Childhood at Bourne (6)
Emmie Taylor's memories of childhood at Bourne (continued)
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After Miss Leyton gave up her school I went to Miss Burrough's school, which had not been opened long. Why I did not go to Misses Smythe and Chamberlain's school which was an old established school I don't know. Miss Burrough's must have been a good teacher because I certainly learned a lot while I was there. We were quite advanced in History, English and Arithmetic for our age, but she was a real old snob. She used to have "At Homes" in her drawing room once a month when those of us who were having music had to play. One month none of us played well and she was furious with the music teacher in front of us all. She was called Miss Edie Butler and was a Congregational Minister's daughter. She was lovely, little and dainty and had lovely brown eyes. I adored her, but I don't think she was much good as a music teacher. I took my Lower Division and she had to take me to Stamford where I failed and was very upset. While we were at Stamford we met the Bank Manager who knew her and he took us to his house to lunch, and I was so nervous, because it was a grand house and they had a parlour maid who waited on at table. I was glad Miss Butler was served first, because I would not have known what to do when she handed the vegetable dishes to me. After lunch we met Miss Butler's young man Mr Joyce and we walked up to Burghley Park I never felt so much in the way. I heard him whisper to her "Can't you get rid of her". Poor things I am sure they wanted to have some kissing and cuddling, but altogether I had a rather unhappy day.
Miss Burroughs was a farmer's daughter and a true blue Tory. One day she gave us a talk about the Corn Laws, and advocated Protection, and said to me "Then why are you a Liberal"? My Father was most annoyed and went to see her, and said I wasn't sent to school to be taught party politics, which rather quietened her down. One day we had a sum to do which was a bit difficult and one poor girl Dreda Pettifor who was the Vicar of Thurlby's daughter couldn't get the answer and Miss B. stood ever her and stormed and of course Dreda got more and more nervous. At last Miss B. had to go out of the room for something and said no one had to tell Dreda the answer. One girl Cora March told her the answer and when Miss B came and asked who had told the answer Cora said "I did, and you had no right to treat her like that". I think she was the beginning of Women's Lib. I did admire her. She was a Boarder and was sent to her room in disgrace, but she managed to slip a letter to her parents to me to post at dinner time. They came and took her away, so I was in trouble for posting the letter.
Raymond Mays started to come to this school. I expect you have heard of him. He was a well known racing motorist and started making the B.R.M and still runs the works at Bourne although he must be at least 70. His Father came to our Chapel. He was a Tanner and was one of the "Upper Ten" at Bourne. While I was at that school I had another friend Katie Andrews. Her Father was a big farmer and their house and stock yard were next to the school and what fun we used to have playing on the stacks when part of them had been cut away. Katie and I used to play duets together. Her Father had other farms and some Saturday mornings he took Katie and me on his horse and trap to visit them. Mr Brader also sometimes took Cyril and me on the train to pay the wages at the little stations and one great thing was we travelled 1st class.
When I was 8 Auntie West and Auntie prepared a great secret for me. On my birthday afternoon we went to Auntie West's and she was in the upstairs sitting in a big white apron and as I thought nursing a baby and I was so upset to think Auntie West had a baby and wouldn't want me that I ran out of the room sobbing and it was some time before they persuaded me to look at it. It was a beautiful doll for me which Auntie West had dressed for me in long clothes just like baby's wore them. It had a knitted vest, a flannel barra, a nappier, a lovely long white underskirt and one of the robes I wore when I was a baby. She had made it a cream delaine cloak and a bonnet with a lace veil. Of course, when I really realised the truth I was delighted and it became my great treasure.
There were some farmers called Elvidge who lived in a tiny village called Hanthorpe and used to come to our Church. They had two sons called Henry and Frank and a daughter called Mabel. They used to come to Church on Sunday and to market on Thursday in their horse and trap so they invited me to go and stay with them, so we went after Church on Sunday night. It was quite exciting riding in the trap in the dark with the lights of the trap shining on the road and wrapped up in rugs to keep warm. (Of course there weren't any motors, only May's had a motor in Bourne). We played in the barn and the granary and the fields and when Mrs Elvidge made butter she let me turn the churn, which was like a big wooden barrel with a tiny round window in it, so you could see when the butter had "come". Then Mrs Elvidge used to put it on a big stone slab in the kitchen and add salt and bang it, turn it and pat it until it was right. Then she used to shape it into oblong round squares.
