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They are the reminiscences of "Miss Read", not her real name, but it will suit her admirably for blogging purposes. She is a retired schoolmistress and could quite easily be the "Miss Read" of the "Village School" books fame.
Over the last months she has been kind enough to give us a series of talks, memories of her childhood - of growing up in the manor house (the one with the green man) and of going to school in this village and her memories of the war.
She has helped to bring books like 'Feeding the Nation' to life, although food was much less of a problem for those living in the countryside than for town or city dwellers.
We have listened, enthralled, to her memories about life in the villages during the war.
Stories and details about wartime rationing, foraging, transportation, lots of farming history, health care before the NHS was founded, the wonderful village women who cared for people when no other help was available, community spirit, keeping a pig in a sty - and the rules and regulations pertaining to that, communications... and so much more.
Her recall is astounding.
It falls to me to type up the notes, including the additional ones (reams of them!) which Miss Read kindly wrote out the last time she was kept housebound by 'The Beast from the East' and the subsequent snowfall.
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Yesterday was a bitterly cold day, in this part of the country, although I believe that it was much milder elsewhere. I suppose we were having an early blast of those cold easterly winds from Siberia.
The kitchen was warm and cosy, the big table made the perfect place for sorting out all those notes and pieces of paper...but the main reason I chose to work there is because the cats and Toby hate it when I disappear down the hall to my work room. They are not allowed beyond the hall doorway.
I typed for an hour, then abandoned it for the day. It was time to get some food ready for my grandchildren and my back was beginning to seize up anyway. We (my little animal entourage and me) took a quick and chilly circuit of Owl Wood, it blew away the cobwebs and helped relax my back. Then it was time to get back indoors, rattle a few saucepans and conjure up a meal for two hungry grandchildren.
Once they have eaten, they love to sit around the table a bit longer, not for conversation, they love to play a memory game. Their favourite is "I went to the zoo and fed..." predictably, my granddaughter always begins with a cub of some sort, she loves the big cats, her older brother goes for animals with difficult names, he is very competitive. No doubt memory games like this are doing wonders for us, too!
Luna, these photographs of the kitchen are for you. I'm sorry to say that I didn't take the time to tidy up or stage anything.
It is what it is, warts and all.
x
What a lovely way to keep warm. I love anything from the past and am typing up the diary of my friend's g. grandfather, who was involved in the Siege of Ladysmith. Fascinating stuff.
ReplyDeleteYour notes sound even more interesting and how wonderful you are keeping Miss Read's memories alive. A friend has an Aged Aunty (102) now whose recall is still needle sharp and we keep urging her to tape AA's memories so they are not lost.
Your kitchen looks lovely - more light than mine has too.
History through the eyes of someone who was there - that diary must make for very interesting reading, lucky you. I do hope your friend manages to record her AA's memories, it really would be a shame to miss out on such wealth of information - plus, the AA would almost certainly enjoy the experience.
DeleteAs our little project has progressed, Miss Read has become more caught up in it and so have we! Her memories are to b serialised in the local parish magazine, as well as on a large board in the village hall. Fame!
The kitchen end of the house is where the carts used to be kept, we kept to the original door openings but made them glass.
The primary school I went to was very similar to the Village School in the books, even down to the large families of smelly untidy children!
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to be able to record the memories of that lady for others to enjoy.
Hello Sue, Amazing to think how many people all these years later are still enjoying the 'real' Miss Read's books and the world she created. Sounds like some of your school fellows could have done with a bar of Sunlight soap!
DeleteOur village Miss Read is gradually losing her sight, although she is still managing to produce some extremely good paintings, as well as intricately iced cakes. Long may that continue for her.
I would love to be able to sit in on those talks by Miss Read. I envy people who are repositories of big swaths of life stories. Me, I remember tidbits only. I've never been a great storyteller, just not one of my strengths. There's a wonderful book by Alexander McCall Smith "La's Orchestra Saves the World" (I think I got the title right) that takes place in the war years. I'm sure you've read it.
ReplyDeleteHello Marcia, I have no doubt that she would be very happy to include you. I have not read the book you mentioned, but I have just been to check it out. The story definitely sounds like one I would enjoy, so i have gone crazy and splurged out one whole penny, plus £2.54 for postage, for a hardback copy in very good condition. I'm looking forward to reading it, so thank you!
DeleteElaine,
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like interesting labor! Will the transcribed stories Miss Read related be available to those of us who would like to read them?
It sounds like your furry family members are, perhaps, just a little bit spoiled. That happens at our house, too (though of course, it's not MY fault!).
I wish you the best in typing up those stories -- don't be shy about sharing a tidbit or two on your blog.
Brett
Hello Brett, Once the notes have been transcribed and sorted out into order to form a more cohesive story then, providing 'Miss Read' is agreeable, of course I will be happy to share some snippets on here.
