Elizabeth Mulcahy

Early life - various houses in Gateshead, father at Clark Chapmans, relatively well off and respected. Mother tidy, did lots of baking. Buying sweets. Chores as a girl, plus copying sweeping. Mother made notebooks for children. Siblings, including sister that died young. Close to brother and sister, joined in boys games. Different schools, got pleurisy. Home remedies and mother's confinements, one in Lying in hospital. Couldn’t take scholarship because brother had one already, went to Commercial College. Clothes. Sister's funeral. Mother made lots of cakes, but still envious when collecting bought ones for neighbour. Allotments. Used to walk everywhere. Being evacuated, mother came too, distribution. Mother in road accident. Got bombed, decided to come back. House schools and bombings, blackout - ran into a lamppost. Meeting future husband, early days of courting. His stays in TB hospital. Got engaged at 19, planned to marry at 21 but then got rheumatic fever. Long convalescence, better treatment because NHS just started. House chores. Wedding.

Location: Gateshead
County: Tyne and Wear
AUD2008-25

• Add a comment