Grand-daughter Jenny was born in 1957, Jane in 1960, Karen in 1964 and Tracey in 1965. Mum took great delight in all her four Grand-daughters.

When Jenny was born Don and I were living in Framlingham 5 miles from Monewden but Mum regularly cycled to see her first Grandchild and was a great support to me as a new Mum. While the baby was expected Mum had made nightdresses and knitted vests and cardigans.  Dad made a first-size cot for the baby and Mum covered it with drapes. Later we moved to Monewden and when her second Grand-daughter Jane was born, Mum was present at the birth.

Living so near to them Jenny and Jane spent a lot of time with their Grandparents, who loved them dearly. Mum had infinite patience with them and never tired of playing with them, teaching them to knit, sew, cook and many other things.

Peter and Janet lived a distance from Monewden but Mum too had a real love for Karen and Tracey and was delighted when they came to visit her. Mum often went to visit Peter and Janet catching a bus from Monewden to Ipswich and then another to Brantham where they were living at the time. In the school holidays Jenny and Jane would go with her.

Mum always came to our bungalow to visit us each day, mostly in the evenings when she loved to help bath and put Jenny and Jane to bed. Mum was a great story teller and would often keep a serial story going for weeks, telling our girls one episode each evening. It is a pity that these stories, which Mum made up herself, were not written down for the delight of other children.

At one time the story was called ‘Gran and her Patchwork Quilt’. After this Jenny decided to call her Grandma ‘Gran’ and this name was used affectionately by almost everyone for the rest of Gran’s life - by our side of the family, neighbours, the Pastor and friends at the Chapel, assistants in local shops and Gran’s doctor. The exception being Peter, Janet and their family who continued to call her Grandma.

When Jane was 5 years old I started to work part-time (10 hours per week). This was only possible because of the support I received from Gran - she was always willing, and loved to have my daughters in the school holidays and if they were sick she would look after them. I will always be grateful to Gran for her help in this and many other ways where the children were concerned.

The years passed and eventually all four Grand-daughters married and in due time Great-Grandchildren began to arrive. Again, these were a delight and joy to Gran and she loved each one - Joanne, Daniel, Lauren, Jade, Jenna, Leanne and finally, Jordan. Gran loved to knit toys for the children as well as making them cardigans and sweaters for school. Great-Grand-daughter Joanne has kept her knitted toys and they are displayed in her home today. Gran sometimes babysat for Joanne and Daniel and she would play all sorts of games with them - some quite boisterous!

Gran was so proud of all her family, which must have been evident to visitors to her home where so many photographs were always on display. Until the end of her life she continued to take a keen interest in everything her Grand-daughters and Great- grandchildren did and she so much enjoyed the times when they came to visit her.

In 1980 at the age of 93 Harry died at home in Monewden where he had lived with Esther, his daughter, for 17 years. Dad continued to deteriorate but was cared for lovingly by his wife. His final four months were spent in hospital and Gran stayed with Don and I in Ipswich so she was able to visit him for several hours every day. The last two nights before he died she refused to come home to bed but slept in a chair beside his hospital bed. He died on October 13th, 1984. Gran had cared for her sick husband with devotion for 30 years.

Now Gran had to adapt to life living on her own in Monewden. She coped very well for several years but in 1992 she developed an ear infection which the doctor treated with Penicillin. Gran proved to be allergic to Penicillin and soon she was very ill - she was admitted to hospital where her rash was so bad that the doctor asked if he could take pictures to keep in their records. Peter and I arranged an 80th birthday party for Gran when she came out of hospital and almost all the family were present.

Each Sunday Grand-daughter Jenny with her husband Paul and children Joanne and Daniel would pick Gran up and take her to the evening service at Charsfield Chapel. Sometimes they would go during the afternoon in time for tea - Gran was delighted when this happened and she always had cheese straws in the pantry as she knew they were Daniel’s favourite. Other friends from the Chapel provided transport for Gran to attend the mid-week Ladies meeting which she really enjoyed.

In 1994 Gran suffered an aneurysm in the brain. She was admitted to Addenbrooks Hospital at Cambridge and underwent a major operation to insert a clip to stop the bleeding. The consultant told the family that he had never before done this operation on anyone of Gran’s age. Gran made the decision herself that she wanted to have the operation but we were all warned of the possible risks. Gran made a good recovery and after several weeks in Addenbrooks, and then a time in Ipswich Hospital, she came to stay with Don and I for a period of convalescence.

Although Gran had made such a good recovery, we all began to realise that she really could not stay living in her home at Monewden. The stairs were steep, the toilet was in an outside lobby, and it was not a suitable place for her to be on her own.

We suggested to Gran that she should apply for Sheltered Accommodation with a flat in Kitson Court at Wickham Market. Although she resisted this at first, she knew in her heart that this was a wise decision for her to take. Soon she was allocated flat No. 18 and although it was a wrench for her to leave 6, Rookery Road, Monewden which held so many memories, she made the move on the 9th January 1995.

Helen Patricia Cousins © 2006

 Back - Next

• Home •
• Contact Us •
• About Us