| Description | Clark
DOB: 1909
DOD: N/A
Grew up in Woolaston, a village between Gloucester and Newport.
Had a sister named Gladys who died of diptheria when the author was four years old.
Village life was close-knit, centred around farming, gardening, and local trader (blacksmith, carpenter, etc.).
The community was marked by self-sufficiency, shared outdoor toilets, and use of hurricane lanterns.
Children played in fields, caught trout, and explored brooks.
Learned early to be discreet, especially concerning post office and telephone dealings.
Attended the local school.
Emphasis on manners and traditional values, e.g., standing still for funerals, helping elders.
Helped in the family's post office and telephone exchange.
Current mail, handled messages, and witnessed early telecommunications usage.
Family income sources: post office, garden produce, pigs, poultry, rent from cottages, and cider production.
Enjoyed the natural surroundings - gardening, observing wildlife, and gathering fruit.
Participated in village life, including harvest festivals and religious events.
Helped run the household and farm alongside her mother.
Took joy in storytelling and observing people's behaviour, particularly around the telephone.
Sister's death from diphtheria at age 7 was a major early life event.
Witnessed and adapted to technological progress (electricity, telephone, medical advances).
The village post-office became a hub of activity and local news.
Death customs and community support during bereavement were significant.
Introduction of the telephone was a cultural shift.
Type-written autobiography
Woolaston, diphtheria, sister Gladys, village life, post office, telephone, cider, pigs, gardening, traditions, Edwardian era, childhood, storytelling, funeral customs, community, self-sufficiency, early 20th century, coal range, sanitation, Victorian values. |