Puss – Hilda Mary Jones

’It is said that grandchildren should learn of the past from their grandparents’ knees. As mine have rarely had that chance I shall jot down a few memories as they come. At our age it is easier to look back than forward and less frightening.

’I was born in Lpool (Liverpool), and at the age of 18 months went to S. Africa with my parents where we stayed for three years during part of the Boer War.

’I remember little of my life there apart from falling, cracking my skull and yelling because I had to go bed early with it stitched!

’We lived in a Dutch style bungalow as the old photos show.

’I was given a lovely doll when we left for England but to my chagrin, a small boy threw it overboard, and I did not enjoy it long.

’After our arrival home and a visit to grandparents in London (Curve?) Liverpool we spent a year at a cottage in W Kirby, Wirral. Things must have been quite primitive. The meat was cooked in front of the kitchen fire with a clothes horse (or warden as we called it) draped with newspaper put round to keep the heat in. On one occasion it caught fire which caused a certain amount of excitement but little damage.
‘(I was?) told I used to disappear to a cottage opposite where there were umpteen children. When mother found me feeding with them and apologised, the woman remarked “One more makes little difference!”.

These is the tantalising end to Puss’s notes. She wrote them in pencil in a little note book.

At the end of the book are details of presents bought for people on a number of occasions, and lists of embroidery threads she needs too – for quite a few projects over the years through the 1930s. I think the memories must date from the 1950s at least. She had a list of the names she’s sending Christmas card too in ‘Xmas 1947’ (one of which is Pole… anything to do with Bill Pole?’. Christmas 1949 she gives Dinah a farm and Baby a Savings Cert. John and Mary get a clock. Christmas 1951 Dinah gets slippers and cards, while Johnny gets a train. Mary gets material. And Mickie and Allan a rug. Totally random snippets of life!

I’m going to add facts and anecdotes as they come to mind to his page. If you have things you’d like to add, please just let me know.

Page last updated 9th October 2025