DianeN

Yes, I recall all girls when I was there. I wonder how boy's felt in those days about being in the 'Pink' room. I can imagine my grandsons going ballistic now, but did they mind then?

Yes, I remember the hospital corners (can still do them), and the concert. I recall dancing and singing "The soldiers of the Queen" and reciting 2 poems, "Two Ducks on a Pond" and "Crusty Bread" by E V Lucas. I still recite these poems (when I have had enough to drink), my children tend to think I am bonkers. I recall receiving stamps from my grandma, so that I could write back to her, don't know if it ever got as far as a postal order. The whole experience was a little bit like something out of an Enid Blyton Book. We played cricket for hours on end and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, a great adventure. I remember being responsible for dry mopping under the beds in the gold room. The blankets created fluff. Don't recall bedspreads or anything so modern as duvets, but then it was probably better than the army blankets we had at home. Although I must have missed home, I came away feeling that I had been thoroughly spoiled.

If my memory serves me right, was their mother the daughter of Mr & Mrs Stringfellow who ran the corner shop on Harworth Street?

I stayed at Fairthorn in the early 50s. I was underweight at that time, (don't know quite what's happened since, I suppose having 3 children didn't help). It was walkable from Dore village, and we often went to spend our money at the local shops. You walked down a long steepish drive to the two storey house. Mr & Mrs Chumley ran it at that time, they had two children of their own. I had a great time there.