Taking in Visitors at Promenade Terrace by Elaine Symmons
Promenade Terrace, c 1920
Many people in Mumbles opened their homes to visitors in the summer months and we were no exception. My Mother, formerly Mrs Boss, had been widowed in the influenza epidemic which followed the Great War in 1919. Being left to bring up two young daughters alone, she started to ‘take in visitors,’ owing to sheer economic necessity. She remarried in 1920, becoming Mrs Bladen and in 1923, I was born. She continued providing ‘full board accommodation’ throughout my childhood
Number One Promenade Terrace, Mumbles was, and remains, a substantial four-bedroomed, double-fronted property situated alongside the Mumbles Railway line and overlooking the old quay near the Antelope. During the summertime, the front half of the house would be given over to visitors, the two front bedrooms and the two ground floor front rooms becoming their domain. Mum and Dad would occupy one back bedroom, we three girls, the other and the two rear downstairs rooms were our kitchen and living room. The picturesque position of the house attracted numerous holidaymakers, many of whom returned year upon year to walk the coast paths, visit the magnificent bays or stroll along the ‘prom’. One such couple was Headmaster and Headmistress, Mr. and Mrs. Culley from somewhere in England.
May Bladen
The visitors enjoyed full board consisting of bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast, a ‘meat and two veg’ dinner at lunch time and a high tea of sandwiches and cake in the early evening. Shopping days were Tuesdays and Fridays when Mum went to Fulford’s in Cornwall Place for her fruit and vegetables and Rogers’ or Michael’s on The Parade for the meat. Mr. Rees in Hall Bank delivered bread daily and their Daily Mail newspaper came from Ceaton’s. Groceries came from Taylor’s in The Dunns where Dad worked for many years, latterly as the Manager until he left to become a ‘commercial traveller’ for Kardov flour. I remember the summers of my growing-up years as a time of visitors in the house and my mother always very busy. Saturdays were not leisurely days, but busy ‘change-over’ days. Beds had to be stripped and remade, bedding washed and rooms cleaned. It must have been hard work without the modern aids of washing machine and vacuum cleaner, which we now take for granted. T
Our House
he laundry was done in a tin bath in the shed in the garden, the water being heated in saucepans on the kitchen stove. After washing in Persil and rinsing, the sheets would be put through the mangle to squeeze out excess water and pegged on the line to dry. Then they would be pressed on the kitchen table with flat irons heated on the kitchen stove. Daisy Hammett from Village Lane, who I remember as a pleasant woman of about thirty with light brown, medium length hair, came in to help and usually I was sent out to play in the garden.
Elaine and Ena Drage play dolls
Pat Jones and Elaine play shop
I enjoyed playing ‘dolls’ or ‘shop’ with my friends, Pat Jones from next door and Marjorie and Ena Drage from Hall Bank. Several times they included me when they went to their Aunt’s house in Priory Row, Brecon for their holidays.
But it was probably at a young age, before I was old enough to be allowed out on my own, that I became in the habit of sitting quietly in the garden near our hedge. Here, I could listen in secret to Old Boatmen such as Tom Ace, Sammy Gammon and Will Jenkins, as they gathered on the seat on the other side of the hedge to yarn or tell their stories. I do not remember any of the stories now but I do recall my Mother wondering
‘where does Elaine get that language from?’
It is thought that perhpas Elaine was using words from the local dialict, which would habe been used by these men.
Other articles which feature Elaine Symmons nee Bladen
Thistleboon Orphanage: extracts from the autobiography of Amy Winters (nee King)
... in later years, I named my daughter after two of my best friends—Elaine Bladen and Elaine Gammon. We had many laughs together and would spend many happy hours in ...
Billy the Swan by Elaine Symmons
We named him ‘Billy’ and he soon made himself at home among us. My Mother, May Bladen, regularly put bowls of corn and bread and a pail of water for him in ...