Stew

A Memory of Upper Arley.

I was amazed to see this website!I was at Arley for the whole of the Second World War. The memories that I have are happy ones and I was looking for the prospectus that I was sure I had when I thought of going online. The names leapt out at me.I too kept in touch with Millie for several years, but lost touch when she moved south. The staff that I remember were: Miss Kell and Miss Whitehouse and Misses Jones, Short, Rust, Phillis Jones, Nichols, Rosenblatt, Long. I walk too because of those early Arboretum runs or Sunday crocodile walks. I remember siestas under the lime trees, and gardening in the walled garden, climbing trees and lying under the Seven Sister beech trees to revise for exams.
The tough times too.....Hot water bottles that froze on cold winter nights, then getting up to wash in freezing water in the dorm next morning. I remember sweeping classrooms before breakfast and peeling mountains of potatoes or washing up a never ending pile of dishes in the butler's pantry. The meals could be pretty horrid too, porrige that had maggots in, nettles for vegetables and meat that had gone off. I don't know how the cooks and staff managed when rationing was so strict and the kitchens so basic.
However we enjoyed the FUN, the laughter, the music and, as you reminded me, those wonderful books that were read to us round the fire. I can picture the gym in the high vaulted room off the courtyard.
We also put on displays for parents at the end of the Summer term. We danced and marched!!! and read Shakespeare I think. The Guide troop decorated the room in the barbican that we used to meet in. I wonder what it really looked like when we had finished it!
I too was devastated when the building was torn down but enjoyed two return visits that included one round the walled garden that is now open to the public. I hope it flourishes.

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