promotion to an Air traffic control officer he and his wife could consider the Chalet School for Sally as a day pupil.
I was pleased in some ways, it meant that when I moved to the area I would be able to stay in contact with Sally.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

I hadn't even noticed the EBDism, so not to worry PaulineS! Thankyou for the update :)

Author:  Abi [ Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Me neither - I'm very bad ay noticing things like that :D .

Thanks for the update, Pauline. Can't wait to see what will happen next.

Author:  Alison H [ Sun Sep 20, 2009 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Nor me, but EBD-isms just make it all the more authentic :D .

Author:  shazwales [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Thanks for the update Pauline,really enjoying this.

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 6:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Pleased that Sally will remain close.

Thanks Pauline

Author:  jmc [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Thanks Pauline. Happy everything seems to be working out at this stage.

Author:  MaryR [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Have just caught up with all I missed, Pauline, and am really enjoying it.

Thank you. :D

Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 20/9 on p5

Friday we had another unexpected visitor. Mrs Russell arrived to see my parents. She had found out that dad was on holiday this week when she had spoken to mam the previous week. She looked more relaxed than she had the previous visit and when mam asked if she was feeling better she smiled and said “A lot better, my sister crossed from the Channel Islands yesterday and I have just heard that she is safely in Southern England with her triplet daughters. She will have to rest for a week or two before she comes to Armishire, but she made the crossing safely with two family friends as well.”
“However what I have come to ask is if you will allow your daughter to attend the Chalet School on a scholarship my sister and I want to set up.”
Mam said, “But I thought you ran a private school where all the pupils’ parents paid fees?”
“Most of the pupils parents pay for them,” Mrs Russell said. “However we have had scholarship pupils before, in fact one of the seniors is on a scholarship. But Jo, my sister, and I want to set up a special scholarship in memory of pupils who cannot continue at the School because of the War. So we thought it would be a good idea to offer it to someone whose education has been affected by the War and your daughter certainly qualifies in that regard.”

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Oh how lovely - so pleased for her.


Thanks Pauline

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

How nice of Madge - but very much like her! Thankyou :D

Author:  Alison H [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Oh good :D .

Author:  Abi [ Mon Sep 21, 2009 10:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Oh, that's really lovely - a lovely reason for a scholarship and a lovely way to choose who got it. Think I may have said 'lovely' too many times!

Thanks Pauline!

Author:  shazwales [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Brilliant! thanks Pauline.

Author:  jmc [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Oh that's so lovely. Thanks Pauline

Author:  JS [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

What a lovely idea - and yes, lovely is just the right word.

Author:  Squirrel [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

What a wonderful way to introduce her to the school! and phrased in such a way that they cannot take offence or anything else.

Oh! And thanks for telling us about your own family's experience so many pages back. It was most interesting - and you are right, we never do hear about that side of things!

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Sory for the shortness of tonights update. RL has been busy today.

My parents sent me out of the room then whilst they asked questions. Later they explained that asked about uniform and books, and whether I would be a day pupil or boarder. It had been agreed that I would be a weekly boarder and that uniform would be provided by the School. They agreed however that I could go to the Chalet School starting that term. As the Chalet School was coming from the Channel Islands term would be starting later than the Yorkshire schools so there was time for me to return to my “aunt’s” and collect my things and to go into school to collect books and say goodbye to friends.
Sally would be returning with me and helping her mother to pack up their things as her father had been given married quarters and had successfully applied for a place for her at the Chalet School.
Sally’s father and my parents had arranged that we would travel North with my brother and then return to Armishire with Sally’s mother in time for school.

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

That's great - especially about the uniform - I expect she would not have liked going to another school wearing old uniform.


Thanks Pauline

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Brilliant that she's going to find it easier settling in with a new uniform, and her friend there.

Thankyou.

Author:  Abi [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

So glad Sally will be there too - I'm sure that will make it much easier for her to settle down. Also the uniform. Thanks Pauline!

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Oh good :D .

