NEWS FROM OLD GIRLS
Winifred Foster (Skeet 1942 - 1951)
I was born in 1935 and as I only weighed 3lb 13oz, my mother devoted her life to keeping me alive. It was a miracle she succeeded as there were no incubators in those days. My wonderful father who was in the Royal Navy volunteered to transfer to working on the submarines to pay the fees for me to the High School when I was seven years old. As a result, I sailed through the 11plus. Unfortunately, by the time I left school my father was unwell and my mother was very old fashioned. She believed girls should go out to work when they were old enough and contribute to the family purse. My second job was in Cullingford’s office in the High Street which was lovely and the girls were very friendly but the pay was abysmal, it was only £3 a week. I then worked at the tax office and later the telephone exchange. Talk about boring, all we had to do was plug into a board and say “Number Please”. I got so depressed my mother paid for me to get a plane to Malta to stay with my sister whose husband was in the Army and stationed there. That was a wonderful experience, the Maltese treated me like Royalty as they were so grateful to the British and I sat near the pilot.
When I returned I got a job as a Firewoman and I loved it. My pay was £7 per week which was excellent: Shortly afterwards I planned to marry Ian Foster when I thought he would have to go to Egypt due to the Suez Crisis. In fact, he didn’t go and was demobbed in December 1956. We went ahead with our marriage which was great and had 5 children, 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren, with another on the way. Shortly after we moved to Romford returning to Colchester in 1971.
Whilst in Romford we met Missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and it answered all the questions that we had been unable to get elsewhere. It was incredible and we knew immediately that we should join that Church. After we retired from our careers as Independent Financial Advisors we were called to go on a Church Mission for 2 years and to our surprise and delight we went to Vladivostok, Russia. It was the most amazing and wonderful experience in our lives. We made so many wonderful friends and we still keep in touch with these incredible people.
Since returning to England I was agreed to stand as a Councillor in Shrub End Ward. It was the year the boundaries changed so double the numbers were elected. To my surprise and, dare I say it, horror, I got more votes than anyone but when I buckled down to being a Councillor I loved it. Four years later I lost my seat but a vacancy came up in the Prettygate Ward and I was elected there for the next 4 years, making a total of 8 years as a Councillor. I decided then that at my then age it was enough and resigned.
It has been an interesting and enjoyable life.
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