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I was born on a Thursday in
November to Louisa and George. I was there second child, my sister Linda was 4 when I was born. It was foggy and the
midwife got lost on her way to our house, my Dad had to go out and search for her.
Picture of
my family at my Christening.
My Godparents Bill, Bill, Elsie and Iris.
People on the picture below from top left to right
Len, Frank, Iris and her husband.
Mrs Hill (Bill and Iris Mum) Elsie Norris, Mag Buckle, Louise (Nan)
Bet Norris.
Bill Hill Eileen Buckle, Dot Hill Me and my Mum Louisa.
Roy Hill, Linda, William Hill,
John Hill.
| My Christening 1956 |
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| My Mum and Dad and my sister Linda |
I was Baptized at St Philips Church Islington when I was 6 months old.
We lived in Dongola Road in Tottenham until I was 2. We then moved to Shepherds
Bush and had a large 2 bedroom appartment over Hedges the butchers shop at 43a Goldhawk Road, my Dad was
the shop manager. This always brings back great memories, family parties, there were 6 floors above the shop, up a flight
to a kitchen and bathroom, another flight to a bedroom and living area, another flight to our kitchen and bathroom, another
flight to a small living room and large front room, another flight to the roof, over the kitchen where we hand washing and
lived with a sheer drop to ground below, then the final flight to the 2 large bedrooms, a trap door in the top led to the
roof, where we sat on summer days with cream soda floats.
| Aunty Doris, Uncle Frank & Eileen |
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My Mum stayed at home for our younger years but when we had both started high school she worked
as a telephonist for the Hammersmith Council.
My Primary School was St Stephens C of E on the Uxbridge Road Shepherds Bush, my best friend Carol Wingate. My high
school was Mary Boon in Earsby Street West Kensington, a trade school.
I
never liked school but enjoyed cooking and housecraft and took that as my trade subject.
Being
dyslexic is a bain, my work never suffered at school, but always had a problem with memory, I still find it hard to read a
book, I get to the end of the page and can't remember what I have read, I would have to read a book at least twice for it
to sink in.
| 1960 |
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| Won 1st prize in the fancy dress at Warners |
Memories of holidays
when I was younger was always Warners. Mum Lyn and I would meet up with Grandma, Aunt Mag Eileen; I remember David, Martin
and Aunty Doris coming once too.
Dad would travel down on a
Saturday night till Sunday because he couldn't get the time off work, and being a butchers Saturday was the best trading
day.
I always entered the competitions, the
fancy dress, or tried to be the Princess of the week, singing my speciality "who's Sorry Now", even then I liked
to be the centre of attraction.
| Warners Holiday Camp |
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| Grandma, Eileen, Aunt Mag, Lyn, Mum and Me |
My Grandfather died in when I was just 5, and I remember him being a very kind man, and
calling me his little pear, which was his second favourite fruit, my sister was called a peach which was his favourite fruit.
My Grandma and I were very close and I used to travel down to Basildon on the coach at
weekends to see her, and her dog Tina.
Before Tina she had another dog a poodle called sugar, we use to walk to Grandfathers
grave to tidy it up, and I can still remember dragging the dog, then putting it in the leather bag and carrying it all the
way to Vange, when we got there she would run back she just wanted to be with Grandma.
We were close to Aunt Mag, Uncle Frank and Eileen too because Mum and Dad lived with them
until Linda was 2.
| I always loved animals |
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| Tina |
My best friend at high school was Anita Davies, and this picture is when Anita came on holiday
with us to Spain.
I didn't like school much at all, and when we have our reunions now, I remember very
little about it. We have a reunion once a year and have lunch, great fun.
This year it's Tea at the Savoy in London...Well we are all 50 so have to make it special.
| Deb, Anita, Mum and Dad |
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When I was 14 and Lyn was 18 we moved to a flat in Cowley near Uxbridge, Mum and Dad still worked in Hammersmith and
Fulham, and I was still at school in Kensington.
Mum and Dad couldn't live in the country and moved back to Fulham about 4 years later, it was a trek back and forth
every day. We had a ground floor flat at 30 Arthur Henderson House, in Fulham Road.
| Ladies Night |
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| Lyn Dad Mum and I with Aunt Lou and Uncle Fred |
I left school at 16 and worked in the Co-op in Uxbridge for a few months while I waited for
a job a Heathrow Airport, Lyn already worked there and I really wanted to flights that staff could get to travel the world.
I started as a junior in Engine Overhaul BEA, then amendments clerk on the shop floor.
