Remembering Minnie

Remembering Minnie

Minnie and her husband Roy were both born in the same street in Leeds, and christened in the same church. They met when Minnie was invited to a friend’s birthday party, to which no boys were invited. But across the road was a small group of boys, whom the girls asked to join them. Roy was 16, and Minnie 15 and the rest is history.

Roy was the eldest by one year and ten days, and at birthday times, Minnie teased Roy that she was his toygirl. At that time many girls after finishing school went into a mill, working on weaving or burling and mending, but Minnie wanted to be a secretary, and after learning Pitman’s Shorthand at evening classes, she gained a job with an electrical contractor in central Leeds. At the age of 21 and 22, they were married. Roy was in the forces as a radio mechanic, and for their first anniversary, Roy bought Minnie a collie dog. By their second anniversary in 1960, their daughter Wendy had been born.

Minnie in her younger days loved dancing classes, and was a county netball player for Yorkshire. Roy recalls that she was a ‘guard’ and that she could flatten anyone who threatened their winning position!

After being a mum for a while, Minnie wanted to work again, and so her sister looked after Wendy whilst Minnie worked, but Minnie was adamant she would be home by end of school. No way was her daughter coming back to a home without her Mum present. She was a determined character. Roy remembers with amusement the driving lesson he was giving her: he pointed out that she had approached a roundabout incorrectly, whereupon she gave him the key, got out of the car and told him to drive home as she was getting the bus. For future lessons she had a driving instructor and ended up a very good driver.

     When Wendy was five-years old they moved to Oxfordshire where Roy had a job at Harwell Computing Engineers, and Minnie was pregnant with Ian. After a certain period of being a mum again, Minnie, wanting to keep her secretarial skills, secured a post in the same company as Roy where she remained as secretary to one of the senior scientists for eight years. They had a neighbour who became a good friend and who looked after Wendy and Ian for Minnie after school.

     Minnie was a devoted mum and did everything possible to enable her children to have a good education. She had an excellent grasp of spelling. When Ian came home from school saying his teacher had said he had misspelled a word in his homework (which Minnie had told Ian was correct) Minnie went ballistic, and confronted the teacher. This episode resulted in removing Ian from that particular school.

  In their later years, Minnie and Roy both enjoyed trips to America to see Roy’s cousin, driving their motorhome all over the US. They particularly loved Palm Springs; and when Wendy was about thirteen or fourteen went on a family cruise to the Mediterranean, which was a wonderful experience for them all.

  Minnie had a really good sense of fun, and loved to sing along to music, knowing all the words without any reference to song sheets.

   At Forget-Me-Not Memory Café we will always remember her warm personality and lovely broad smile.