The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

pollyanna_26

NM I've just remembered you and I doing a virtual search via Google maps around Bolton looking for the right place to move to when you were leaving the flat.. It seems a long time ago now but I'm glad you found the forever home..

pollyx

monnagran

Polly,  I have all the Helen Forrester books.  I read them whenever I am tempted to feel sorry for myself.  I used to wait anxiously for the next one to be published.  Knowledge of what she was desperate for, and her list of things most needed by someone who was destitute helped me no end when I was working with the homeless.  The amazing thing is how well all those children did in life despite having such a dreadful start and no encouragement from their parents.  The human spirit is unbelievably powerful.

Vegastare

Hello everyone....these last posts have transported me back to my childhood and youth, brought up in south Lancs that then turned into Cheshire,  all the talk of Tatton Park and Knutsford - bring so many memories, my Dad use to take me for endless walks when you didn't need to pay unless going in the Hall, remember it was from the bottom road in Knutsford.  Then there was the open air swimming pool Ashley - think I am giving away my age here.
Then there is the mention of Lancashire and Lakes...love it up around Kirby Lonsdale and down to Trough Bowland.  As for Helen Forrester my MIL in her 80's( just had her covid jab today) is a Liverpool lass and goes on about the books - how lucky we are these days, although she quite firmly tells you she spent most of her life in Canada(Helen Forrester)....not quite sure what is wrong with that but like many Liverpudlian she a quite a character.
Hope I can drop in on you all from time to time... it's cheered by afternoon.

pollyanna_26

monnagran said:

Polly,  I have all the Helen Forrester books.  I read them whenever I am tempted to feel sorry for myself.  I used to wait anxiously for the next one to be published.  Knowledge of what she was desperate for, and her list of things most needed by someone who was destitute helped me no end when I was working with the homeless.  The amazing thing is how well all those children did in life despite having such a dreadful start and no encouragement from their parents.  The human spirit is unbelievably powerful.

I've often thought those whinging and whining about a broken nail and other things should be forced to read those books. It's the clearest account of total deprivation , being invisble especially to her uncaring mother would have broken many who weren't starving neglected and often shoeless and barely clad. To know you smell must be such a soul destroying feeling.

When i began the first book there was a loving relationship between her and her father but when the Depression hit and he lost everything I think the attitude of his wife with her obsession with taking care only of herself , wasting money that should have fed clothed and allowed some coal to heat the awful slums they moved to over the years and puttiing smoking before everything else wore him down.

When his clothes had worn out and he was going for a job interview with a frayed collar, tattered tie and holey shoes you could really imagine him suffering depression and feelings of loss.

I think he was long past the point of being able to support his children either physically or emotionally., Not having soap to wash with and only a scrap of a rough dirty towel , a broken comb and spotted bit of mirror must have been soul destroying. He married the wrong woman she wasn't ill just selfish , uncaring and concerned only with her wants and needs. . Helen washing her hair in cold water in the hope of seeming clean was a big contrast.

Her strong spirit was a blessing but oh how she suffered.

Helen and Avadh had the one child Robert born in Canada. His book "Passage across the Mersey" was released in 2017 and it was good to read of Helens life when she sailed away from the Mersey on her way to Canada.

I too have volunteered over the years. Young care leavers who reach the age when they were too old for care and cast out on to the streets often with no support at all. Those on the streets for various reasons and struggling familes . When I first read Tuppence to cross the Mersey it fixed in my mind how the tiniest of things we take for granted in life can be lacking for others. Soap, Hot Water , A good Towel, Nourishing meals,Siutable Clothes and Footwear. A warm bed and home. Love kindness and feeling cared for, never never ignored or treated as though we exist only as a slave. It isn't possible to provide all of those things to those struggling but it does highlight their human needs.

I was raised to never waste food or moan about nothing by two parents who'd experienced the Great Depression and the 2nd World War. I did moan about margarine post war and refused to eat it but never pushed my luck beyond that. My children were more finicky about food but were told well that's what's on offer, take it or leave it but if you leave it you don't get pudding.

pollyx

MrsCD

VJsmum said:

Hey all - an interesting diversion that is worth a couple of minutes of your time.

Margaret Marilyn DeAdder (cobbsfuneralhome.ca)
We could all be a bit more Marilyn, no?

Wow, what a woman! She'll never be forgotten by anyone who knew her.

pollyanna_26

One final word on Helen Forrester. If anyone is interested in reading her account of those years, the books in order are

Tuppence to cross the Mersey.

By the waters of Liverpool.

Liverpool Miss.

Lime Street at Two.

I have a memory from the second book. If you are to walk down to the Pierhead you will pass Liverpool town hall set back on the right hand side.

A statue of Minerva the Roman goddess of wisdom and protector of cities has stood on top since 1799. One day Helen looked up at it again and begged Minerva to help her. She had had some schooling before her former life disappeared but to be ragged and starved and able to remember Minerva was amazing.

Apart from Minerva Liverpool has the two famous Liver Birds facing the waterfront. The one at the front watches over the sailors and the one at the back watches over the city so well protected.

During WW2 the enemy tried to bomb the city and surrounding areas out of existence as it was a major port and many naval convoys sailed from there to bring food and other supplies back from many parts of the world. They did a lot of damage. My mums childhood home was bombed as were many others but everyone picked themselves up and got on with things.