I applied for a better job in BOAC about a year later as daily overseas allowance clerk, then
scheduling clerk and roster officer in cabin crew scheduling.
Meanwhile Lyn married Frank who also worked at the airport.
I took redundancy from Heathrow in 1981, and became a beauty consultant for Oriflame a skin
Care Company.
Within a few months I became a manager, then a senior manager.
| 22 Nov 1973 |
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| Work friends from BEA |
This picture was taken a week before my 18th birthday. I was working in Engine Overhaul
at B E A, short skirts were in then. I'm the dolly bird on the left.
| Ron a man Dad and Frank |
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| Ethel, a woman Me Mum Topsey and Lyn |
I was 18 in this picture. Topsey Ethel and Ron were very close friends of ours we spent every
Christmas with them when I was younger. My Dad was a mason and we went to many ladies
nights, we have many pictures like this one, we didn't have many family pictures taken because the ladies night photos
were taken twice a year.
I met my first husband Don when I was 17 We married on 9th October 1976 just before my 21 birthday.
Don and I tried for years to have children, but it just never happened, I had operation after
operation, went on fertily drugs and was in hospital for months then had an ovarian cyst, which was removed but they had problems
and graft work was done from one ovary to another leaving scar tissue, and unworkable tubes, Ealing Hospital gave me the news
that I would never have children. Just goes to show they don't always know what they are talking about....
Don and I lived in Faraday Road in Acton for a while, then moved to a flat
in Northolt, We were married for 10 years.
In 1982, with my redundancy money I bought myself a new piano and a transit van;
I started my own business selling pet food door to door delivery service, and working a market stall at the
weekends.
Meanwhile my Grandma (Mums Mum) who I was very close to, was in a mental home in
Wickford, I had to get her out of there, and I finally got her into a private nursing home in Ealing in 1982. I was like her
guardian, I controlled the money and payment for the home; luckily having my own business
I saw her everyday which enabled me to take her out often and could bring her home at weekends, after the market,
also could do her washing daily, 'cos it cost a fortune for the home to wash a pair of knickers.
It worked well especially when Dad became ill too. I could visit both of them without
having to worry about times and bosses, funny how life works out for the best.
Dad died in Dec 1985, Grandma was taken very ill and died in March 1986. Aunt Mag
died a little after Grandma. Dad's remains were buried at sea in Portsmouth by the Royal Navy on 9th June 1986. We went out
in the barge and he was piped out by sailors. He would have loved it. We put Grandmas remains with her husband Frank in the
grave in Vange church.
| Lin Mum and I 1976 |
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| Ray and I |
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| 21st November 1986 |
Have a break and look at some more old pictures.
Don and I divorced in 1986 and I Married Ray Alldis on 21st November that
year.
After doctors telling me I would never have children, I had fell pregnant.......
my first miracle baby Rebecca Louise was born in 1987 and 14 months later my second baby
Steven George was born in the 1988.
I stayed at home until they went to school. But again I couldn't just stay at home.
I run the Mother and Toddler group at St Hugh's Church, then started to run the Sunday School.
| December 1988 |
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| My babies...more pictures through the years ... |
When the children went to school
I helped out in classes with reading and cooking lessons.
Then a mum asked me if I would be interested
in working in a school kitchen, doing a bit of washing up and serving at Greenford High School, just for a few hours.
This was a big turning point in my life,
within a month I was promoted to cashier, then cook. 18 months later I was offered my own school and I took over Northolt
High School as catering manager.
We were contractors and I worked for
Castle View Catering, but John Parry the head teacher and I decided to take the plunge and go 'in house' so in September 1999,
we became one of the first state high schools in Ealing to do this.
24 years later I retired, after Managing
the kitchen and I have worked with many other high schools become 'in house' schools; it was an exciting time. Especially with the changes in government
legislation.
| My Staff |
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| Northolt High Web Site....canteen page |
Northot High School
I am outward, extravert, a little loud....I have always enjoyed life and love to be kept
busy: life is too short - I have always thought sitting and watching TV a waste of life...... there is no dress rehearsal.
People, friends and family are very important to me, and I love meeting new people. I have run St Hugh's website and been on the leadership team since 2005. I have been doing the service
and hymns on a powerpoint presentation in the church since 2010.
St Hugh is where Becky and Steve were Christened, and where I hope to have my funeral,
as I have gone to that church weekly (sometimes twice a week) since before Steve was born,
St Hughs Church
When you see people every week they become closer than family, who you don't see often.
