Thursday 26 January 2006

Phyllis

Ikes mother,was the sort of lady people would go to if they needed help she would do all sorts of jobs, to earn some extra money, to help George and her bring up their family, she laid people out when they died , helped, mothers when they were in labour ,and helped to look after the sick.She also took in sewing .

It was when a lady died who she had been looking after; she asked the landlord if her son and his fiancée might have the cottage, it was duly arranged

So on  April 21st 1940, Phyllis and Ike became man and wife and set up home with some of the furniture left in the cottage, and Phyllis’s bottom drawer treasures, she also brought some furniture from Nottingham

Although Ike worked as a lorry driver he was also in the fire brigade so was exempt from the war.

Phyllis was very proud of her cottage in the country, she worked very hard with all the skills she had learned from Mrs Mein,to make it a home for her and her beloved Ike ,although the toilet was ‘up the yard’, and the water had to brought in from a tap in the street, neither was there any electricity until after the war ,paraffin lamps and candles were used for light .The water for washday and baths was heated in the copper in the scullery, that had a fire heated under the copper, mostly alright but if the wind was the wrong way ,was a devil to light ,recalls Phyllis.

Phyllis were married a year when their first child a daughter was born, Janet Althea.

They were fortunate as Ike had an allotment, and grew all their vegetables, they also kept a few hens and a pig for fattening, and so were pretty self sufficient and the rationing in the war didn’t effect them to much.

Twenty months after Janet was born they had a son John.

The war finished and life was good for Phyllis, she would go on the train to visit her relations in Nottingham, taking her babies with her , the pram would go in the guards van.Ike didn’t go as he didn’t get holidays.

Soon after this the brick making firm who he drove the lorry for closed down. But he soon got another job on the council driving a dust cart; he was still part time Fireman and became the village barber, in the evenings .He worked for the council until he retired.:p>

In 1947 their family was completed by the birth of another daughter Jean Susan ,Phyllis didn’t go out to work until Jean was ten ,she went to work for a Doctors wife helping her in the house .The Dr was an eminent chest Doctor specialising in patients with tuberculosis. Phyllis worked for Dr and Mrs Royce until she retired aged sixty.

Although Phyllis was what seemed a long way from her family in Nottingham, she still kept in touch, she wrote regularly to her three sisters, who were all married and had one daughter each.

They would come and stay with Phyllis and Ike and enjoy the country side.

Unfortunately, Phyllis’s elder sister died and her niece Brenda was brought up by her grandmother, as the years went by, Phyllis realised she had lost touch, with her late sisters daughter, she mentioned to her own daughter Janet that ‘Brenda had completely gone from our lives’ Janet got in touch with the Salvation Army, who in time, found the niece, and the happy ending to this was Aunt and niece became reunited.   

 

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is a really lovely story about your parents Jan. We had an outside toilet when I was young and I remember mum heating up water in the copper for our bath night, we had a tin bath in front of the fire. This brings back so many memories. Jeannette.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan ,I am really enjoying reading "our" family story which you are writing so well.Its bringing back such alot of happy memories.Our Dad was handsome wasn't he.Nice to see the pictures too little Janet and John..........Love Jeanxx

Anonymous said...

Hm your alerts aren't coming through properly - sigh..............missed your aslt two entries.

Anonymous said...

Enjoy  your family  history but the alerts are not right they come in on a email type thingy really strange.  Love Joan.

Anonymous said...

Hi, no got a funny alert from you :( Fascinating, I have a Mrs Mein in my family tree

Anonymous said...

Brilliant 'Old' photographs, and some very hard times.
Your  Dad was very Handsome!
Aileen....X

Anonymous said...

Jan what a lovely family story....and I loved the pictures.....They had a hard life but bet they were happy....No Electricity - Toilet was "up the Yard".....Makes me think how lucky we are today....Ally

Anonymous said...

What a fascinating story, I so love things like this.  No, I did not get an alert and people are not getting alerts on mine. Getting sick of aol and their failure to maintaint the service we pay for.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the email Jan, I have now found another lovely journal, which will be added to my alerts. Take care. Catch yoou again soon.
Sylvia xx

Anonymous said...

Wonderful entries Jan and very special photo's of special people. There was harmony and caring in those days it's good it's still around.  Your Mum would have loved the entries. Rache xx

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the email Jan because I didnt get your alert. Very much enjoyed reading your journal. Love Laine xxxx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/elainey2465/MyArtWorld/

Anonymous said...

I find family histories so interesting, and your family story is a lovely one :o)  The photo's are great, we can see the people you talk of which adds to the story.  
Thank you for sharing this m'dear.
Sara   x

Anonymous said...

Very interesting story. Thanks for sharing. No I didn't get an alert. A lot of the one's that live in England the alerts have not been coming through. Thanks for the email. Jeannette's didn't come through today either. Helen






































Anonymous said...

i enjoyed reading this interesting story. Paula

Anonymous said...

Love it!  You're doing a great job!
d

Anonymous said...

Didn't get your alerts either..Your family history is so interesting , a real peek into the past to remind us of how fortunate we are today with all our mod cons and holidays to boot unlike Ike who didn't get any!!!!..Both your parents were very attractive and it is with a big smile I tell you I got married in Oundle registry office too!!!!  Look forward to the next instalment.  Eve

Anonymous said...

Hi Jan, What an engrossing story this is. You really have my attention now, is there more to this story? :o)

Sandra xxxx

Anonymous said...

They certainly had a full laugh Ike and Phyllis :-)  So glad that aunt and neice were reunited :-)