Nostalgia with Margaret Watson: Fond memories of family Christmases in Thornhill Lees

Margaret Watson writes: But there are some of us who do the next best thing and write a brief memoir of their life.

I have been privileged over the years to have received some of these which I have published, especially when they contained social history.

One of these came recently from Deanna Powles, who was born in Dewsbury but is now living in Cleckheaton.

She has asked me to publish it because she wanted to pay tribute to her parents, Frank and Martha Powles.

Deanna lived in Thornhill Lees until she was 11 but later moved with her family to a new council house in Chickenley.

But she never forgot the happy years in Thornhill Lees with her loving parents and three brothers and sister.

It wasn’t until the family moved to Chickenley that her youngest sister, Annette was born, completing their family.

Deanna, who was named after actress Deanna Durbin because she was her dad’s favourite film star, never forgot their old house in Thornhill Lees.

Their old stone cottage in Stennard Lane, held many happy memories of childhood, even though the house had no electricity.

“My years in Thornhill Lees were among the happiest of my life,” Deanna told me.

Deanna has felt for many years that she needed to put into writing what her hard-working parents had meant to her and her family.

She has written her memories of those days, simply and sincerely, and for that reason I haven’t changed a word.

The following is Deanna’s tribute to her parents:

“My parents, Frank and Martha Powles, were both hard working – dad at work, mam keeping her family safe, providing a lovely home, mostly hand-made.

“Every Christmas mam made a flock rug for the room from old clothes, coats and whatever else she could find.

“She made skirts for me and my sister Susan from a faded coat, pleated too. Also curtains from dad’s old shirts, small but pretty.

“Mam was constantly cooking and cleaning. Baking was done on a Friday night, jam tarts, chocolate cakes, and any pastry left over was made into patty cakes which you buttered when hot and they were so nice.

“In winter mam went to the school gates with some hot cocoa for us to drink in our break time.

“It was Thornhill Lees Infants School, next to Thornhill Lees Church, and the Sunday school was at the opposite side of the school which we all went to as

we grew older.

“We lived in Stennard Lane (Lovers Lane), in Thornhill Lees, in one of five cottages owned by Wormald and Walkers mill.

“The cottages were opposite some fields and a small wood which made a brilliant playground for young children, keeping them all safe.

“There were also the old sewage baths where dad kept some hens in one of them. He was once bitten by a fox trying to get to the hens.

“He came home for mum to bandage the bite and then he went out with his rifle just to scare the fox.

“Dad worked at Wormald & Walkers Mill and one of his jobs was firing the 10 o’clock gun at night to let everyone know everything was safe.

“He worked sometimes on nights as well as days to look after his growing family.

“As the kids grew up dad and a friend of his, Frank Bates, opened a small garage at Batley Carr, ‘Frank’s Autos’ and it did well.

“Dad still worked at the mill and sometimes he borrowed a car he had repaired and took us all to the seaside. Bridlington and Fleetwood were favourites.

“Whitsuntide was a lovely time, we got new clothes and went to Dewsbury Park and then to great Aunt Hannah’s for tea.

“Mam always took a loaf of bread for Auntie and we were given some money for having such lovely clothes.

“Christmas was especially exciting. Trimmings were put up with Chinese lanterns which the children had made at school.

“Dad dressed up as Santa Claus and as the kids were going to bed he knocked on the room window, pretending to be Santa, so as to hurry us up to bed.

“We left some cake and a drink for Santa and the reindeers, and when we were all in bed, we heard bells outside as Santa was setting off.

“In the morning we had our socks filled with an orange, apple, nuts and a small toy. Ian, Stuart and Trevor used to get torches so they could shine them

everywhere.

“Then we all went down for breakfast to open our main presents. Stuart noticed a mark on his cheek. Mam just smiled and said it was where Santa had kissed us all after climbing down the chimney.

“Wormald & Walkers held a Christmas party and all the workers’ children were there. Mr Wormald and Mr Walker came along with Santa.

“There were two Christmas trees, one at each side of the stage, and we all got a present, according to our age. It was so all so exciting, we talked about it for weeks afterwards.

“It was a wonderful childhood and I will always be grateful to my wonderful parents, still so sadly missed.

“As I finish this small story, I have tears in my eyes as I remember all the love my parents gave us all.

“It was tragic that my dad, who had worked so hard all his life, died when he was only 52 of a massive heart attack.

My mother, who went to live in Dewsbury Moor, died two years ago, and it was then that I decided I must write this tribute.”

Deanna Powles

Wishing all readers a very Merry Christmas. Margaret