DeleteMy animals would disagree, but of course they are indulged, maybe not quite on the same scale as the grandchildren, but definitely spoiled rotten!
Have a good weekend!
Ohhhhhh thank you!!!!!! I knew the lovely photos of your lovely kitchen, were for me!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe aga anchors one end. And that is a fireplace, anchoring the other end, I believe.
Love the over-to-floor drapes, both on windows and inside doorways. They are so wonderful for keeping heat, in a certain room.
That chair by the aga! That must be the most coveted chair in the house, in winter. :-)
And love all the pictures on walls. As you know, I do the same. :-) Btw, is that a mirror over the fireplace? Maybe, maybe not. I love mirrors too!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad you enjoyed them! The chair is known as 'Cosy Corner' animals and humans fight for it, although there is another chair down by the log burner. It is a room designed for practicality, day to day life, although I know many people go for designer.
DeleteI am so happy to know that you are transcribing 'Miss Read's' memories! What a wonderful job you are doing! It is such a sadness, to think of those memories, being lost, when a person dies. This is a wonderful task you have taken on.
ReplyDeleteI know, that War Time in my country was _nothing_ compared to War Time in your country. But we did have rationing here. Stamps. My mother had a second child and he was "not right." She would feed him and somethings he would regurgitate the formula. So naturally, her ration stamps ran out. An old man, who ran a tiny grocery in this tiny village, "did things," so he got her enough formula. An example of village people, taking care of village people, here...
And I remember having fun, mixing the awful stuff which 'passed for' butter, then. White stuff, in a bag. With a small, round, yellow thing. Which you kneaded and broke the yellow thing, and squished it around, till the whole awful white mass, was yellow colored. Great fun, for a child. -wry smile-
Stay warm in the winter blast, which is upon you again.
I feel so privileged to be transcribing those notes, hearing her tales. I'll be visiting her in the next week, to show them to her and to make plans on how we are going to display her special cloth in the village hall.
DeleteI hope someone is taking note of your treasure trove of memories, Luna? Don't forget, we all have tales to tell and yours sound equally interesting. Are you typing/recording/telling them? That 'butter' sounds disgusting, but needs must and all that.
An added thought... I wonder why my mother did not nurse my brother? I am told that she nursed me, till I was a year old. .... Perhaps, his issues included him not tolerating her milk? And that was why, he had to have formula? One of those things, that will remain unknown... Btw, he did not live very long. Even though I remember us taking him to some specialist in NYC.
ReplyDeleteYikes, not a jolly comment. Perhaps I should not have added it. Delete if you wish! REALLY!!!!
Perhaps, as you say, he had a milk intolerance - my husband did, and was was kept going on a drop of whisky is water, can you believe - until they found a solution that worked. So sorry about your brother... Comments don't always have to be jolly, that would be unrealistic. xxx
DeleteHello, Elaine - Mama Pea here. What stands out (and calls to me!) in your kitchen pictures are the wonderful stove (is it an Aga?) and the comfy chair close by. I would love to snuggle in that chair and chat with you. And those large windows on the side of your kitchen, and elsewhere it seems to be, too. How wonderful to have a view out of them such as you have. I think it's so important to have a cozy kitchen that is pleasant to the eyes because of all the time most of us spend in there. Thanks for visiting my blog. I enjoyed yours!
ReplyDeleteHello Mama Pea, Thanks for visiting!
DeleteCosy Corner has been in great demand this weekend, there has been a bitterly cold wind hitting the house, seeping through the tiniest of gaps in this old building. The kitchen is the former coach/cart shed of the farm, the big windows were the original openings, which we decided to keep. I don't have lots of work surfaces because I do most of my food preparation at the kitchen table. White goods are in the Boot Room and there is a walk-in pantry. It wouldn't work for everyone, but after all these years it works for me!
Hi Elaine... I was reading Luna’s blog and noticed your kitchen shot( Hope you don’t mind) ... I do love home photos . Your kitchen looks to be the perfect spot for tea and writing stories.. Good for you transcribing the memories of Miss Read.... History is so interesting and really it wasn’t that long ago .. My mother is 95 and I too love to hear the about her life and writing it down..although not as eloquently as you...I think your village school children are pretty lucky to get first hand storytelling from the past .... hopefully they will learn to understand and assimilate the times of war. These talks may be the memories they keep throughout their adulthood..... We still have snow here and are expecting another snow storm so I imagine that your wonderful stove could brew a lovely cup of tea and shed some radiating warmth into the room.... Thank You for sharing ....Hugs
ReplyDeleteHello Zaa, Lovely of you to call by. The kitchen is always cosy in the winter, thanks to the Rayburn (the cream coloured stove) and when if it gets really cold we also light a woodburner at the other end of the room. So come on in and have a cup of tea and some biscuits or cake and we can have a good chat.
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