Wartime Hertford

[midget]

I seem to have started something by posting about wartime food, and thereby admitting my great age!
I joined 1's in 1944, just in time to catch the last mad fling with the V1 and V2 rockets. After we were woken by sirens for several nights running, when we trailed our blankets down to the cellar to the horrible bunks we finally made up the beds down there permanently. As I recall, there was then an outbreak of some gruesome stomach bug, which in a confined space was more horrible than it might otherwise have been.
One night the following term (nomore air-raids) there was a tremendous racket from out in the town and DR came into the dorm, which she had never done before and never did again! We all asked if the war was over and were told "Now go to sleep girls" a typical answer I think.
The following day the staff had arranged a treasure hunt and in the evening an entertainment including Miss King in a sotr of gypsy costume, andMiss ? who taught German singing Lili Marlene.
Enough, I want to go and watch Spooks

[englishangel]

Sounds like she was no more forthcoming in her 30s than in her 50s.

Was it the end of the war?

At least we were spared the staff entertaining us.

[midget]

Sounds like she was no more forthcoming in her 30s than in her 50s.

Was it the end of the war?

At least we were spared the staff entertaining us.

I was only at CH for the last year of the war, but the austerity of the peace was almost as bad. This was in many ways due to Sir Stafford 'misery' Cripps. Our Ward Mistress in 1's must have been gazing in to her crystal ball when she announced one night at tea "Well children I am afraid the Socialists have won the election". I don't suppose most of us either knew or cared what a socialist was, but surely she should have been aware from our backgrounds that the parents of most of us would have voted for them!

Rationing continued until the early 1950's, with bread,unrationed during the war, rationed afterwards. The big bugbear was clothes rationing, because the school needed our clothing coupons, so we had to rely on the goodwill of friends and family (and what you could make or alter from hand-me -downs)

School needlework made demands on parents- when if at all was this stopped? For those not in the know a piece of needlework to be handed in at the end of every term, to be marked for quality qnd quantity.

Are there any more old-timers out there? Maggie feels lonely

[Vonny]

School needlework made demands on parents- when if at all was this stopped? For those not in the know a piece of needlework to be handed in at the end of every term, to be marked for quality qnd quantity.

I remember this when I was there - hated it We had to hand in 2 items a year I think. Luckily it was the IV form and above so I only had one year of it before we moved to Horsham. The first thing I handed in was a blouse I had made in needlework a couple of years previous Got a mention in assembly for that one The other thing I handed in was a shop made skirt Didn't get a mention for that one though!

[englishangel]

I don't remember rationing obviously but my Mum tells me it stopped shortly after I was born, early 1954.

We had a needlework teacher, Miss Richards, (see teacher notes on FRU for more on her) who got the best out of us-eventually. My needlework in my early years was DISGUSTING, and in the first 3 years the school provided the materials, but from 4th form onwards (age 14+) we had to make 2 garments a year. I made some quite good stuff.


I continued sewing after school, made my May Ball dress my forst 2 years at Uni, the first one by hand as I had no machine.

Then I made my wedding dress and bridesmaid dress.

I have made clothes for my daughter including her year 11 prom dress this year but why bother when a skirt costs £5 in Primark?

I do have some nice curtains and cushion covers though.

[J.R.]

I apologise for this mere male invading the girlies site again.

Being born in mid-1947, I can just remember the end of rationing. Those funny books with tear-out tickets that my Mother used to guard with her life.
The other memory was that FANTASTIC National Health Issue Orange Juice, provided free to all kids because it was hard for them to get all the vitamins they really needed.

Yet another memory: Travelling by train from Farnham in Surrey, into London. All the blitz damage. The majority of the churches with the steeple tops missing.

[midget]

I apologise for this mere male invading the girlies site again.

Being born in mid-1947, I can just remember the end of rationing. Those funny books with tear-out tickets that my Mother used to guard with her life.
The other memory was that FANTASTIC National Health Issue Orange Juice, provided free to all kids because it was hard for them to get all the vitamins they really needed.

The NH orange juice was weird, slightly salty I thought. I used to scrounge some when my sister brought her daughter to visit.

J.R. you are welcome here
Midget

[WildOne]

Miss Richards..... the name still strikes fear into me!