The people of St Hugh are just wonderful, and my church and faith is special to me.
The bishop came for a meeting in 2005 and there was talk of closing the church. I think
my words were "you close this church over my dead body"; from that day on we have grown.
Do take a visit to the St Hugh's website.
| Church of St Hugh...click for the web site |
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| Bishop of Willesden, could it be something I said? |
The Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park is the biggest park to be built in London in the
last 100 years. I have been on the committee since 1998, it's so exciting knowing that your input is something that will
be around long after you're gone, and making the world a better place.
I am the web master for the
NGCPS (Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park Society) website
NGCP presentaion
| Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park |
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| Northala...CLICK ON PICTURE FOR WEB SITE |
Within the large area that is the Northolt and Greenford Countryside Park is Marnham Woodland.
I became chairperson when we decided to do something with an area of the park that was once a land fill site.... what fun
this has been we planted over 2000 trees and then decided to stop, if it gets too big we knew we couldn't maintain the area.
I knew nothing about Hornbeams, Oaks, Hazels and Crab apples, ash, willows, I now wander round parks and get quite
excited over a tree, before planting I just took them for granted. I'm the chairperson of a small committee and
we work closely with the Ealing Rangers.
Marnham Woodland
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| Marnham Woodland |
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| CLICK ON PICTURE FOR WEB SITE |
| Becky and I Dec 2007 |
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| My Estate |
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| Click for website |
The estate I live on has 147 dwellings and I have been the chairperson for the
Northolt Residents Association
for more years than I care to remember, and still chairlady, webmaster and secretary after
15 years.
ALL THESE WEB SITES ARE ON THE LINKS PAGE, or just click on the black writing.
I have spent many an hour building web sites for them all, and loved every second.
I have dropped out of the a2 Residents Voice committee which was held every month, when
a2 closed it down, I think they had to get rid of me somehow.
For 2 years I was working with all the head teachers on the management committee.....
Extended Schools Northolt
as the community link.
Started teaching a beginners line dance class again in January 2008 at St Anne's Special
School in Hanwell....
Sassy Steps
But in December 2008, after a year I stopped and run monthly
at school, just for friends and family...As this is my favorite hobby it's great to teach it as well as go to Country
music clubs for live country music and Line dancing which I do twice or three times a week..........
Ruislip Manor Country Music Club
Was a club Becky and I had gone to every Friday night for over 14 years. I built a web site
for it and ran that for over 2 years until it closed in Dec 08. We would not have opened a Country Music Club if Ruislip had
not closed. The thought of loosing all our friends over the years was unbearable, so............
On the 16th January 2009 Becky and I joined 2 other couples who we have grown very fond
of over the years, Linda and Ted and Corinne and Les, to open a Country Music Club, I found a great hall in Greenfords British
Legion, the people there are lovely.
| Our Country Music Club opened 16th Jan 09 |
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| CLICK ON PICTURE FOR WEB SITE |
Western Avenue Country Music Club
Over the years it has become an extremely
sucessful club, we work together as
a team, but we do our own jobs. I book the acts, run the website, raise the contracts, advertise, make sure the act comes,
and do the rosta so we know who is working. Linda and Ted deal with the money, Corinne and Les do the raffle prises and licences.
Let's hope it continues, it's not a
difficult job to do, and splitting the work means we can still enjoy our nights out.
In November 2012 Becky and I took over the
FARADAY COUNTRY MUSIC CLUB
| Deb, Kay D and Becky with our new Banner |
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| Click > Slideshow |
We both love live country and have made
loads of friends, we know most of the acts and after running Western Avenue it is really easy to run both. Beckys husband Steve is a web designer and ran Faraday's website until
it closed in October 2013. We then took over Harrow Country Music Club. Becky does the write up's for both clubs you can visit her websites below. Steve and Becky now promote country music with the other link below.
Grand Union Promotions
Grand Union Gig Guide
| Mum and me 12.4.13 |
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Since leaving school Steve has worked for DPD and is now a shift manager. Becky always wanted to be a teacher and now is a teacher in a Primary School. Becky married Steve who is lovely in November 2014, and are very happy.
| My Steve, Becky and her husband Steve |
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| Taken at Judy and Glens party 2012 |
| Steve and Tiffany at Becky and Steve's Wedding |
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| George and Chloe - Cruise to Norway 2019 |
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| Click for pictures |
Becky and Steve moved to Aylesbury and had George David in 2016, and then Chloe Louise in 2019. Both Granchildren are amazing
and as you would guess changed the direction of my life.
New home in Aylesbury
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