The eighteen months after Faye went back to Canada turned into a bits and pieces sort of time for Mum. First she had to finish her dissertation for her MA in Local and Regional History at the University of Leeds.
Fortunately she’d already done much of the research as it was largely based on some of her own Yorkshire family history from the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century, including the places her ancestors had lived in at that time. These were mainly Northowram in the old parish of Halifax and Drighlington in the old parish of Birstall.
Both these parishes were so huge at that time that one of their boundaries touched and both contained many smaller settlements as well as the two main ones which were gathered around the parish churches.
They also both had parish registers of baptisms, marriages and funerals dating back to the sixteenth century and some of these had been printed and indexed, which had made Mum’s research easier.
She got it written up, typed out and handed in with a week to spare before the deadline, then she had to wait and see if it was approved or not.
Meanwhile she saw an advert in the local paper for casual workers for Leeds City libraries and decided to apply. She half-expected to be told she was over-qualified for the job, but to her delight she was accepted and was soon being offered a few hours’ work most weeks around Morley and South Leeds, helping out behind the counter which was the part of library work she’d always liked best.
Morley library
Leeds Central library
Gildersome library
Hunslet library
Usually she was called in because a regular member of staff was having a day off for some reason, but once she got three days’ work in a row at Hunslet library after vandals had broken in and started a fire there Luckily this hadn’t damaged many books, but it had completely destroyed the counter – along with all the information about the borrowers and the books they had out at the time!
As this was in the days before the system was computerised, all the information had to be gathered again and written out by hand as books were returned, with each book needing a new card making out, as well as complete sets of borrowers’ tickets and membership cards for everybody…
Then towards the end of November she found her dissertation had met with approval and, together with the exams she’d passed, meant that she would be awarded her MA at the university in early December. The ceremony took place in the Clothworkers Hall – where Mum discovered that sling-back, high-heeled shoes, a full skirt and a silly hat with a tassel to be worn over one eye is not a good combination if you have to climb a flight of steps and keep your dignity…
In and among the library work and starting to get new commissions for writing children’s information books, Mum also found time for a few more little trips away from home. These included the usual visit to friends and family in Wales…
Maesteg,
Llangynwyd,
Porthcawl,
Merthyr Mawr,
Ogmore-by-Sea,
Southerndown
…and a weekend at a writers’ conference in Southport…
…while most of the others related to her and her partner’s interest in mining history. This took them several times to meetings in Matlock Bath…
…plus Cheltenham…
…and the Forest of Dean…
…from where they made a detour to Kilpeck in Herefordshire on the way home as Mum wanted to see the little church there with its amazing carvings on the door posts and the corbel rail…
And the mining history related trips weren’t just around the UK. In the autumn of 1990 Mum’s partner and two of his friends went to an international mining history conference in Reno, Nevada, USA, while Mum went to stay at his house in the Yorkshire dales for two weeks to look after his cat.
Then in the autumn of 1991 Mum’s partner was invited to speak at another international mining history conference, this time in Lyon in France over a weekend in early December. And, because he was in a wheelchair and so would need some assistance, Mum was invited along as well.
As the time came closer, everything seemed to be going to plan. They both had up-to-date passports and travel insurance. They also had some French currency, though most things were being paid for by the conference organisers.
When the day of departure arrived, it just couldn’t have been better. As they set off to drive the short distance to Leeds/Bradford airport for their flight to Heathrow, the sun was shining from a clear blue sky. And, being well ahead of the afternoon rush hour, they arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare.
As already arranged, they let the powers-that-be know that they’d arrived and, because they were so early, they were advised to go to the cafe, get a cup of tea and a bite to eat, and someone would come to collect them in due course.
As they made their way to the cafe, they were both amazed at how smoothly everything was going – then suddenly it all started to go wrong…
I’ll tell you how and why in my next post, but meanwhile take care, stay safe and look out for some more tales from me soon!
Follow my next blog: 161. MY MUM THE STORY-TELLER – PART FIFTY-FOUR
02/09/2021
Wilf the bear-faced blogger 