My Life In 1955 In The Manor House Coln St Aldwyns
A Memory of Coln St Aldwyns.
In 1955, my mother was hired as a housekeeper for Mrs Pam Spanogh, a polio victim in a wheelchair. It was for me, a five year old, the most idyllic time of my life and my memories of this part of my life is as clear as if yesterday. I started school at Miss Knapps in a little row house down near the pond. People called Daniels had the store at the junction of all the roads. Mrs Llewelyn Jones was the stable manager at the manor, and it is here I spent a lot of my time. She was an extraordinary artist and had been married to England's first sex change man to woman!
Funny thing to remember at five. At the back of the manor was a wonderful secret garden that ended up in the church graveyard, and it is here I ended up most days visiting the vicar and his wife who had a wonderful aviary. Santos and Singh were two painters employed at this time to paint the bedrooms at the manor, and the kindness these Indian men showed me stays with me to this day. Jumping higher and higher on the beds as they were moved around the room with dust sheets covering them. My mother moved on, but in 1958 we were called back to do more housekeeping with Pam. Part of the package was, that I attend Hatherope Castle. I was so much younger than all the other girls, and was quite teased. I had led such a grown up life around adults
they called me bumptious, a word I have never heard used since! On the walk home from school I picked up conkers with who, I consider my first boyfriend! So, so many memories of this idyllic childhood. Sundays were always gumboots and walks through the ploughed fields searching for Roman remains, which we constantly found. A box of coins and seals and samian ware etc.. All long gone I'm afraid, but for one little coin that I still hold so dear. I loved that manor house so much, and love recalling it all here. I live in Australia now, but return every two years or so, and always walk in my footsteps in Coln St Aldwyns. Thank you for this site, giving me a reason to relive this idyllic time in history when the world was still innocent. Caroline Newton née Jordan
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