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Sep 23, 2009 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

Thanks Pauline, changes are much easier when you have a friend with you. :D

Author:  leahbelle [ Wed Sep 23, 2009 12:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

This sounds promising for her. Thanks, Pauline.

Author:  sealpuppy [ Mon Nov 02, 2009 7:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

I'm still finding my way round the earlier drabbles so I've only just landed on this one. What a lovely story and how nice to have the 'real' Madge back, not the pale shadow of herself that she turned into! Hope there'll be more of this soon???

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

At last an update, I will try to do so more frequently in future

We returned to Armshire the week before school was due to start with a feeling of trepidation, boarding at school even Monday to Friday would be different from travelling every day. The change of school last time had shown us that different teachers taught in different ways and the thought of yet another style of teaching and wondering what gaps we would find this time had Sally and myself wondering how we would settle.
The day came when we went to the school to unpack our things and to take tests to see which class we would be suited for. We mat the Head mistress, Miss Annersley, who told us that we would be in classes suited to our knowledge and ability which might not be the same as our age.
The most of the other girls would be arriving the following week, but we met Gwensi who had lived in the house before the school came and was also joining the school this term and several girls who had come from the school which had closed down and were also taking the tests.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Jan 05, 2010 6:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 21/9 on p6

It's nice to see more of this. Thanks!

Author:  JB [ Tue Jan 05, 2010 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

Thanks Pauline. I've read this through from the beginning and really enjoyed it.

Author:  Alison H [ Tue Jan 05, 2010 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

Good to see this back :D .

Author:  Abi [ Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

Glad to see this back, Pauline!

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Jan 06, 2010 1:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

Thanks Pauline,just gone back and read it from the start ! :) :) :)

Author:  jmc [ Wed Jan 06, 2010 5:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

Happy to see this back and looking forward to seeing her integrated into school life. Thanks Pauline

Author:  PaulineS [ Sat Jan 09, 2010 5:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 5/1/2/10 p6

The following week school started, and we learnt we were to be in Form 2 with Isabel Allen who had just joined the school and Jack le Pelley who had joined in Guernsey, and Melanie Kerdec who had been with the school in Austria. Our form mistress was to be Miss Nalder who was the Games mistress. Sally, Isobel and myself were asked to show the others our form room and dormitory. Our dormitory prefect was an old girl Dorothy Brenthan, who was in the fifth form.

After tea the Head Miss Annersley spoke to the whole school and then led prayers for the Protestants while another mistress took the Catholic girls to another room for their prayers. It was the first time I had been to school with Catholics as at home in Leeds they went to their own schools, there being several near where I lived run by nuns.

The Catholics and Protestants kept to their own groups and as someone who went to “Chapel” rather than church I had limited experience of prayer book services, and wondered if I would know the hymns we would sing in assembly, as I knew the hymn we sang that first evening, but I did not recognise the other hymns on the same page.

After prayers we had a supper and a short time in our common room before bed. It was funny going to bed in the same room as other girls and even quieter outside than the cottage were we lived, and a lot quieter than Leeds.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Sat Jan 09, 2010 5:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

It's nice to see some of the more minor characters. Thankyou!

Author:  shazwales [ Sat Jan 09, 2010 6:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

Enjoying seeing the backround to the CS restarting from a different veiw point.Thank you

Author:  Abi [ Sat Jan 09, 2010 7:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

Hope she enjoys herself! Thanks Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Sat Jan 09, 2010 8:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

It's always annoyed me the way that (English - don't think we ever see the "which prayers?" scene with anyone who isn't English, come to think if it!) girls are always asked if they're "C of E or RC" rather than "Protestant or Catholic", and it's surprising given that EBD came from a part of the country with a strong Methodist tradition. I appreciate that they couldn't hold different services for every different denomination, but she could at least have acknowledged the issue!

Hope that they settle in OK.

Author:  MaryR [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

I could have sworn I posted a comment on this as soon as you put it up, Pauline - so where is it? :shock: *scratches head in bemusement*

She's settling in nicely, isn't she, despite everything being new and strange?

Thank you.

