![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nellie_megLEWIS MIDHURST WALKER
This is your life.
You were born on 31st August, 1907, the eldest of four children, in the village of Wing in Buckinghamshire.
Your father was an agent on the Rothschild estate at Wing. He was a superb horseman and won the Champion's Cup at the International Horse Show at Earls Court, London.
Your mother was an excellent housewife and took a great interest in the activities of the village.
One of your earliest recollections was seeing the church at Wing draped with black and purple to mark the death of King Edward VII in 1910. Another was seeing Halley's Comet.
Among your playmates were the children of Lord Dalmeny - Lavina, who became Duchess of Norfolk, and her brother, Ronald Primrose, who died early of blood poisoning.
In 1914, you accompanied your parents to Baden-Baden in Germany where your father "took the water". You returned just before war broke out.
During the first World War you had your appendix removed in a hospital in London. The nurses took you out on the roof so that you could see the Zeppelins flying over. Your operation was performed by the same surgeon who had removed King Edward's. At a subsequent operation you had in Durban, the surgeon recognised your scar as the work of the famous surgeon.
After an initial education in the village you went to Dunstable Grammar School as a boarder. You recall getting "six of the best" on your first day for knocking over a beehive in the Headmaster's garden. Cary Grant also went to Dunstable Grammar School.
You passed the academic section comfortably, but it was at sport that you excelled. You were captain of the 1st cricket team; an honour to which your two younger brothers, John and Geoff, succeeded. You recollect the teams being driven to "away" matches in horse-drawn brakes.
After school you continued to participate actively in sport. You played 1st team hockey for Bedfordshire and 1st team cricket for Buckinghamshire.
Your first job was with the General Alliance Insurance Company. The offices are opposite St. James's Palace. (You had a clear view of royal processions entering and leaving the Palace.)
Your salary was seventy-five pounds per annum, paid quarterly. Nevertheless, you were able to attend the theatre in London for only about one shilling by sitting in "the gods". At one time, you and your friend, Charles Blow, had seen every show that was on in London at the time.
You were among the young men who volunteered to keep the tube trains running during the General Strike of 1926. Flapper socialites plied you with refreshments.
Your father offered to sponsor a sea-trip. You chose to go to New Zealand - the most distant point. You lived and worked on the North and South Islands for a time and visited the South Sea Islands. You were in Napier at the time of the earthquake - a frightening experience.
On your way home, the ship docked at Durban and you decided this was where you would like to live - so you returned to South Africa.
You worked in Johannesburg with the S.A. Guarantee, where you were taken under the wing of Mr. Fuller-Jones. You and his son, Keith, became life-long friends.
You were transferred on request to Durban. You have a book inscribed "a token of appreciation" on leaving Johannesburg.
In Durban you stayed at the Portsdown Hotel. It was there that you met the Nye family who became numbered among your best friends.
Life in the 1930s in Durban was carefree. You played a lot of golf and dined and danced, suitably clad in black tie and tails. Golf was your main sport. You had been fortunate enough to practise as a boy on the Rothschilds' 18-hole course and were now playing off scratch. You made several coastal trips with the Bank Line, going ashore at Lorenço Marques, Beira and Dar-es-Salam to have a round of golf with the ship's captain.
When war broke out in 1939 you were in Capetown awaiting a passage to return to the UK to rejoin your regiment, the Royal Bucks, of which you were a volunteer member. As no passage was available you joined the Artillery of the Union Defence Force.
You had a spell of manning coastal anti-aircraft guns, where "never a shot was fired in anger". You recall that you even had a surfeit of crayfish on Robben Island and at the Bluff, Durban, you caught sand-fly fever. Thanks to your friendship with the Grimwoods, you were able to convalesce in comfort in their gracious home in Mentone Road.
But the time came for you to embark for North Africa with the 6th South African Division. By the time you reached Egypt the theatre of war had moved to Italy. This was a time of comparative cold and deprivation but eventually the Germans succumbed.
On your return to Helwan, Egypt, you and Jean were married at the Anglican Cathedral and had a reception at Kasr-el-Nil barracks. The two weeks' honeymoon leave were spent at Mena House Hotel, overlooking the Pyramids, and the Cecil Hotel, Alexandra, on the shores of the Mediterranean.
You intended returning to the UK at the end of hostilities but were asked to go to Pretoria to help complete the Records.
After six weeks in Pretoria and one month's holiday in the Cape, you settled in Durban.
You joined the Pearl Insurance company and when they were taken over by the Commercial Union you continued in their service.
You were blessed with two children, Helen and Ian, who each earned University Degrees. They are both happily married and your granddaughters are a great joy.
After 25 years' service, the Commercial Union gave you a gold watch and in 1984 an overseas holiday for two. You finally stopped work in February 1987 and were give a great send-off by fellow staff members. Tributes were paid to your loyalty and support.
You are settling down to your retirement and enjoying the two "C"s -
Cookery
and
Crosswords
with the odd visit to the Club.
