大象传媒

A quick glance at the photograph of three children at the seaside before me would appear to be unremarkable, and perhaps timeless.

But on closer inspection, the woollen swimming trunks worn by the little boy, would date the photograph for the knowledgeable, (or the unfortunate).

The reverse side of the original photograph bears the photographer's stamp.
The trio, two sisters and younger brother are Jillian born 1935, Margaret born 1937 and David, the late arrival born 1943.

The remarkable? This is Jaywick in the first year that the beaches were re-opened after WWII (1946 or 1947).

The children's father, Arthur, served in the National Fire Service and in early 1944 his wife, Edith, was admitted to Hertford Hospital for 13 weeks. During this time Briar Patch Children's Home in Letchworth became home for the children.

When Edith had recovered and discharged it was felt prudent that David should remain at Briar Patch for a couple of weeks more than his sisters to allow family life to settle down in Bearton Road Hitchin.

Edith decided that the girls needed some new shoes, and a trip to Bedford would make a nice outing. Shopping completed the final treat was a visit to a caf茅 for a cup of tea. Jillian had taken charge of the return tickets in her proudly owned handbag, which she placed on the floor by her chair. On departure the discovery was made that someone had walked off with the bag and tickets!

On their eventual return home Edith and the girls, were greeted by an agitated and anxious Arthur, who reported that David had been admitted by the Children's Home to the Lister Hospital in Hitchin.

Some hours later pneumonia was confirmed and junior was on the critical list and remained hospitalised for six months, (collapsed lung, chest cavity drains etc).

During this time there was an American military involvement with the Lister Hospital and the young baby was saved with a generous helping of (American) penicillin (1944).

Ironically in August 1944 the trio's second cousin, the eighteen-month-old David Clements was one of the civilians killed on the ground, as a result of the mid-air collision, of two American Bombers of Mission 179, over Weston in Hertfordshire.
His elder brother John Clements was seriously injured but again there was a lot of American cooperation involved in his recovery.

Of now. Jillian is a retired nursing officer living in the Isle of Wight, Margaret lives in Burnham鈥攐n鈥擲ea. David after a varied career is now a precision woodworker and woodturner.

Oh, by the way, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, live in Clacton, and were photographed at their wedding, along with their eleven-year-old bridesmaid in 1956.

And by the way again, I married the bridesmaid, Wendy, in 1965 in Clacton.

Strange old world ain't it?

David Osborn
Tel 01462 733066

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