I was a member the Meadowlands Chapel, Newmarket Road and moved to CSMC on recommendation of a friend who worshiped here when that church closed.
Is there a women who has inspired you?
Well obviously my mother, Helen Baker; she started Meadowlands methodist church in her front room in the 1940s with a group of people in the new housing with no church to go to – so started a prayer meeting with neighbours.
Bit like Topsy the church grew and into an actual church where I grew up and then taught as a Sunday School teacher.
What are you proud of in your life?
I am so proud of my family, survivors one and all. One thing I’m proud of is that I was a carer of my blind and deaf father for a few years when he was no longer able to look after himself and he went full circle and moved back into the family house in which I live to this day. I cared for him and my two sisters appreciated what ‘I done for dad’ as they didn’t live near and weren’t able to offer the same support.
My mother died very tragically following a nasty operation. Her two sisters and their husbands didn’t have any children, so I would go and care for them too – washing, laundry, housekeeping, shopping – and I done that for many years. I suppose what I’m most proud of is I cared. Throughout everything I cared.
What do see as the biggest change for women over the years?
For me, personally, the biggest change for women, has been modern technology in the home. I go back to when my mother and mother in law were standing at scrubbing boards scrubbing clothes. My father in law was a butcher, and the women had to scrub the aprons from the butchers; and washing machines are just – wow. Even irons nowadays – I remember my mother’s gas iron – you just wouldn’t have that nowadays!
What advice would you give to women today?
Forgive. Try to understand other peoples opinions whatever they are. Let people live their lives as they wish.
