Audrey Semmens Story - from the Lunch Club
Surprisingly
enough I have always lived in Birmingham. I was born in Villa Road,
Handsworth. In those days Handsworth was an upmarket area. The
actual house where I lived was demolished many years ago. I don’t
think my family was particularly well off – just frugal. I do
remember my father keeping notes of every penny he spent in a little
book
I spent my early years in South Yardley and then when I was 7 years of age, we moved to Great Barr, the District I have lived in ever since. Great Barr has changed so much over the years. When I first lived there we had a herd of cows at the bottom of the garden which often escaped and went marching up Beeches Road, It was in fact a country area with lots of green fields, which gradually became housing estates
I started school in the little huts in Beeches Road,- no sign then of the huge school which was eventually built. At the time the school leaving age was 14. I think I did pretty well at school. I passed the Grammar School Exam, but my father wouldn’t let me go hence my commercial Training. I was lucky enough to get in a Commercial College and left at 15 years.
My father was an Engineering Manager ( a reserve occupation) so never had to do military service. My mother had to work in a munitions factory to help the war effort. We had ration books for long after the war ended, but I do not think we went hungry. We did have to queue for luxuries, like bananas.
Although I had a good home, as an only child and I can remember being lonely at times and wished I had a brother or sister. Even now I am dismayed when a relative only wants one child – I can only pity that child.
My parents never went out much, and I can remember being supplied with a chair by the fireside, a pile of books and a radio – no television in those days of course. We did have a ritual visit to the cinema once a week. “I liked Lassie”.
I also have fond memories of the old Bull Ring, as a family we always went on Christmas Eve to purchase a turkey (complete) carted it home, spread newspapers on the floor and proceeded to pluck it.
The old Bull Ring (I have a picture of it on my wall) had character and it was always a pleasure to visit – I will remember the lady standing at the bottom of the steps selling newspapers
I was very young when war was announced. I remember going into the air raid shelter when the siren sounded. I was not afraid of being in any air raid shelter – it gradually became a way of life. I can remember being bombed on several occasions and spending hours in a shelter under our garage. There were a number of anti-aircraft guns just across the road and the noise was deafening.
My most vivid memory of the war was being evacuated – The authorities decided it was too dangerous for children to remain in Birmingham so one day I had a label round my neck and a small suitcase and I was put on a coach heading for the countryside. I finished up with a family in Willougby-on-the Wolds. There were two sons, some years older than me who looked after me, and I kept in contact for years.
I developed skills as a short hand typist and got a job at a firm of Solicitor’s in Temple Row after leaving College.
I was only 19 when I met my husband. After a whirl wind courtship (two months) we became engaged and then married - a good decision – as we remained married for over 60 years.
When we met he had recently been demobbed from the Air Force after serving 6 years in India and Burma. My husband spoke a lot about his life during the war. He had volunteered for the Air Force and never expressed any doubts about his decision. He said he had a “wonderful war” – He was based, with his squadron, in India and never even saw the enemy except for Japanese Prisoners of War.
He was taken under the wings of a local “Maharajah” and spent a lot of time at his place living in luxury. His worst time he said was coming home in a troopship – The Canberra – not a luxury liner like today. He settled well back into industry. He worked as a tool maker, at one stage working for my father, until the factory closed, moving on to GKN from where he retired.
After we married, we settled in Great Barr and saw our family grow up there. I stopped work after having my two children – my husband insisted I should be at home for them. We managed to survive on my husband earnings until his retirement when we coped on his pension
I have two children who are totally different – my daughter is a very successful management Consultant and University Lecturer while my son works with his hands mainly in the construction Industry. They do live some distance away, my daughter is in Buckinghamshire (100miles) while my son lives in mid Wales. He is often away preparing sites for festivals and shows – but always telephones me twice a week wherever he is. I do not own a computer, but my children have every gadget imaginable.
When my children married and moved away my husband and I were able to travel and had some fantastic holidays – unconvential ones. We loved the mountains in Switzerland and Austria. We would take the lift to the top and then walk down. This was fine until one day there was a terrific storm and we nearly got drowned. I remember saying that our family would think we were completely mad.
Back in Birmingham, my husband became a volunteer driver for Age Concern following his retirement, and after a while, I joined him.
I became heavily involved with Age Concern, running a Day Centre and working two days a week in their charity shop. This was made into a Limited Company with me a Director. I worked for age Concern for 20 years,- voluntarily, at the Day Centre.
I spent a great deal of the time doing paperwork, keeping medical records on all the clients up to date and checking medication – I also gave daily written records of who attended and any problems witnessed.
Once a year we organised a holiday to the seaside, providing individual carers, the work involved was incredible – we got very little sleep, as the clients insisted in stopping up late to enjoy the hotel entertainment.
Life went on very much the same until about three years ago both my husband and myself were finding difficulty in climbing the stairs in our semi detached house, also cultivating the large garden was becoming impossible. One day, quite out of the blue, my daughter arrived and said “get in the car I want to show you something.” We arrived at this bungalow and she asked if we liked it. Without hesitation, we said it was very nice, we were absolutely astounded by her next remark “well it’s yours”.
We moved in pretty well straight away and fortunately, my husband was able to enjoy the luxury for about a year before becoming ill.
After his death my daughter thought I needed to get out and about so arranged for me to attend the Lunch Club at South Aston. I have been attending now for the over six months and have found every one to be very kind. I am very happy to attend a Day Centre as a client. I only wish I was in a physical condition to help.
