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Dorothy Ann Murphy, a war baby, was born in 1944 at Wilmslow in Cheshire when her surname was still Allcock. The schools where she was educated were St Chad's C of E, Handforth, and Cheadle County Grammar School for Girls.
Dorothy has lived at various addresses throughout her life, including: 35 Meriton Road - Handforth; 85 Meriton road - Handforth; 5 Bruntwood Avenue - Heald Green; 34 Patchcroft Road - Manchester; various addresses in Turkey; and at Bolton.
Gosh, it's a lifetime ago, however the memories are as clear as the weather used to be ????? Does anyone remember the School Rose Queens and how we all used to ride on decorated coal wagons bedecked with flowers and green straw grass which itched our legs.
I only have to hear ' The Trumpet Voluntary ' and I am transported back to those times. We used to have to go to the toilets outside and if one needed paper, it had to be asked for from the teacher who kept it in her desk. She even asked how many pieces were needed ! !
The rooms were heated with coke-fired stoves, and if some lucky person had an orange to eat we would put the pips at the back of the stove. As the first lesson after break progressed, the pips would get hotter and hotter until one by one they would explode and 'frighten' the innocents.
Occasionally, some poor infant would be sick in the classroom and the caretaker would have to come in and cover it with sawdust.....This event usually preceded an outbreak of mumps, measles or chickenpox. How did we all survive?
I remember, prior to one outbreak of chickenpox, feeling really poorly with ear ache. It was during Nursery Sing Song and I put my hands over my ears to keep them warm.
Unfortunately I was sitting near the Teacher who was thumping out tunes on an ancient upright piano, and she mistakenly believed that I had my hands over my ears to block out her efforts.
She sent me outside as a punishment and I walked home........When she remembered about sending me outside and being unable to find me, the local Bobby was called. By this time I was safely tucked up in bed awaiting a visit from the Doctor.
Another good reason for paying a visit home was when I was called upon to escort Margaret, the girl living next door to me who had a glass eye, home. As she grew, her eye became too small and after activity it would turn in its socket and show all white.
This frightened other kids, but as I was well versed in the procedure I used to trot off home with her in order that her Mum could turn it around for her. No doubt we had a glass of welfare orange (wasn't it wonderful?) and a piece of cake or some other treat.
During her working life, Dorothy worked at Renold Chains and Ferranti.
Dorothy Ann Murphy, Bolton, 2002
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