Helen went on to write Fiction books and i enjoyed them.

The final postscript was Passage across the Mersey by her son Robert Bhatia in 2017 which showed despite some ups and downs in India Helen found her happy and settled in Canada. She used to return to the city where she spent her growing up years and did book signings. A lovely woman who'd earned her Happy.

pollyx

VJsmum

Polly - my son was at Uni at Liverpool.  When he first went, he lived in student accommodation that was the hotel at Lime Street Station.  His room faced St George's Hall.  

I remember reading Tuppence to cross the mersey which, as i used to work in Birkenhead, brought back some memories.

pollyanna_26

VJsmum said:

Polly - my son was at Uni at Liverpool.  When he first went, he lived in student accommodation that was the hotel at Lime Street Station.  His room faced St George's Hall.  

I remember reading Tuppence to cross the mersey which, as i used to work in Birkenhead, brought back some memories.

Small world VJ. My late husband drove the trains from Lime St starion although his booking on point was a little further up the main line. The daughters and I would often go into the station restaurant before they did the station upgrade. St George's Hall is a wonderful place to visit and the scene of so much history. The steps at the front were often the focus of TV cameras during the long campaign for justice for the Hillsborough victims and the focus again when the long battle was finally won.

Did you son ever go inside the hall? The tiled floors are amazing. He may even have sat in St John's Gardens opposite the Museum and my beloved Picton library.

My dad left the Royal Navy a few years after his escort duty protecting the brave merchant seamen and their precious cargo on the convoys.

He retrained as a chef and after various head chef roles in hospitals and hotels moved to head chef in a then top class hotel in Woodside Birkenhead. We never lived in the city but I took many ferries across the Mersey in the school holidays with my dad. I had a great time and was indulged by all the staff. I also learned how to assess whether food and hygiene was ok in hotels and restaurants before ordering a meal.

My first job was in the then Inland Revenue a few floors from the top of the Liver building. I'd made a poor choice or rather my mum had. Good steady job and you'll never be out of work. I was bored silly and spent a lot of time staring out of the window at the ferries going back and forth. It was a relief to take a deep breath and tell my mum I was going to follow my heart and do what I'd always wanted to.

pollyx

pollyanna_26

Vegastare said:

Hello everyone....these last posts have transported me back to my childhood and youth, brought up in south Lancs that then turned into Cheshire,  all the talk of Tatton Park and Knutsford - bring so many memories, my Dad use to take me for endless walks when you didn't need to pay unless going in the Hall, remember it was from the bottom road in Knutsford.  Then there was the open air swimming pool Ashley - think I am giving away my age here.
Then there is the mention of Lancashire and Lakes...love it up around Kirby Lonsdale and down to Trough Bowland.  As for Helen Forrester my MIL in her 80's( just had her covid jab today) is a Liverpool lass and goes on about the books - how lucky we are these days, although she quite firmly tells you she spent most of her life in Canada(Helen Forrester)....not quite sure what is wrong with that but like many Liverpudlian she a quite a character.
Hope I can drop in on you all from time to time... it's cheered by afternoon.

Hello and welcome to this sometimes bonkers part of OS. I'm a Lancashire lass and the Trough of Bowland is one of my favourite places. I've been to Tatton a number of times when it wasn't flower show time. We've walked and walked, watched the deer.and stood outside the Big house but I've never gone inside.

Your MIL sounds a typical Liverpudlian very firm views, a long memory but will feed anyone in need. I don't know if she's aware Helen came back twice to live in Liverpool when her husband was working at the University. She never forgot her roots and despite the pain of the early years kept Liverpool in her heart although she was born in Hoylake.

When she married she had to support her husband by going with him when he had long work placements elsewhere.

Does your MIL use the internet? Typing in Helen Forrester will bring up one of the many things about Helen . it's a page about his mother from her son Robert and is often at the top of a search of her name. It has about after the title. There is also helenforresterbooks.com which brings uo the same information. A word of advice never try to reason with a Liverpool lass of an older generation , You wont win. There's a reason the city stood strong and a lot of it is down to the women. When I mentioned my mums family home being hit by a bomb there was still a younger sister living there. She was quite young but outran ARP wardens and firemen to run back into the house to rescue her knitting. She'd bartered all sorts to get the wool , had sat knitting for hours and was determined Hitler wasn't going to win.

Good to hear your MIL has had her first vaccine I hope she stays well and feisty.

pollyx

Floss

Vegastare said:

Hello everyone....these last posts have transported me back to my childhood and youth, brought up in south Lancs that then turned into Cheshire,  all the talk of Tatton Park and Knutsford - bring so many memories, my Dad use to take me for endless walks when you didn't need to pay unless going in the Hall, remember it was from the bottom road in Knutsford....

I do that if I want a walk, rather than pay to park 😉 I'm guessing that's Warrington area, where I lived for over 30 years before 12 years on the Lancashire coast, but now I'm back in the leafy Cheshire suburbs again 😁

Burtha, when you leave NM in Bolton, pop along the East Lancs road to Haydock then turn left down the A49 to Warrington. Once you have crossed the Mersey & Manchester Ship Canal you can call for again & toilet stop before you do a quick pop up the Wirral to Polly. Comeback past Chester & you have the joy of Delamere Forest before running ahead towards @Doveling and Tatton, Jodrell Bank and a pop down the M6 towards Staffordshire & vj's 

Next!!