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Stories
Stories
Each month we’ll update this page and reward the senders of the best story, our ‘star story’, with a magnum of Champagne or a luxury food hamper.
If you would like your story to be considered for this page, please send an email to sam@who-remembers-me.com
We look forward to hearing from you soon!!
If you would like your story to be considered for this page, please send an email to sam@who-remembers-me.com
We look forward to hearing from you soon!!
Best friends back in touch after 55 years!
This month’s STAR STORY is brought to you not by one sender but by two individuals. That’s right; old school friends Ann Ferguson (née Maben), from Scotland in the UK, and Helen Proud (née Hopes) in Whittington, near Geelong, a coastal town in Australia, both wrote to say how happy they were to find each other through the site.
Ann and Helen last saw each other in 1954 just before Helen’s family immigrated to Australia. Reunited once more, Ann and Helen fill us in on the past 55 years. Ladies, over to you…
Ann, 69, says:
“Helen and I went to Machanhill Primary School, Larkhall, in Lanarkshire Scotland, and then on to Larkhall Academy together in 1949 or 1950.
We were the best of friends and I was very sad, when in 1954 Helen immigrated with her family to Australia.
After school, at the age of 16, I went to work for Scottish Aluminium Ware as an Office Junior, before moving to the County Buildings in Hamilton as a Telephonist.
I got married in 1962 and had 3 children; 2 boys and a girl.
When the children were all grown up I joined the RAF on a short-term commission and stayed with them for five years, reaching the rank of Light Lieutenant.
I have lived in England, Scotland, Germany and Norway for a short while. I am now employed, (yes at 69!), with M&S in Elgin in Scotland.
Looking at old school photos, I often thought of Helen. She and I always stood together, and I always loved her pinafore dresses; I can still remember the blue and white one with the frills.
The photo you see was taken at Machanhill School; Helen is 6th from the left and I am 7th, and Helen’s wearing the blue dress I liked so much!
School was fine; we always had to walk to and from school even when the snow was over 6 feet deep! We’d often have red marks on our legs, feet soaking wet and our Wellies needing to be dried in front of the fire.
School dinners usually consisted of soup with a little bit of cheese on the side, followed by custard with shortbread.
I remember the fun we had playing outside; running home in the rain or on hot summer days, getting melted tar on your bare feet and Mother shouting at us when she had to use the butter ration to get our feet clean!
When I found Helen through the site I was so pleased! We email each other every day and already it feels as though we’ve never been apart! It’s a great site – thank you.”
Here’s what Helen, also 69, had to say:
“My story is much the same as Ann’s but what she forgot to tell you is that she was very musically talented! She played the piano as well as the violin and to me that was talent!
Ann and I did indeed go to Machanhill Primary School in Larkhall and then on to Larkhall Academy together. I too was sad to be leaving Ann when my parents announced we were immigrating to Australia.
It did make sense though as I already had a brother and a sister over there with their respective families. My other brother was immigrating as well which would only leave me, my sister and my parents.
So in June 1954 my brother and his family and my parents and I, we all left for Australia, arriving two months later on August 26th in 1954. Travel took a little longer in those days!
My sister came over in 1955 which meant we were all together apart from one brother who lived in Canada.
We lived on a share farm with my brother in Heidelberg until Christmas that year when my parents purchased their own home. We all lived in this house, any extended family too, until they could save a deposit for their own homes.
I have been married 3 times; no good with the first 2 but third time lucky! I have 4 children; 3 girls and 1 boy, all grown up now.
I have worked at various clerical jobs but had a late call to my vocation, nursing, in 1969. I loved every minute of it and retired in 1996 with a neck, shoulder and back injury.
I have often thought about Ann over the years, wondering how and where she was, and then a few weeks ago she wouldn’t leave my waking thoughts.
Spookily she then got in touch through the website – I couldn’t quite believe it; I was thrilled to bits! The last time we saw each other we were 15 years old and now we’re both close to 70.
Thank you so much for bringing us back together - I am so happy to be reunited with Ann.”
Ann and Helen last saw each other in 1954 just before Helen’s family immigrated to Australia. Reunited once more, Ann and Helen fill us in on the past 55 years. Ladies, over to you…
Ann, 69, says:
“Helen and I went to Machanhill Primary School, Larkhall, in Lanarkshire Scotland, and then on to Larkhall Academy together in 1949 or 1950.
We were the best of friends and I was very sad, when in 1954 Helen immigrated with her family to Australia.
After school, at the age of 16, I went to work for Scottish Aluminium Ware as an Office Junior, before moving to the County Buildings in Hamilton as a Telephonist.
I got married in 1962 and had 3 children; 2 boys and a girl.
When the children were all grown up I joined the RAF on a short-term commission and stayed with them for five years, reaching the rank of Light Lieutenant.
I have lived in England, Scotland, Germany and Norway for a short while. I am now employed, (yes at 69!), with M&S in Elgin in Scotland.
Looking at old school photos, I often thought of Helen. She and I always stood together, and I always loved her pinafore dresses; I can still remember the blue and white one with the frills.
The photo you see was taken at Machanhill School; Helen is 6th from the left and I am 7th, and Helen’s wearing the blue dress I liked so much!
School was fine; we always had to walk to and from school even when the snow was over 6 feet deep! We’d often have red marks on our legs, feet soaking wet and our Wellies needing to be dried in front of the fire.
School dinners usually consisted of soup with a little bit of cheese on the side, followed by custard with shortbread.
I remember the fun we had playing outside; running home in the rain or on hot summer days, getting melted tar on your bare feet and Mother shouting at us when she had to use the butter ration to get our feet clean!
When I found Helen through the site I was so pleased! We email each other every day and already it feels as though we’ve never been apart! It’s a great site – thank you.”
Here’s what Helen, also 69, had to say:
“My story is much the same as Ann’s but what she forgot to tell you is that she was very musically talented! She played the piano as well as the violin and to me that was talent!
Ann and I did indeed go to Machanhill Primary School in Larkhall and then on to Larkhall Academy together. I too was sad to be leaving Ann when my parents announced we were immigrating to Australia.
It did make sense though as I already had a brother and a sister over there with their respective families. My other brother was immigrating as well which would only leave me, my sister and my parents.
So in June 1954 my brother and his family and my parents and I, we all left for Australia, arriving two months later on August 26th in 1954. Travel took a little longer in those days!
My sister came over in 1955 which meant we were all together apart from one brother who lived in Canada.
We lived on a share farm with my brother in Heidelberg until Christmas that year when my parents purchased their own home. We all lived in this house, any extended family too, until they could save a deposit for their own homes.
I have been married 3 times; no good with the first 2 but third time lucky! I have 4 children; 3 girls and 1 boy, all grown up now.
I have worked at various clerical jobs but had a late call to my vocation, nursing, in 1969. I loved every minute of it and retired in 1996 with a neck, shoulder and back injury.
I have often thought about Ann over the years, wondering how and where she was, and then a few weeks ago she wouldn’t leave my waking thoughts.
Spookily she then got in touch through the website – I couldn’t quite believe it; I was thrilled to bits! The last time we saw each other we were 15 years old and now we’re both close to 70.
Thank you so much for bringing us back together - I am so happy to be reunited with Ann.”