I remember Uncle Jack coming and cousin Flo brought Muriel when she was a baby. Muriel was very good baby and Frances was about 4 years old at the time. One morning, when Muriel was asleep in the pram, Frances went to the pram and said, "If you aren't a good girl we will send you to the bananas home." She meant Barnado's of course!
I think Frances was about 4 years old when she had a lemon coloured. organdie dress and I was able to buy a hat to match it. She looked very sweet, but the trouble was that everybody we met said "What a pretty hat!" We finally ended up at Grandma Fuller's bungalow (Romansleigh) and, of course, the first thing that Mother said was "Oh Frances , what a pretty hat!". Frances snatched it off, screwed it up and threw it on the ground. Mother said, "Oh Frances!" the collapsed in laughter.
I remember Frank walking round the garden in Laindon one Sunday afternoon, when he came in and said,"What's happened to the onions?". "Well what has happened to the onions?", I replied. Then a small proud voice piped up, "I been weeding Daddy".Frances used to ask difficult questions, one being "Who puts the light in the moon?". Frances gained her scholarship in Wales and was top of her Junior school before going to Port Talbot Grammar School in 1942.
Music making
Soon after taking up residence I was asked to take over the organ at Manor Mission, which I did until Frances was on the way. Frank joined the choir that practiced on Friday nights. The hall was heated by slow combustion stoves which were lit on Saturday mornings ready for the Sunday services. By Friday evenings the hall was pretty cold. One winter was very severe and a glass of water in the bedroom at night would have have ice on it by the morning. On one particular Friday evening the choir leader decided we should practice an anthem called "Calm me my God and keep me calm whilst these hot breezes blow." Somebody giggled as the icicles were almost forming on our noses. When I gave up the organ I was given a portfolio containing twelve solos by Chaminade and I still have the music. I did a bit of piano teaching and had about four pupils. When we married Frank said that when he got his first increment I should have a new piano. True to his word as always, his birthday was on the 14th September and at the beginning of October 1929, when he became due for an increase in salary, we went to Boyds in Holborn and I chose a piano which I have owned ever since. The inside has been refurbished twice and due to regular tuning and daily use it has given me excellent service and untold pleasure.
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