One thing I didn't like they had the pudding on their meat and potato plates. When Mrs Elvidge saw I didn't like this she gave me a clean plate for my pudding. She was ever so kind, but I didn't like Mabel much, perhaps she did not like me. I went to stay with them twice and when I got home she second time Auntie had let Winnie Hassock and Madge Atkins play with my precious doll and they had broken it.
One great friend I had from being very small was "Grandpa Hobson". He was a dear old man and used to take me on his knee and tell me stories. He died when I was about 8 and I can remember being taken to see him shortly before he died and he was as sweet as ever. His niece Annie Ingrham kept house for him and she was a great friend of Auntie's and we often went for tea. They had a garden up a little lane next to Dr Golightly's and in the summer we took the tea up into this garden. In the autumn Annie Ingrham, Auntie West, Auntie and I used to go black berrying armed with baskets, hooked sticks to pull the top branches down and thick gloves to keep our hands from getting scratched. We also gathered crab apples and Auntie made black berry and crab apple jelly.
In the spring we went to the woods to gather primroses. We tied them into bunches with wood and always sent a shoe box full to Grandma and Auntie Kate. The woods were lovely, full of wild flowers and all sorts of birds. Sometimes we had picnics there. The roads through them were called "ridings". We were not supposed to light a fire, but we tried to find a clearing and dodge the "Keeper". I suppose it was dangerous if you were not careful.
Dr Golightly had a big garden and we were told be brought babies in his little black bag. I can remember Eva Wall and I standing at his front gate to see if we could hear the babies crying under his big front lawn. We thought he must have a place where he kept them under the lawn.
After about 2 years Miss Burroughs bought a Boarding School somewhere in Somerset and she was very anxious that I should go, so much so that she offered to take me at a cheaper rate. Without bragging I think I was one of her star pupils. Of course Grandpa could not afford it. "Why" said Auntie "You would need all sorts of things, you would even have a dressing gown", an unthinkable luxury. I am sure I should have hated the place. Before she left we had a Cantata in the Corn Exchange. This was about flowers choosing a Queen. Five of us wore poppies and at the end of the first act we had to sing the others to sleep and then fall asleep ourselves. Of course the Rose was chosen as the Queen. (Do not confuse the schoolmistress Miss with Mrs Brader's sister Miss Burroughs who lived at Boston.)
There was one girl at this school called Muriel Berry. She was adopted by her Aunt and Uncle who were very kind people. There was another girl called Queenie Brown whom we all liked to walk home with, and one day when the three of us were walking home together Muriel Berry said to me "You get off the pavement, you can't walk with us". I suppose my clothes weren't as posh as hers. Another time she had a birthday party and she invited all the class but me, so they were all allowed out of school early. Their house came right on the road and when I was walking home from school I saw them all sitting round the fire in their party frocks. I was so hurt by these two incidents that I have never forgotten them. I felt such an outsider.
Miss Burroughs went and at last I went to Miss Smythe and Chamberlain's school. Miss Smythe was a tall stately lady who took the top class. Then there was the main governess Miss Butler, and a young governess, but they kept changing. Miss Chamberlain took Music, so now I learned from her. She was small and dumpey, and she used to cane your fingers if you made a mistake, but I liked that school. There was a different atmosphere from Miss Burroughs. They had boarders, who all slept in a room about the size of our dining room. The beds were close together and at one end they had wash basins with jugs and at the other end small dressing tables with a mirror. Over a wooden partition was the room where Miss Butler and the other governess slept. These rooms were approached by an old wooden staircase. They would have been a death trap if there had been a fire, I am sure they would not be allowed today.
I got some new friends at this school especially Madge Crane, Edith and Ethel Bloodworth (twins) and Annie Cooke. They were all boarders. Soon after I went to this school things seemed to be different at home. Daddy, Auntie and I went to supper to Mrs Castledines, Mrs Webbs and Mrs Tom Branston's and Ethel Branston was always there sitting next to my Father. Auntie and Auntie West used to have mysterious talks, then one Sunday afternoon Auntie said "How would you like to have a new Mother?". I was so taken aback, "Well" I said "it would be alright if you were here" and I flung my arms round her neck feeling I would never let her go.
