1947 Lily Verlander
I recall how Miss Tappenden would walk the corridors at break times, peering into the classrooms to see what we were up to. Once she caught me helping myself to sultanas from the cookery room larder. I was horrified when, later in the day, I was sent for and told to stand outside her room.
Eventually, quivering in my shoes and expecting big trouble, I was called; ‘COME IN’. Her voice, had quite a powerful boom to it. To my utter amazement she informed me that I’d been selected as a prefect! As an adult, I realised what a clever woman she was in the way in which she handled the girls. She was firm; strict but very fair.
I remember Kenny Ball – he used to torment me on the way home from school. I also remember two friends, both called Betty. One was blonde called Betty Smith. The other had dark hair and was called Betty Parkes. They were inseparable.
My first real boyfriend was Ronnie Hoad, although I was quite a flirt in those days. I was delighted when I was made a milk monitor, which entailed going down the back staircase to collect the milk from the boys department.
I remember you, Lily, and think you lived along by the Greyhound. I lived in Mannin Road off Primrose Avenue and left Christmas 1949. Having a similar experience I got caught by the exchange cookery teacher dipping my finger in the sugar and was given 1000 lines to do overnight. As I thought this was too harsh I didn’t do them and was sent to ‘Old Tappy’ as we called her. When I explained why I hadn’t done them I think she agreed with me but gave me a few very simple sums. She went up in my estimation as being very fair.
Joyce Pohl (nee Taylor)
Dear Lily. This is your cousin Patricia Sadler, one of the twins. I hope David told you that, because of this website, I contacted him in 2007 and visited him that year, and also again last year. It was amazing to see him again. It is unbelievable that all of us cousins were so close and now so far apart. I cannot believe that after my dad died, and my mum remarried, we never seemed to get in contact with each other. The only person my mum was in contact with was uncle Sid and also Ethel. I would love to hear from you. David sent me pictures of your wedding. I have found some old pictures that I’ll be sending to David.
Take care Pat.