My Unforgetable Time At Delamere
A Memory of Delamere.
Hi old Delamerites!
My name is Marilyn Levy. I was sent to Delamere at the age of six, and remember crying myself to sleep every night. I probably annoyed all the girls in that dormitory with the notion that I was going home. In retrospect, my stay in that beautiful paradise was probably the best thing that happened to me! I have so many memories. I remember my peg number being lucky thirteen, and can see the dormitory. The windows were always opened, and the air was fresh and sharp. Quite often in the winter, the snowflakes would blow onto our beds. The nurse would always ask "Did anyone have a loose bowel movement?", and if anyone anwered in the affirmative, they did not have to go outside in the bitterly cold snow. I once faked having a stomach ache in order to avoid going outside.
My teacher's name was Mrs. Tyler. I stayed in the Juniors' class for two
years. I think I was definitely learning disabled, although I made up for lost time when I returned home. Like Sid, I remember boys and girls who ran away to the train station - I was one of those naughty children who dared to run away - and on the Sabbath! Ms. Davis, who was the Intermediary teacher, really gave us a good telling off. We got our idea from a movie that was shown on a Saturday night about children who tried to run away from their group home. What were they thinking? Ms. Landau, our headmistress, was none too pleased with our efforts for freedom.
I remember attending the Brownies with Mrs. Werner, and can still tie a reef knot. The gardens had a huge sunflower in the middle, Virginian Stock around the borders, and beautiful poppies. I am 59 years old, and still love to garden. I reside in New York, and am a member of one of the largest community gardens in the U.S. Next to the gardens was the dining hall, which had walls that folded in accordian style to allow fresh air to circulate during the summertime.
My favorite spot was Second Valley, which was a space that was beautiful, and naturally out of bounds. I can still visualise the large grounds and the little stream that ran behind the second valley. There was a farm adjacent to the school with a cow named Molly.
I can still visualise many of the staff members. Ms. Langdon was a kindly person who wore ankle socks, and a kindly smile. Ms. Landau was a no nonsense person who was quite strict. I thought the name of the cook was Ms. Dunster, although in Sid's article. her name was Ms. Dunston. The visiting doctor was Dr. Landau, who insisted that I did not slouch. Just to be contrary, I always slouched whenever I entered the examining room. There was a lovely teacher called Myra Lichtenstein who taught us poetry, such as Henry Longfellow's "Hiawatha". She was a thorough teacher who loved her craft.
I remember with details the choir, and the little shows that we made. There were many chidren with beautiful voices. Brian Davidson and Brenda Gilson sang so clearly, as well as Joan Selby. I sang in the choir, and sometimes can remember the songs we sang, although I forget who taught us those lovely
melodies
I was bitter for many years that I had been sent away from home, but in retrospect, the structured life at Delamere was the best thing for me at that time of my life. In later years, the bitterness left me, and I pursued a career in education. I reside in the United States of America, and am a certified Board Of Education teacher. To quote a phrase from Ms. Landau, I went "very far in life!". I try to do kind deeds, which to my memory, was one of the Ten Delamere Laws.
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Comments & Feedback
Nurse Dunster Ms Langdon Ms Landaur etc and still remember " by the shores of gitchy goomie ". I visited the old place yesterday 15/8/15 sadly it's closed and has been ransacked by thieves
Although the old tuck shop has gone the station is now a wonderful cafe doing a roaring trade in afternoon teas
I came to love Delamere and its memories will always be with me
Alan Goldstone. Manchester
My mum and dad came to visit me in my dad’s black motor car once a month on a Sunday afternoon.
I was just 6 years old and hated Delamere and after a measly couple of hours they left leaving me behind so traumatized at seeing my mother and father going home without me with my younger and older sister that it has left a permanent scare of not being good enough, loved or wanted.
I remember screaming please take me home I promise I will be a good girl only to be dragged by the arm fighting to a small room hysterical and being told off for upsetting the other children but out of the 40 children living in Delamere most of them were also crying.
I remember being taken to a small room about a week after arriving in Delamere, they sat me down on a chair and put a basin on my head, I cried as I watched all my beautiful long hair falling onto the floor only to be told! We would be here all day if we had to plait the hair of 20 girls each day I was heartbroken.
The loneliest times were at night when going to bed, there was no mummy or daddy to tuck you in, no hugs or kisses and each night in a pitch dark dormitory made even darker by the thick blackout blinds left over from the war days and with only a tiny night light to guide you to the toilet I would cry myself to sleep, I could hear many other children also crying for their parents. Holding tight onto my teddy too young to understand why my mummy and daddy had left me here and for two long years I felt alone and abandoned and I couldn’t understand out of three children why I was the one chosen to be sent away, they mustn’t love me I thought.
I think I was sent to Delamere because I wet the bed and one of the most vivid memories I have and the cruellest was when they got all the children into the courtyard playground. The dormitory’s were above the playground with a bridge leading from the girls to the boys dormitory they hung my wet sheets over the railings for all the children to see, the children pointed and laughed and to this day when I am on stage singing as this ended up a lifetime career I would insist on no spot light as I would get flash back memories of that awful day of everyone pointing and laughing at me.
There are so many cruel things too many to mention… Like when twice they made me sleep in a dark corridor all alone at 6 years old on a camp bed because I tried running away, and another time for trying to hide my wet knickers on kicker inspection day, they got great pleasure in embarrassing me once again in front of all the children for trying to hide my wet knickers.
Another time was when they did not believe me when I had the most horrendous earache and was put in the sideward because I would wake up screaming in pain in the middle of the night, they said. This won’t get you home you’re here and here you will stay.
I became so ill that in the end I was rushed by ambulance to the Jewish hospital in Manchester for an ear operation only to see my parents visit me and as always leave me behind. I was returned to Delamere after my operation broken and disheartened, I in my childish mind thought because I had been so ill I would surely be taken home.
The education was appalling and when I left at 8 years old I could hardly read or write leading to more humiliation in The Temple School where I would be made fun of.
So you ask about my Delamere memories. The experience has scared me for life leaving me with little confidence but a stronger person able to stand on my own two feet and very independent. I have had to learn from a very young age the meaning of rejection and abandonment and through this I have survived many hurdles in my lifetime.
I don’t blame my parents they thought they were doing it for a good reason and unless you have been separated from your parents at a very young age without any explanation you will never know the hurt and pain.
I have had to carry this throughout my life and I am praying that releasing all the hurt and pain for the first time on paper ever will bring me some closure.
Maxine ...xx