Author:  PaulineS [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 09/1/2/10 p7

The following morning we were woken by a bell and by Dorothy asking us to show a leg. She had explained to us the evening before that when she asked to show a leg we were to put one leg out under the curtains so she could see we were all out of bed. On the first day we all put our legs out straight away. Then Isobel and myself grabbed our wash bags and towels and went to the bathroom we had used to wash before bed and had the bath we had been told was required each morning. I had mine chill off as I could not face a cold one. I was also unused to being expected to bath each day. A home we had strip wash daily with a bath once a week.
When we had all bathed, dressed in out tunics and blouses and stripped our beds, Dorothy said it was time for us to say our prayers. This was something I was expected to do at home so I sat on the bed and prayed as I did at home. I was still sat there when Dorothy said to throw up the curtains and started to do so. When she saw me sitting on the bed, she told me to get up immediately, as we were not allowed to sit on the beds! I ask why as I always sat down to pray and the bed was the only place as the chair had my bedding and pillow on it.
“But you kneel to pray, not sit” said Dorothy.
“No we sit in chapel and at home to pray”
“Well we don’t have time to discuss it now as we must do downstairs as the bell is ringing” said Dorothy.

Author:  abbeybufo [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Oh yes! Echoes of a non-conformist upbringing - 'kneel to no one, even the Lord' !

Author:  Alison H [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Thanks for the update :D .

Author:  M [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Interesting - methodists would not kneel to pray. Would school assemblies in the 1940s have involved everyone kneeling to pray as a rule or was it a Chalet thing?

Author:  Joanne [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

This is really interesting, especially the issues with prayers. As a catholic, I had/have no strong ideas of the differences between other christian "sects".

Thanks for a fascinating story.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Hmm, very interesting! Would be interested to see how Matey deals with that.

Thanks for the update.

Author:  cestina [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

M wrote:
Interesting - methodists would not kneel to pray. Would school assemblies in the 1940s have involved everyone kneeling to pray as a rule or was it a Chalet thing?

We didn't kneel in the 1950s. House prayers were entirely standing from start to finish. School prayers were sitting and standing. Kneeling would have involved far too much shuffling of chairs to be practical and some of the forms up in the galleries would not have had enough space anyway.

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

M wrote:
Interesting - methodists would not kneel to pray. Would school assemblies in the 1940s have involved everyone kneeling to pray as a rule or was it a Chalet thing?


We certainly knelt in the 1960s - no chairs, except at School Evensong and other formal occasions; one sat cross-legged on the floor and got fearful pins and needles during the weekly hymn practice! You stood for the hymn or psalm, sat for the reading and knelt for the prayers.

Author:  Chris S [ Wed Jan 27, 2010 3:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

In the 50s/60s we stood for the hymn and the prayers during morning assembly and then sat cross legged on the floor for the notices.

Author:  cal562301 [ Wed Jan 27, 2010 3:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Mrs Redboots wrote:
M wrote:
Interesting - methodists would not kneel to pray. Would school assemblies in the 1940s have involved everyone kneeling to pray as a rule or was it a Chalet thing?


We certainly knelt in the 1960s - no chairs, except at School Evensong and other formal occasions; one sat cross-legged on the floor and got fearful pins and needles during the weekly hymn practice! You stood for the hymn or psalm, sat for the reading and knelt for the prayers.


At Junior School in the 60s, we had very uncomfortable benches, unless you were in the choir, which I joined at the age of 9! (We had chairs for some reason.)

We stood to sing hymns and otherwise sat.

At Grammar School, which was non-denominational, we had chairs and all had assembly together, except for the Jehovah's Witnesses (there was one in my class), who were excused.

When going through a particularly rebellious phase, I actually considered becoming a JW, so that I could get out of assemblies and RE lessons, but then I discovered that they don't give Christmas or Birthday presents, so that rather put me off.

(Hope I haven't offended any JWs who may be lurking on these boards. :))

Author:  PaulineS [ Sun Feb 07, 2010 4:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

I have more for this and the one on St T but am off line at home. When it is sorted I will post them.

Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 23/1/2/10 p7

Sorry for the delay, i am now back on line and learning how to use a Mac and Safari. Hope to post more soon.

We went downstairs to breakfast, which was porridge, followed by cups of tea or milk and toast. There were small dishes of jam on the table, but no sugar only sweeteners for the tea. The girls said the jam was made by Matron each year, but there was only a small amount left now, but if they could find fruit she would make some more which is why there was no sugar available as it was saved for the jam making.
After breakfast we went up stairs to make our beds and dust the cubicles. Dorothy showed Sally, Isobel and myself how Matron liked us to make beds. It was the way my aunt who was a Nursing Sister in Leeds had taught me to make beds when we had stayed with her father in Blackpool. Whilst we were making the beds Dorothy explained that Matron thought that sitting on beds damaged the springs and the mattress. Dorothy explained that I could sit on the chair at night and if I said my prayers before stripping the bed I could do the same in the morning. Most girls knelt to pray, but she had friends at home who were “chapel” so she knew that kneeling was something that people disagreed with. She explained that for assembly the school sat on backless benches and there was not room for people to kneel as there was a risk of knocking the benches over when people stood up so they stayed sitting for prayers.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Mon Feb 15, 2010 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/02/10/ p8

Thanks for the update - it's good to see the understanding!

Author:  Alison H [ Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/02/10/ p8

I've often thought I'd be ready to scream by the end of a day of hearing about how Matron liked you to unpack this way, arrange your stuff this way, make your bed this way and all the rest of it :roll: !

Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 15/02/10/ p8

After the beds were made and the cubicles dusted we went back to our common room to wait for the bell which told us it was time to go to the form room where we found Miss Nalder waiting for us. She took the register and then made sure we had our hymn books and knew which room to go to for prayers. Prayers followed a similar format to the previous evening, except the Head-girl read the Parable of the Talents and we sang a hymn I had not sung before. The tune was easy to follow and I could join in by the third verse. After Prayers Miss Annersley spoke to the whole school and lead us in a prayer for peace and understanding between countries.
She told us that we would be expected to work hard, but also to pray hard and that Guides and Brownies would restart on Saturday mornings in two weeks time. I would not be able to join the Guides at School as I would be going home on Friday afternoon after tea. We were then dismissed back to our form rooms for the mornings lessons.

Author:  Abi [ Mon Apr 19, 2010 8:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 19/04/10/ p8

Glad to see this back! Thanks, Pauline.

Author:  charli [ Mon Apr 19, 2010 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 19/04/10/ p8

Just read all of this for the 1st time, and am enjoying it. Really like the narrator style and am warming nicely to her.

Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 19/04/10/ p8

It's lovely to see this back - thankyou!

Author:  shazwales [ Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 19/04/10/ p8

Thanks
Lovely to see more of this :)

Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came updated 19/04/10/ p8

This is completed at last I had two long train journeys and a hotel stay with no internet access so completed this drabble and have more to post on my other as well. I decided as you had waited so long for the end of this one I would post it all together.


The lessons were similar in style to my first Grammar School, but they followed on from those I had been doing before Easter in Leeds. I found I could keep up with the others and the small class sizes meant the mistress could help us if we found we could not do something the others had already done. Because we had all been to different schools we found that some things were new to one girl and well known to another. Unlike my second Grammar School the mistresses were used to girls being at different levels in the subjects and quickly offered help to those who needed it. I found that in English and history I was at the level the School expected, My maths was ahead of most of the group, but my spoken French was below the School standard. I had never learnt German, and neither had Sally and Isobel. Jack had just started and Melanie had started the year she spent at the Chalet School in Austria, and the two terms in Guernsey had helped her speak the language, but her written work was still at a basic level, as she had missed a year whilst the School was closed, Miss Denny gave us new words to learn every day and we learnt to speak it quickly, but written work was slower to learn. We were expected to speak German only in German class and in Art the master who took us was Austrian and only spoke German. Melanie told us that in Austria they had two days a week when they spoke nothing but German and another two when they only spoke French! The Senior girls could speak in both languages fluently and did so some times when we were near they they did not want us to understand them.

