Open Writing

Going back to the other Days – we have George (called Jimmy) next in the family. He graduated from Oxford where he took honours in classics and history, and obtained a blue for association football. He is now 25, and in 1908 he went to teach in Egypt for the Ministry of Education. But this year he has come back and has a job teaching at Northampton School. He is quite a golfer.

Mark, 22, the next brother has finished his training to be a mining engineer, just like his brother Harold, and he has gone to Malaya exactly as Harold did. But they are not at the same site.

Una, the only daughter is 21 and has just finished her teacher training course and started her first job this last September.

The youngest in the family is Stephen Roberts, but everyone calls him Bobs. He is only ten and so much younger than his brothers and sisters that he is spoiled by all of them.

At number 7, Linacre, we have Mrs. Louisa King, widowed for a few years, and her only daughter, Muriel, is married to Harold Day and living far away in Malaya. It was her husband George Williams who was Mayor of Worcester from November 1906-1907.

At number 8, Fair Hill we have Mrs. Emily Nicholls, who is a middle-aged widow of the bank manager, Joseph. She has two of her four children still living with her: Eileen who is 18 and Clifford who is 20.

At number 9 we have Mrs. Eliza Stinton. She enjoys lace making and is a soprano in the Worcester Choral Society. Her daughter May, who is 28 is married to another of the Day boys, John. And her son Tom Stinton who is 22, was up until July teaching as Sixth Form Master at King’s School, and living with his mother. He has now gone to Guernsey to teach at Elizabeth College. He is keen on my sister Carrie and they have become engaged. So you see we in the Crescent know each other quite well. Tom graduated from Magdalen College at Oxford in 1908 and then he did a Teacher Training year with them He wants to become a headmaster in the fullness of time.

At number 10, Rosendale, we have Mrs. Henry Rowe. Her husband, who died a few years ago, was an architect and surveyor. Her son still runs the family business Rowe and Son, at 30 Foregate Street. Also living with her is her grandchild, Mabel Palmer who is now about 30.

At number 11, The Cedars, we have Mr. John Charles Knight, who has his grocery business at 63 Lowesmore. His wife is Elizabeth, and they have a son, Charles, who is 14 and another called William who is 11.

At number 12 and 13 which are combined and called Raven’s Nest, we have Joseph Riley. He is a cycle manufacturer who was born in Ireland, and still very much carries his Irish accent with him. His elderly father Joseph who was an insurance agent now lives with him, as does his mother is called Agnes.

At number 14, The Oaklands, Mr. Joseph Henry Garret, a widower, lives. He is a surveyor of county roads. His sister Elizabeth lives with him and his three daughters, Mary, Angela and Amy.

At number 15, West View, is Mrs E.J. Acton. She is a widow. Her daughter Dorothy, who is about 24 lives with her.

Number 16 is the Rectory for St. Nicholas’ Church, and the Rev. George Fisher Williams lives there. His wife is called Beatrice, and they have 4 daughters: Irene 20, Kathleen 18, Cecile 17 and Marjorie 12.

Number 17, the Homestead or Lansdowne Villa is owned by Mr. Alfred Usher. His wife is called Marion, and they have 2 of their four daughters still at home – Joyce who is 23 and Esther who is 22. They also have a cousin Fanny Hockley who lives with them. He is the Managing Director of a Limited Company.

At number 18 we have Mr. Frank Everill who is an auctioneer and estate agent. His wife is called Emily and they have five daughters, of whom the youngest Gladys and Dorothy are still living at home.

The only other house which is on the road hat joins the tops and bottoms of our houses is called Bishop’s House or Lansdowne House. It is currently under the ownership of our bit of nobility – The Honourable Mrs. Emily Ogilvey. She moved here from Oswestry in Shropshire. She is a widow with twin daughters Alice and Diana who are 32. Sometimes she is visited by Sir Herbert Ogilvy. Her husband was a clergyman of the Church of England – the Vicar of Hanbury near Bromsgrove. She is very reticent to talk about her husband’s family, but we think they are distantly related to the Earls of Airlie in Scotland. I wish I could find out more about her. If only Muriel was here, she would dig out all there is to know, as she is obsessed by her supposed noble lineage from the Marquis of Winchester. Others of Mrs. Oglivey’s friends that she talks about are the Viscount Deerhurt and his wife Virginia. They are the nobility of Coventry and when he isn’t being labelled a viscount he is called Lt. Col. George William Coventry.