Our Territories

Channel Islands
England
Ireland
Isle of Man
Scotland
Wales

Our Categories

Home
Locations
Surnames
Articles
Library
Lookups

problem and could loose me hours travel. In wet weather it was not much fun.

We settled down to married life and let nature take its course. During May 1954 Pamela realised a baby was expected. Poor Pamela soon became very unwell the resulting morning sickness was very distressing lasting not only during the morning but the rest of the day and most of the night as well. Her parents continued their daily visits and treated Pamela as an invalid a very sick girl who needed a complete rest with constant care. I returned home from work one day to find they had taken her back to her back to the Paddocks.

Eric, Pamela’s father came round in the evening to read me the riot act and to tell me what a dreadful son-in-law I had proved to be! In their opinion, I had taken advantage of their daughter making her a skive and told me she would be unable to bring up a child, I had made her so ill. I alone was to blame for her condition and the sickness. Was I aware, having a baby could kill their daughter? I was told The Paddocks was her rightful home where she would get proper care and treatment.

There was no way I could give their daughter the twenty-four hour care they insisted she required, as I had to go to work. They gave me permission to also stay at The Paddocks but I was told in no uncertain terms those ideas I may have regarding the baby and all that was involved was not to be thought of again! So it was that we stayed for the next few months at Harrow Weald.

All the decisions about Pamela’s pregnancy were taken from us; a Harley Street specialist was engaged. If I made any suggestion towards the planning of the coming event, my idea would be overruled with the comment; “Well you want the best for Pamela, don’t you?” I had to bow to the inevitable, for there was no other way to reply to such a statement.

After some months the specialist asked to see us both to discuss the problem as he saw it. Pamela’s parents had insisted that she stay in bed until mid-morning, when she was brought down to the lounge and allowed to lie on the sofa. Everything was brought to her and she did not get the slightest exercise. The nausea remained all day. Her specialist understood the dilemma we were in and advised Pamela to get some exercises and do some work. He also advised us to move back to our own flat and live our lives normally.

Pamela’s parents would not hear of it, for in their opinion, Pamela would be in danger alone at the flat specially whilst I was out at work! No they would not agree to our return! After many arguments over a period of time, they did at last relent and allowed Pamela to return for a weekend provided I was there all the time to attend to my wife’s needs.

We returned home to our flat on a Saturday and by Sunday morning Pamela was helping me to prepare the Sunday lunch she found she was feeling very much better. We were due back at The Paddocks on Sunday evening but I persuaded my in-laws to let us stay until Monday morning.

The improvement continued and by Monday Pamela was feeling well enough to stay. I had to leave for work but thank God for once when her parents came to take her back she refused and would not obey them. That evening I returned home to find Pamela was there to meet me and had prepared our supper.

So at last we were able to live together again as a married couple and enjoy life

Previous | Index | Next