We soon settled and with extra coaching in class in the subjects we were weakest in by half term we were much more equal in standard.
I enjoyed the tennis the school offered, but was not as enthusiastic about the cricket. My poor long vision meant I could not see the ball until it was very near, meaning I was no good at fielding as I missed all the catches. My eye sight meant batting was also a problem, but my brother had ensured I could bowl a straight ball, even if I did not know what the batsman did with it. It was decided that I had better have the minimum cricket sessions after I had been hit by the ball on several occasions, once on the forehead, knocking me out for a few minutes which meant spending the night in the San.

We were given a part of the garden to look after, and here Jack proved invaluable as she could tell weeds from the pea and bean plants, from an early stage so we did not pull up the wrong plant The gardener had started off peas, beans, and some salad crops which one of the senior forms looked after before term started. We planted some winter vegetables which we had grown from seed in a special part of the bed and then transplanted. We had to keep these weed free and watered as well. It was good that just before the end of term there were peas and beans to pick and we had them at dinner the same day we had picked them, they were much nicer than the ones from the market or green grocers in Leeds. Over the summer the gardener and gardening mistress were going to take it in turns for their holidays, so they would pick the vegetables as they became ready and the housekeeping staff and the cooks who were doing the same would bottle and preserve them for use during the winter.

In May we had an air raid and had to shelter in the cellars, we sang songs and drank cocoa, before sleeping on the floor. We were stiff the next day! A few days later men started to dig out proper shelters for us and they had bunk beds in, there were three shelters and each group of dormitories were allocated to a shelter, with a variety of ages in them and the prefects and mistresses were divided in three and given one of the shelters to be responsible for. The men had made a small passage between the shelters so the mistresses could communicate and as we alter realised if the door to one shelter was blocked we could use the passage to get out of another shelters door.

At the beginning of June, we heard that a lot of soldiers had been rescued from France in a wide variety of boats, some of which were very small, and others were ocean liners. We heard that some school children from Kent had rescued some of the men in their small sailing boat. Rather them then me as I got sick on a rowing boat on Roundhay Lake. Some of the girls had fathers or brothers in France and they were worried until they heard from home if they were amongst those rescued.

On the 10 June Mlle Lecoutier was married to M. Bersac at the local Catholic Church and we all went to a garden party at Mrs Maynards to celebrate.

The end of term drew near and exams were held, I came top in Maths and did well in English and history. My French mark better than I expected, and I even passed my German exam.

As term came to a close I was glad that my parents had had to move from Leeds and I looked forward to the long summer holiday, knowing I would be back at a school I enjoyed in September.

Author:  Abi [ Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thanks for finishing this Pauline!

Author:  shazwales [ Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you Pauline. :)

Author:  JS [ Wed Oct 27, 2010 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

That was so nice, thank you Pauline.

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Oct 27, 2010 1:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thanks for finishing this off.

Author:  MaryR [ Wed Oct 27, 2010 8:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

I've just gone right back to the beginning and had a lovely re-read, Pauline, and am so glad you've now tied it up so neatly. She'll be okay now. :D

Thank you.

Author:  charli [ Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you Pauline. :D

Author:  Elbee [ Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:54 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you, Pauline, I've really enjoyed reading this.

Author:  Pingaware [ Thu Oct 28, 2010 11:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thanks for finishing this Pauline. Sort of encourages me to get my own drabble done and dusted. :roll:

Author:  Karoline [ Fri Oct 29, 2010 11:10 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you Pauline

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Fri Oct 29, 2010 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thanks for finishing this, Pauline - like MaryR, I did a quick re-read of the whole story and really enjoyed it.

Author:  mell [ Tue Nov 02, 2010 11:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you for this :)

Author:  Chris S [ Thu Nov 04, 2010 2:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thank you for the story Pauline, I really enjoyed it.

Author:  jmc [ Sat Nov 06, 2010 3:34 am ]
Post subject:  Re: The day war came Completed 26/10/10

Thanks Pauline. I only just realised that you finished this but I really enjoyed it.

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