Teenager

 

 

 

Age 10. Greenmere Junior School trip to Paignton in Devon staying at The Hotel BonAire. On the sea wall taken by my friend Sandra Hancock. As I got on the coach to leave, mum & dad told me that I had passed my 11 plus and that I would be going to Wallingford Grammar,

Group at Wallingford Grammar, wearing Summer uniform.

 

Back Row: Beryl Gooding, Barbara Ackroyd, Mary Belcher (now Twigg).
Front Row: Me, Norma Howard and Janet Seymour,

 

Walllingford Grammar Group

Photo rather poor. Taken with very primitive camera.

 

 

Age 12. It was decided that Wallingford Grammar would become an all boys' school and the girls would move to the new Didcot Girls' Grammar School.

 
Here I am in the winter uniform. We were nicknamed 'Bluebottles' by the secondary modern girls of St. Frideswides because of our blue corduroy hats. We hadn't got our blazer badges or tie pins then.

Age 13. School holidays were spent with my best friends Mary Belcher (now Luxford, formerly Twigg), Jennifer Howard and Judith Pearce. We used to cycle 6 miles most days to Wallingford for a swim, or Whittenham Clumps. Unfortunately mum made me take my little sister Rose everywhere to stop us getting into mischief, and to spy on us.

Me age 13.


While going round the Ramsgate Model Village, my sister Rose shouted "Look at me" which was followed by a loud splash. She had fallen in the model stream which was about 3 ft deep, cold and very dirty. As she squelched out, the attendant shouted after us "That wasn't the way to go round was it?" I got hit for not looking after her properly.

Holiday at Ramsgate pictured with Rose, Dave & Mum.

 

 

Age 14 in my Sunday best & ready for church. How I hated this outfit which doesn't look so bad now. The hat was embarrassing with a spray of artificial flowers on each side. I got many a slap for taking it off when I thought mum wasn't looking.

Sunday Best

 

 

This is a happier me in the school holidays at my best friend Mary Belcher's. She lived in the Army Camp at Didcot. We used to sit on her bed writing letters to Adam Faith while eating condensed milk from the tin.

15

 

Age 16 having left school and working at NIRNS at AERE Harwell as a Clerical Assistant.

Best friend there was Librarian
Jai Fraser

Me at 16.

 

 

 

Age 16 with Rose and Uncle Rex (Town), one of my favourite Uncles.

Me at Petticoat Lane

 

 

Age 17 taken at Petticoat Lane on a trip with the Longleys, my future in-laws.

Laughing at 17

 

 

 

Age 18 about the time I got engaged.

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