Aunt Bertha . . . Continued

JH is sure that, at her christening her two Godmothers, Auntie Bertha and Auntie Sally, had an understanding between them to the effect that they were not Godmothers in name only. In any event, in view of Auntie Bertha living so close to her young Goddaughter’s home, it was Auntie Bertha who watched over her charge.

{AE}Sunday: White Waltham St Mary's Sunday School Waiting for vicar - Cows came for milking - In farm - (Bart's Nurse) Walked with Daddy Christmas Day - for the sermon we were allowed to sit in the porch! Sunday afternoon Blue + white Stamp. reasonally (.et o. hinder ol! [last line on this page JH unable to interpret] Further information from Ann during telecom 261215: Sunday School pupils were issued with a blue and white stamp which stated that they were reasonably let or hindered from attending.

On the fly leaf of my copy of The Book of Common Prayer . . . is written ‘love to Jeanette from Auntie Bertha’ and ‘27th January 1949’ – my 8th Birthday. A number of my books which I have had since my childhood, are covered in brown paper, but now – some 60 years later – the sticky bits of tape holding the brown paper together at the corners are falling off! My very-well-thumbed copy of The Holy Bible, the Authorised King James Version, has ‘To Jeanette with love from Auntie Bertha’ inscribed on the reverse of the fly-leaf, and at the bottom Auntie Bertha wrote ‘Christmas 1950’ . . . which was a month before my 10th Birthday on 27th January 1951.

I also have another copy of The Book of Common Prayer inside the cover of which is a label:- ‘Oxford Diocesan Council of Education’ is inscribed round a crest.

At an Assembly at School, Mr Welsh said that, after the Bishop had visited the School and awarded prizes – presumably to those pupils nominated by Mr Welsh - one prize remained to be awarded: Mr Welsh said that, should any pupil learn a prayer out of the Prayer Book, and then go to his office to recite the prayer, he or she could win the remaining prize. On reflection now, JH is unable to recall which prayer she memorised by heart. But JH recollects, so clearly, standing and reciting a prayer to Mr Welsh in his Office – which seemed rather dark and gloomy as it was a funny shape, and only had a small window through which light was not beaming due to a clutter of furniture and books in the way.

Mr Welsh was Headmaster at All Saints Junior School at the top of Boyn Hill. He was a lofty gentleman who seemed extremely tall to a little girl. He cycled to School – as one did then - even the Headmaster, in other words the teachers arrived on their bicycles, the pupils arrived by bus or on foot: but perhaps a secondary school Headmistress might have acquired a car by the 1950s. One morning JH had walked from Courthouse Road, down All Saints Avenue, across the A4 Bath Road {JH has no recollection of traffic lights, or a pedestrian crossing being located at the crossroads} into Boyn Hill Road. JH was a few yards from the entrance to the Junior School – when a bully-boy jostled JH. Perhaps this boy recognised JH as having previously come to school on the bus from Woodlands Park. Mr Welsh was just coming passed on his bike and shouted to JH to ‘Push him back!’ Needless to say, this exhortation from her headmaster made JH realise that she was really a rather timid little girl (a wimp in modern parlance perhaps), but no doubt the shout was also heard by bully-boy: JH wonders if he still remembers the incident.

The bus conductor, on the school bus, held up the traffic to allow the pupils to cross the road when pupils alighted: no Lollypop Lady or Gentleman in those days. Two of JH’s fellow pupils were involved in collision with cars. Valerie got off the bus just down at the bottom of Boyn Hill: immediately afterwards there was a commotion; the driver, presumably after an ambulance had been called, took the rest of his passengers on their way to Woodlands Park. Subsequently Valerie was to be seen being pushed around in a push chair with one of her lower legs in plaster of Paris. On the second occasion Frank, who lived in Woodlands Park, got off with lots of other pupils – including JH; Frank ran behind the bus and there was a thump; a gaggle of children surrounded him; as JH watched the driver got out of his car and she saw his ashen face – which was never to be forgotten by JH. JH did not see Frank being wheeled about in a pushchair subsequently but hopes that the injuries he sustained were not ‘life-threatening’ – as is said nowadays in newspaper reports.

One day Mr Welsh called all the pupils to an Assembly during the day. The King had died. Prayers were said. Mr Welsh was really upset. I think that I must ask Anne if she remembers. I am sure that, if I was able to ask any of the other pupils present in that assembly 61 years ago, a large number would remember.

The books which give JH ‘food for spiritual thought’ are in JH’s bedside cupboard. I have a copy of Daily Light: on the reverse of the flyleaf is written ‘To Jeanette with Love from Auntie Gert: Xmas 1955’. Ann and I occasionally used to ‘exchange words’ about our Godmothers; my sister has been heard to say ‘Auntie Gert is my Godmother!’ JH has no recollection as to the identity of her sister’s other Godmother. [AEi]Ann was confirmed at St Mary’s Church – the Diocesan Church in Maidenhead where both of us attended Friday Club run by Miss Beadle who taught Geography at Maidenhead Grammar School for Girls, but was also to be found imparting knowledge to the pupils during - what now would be called – Pastoral Care.

[AEi]Erlangen Tennenlohe 10.10.2015 1.
Dear Jeanette, having once again reading your most interesting life of Auntie Bertha I was most surprised to read to my amazement of my confirmation at St Mary's Church Maidenhead as in actual fact I was confirmed at St Peter's Church Furze Platt April 4th 1954 by the Bishop of Reading - signed by J H Cook Vicar. The confirmation classes were held in the drawing room of the Vicarage - Courthouse Road. He caught me

which I still have* 2
once looking at the clock directly in front of me of my vision: Mummy made me a white* seersucker dress with long sleeves from the same pattern she used for my dancing dress! (a very lively lady from Linden Ave gave lessons in the Masonic Hall) I invited Ann Rogers your year from school, Jean ? also school + Rosemary Bourton - then came to tea. We were given a little book named "My Prayer Book for Women and Girls" 2 Timothy 1.6 Auntie Gert was of course also present and gave me a golden cross and chain which I gave to Hanna for her

3
Confirmation 2 years ago. This year was my Diamond 70 {60 JH} years and Johanneses Silver Jubilee 25 years held in our church with Nicole - 2 years together - and Martin. The family had to divide up as Nadine, Daniel + Lena held their farewell party in Nuremburg before leaving for U. S. A. the next day.