Grandad – Curls delivered the rug in the morning. After dinner, Ethel & I fitted it in the vestibule.
Mum – FR rang at lunch-time. 2 of his SS children found dead on the beach at Selsey. Wandered off from home Thurs pm – died of exposure. On ITV at night. Went to choir practice. Rang FR at night.
Notes
Curls
Curls was a major department store in Norwich, see Chapter 93. It was established in the 19th century and was badly damaged by bombing in World War 2 and was rebuilt in 1955. It was taken over by Debenhams in the 1960s and renamed in the 1970s. Debenhams closed all its stores in May 2021. This closure triggered a lot of discussion about Curls, in particular, on the Norwich Remembers Facebook Group and there are some excellent photos of Curls there.
A Rug From Curls
Ethel refers to my grandmother Ethel May Cecilia Parkin. She had bought a rug from Curls, see Chapter 125, a week earlier, on 10 January 1975. Curls delivered it in the morning. Grandma and grandad fitted it in the afternoon. It was for their vesitbule, which was a space at their house just inside the front/side door before reaching the hall.
Rev Dowson
FR refers to Rev F R Dowson. Frederick Rodham Dowson entered the Methodist ministry in 1936. He was born in Haxby, York on 5 August 1912 and he died in Selsey on 4 September 2011, aged 99. I believe he was superintendent Minister for the Park Lane circuit from 1968 to 1974. He and mum were close and they spoke and corresponded frequently, see Chapter 114.
Richard and Victoria Davies
At this time, Rev Dowson was Methodist Minister in Selsey. Mum relates the tragic story of two children, who were part of the Methodist Sunday School (SS), who had been found dead on the beach, see Chapter 124.
Based on a news article, they were Richard and Victoria Davies aged six and four respectively. They were found huddled together on a beach about two miles from their home. They were wearing indoor clothes only and were thought to have died of exposure. Mum noted that the story had been on ITV, presumably on the news.
Choir Practice
Mum was part of a church choir based at St Peter’s Park Lane, see Chapter 124.
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