My life now is so different to that of my parents, largely due to my family. My daughter has provided me with a life of luxury and my son is always ready to help. I spend as much time with them both as I am able, and nothing is too much for them.
I spent my early years in South Yardley and then when I was 7 years of age, we moved to Great Barr, the District I have lived in ever since. Great Barr has changed so much over the years. When I first lived there we had a herd of cows at the bottom of the garden which often escaped and went marching up Beeches Road, It was in fact a country area with lots of green fields, which gradually became housing estates
I started school in the little huts in Beeches Road,- no sign then of the huge school which was eventually built. At the time the school leaving age was 14. I think I did pretty well at school. I passed the Grammar School Exam, but my father wouldn’t let me go hence my commercial Training. I was lucky enough to get in a Commercial College and left at 15 years.
My father was an Engineering Manager ( a reserve occupation) so never had to do military service. My mother had to work in a munitions factory to help the war effort. We had ration books for long after the war ended, but I do not think we went hungry. We did have to queue for luxuries, like bananas.
Although I had a good home, as an only child and I can remember being lonely at times and wished I had a brother or sister. Even now I am dismayed when a relative only wants one child – I can only pity that child.
My parents never went out much, and I can remember being supplied with a chair by the fireside, a pile of books and a radio – no television in those days of course. We did have a ritual visit to the cinema once a week. “I liked Lassie”.
I also have fond memories of the old Bull Ring, as a family we always went on Christmas Eve to purchase a turkey (complete) carted it home, spread newspapers on the floor and proceeded to pluck it.
The old Bull Ring (I have a picture of it on my wall) had character and it was always a pleasure to visit – I will remember the lady standing at the bottom of the steps selling newspapers
I was very young when war was announced. I remember going into the air raid shelter when the siren sounded. I was not afraid of being in any air raid shelter – it gradually became a way of life. I can remember being bombed on several occasions and spending hours in a shelter under our garage. There were a number of anti-aircraft guns just across the road and the noise was deafening.
My most vivid memory of the war was being evacuated – The authorities decided it was too dangerous for children to remain in Birmingham so one day I had a label round my neck and a small suitcase and I was put on a coach heading for the countryside. I finished up with a family in Willougby-on-the Wolds. There were two sons, some years older than me who looked after me, and I kept in contact for years.
I developed skills as a short hand typist and got a job at a firm of Solicitor’s in Temple Row after leaving College.
I was only 19 when I met my husband. After a whirl wind courtship (two months) we became engaged and then married - a good decision – as we remained married for over 60 years.
When we met he had recently been demobbed from the Air Force after serving 6 years in India and Burma. My husband spoke a lot about his life during the war. He had volunteered for the Air Force and never expressed any doubts about his decision. He said he had a “wonderful war” – He was based, with his squadron, in India and never even saw the enemy except for Japanese Prisoners of War.
He was taken under the wings of a local “Maharajah” and spent a lot of time at his place living in luxury. His worst time he said was coming home in a troopship – The Canberra – not a luxury liner like today. He settled well back into industry. He worked as a tool maker, at one stage working for my father, until the factory closed, moving on to GKN from where he retired.
After we married, we settled in Great Barr and saw our family grow up there. I stopped work after having my two children – my husband insisted I should be at home for them. We managed to survive on my husband earnings until his retirement when we coped on his pension
I have two children who are totally different – my daughter is a very successful management Consultant and University Lecturer while my son works with his hands mainly in the construction Industry. They do live some distance away, my daughter is in Buckinghamshire (100miles) while my son lives in mid Wales. He is often away preparing sites for festivals and shows – but always telephones me twice a week wherever he is. I do not own a computer, but my children have every gadget imaginable.
When my children married and moved away my husband and I were able to travel and had some fantastic holidays – unconvential ones. We loved the mountains in Switzerland and Austria. We would take the lift to the top and then walk down. This was fine until one day there was a terrific storm and we nearly got drowned. I remember saying that our family would think we were completely mad.
Back in Birmingham, my husband became a volunteer driver for Age Concern following his retirement, and after a while, I joined him.
I became heavily involved with Age Concern, running a Day Centre and working two days a week in their charity shop. This was made into a Limited Company with me a Director. I worked for age Concern for 20 years,- voluntarily, at the Day Centre.
I spent a great deal of the time doing paperwork, keeping medical records on all the clients up to date and checking medication – I also gave daily written records of who attended and any problems witnessed.
Once a year we organised a holiday to the seaside, providing individual carers, the work involved was incredible – we got very little sleep, as the clients insisted in stopping up late to enjoy the hotel entertainment.
Life went on very much the same until about three years ago both my husband and myself were finding difficulty in climbing the stairs in our semi detached house, also cultivating the large garden was becoming impossible. One day, quite out of the blue, my daughter arrived and said “get in the car I want to show you something.” We arrived at this bungalow and she asked if we liked it. Without hesitation, we said it was very nice, we were absolutely astounded by her next remark “well it’s yours”.
We moved in pretty well straight away and fortunately, my husband was able to enjoy the luxury for about a year before becoming ill.
After his death my daughter thought I needed to get out and about so arranged for me to attend the Lunch Club at South Aston. I have been attending now for the over six months and have found every one to be very kind. I am very happy to attend a Day Centre as a client. I only wish I was in a physical condition to help.
My life now is so different to that of my parents, largely due to my family. My daughter has provided me with a life of luxury and my son is always ready to help. I spend as much time with them both as I am able, and nothing is too much for them.