This is your life.
You were born on 31st August, 1907, the eldest of four children, in the village of Wing in Buckinghamshire.
Your father was an agent on the Rothschild estate at Wing. He was a superb horseman and won the Champion's Cup at the International Horse Show at Earls Court, London.
Your mother was an excellent housewife and took a great interest in the activities of the village.
One of your earliest recollections was seeing the church at Wing draped with black and purple to mark the death of King Edward VII in 1910. Another was seeing Halley's Comet.
Among your playmates were the children of Lord Dalmeny - Lavina, who became Duchess of Norfolk, and her brother, Ronald Primrose, who died early of blood poisoning.
In 1914, you accompanied your parents to Baden-Baden in Germany where your father "took the water". You returned just before war broke out.
During the first World War you had your appendix removed in a hospital in London. The nurses took you out on the roof so that you could see the Zeppelins flying over. Your operation was performed by the same surgeon who had removed King Edward's. At a subsequent operation you had in Durban, the surgeon recognised your scar as the work of the famous surgeon.
After an initial education in the village you went to Dunstable Grammar School as a boarder. You recall getting "six of the best" on your first day for knocking over a beehive in the Headmaster's garden. Cary Grant also went to Dunstable Grammar School.
You passed the academic section comfortably, but it was at sport that you excelled. You were captain of the 1st cricket team; an honour to which your two younger brothers, John and Geoff, succeeded. You recollect the teams being driven to "away" matches in horse-drawn brakes.
After school you continued to participate actively in sport. You played 1st team hockey for Bedfordshire and 1st team cricket for Buckinghamshire.
Your first job was with the General Alliance Insurance Company. The offices are opposite St. James's Palace. (You had a clear view of royal processions entering and leaving the Palace.)
Your salary was seventy-five pounds per annum, paid quarterly. Nevertheless, you were able to attend the theatre in London for only about one shilling by sitting in "the gods". At one time, you and your friend, Charles Blow, had seen every show that was on in London at the time.
You were among the young men who volunteered to keep the tube trains running during the General Strike of 1926. Flapper socialites plied you with refreshments.
Your father offered to sponsor a sea-trip. You chose to go to New Zealand - the most distant point. You lived and worked on the North and South Islands for a time and visited the South Sea Islands. You were in Napier at the time of the earthquake - a frightening experience.
On your way home, the ship docked at Durban and you decided this was where you would like to live - so you returned to South Africa.
You worked in Johannesburg with the S.A. Guarantee, where you were taken under the wing of Mr. Fuller-Jones. You and his son, Keith, became life-long friends.
You were transferred on request to Durban. You have a book inscribed "a token of appreciation" on leaving Johannesburg.
In Durban you stayed at the Portsdown Hotel. It was there that you met the Nye family who became numbered among your best friends.
Life in the 1930s in Durban was carefree. You played a lot of golf and dined and danced, suitably clad in black tie and tails. Golf was your main sport. You had been fortunate enough to practise as a boy on the Rothschilds' 18-hole course and were now playing off scratch. You made several coastal trips with the Bank Line, going ashore at Lorenço Marques, Beira and Dar-es-Salam to have a round of golf with the ship's captain.
When war broke out in 1939 you were in Capetown awaiting a passage to return to the UK to rejoin your regiment, the Royal Bucks, of which you were a volunteer member. As no passage was available you joined the Artillery of the Union Defence Force.
You had a spell of manning coastal anti-aircraft guns, where "never a shot was fired in anger". You recall that you even had a surfeit of crayfish on Robben Island and at the Bluff, Durban, you caught sand-fly fever. Thanks to your friendship with the Grimwoods, you were able to convalesce in comfort in their gracious home in Mentone Road.
But the time came for you to embark for North Africa with the 6th South African Division. By the time you reached Egypt the theatre of war had moved to Italy. This was a time of comparative cold and deprivation but eventually the Germans succumbed.
On your return to Helwan, Egypt, you and Jean were married at the Anglican Cathedral and had a reception at Kasr-el-Nil barracks. The two weeks' honeymoon leave were spent at Mena House Hotel, overlooking the Pyramids, and the Cecil Hotel, Alexandra, on the shores of the Mediterranean.
You intended returning to the UK at the end of hostilities but were asked to go to Pretoria to help complete the Records.
After six weeks in Pretoria and one month's holiday in the Cape, you settled in Durban.
You joined the Pearl Insurance company and when they were taken over by the Commercial Union you continued in their service.
You were blessed with two children, Helen and Ian, who each earned University Degrees. They are both happily married and your granddaughters are a great joy.
After 25 years' service, the Commercial Union gave you a gold watch and in 1984 an overseas holiday for two. You finally stopped work in February 1987 and were give a great send-off by fellow staff members. Tributes were paid to your loyalty and support.
You are settling down to your retirement and enjoying the two "C"s -
Cookery
and
Crosswords
with the odd visit to the Club.
