Aunt Bertha . . . Continued

But by far the best treasure were the spindle berries [1] which retained their pink colour even when the outer slightly furry skin split open over the three-lobed berry to reveal three shiny deep-orange seeds. And . . . here were the remains of ‘bunkers’ into which one could crawl inside for several feet:- JH does not recollect any of her generation being buried under a roof-fall. Apparently there are ancient mounds such as prehistoric sites, but JH’s remembrances are of shortly after the Second World War – as the War to end all Wars had not ended all Wars.

At school one day . . . our class were told by our Teacher that a fellow pupil, John [2], was very upset because his father – who was a policeman - had been shot by a criminal who was running away through Maidenhead Thicket. It was not until many years later that JH called into Maidenhead Police Station, having read in the local media that a book was being written about the deaths of Police Officers in the line of their duty, to enquire about this vivid recollection: JH was informed that John’s father collapsed from a heart attack whilst pursuing a burglar [3].

Furthermore . . . on Maidenhead Thicket JH and her school friend, Anne Allen, played with matches! Anne’s home was almost at the blind end of Altwood Bailey; the Great Western Railway ran just over the back fence; there were metal girders erected over the railway – in preparation for building a bridge; however the building of a Bypass round Maidenhead was interrupted by that ‘another’ War. Anne and her elder brother Glyn used to walk, about 20ft above the railway, across to the other side: not an escapade JH joined in with! Excavations had been made for the carriage way as far as Thicket Corner, and a little beyond. Anne and JH could walk up and down this wide promenade which the meadows had reclaimed as one of their own. Here were more harebells and chalk flourishers. And so . . . small clumps of dry bracken were ‘isolated’ by circumferential stamping-down of any vegetation leaning over the proposed tiny bonfire. In due course, of course . . . a tiny conflagration became larger. Anne and JH stamped furiously on the widening circle of flames; instead of stamping, JH started to kick into the centre of the charred circle – and the flames turned into smouldering glowing embers – which could be stamped on effectively. As Anne and JH walked away, Anne expressed the opinion that, in emergencies, the most terrified can have a moment of absolute ‘clarity’ – what word Anne used JH cannot remember – but JH knew it was said to alleviate JH’s panic, and both of us knew we had been so stupid.

Anne, by now married and conveying two dachshunds, and Bloody the Bloodhound, with her . . . called in to visit Mr and Mrs Hipsey in Maidenhead during her travels back from visiting JH in Plymouth. After This visit, Mummy spoke to JH on the phone:- she was so pleased that Anne had called in . . . furthermore she added ‘In the past I have been critical of Anne but, now, I am sure that Anne will always be a very loyal friend to you!’ My sister was not so generous towards Anne . . . whilst I was over in Germany at Ann’s wedding, Big Sister had occasion to explain in German – to the assembled German Family – that Anne was so . . . unkempt, had dirty fingernails, was covered in grease after fixing her bike, consorted with the boys, got detentions: in other words, this is JH’s interpretation of the German word Schrecklich! Ann has met Anne since at a School Reunion . . . they happily conversed together and I am sure that, in their mature years, found each other good companions, even if only briefly.

Onwards to Auntie Bertha’s: Cannon Lane took a right turn; if the pedestrian walked straight on after a few yards he/she found themselves in Altwood Road, as Cannon Lane then took a left turn. This - sort of – dog’s leg junction has now disappeared, as Cannon Lane now dips underneath the A404M spur of the M4 Motorway; Altwood Road joins Cannon Lane at a T-junction at the other end of the under-bridge. In any event, then, the Hipsey Family walked a short distance further along Cannon Lane until we turned right through a short green tunnel of trees into posh Sandisplatt Road.

[1] On 10th December 2015 JH's Gardener, Colin, planted a Spindle Berry in JH's front garden. However, shortly afterwards the Sprindle Berry Bush was rescued from the rampant vegetation and moved to the back garden where the slugs could not hide.

[2] Throughout this text, JH has altered the names of persons who are probably still alive, or JH has forgotten their names in any case.

[3] One report states that PC William John Payne collapsed and died in Sandisplatt Road.