The memoirs of Cissie Ewen

It was while working in the kitchen that the assistant matron, who had been Eddy's nurse became Matron, and twice asked me to go back to being doctor's and Matron's maid. I refused because I liked working in the kitchen even though I had to start earlier than I used to, and I had harder work to do. I liked my time off and once I was finished in the evenings, I had my time to myself, not having to hang around to wait for the Matron's bell. Although I don't think Matron Connery would have been like Matron Matheson.

When I was working in the kitchen at the hospital, the government introduced some sort of means test; it could have been at the time of the Depression. It affected every family with workers. Those with workers got less government help, so quite a number of young people went to work or sleep away from home. John took a job as a baker in Gateshead, County Durham for a while. Ann started sleeping in at the hospital although she was within walking distance of the Infirmary. The young single people had no chance of saving for they were expected to contribute almost all their wages to the support of the family. It made it hard for those saving to get married, to travel or to better themselves in any way. I don't think John stayed long in County Durham; sometimes he would get home at a weekend, travelling on a borrowed motor-bike.

It could have been about then that John suggested we got engaged; we had been keeping company for about five years then. He said if we waited until we saved for all we wanted for a home, or what we would like to have, we would possibly never make it. In September 1934, we became engaged and planned to marry the following Easter in April 1935, and in the meantime get things together towards a house and home. While wages were low, things in the shops were fairly cheap. I was able to buy a willow pattern dinner and tea set including tureens, sauceboats, side dishes, teapot, and hot water jug all for no more than sixpence apiece. I bought a few pieces at a time at Woolworth’s, then known as the sixpence store; it advertised as nothing more than sixpence. I bought many things there towards our home on payday; knives and forks, towels, teatowels etc. and John was saving to buy furniture.