Ruby's Memoirs

This series was first published in St George’s News during 1996/1997. To mark Ruby’s 100th birthday it was felt the series is worth reviving, as many of our readers may have missed it first time around and others may well enjoy reading it again. It is in 15 chapters and is a fascinating account of life through the twentieth century, written by Ruby when she was a “youngster” just eighty eight years old.

Chapter 1. The Early Years

I don't think I can say with truth that I can remember anything before I was seven years old which was in 1914 and the First World War had started. I was the youngest of four children, 2 boys and 2 girls, and we lived in Barnes by the Common which was our playground. The house was like many other London houses, big rooms with a cellar underneath and a large room on the third floor known as the Attic. We got up plays and concerts for Christmas which our parents and their friends had to watch and in return we were allowed in to the "Sing Songs", as they were known then, for a little time before being dispatched off to bed.

I remember well the soldiers who were billeted on us, as the common was used as a training camp for soldiers who were drilled in squads by their sergeant major. We were told not to go near while this was going on for fear we heard the collection of swear words that were used in training these luckless recruits. I'm afraid we didn't obey this very well and enjoyed running along beside them as they marched in their columns of four led by a Brass Band. I love Brass Bands to this day.

Both my brothers were away during part of the war, one in the Army, and the older one in the Navy as a signalman. Oh how I envied him being on one of those great Battleships. My sister and I attended a little private school in Barnes run by a very devout lady known as Miss Cobbett whose father I believe was the well known benefactor William Cobbett of the 19th century. Such a good man was he that he died leaving his family nearly penniless by his kindnesses to the poor and unfortunate, hence her school. Here I had my first taste of real Catholic thoroughness. Everything we learnt we learnt by heart, or by rote as we call it. Hymns, bible stories and I suppose the liturgy, long prayers on our knees and a crucifix on the wall that we had to look at, I suppose, to keep our minds on what we were hearing. We had prayers morning and on leaving at four o'clock and this was a penance as we were all straining at the leash to be off. It shows how much I understood what it was all about as I thought "hallowed be thy name" was Harold be thy name, Harold being the name of my eldest brother of whom I was very fond. I can't remember when I found out how wrong I was!!

However there was always the jolly walk home across the common for a few of us where we would try and catch tiddlers in the brook that was a short cut home but usually with wet feet, or sliding on the pond in the winter often with more than wet feet if the ice was not thick enough.

We received a very basic education of the three R's, Reading Writing and Arithmetic. Sewing which was mainly embroidery and drawn threadwork. I remember a nasty little bit of this difficult job I tried to do getting so dirty it had to be washed before I could continue. A very black mark! I had skipped washing my hands before the lesson.

Writing was done on a slate, that was your property and with a slate pencil. I don't know if or when I ever wrote with anything else while there but I suppose at some time I reached the dizzy heights of writing with a pen. The slate had to be cleaned between each lesson with a rather grubby looking piece of towelling.

We had no physical exercise at all at school, I expect the walk to and from school at lunch time and at the end of the day which was at least five miles was quite sufficient. Our dear Miss Cobbett was a real Victorian ma'am, very strict and always carried a short cane to curb any recalcitrant child with a whack across the hands or legs which ever had committed the offence, and for anything else you were stood in the corner of the room with your back to the class, perfect order and quiet was kept as there was no talking unless you were spoken to.

We had no uniform but had to have slippers to wear in school. Between 9 and 10 years you had to leave to attend a school run by the local School board which was free, or you could go to a County, Grammar or Secondary school of your own choice which were all fee paying and by entrance examination only. These are my recollections of life before the 1920's. A few Zeppelin raids and air raids occurred both day and night, the day ones were few and far between, but at night they were more often and very exciting as we had to get out of bed and go downstairs where we always had a cup of cocoa and some biscuits to take our mind off what was happening. There were one or two rather scary moments but where we lived there was no major trouble. Scouts were used locally for giving the "all clear", riding their bicycles ringing a bell. We were then bundled off to bed to get some sleep before School tomorrow.

Ruby Bullock

to be continued.