Hemming the turning all around a table-runner with microscopic stitches, mitring corners, and doing drawn-thread work to decorate it. Crocheting a lacey edging onto it... ! Backstitching a skirt seam by hand in the first year when we were deemed unready to use a sewing-machine. Then later, unpicking machined seams that were deemed to be crooked, up all night tacking, snipping and turning collars, sewing in the loos to meet the deadline.... And finally ending up being able to tailor my own jacket!

It all took HOURS AND HOURS, and I totally hated it... but do you know what? For the rest of my life I've been glad that I could sew anything I chose to, with or without a machine, and it has added to a delightful sense of self-sufficiency.

Dammit! Don't you just hate it when you finally have to admit that you are glad they taught you this stuff???

I've been able to make, mend or resize clothes for friends and family, and been undaunted at making matching home furnishings (before they became so cheap in the shops), and genuinely been the envy of all those who claim they can do nothing with a needle and thread.

These days, even though clothes are so cheap, the larger sizes that I now require are either too frumpy or too expensive, or they simply don't fit correctly, and it is reassuring to know that I can make something that looks really good if I want to.

Gaye
4.24 1965-1970

[Katharine]

I agree with all you say, Gaye. I am never daunted with a pattern nor by altering it. The problem is that I always think I can make something better so put off buying. Time is the difficulty now.

I knitted an aran sweater for my brother my last term. The night before it went in I finished the collar rather than do any work for my Cambridge exam next day! You will all understand that!! Miss Richards said it was the first time she had commended a piece of knitting! All six of us in S VI were commended which was another first for her.

I did not get an interview, let alone a place at Cambridge!!

[WildOne]

Oh dear... I hope that didn't turn out to be the most expensive sweater ever made!

But yes, I really do understand.

Gaye
4.24 1965-1970

[Katharine]

Oh dear... I hope that didn't turn out to be the most expensive sweater ever made!

But yes, I really do understand.

No, Gaye. I wanted to go to Oxford, but my father had been to Cambridge so he wanted me to go there, I was glad I wasn't offered both it would have been difficult!

[englishangel]

I knitted my husband a bomber jacket for our fifth anniversary,(it was supposed to be for our first).

I could sew before I went to CH but I remeber that table runner, I still have nightmares about it.

Can still do drawn thread work though.

[Alexandra Thrift]

I was also terrified of Miss Richards.I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined how useful learning how to sew has been. I never really mastered sewing with a machine ....possibly because Miss Richard's attitude made me terrified of "doing it wrong"...you know...the bobbin and all that ! If I had dared to experiment and make mistakes I may not have developed a pathological fear! Nevertheless ...I have amazed people to this day with what I can easily ( and quickly) sew by hand. I have had moments of fame ( and undying gratitude displayed towards me) as a "turner-up" of jeans and trousers and others have marvelled at the way I darn holes,mend seams ,and sew up hems and buttons ( definite add-on value from a boyfriend point of view ). I even wonder if, in my dotage, I should take up tapestry or cross stitch ...something I would never have dreamt of in my rebellious youth.( well, perhaps not ).

I think that "mending" night ( Friday) helped develop my skills. I had a competition with a girl in my year to replace a whole pair of stockings ( or as much as possible) with darns......only one of the bizarre pastimes that could only be imagined at a boarding school. I indulged in several other bizarre pastimes of which more another time!

Needlework was a school tradition going right back,I think to 1553 when the girls were taught to sew and to mend the boys uniforms or some such tale. Do the girls ( or boys) still sew at Horsham??

[englishangel]

Take up cross stitch Alex, it is a fantastic hobby. My daughter is currently doing a very large and complicated picture for her Dad. It is the sort of thing you can pick up, put down and do ion the train if you are doing a small one.

Daughter won't even sew on a button, son will do his own repairs though.

I think I have spoiled my kids in that respect though.

[Katharine]

I think that "mending" night ( Friday) helped develop my skills. I had a competition with a girl in my year to replace a whole pair of stockings ( or as much as possible) with darns......only one of the bizarre pastimes that could only be imagined at a boarding school. I indulged in several other bizarre pastimes of which more another time!

Needlework was a school tradition going right back,I think to 1553 when the girls were taught to sew and to mend the boys uniforms or some such tale. Do the girls ( or boys) still sew at Horsham??

When did mending change from Wednesday to Friday? We didn't have prep on Wednesday and did mending instead. In Lent we had Lent lectures on Wednesday, my last year my Dad gave them. This was a mixed blessing, still embarrassing but nice seeing him each week. He got instant kudos by declaring himself an OB.

Mary, I did the candles each week that Lent so as to have time to chat with him!!