Starting Work

Gran's Story - Starting Work

Returning home with eight children, the family had to be split between various relatives until Harry found work and a new home. Esther and Peggy were sent to Aunt Ethel in Ipswich (Harry’s sister). Immediately Aunt Ethel said to Esther - “you are old enough to go out to work, I will find you a position”. My Mother had no choice in this matter and she was sent into ‘Service’ to work for a retired Bank Manager and his wife who lived in Rushmere Road.

My Mother told me she was very miserable here - her employers were strict, the work was hard and the wages poor. Suddenly, from living with her parents in a very happy family atmosphere, she found herself in a completely different situation and she was very homesick.

She had to get up at 6.30 in the morning to black-lead the range, light the fire in the dining room (she had never undertaken this task before - there were no fires in Egypt), take hot water up to her employer’s bedroom for washing and shaving, and set the table for breakfast - all by 8 o’clock. Her days were spent cleaning, washing, and a little cooking. She had one hour free each evening before having to be in bed by 9.30. Her food was poor - meat for her employers was purchased from a good butcher - for the kitchen staff it was mostly horrible sausages bought on the market. She had one half-day off each week and every other Sunday.

Her wages were five shillings a week (25p) and this she had to take home to Aunt Ethel who gave her 6 pence back (2 l/2p) for her pocket money. Aunt Ethel did put this money into the bank each week but my Mother never knew what happened to it eventually.

After six months my Mother told me one day she received a letter from her Father asking her to leave her job and go home to care for the family as her Mother was ill. Although concerned about her Mother, she said her joy knew no bounds at the thought of escaping from the unhappy life she was now enduring.

By this time Harry was working as the village blacksmith in Pebmarsh, Essex and the family had moved into “The Forge” in Mill Lane. Having worked out her week’s notice, Esther was very excited when her Father came to collect her on his motorbike and take her home. She was now almost 15.

My Mother told me she didn’t know what was wrong with her mother until a neighbour explained that she was once again pregnant. It must have been obvious but my Mother said pregnancy was never talked about in those days. The baby, Helen, was born on 2lst April 1928.

As soon as Isabella was able to manage without her daughter’s help, Esther secured another live-in position with Major and Mrs. Young in Sudbury. This was a much better job and her employers were kind and they paid for her to attend cookery classes. Her food was good and soon Esther was cooking for the family and for their dinner parties. Other staff were employed to do the cleaning etc.

During this time Esther attended Halstead Baptist Chapel where she became a Christian and was baptised by immersion when she was 18 years old. For Esther this was a life-long commitment and her Faith in God was very important to her, sustaining her all through her life.

After a time of working for Major & Mrs. Young, Esther received another call to go home once again to care for the family. Isabella’s twelfth baby, Denis, was expected and again she was very ill. My Mother never forgot that it was Mrs. Young who gave her a love of cooking and encouraged her in it.

When she was able to look for a job again, Esther found employment with the Sparrow family who lived in Pebmarsh. This was very convenient as it was near enough to enable Esther, in her off-duty time, to help Isabella care for her large family.

At this time Esther had a boyfriend called Charlie Rust, a local farmer. One day an invitation came to the family to attend the wedding of Ollie Botwright (Harry’s brother) and Gladys Clarke who lived in Stradbroke. Obviously it was impossible for the whole family to make the journey so it was decided that Harry would go and take his daughter Esther on the back of his motorbike. (Photographs taken at the wedding show Esther’s dress very crumpled as the result of travelling many miles on the motorbike).

It was at this wedding that Esther met Henry (my Father) who was the bride’s brother, and it was ‘love at first sight’. This meant that Esther had to go home and tell Charlie Rust what had happened. She first told her Mother who was furious with her, and then when she told Charlie he was devastated. He sobbed and said “If I cannot have you Esther I will not have anyone else”. He died an old man - still a batchelor.

Some time after this Isabella was again very ill (no doubt the result of having given birth to so many babies) and the doctor advised she go away for a time of rest and convalescence. Esther again went home to care for the family and when Isabella finally returned home, it was suggested that Esther should be given a week’s holiday staying with Ollie and Gladys at Stradbroke, before she recommenced work.

When Esther arrived at the home of Ollie and Gladys she found Gladys was very ill and the doctor had diagnosed Tuberculosis - (Consumption, as it was called in those days). During the week Esther was there Gladys died - she and Ollie had only been married six months.

Esther never returned to continue working for the Sparrow family in Pebmarsh, instead she stayed on as housekeeper to her Uncle Ollie. This meant she was able to see Henry frequently as he too lived in Stradbroke at Manor Farm.

After a time Uncle Ollie remarried and Esther went to work for the Ponsonby family at Butley Abbey. Henry’s sister worked there as housemaid and Esther was the cook. Evelyn and Esther became great friends and enjoyed working together for excellent employers.

Henry had worked on his Father’s farm ever since he left school but these were difficult times for farming and his Father decided he had to give up the farm. This meant Henry needed to look for alternative employment. At this time Lord and Lady Ponsonby were planning to leave Butley Abbey and move to the Red House, Monewden. They suggested to Esther that if she and Henry were planning to get married, they could find a home in Monewden and Henry could work for them as gardener/chauffeur and she, Esther, could continue as cook. This seemed an excellent opportunity for them and so plans were made for the marriage to take place.