My mum, Audrey Carnson wrote what she remembered of her childhood in Upwell. She was born Audrey Evelyn Watson on 2 Mar 1929 and died on 7 Jul 2004 in Kings Lynn.
The 1930s
When Anne first asked me to remember my early years and childhood, I had no idea that I was embarking on such an emotional journey. I remembered the good times with pleasurable nostalgia, probably also the good things about myself – few though they may be! But I have remembered the times when I’m ashamed now of what I did and thought, and this caused some soul searching.
Until I started this, I could only remember little bits but I think I can now go back quite a long way.
I was born in New Road, Upwell, at my grandmother’s home (Ann Maria or Ria Watson, who Anne called Other Nanna).
I don’t remember living there with her, although I’m told that when I was first born, one of my legs was tucked under me – Mum didn’t know this, but Nanna massaged me every time my nappy was changed, until my leg stayed where it should.
We moved to a terraced house at the end of a row in Upwell, near West’s Croft Farm. My mother rented the house from a Mr Robb, of Outwell. Word has it that he had proposed to my grandmother and she had refused him. Since he was the first person other than the doctor, to own a car in Outwell, and a Daimler at that, she could have missed out. But then, this story would never have been told.
My early life revolved around Mum and Dad, my Auntie Lizzie, Nanna and my cousins. I can’t remember a time in my early life when Auntie Lizzie and Nanna didn’t play a major role.
I remember some of the house and garden, I did check this out with Mum before she died. There was a long narrow garden, with many hutches – these contained ferrets, which Dad used to catch rabbits that we ate for food. I’m told I liked the ferrets, even going to the extreme of taking one out of the cage and cuddling it around my neck! But that habit has obviously not stood the test of time!
We stepped into the house from the garden into the living room/kitchen. The fireplace was opposite the door, a window on the left wall looked over the garden, a door by the fireplace led upstairs and a door to the right went to the ‘best’ room. A radio stood on the chest of drawers by the garden window. I have no idea what was in the best room – presumably, I was never allowed in.
Upstairs, we went directly into a room and tell me that Uncle Horace (Mott) slept there, although I don’t actually remember him being there.
Through the connecting door and up one step was the main room where the three of us slept. I was still in a cot. I remember Mum’s dressing table – it had quite an ornamental small shelf and a glass mirror.
Audrey Carnson, Three Holes, 2002.
