Reach For The Sunshine One And All

A Memory of Delamere.

My name, way back in 1957, was Iris Finley. My overriding memory of Delamere was the feeling of being in a very old fashioned environment. I always felt that the way we were taught and the strict regime was from an era much before I was born. That is not to say that I didn't like the atmosphere, I just found it very strange and the numerous rules very strict and nothing like home. I can remember the Delamere anthem that we sang every week, well at least the tune, the words were something like "There's a school in the forest we hold most dear, And everyone knows its Delemare ...  Another verse was "There are lessons to learn and you learn them at school, By playing the game and not the fool". And the whole thing ended with "So reach for the Sunshine one and all. It was quite a rousing sound and I remember really enjoying singing it together with lots of different hymns such as "When a knight won his spurs in the battles of old" and "The fishermen" which was all about catching the fish and bringing them to shore whilst we slept. I have never heard these songs anywhere else.  I remember the words were printed on large sheets of paper and put on an easel in front of us children who would be standing in the main hall in a semi-circle.  Miss Landeau would be standing in the front with the other teachers gathered round the room.  Rupert, Miss Landeau's dachshund would not be too far away in his basket, as I remember, a very well behaved dog with a very shiny sleek coat. Can't honestly remember what happened to him.

I am terrible with names but I do remember Phyllis Chapman, Doreen Lipman, Michael Lipman, Godfrey?, whom I once sent a note to from the girls' dormitory to the boys' dormitory but had no room on the piece of paper to put his full name so just put G-d. The note was found and I was told off, not for sending a note but for abbreviating the name!

When I look back at those years, I have very fond memories of Delamere.  I did feel as if I was living in a bygone age, and I quite liked the idea. The teachers, Miss Davis, Miss Evans (or something like that), I know those two teachers were good friends. Nurse Dixon whom I disliked intensely and was a very cruel person, saying some things to us young children that would not be tolerated in today's politically correct climate. I also remember Miss Dunster the Head Cook, and I can recall an incident when she made a pudding called "Apple Snow".  I remember this very clearly as she was evidently very proud of having made this dessert, which had probably taken a lot of time and hard work, and no-one, not even the staff enjoyed it. She was very upset and ran out of the room.  We were never served Apple Snow again. We did have some unusual things which I have never tasted since. The fruit juice that was in a metal jug on each table for lunch and dinners was unusual, have no idea what it was, it wasn't like any fruit I had every tasted. Marmite was served on toast with stew as I remember, a perculiar combination!  I also remember Miss Lichenstein, a very kindly woman. She was very short, I don't think 5ft, and very round. I can't remember what subjects she taught, although having said that - I don't think education was very high on Delamere's list of priorities. I met Miss Lichenstein many years later in about 1997 and she was living in a flat in south Manchester. And, yes, her flat was like stepping back in time with covered armchairs and little tapestry foot stools. She was really pleased to see me and to be introduced to my 2 daughters. I know somewhere around that time she got married to a cousin of her's but can't remember her married name.   

I have lots more memories and would love to hear from anyone out there if they remember me, and what their experiences were. I know for sure that there was and never will be anywhere quite like Delamere!

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