Christmas at Elmbridge
Left to Right ?; Elsie Dunn; Phylis Brown; Majorie
Cummings; Ted (Porter)
"I began working at Elmbridge camp school
in 1940, after being recommended by a friend from the North East
who was already employed there. Nearly all of the girls who worked
there were from my home town of Ashington, in Northumberland,
and I have a lot of good memories of Elmbridge which I treasure.
The school manager at that time was Mr Hollingshead, who lived
in quarters next to the Headmaster Mr Clarke and his wife. I was
employed as teachers maid at first, and had to keep their common
room tidy and serve all their meals. Later on I transferred to
the Kitchen which paid higher wages. The chef at that time was
Mr Waddington. We had an outbreak of impetigo during my time at
Elmbridge, and I caught it along with other members of staff.
I can remember cycling along the road with another worker and
our faces were covered in sticking plaster! Lovely!! Some time
later we had an outbreak of chickenpox, and yes, I caught that
as well, and was sent to Ottershaw isloation hospital (Botleys
Park) near Chertsey. I also have vivid memories of the time I
cut the top off my index finger on the bread slicing machine,
and was sent to hospital to have it attended to, and I'm reminded
of Elmbridge every time I look at my finger. When I was visiting
Guildford one day, I got a little dog which I kept in my quarters.
Her name was Nell, and everyone loved her. One of the kitchen
porters looked after her for me when I was in hospital for 3 weeks
with the chickenpox. In summer 1943, I returned to Ashington to
have my appendix removed, and Nell came north with me, where she
lived to be 13and1/2 years old. Whilst at home I was conscripted
into the ATS and was in till the end of the war. I remember most
of the masters and a lot of the boys too. My name then was Elsie
Dunn, and I am now 82 with grandchildren and great grandchildren."
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