My First Day at School
I was born in Hannover, Germany, after the war. When I started school at the age of 6, the day was 'sweetened' by our 'Zuckertuete' which was a large colourful cone filled with sweets. All parents treat their children to one of these.
During the first few weeks we only had 2 hours of schooling a day. Later, the school day started at about 8am and finished at 1pm. So we all went home for lunch. The school was mixed and the girls were told to keep the boys 'in check'. We were even allowed to smack them.
Our teacher was called Fraeulein Bannemann, and I remember her being very friendly. The teaching was mainly on the 3 'R's and we had short tests every week. If, at the end of the school year, you had two low marks, you had to repeat the class/year which concentrated your mind considerably.
Second School and First Job
In Hannover in Germany I attended a Gymnasium called Helene Lange Schule, a sort of Grammar School. Unfortunately, I had to leave school at 16 as my mother was not too well and could not carry on working until I would have finished school at 18 with another 3 years at university. On my way to school, travelling by tram, I was approached by a young lady, an ex-pupil from my school. She had been working at the 'Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung' newspaper in Hannover and now wanted to go to university. Somehow she felt obliged to find her own successor for her boss. After going for an interview I was offered the job in the accounts department. I worked in different departments. Well, after 6 years I felt I was part of furniture and I had to find a reason to leave.
Leaving Germany for England
So with a friend I decided to come to England to learn English. Through an agency I was put I in contact with the large store Bourne and Hollingworth in London. But after attending an interview in Cologne we found that my knowledge of English was not good enough. 7 years of school English accounted for very little, plus the fact that I was very nervous. The agency suggested that I might try to go to London as an au pair. They found me a family in Stanmore, the Goldsteins, with two children aged 9 and 11.
So on 31 March 1970 I arrived with my boyfriend in Stanmore. I remember that the family were watching Tommy Cooper on television and laughing their heads off. I did not think then that he was funny but it didn't take me long to appreciate his sense of humour. - I remember my first Easter in Stanmore, it was so hot and sunny. This disproved the theory of constant rain in England!
I spent three months in Stanmore, going to school once or twice a week to improve my English. In my spare time I was able to learn to play tennis (badly) and to meet up with a church group.
After 3 months I had to leave my family as their business collapsed. I quickly found another 'job' with a doctor in Cromwell Road.
Then I met Ronnie who swept me off my feet. He was so kind and had had such an interesting life. Starting off as a plumber's mate, he became a glazier and then worked in Persia on the Trans-Iranian Railway. During the war he was in the Royal Air Force, followed by 4 year in Missing Research where they re-interred war graves. He then became sole importer in West Germany for Jaguar cars.
After that he acquired helicopters, did sky-writing and formed a number of airlines including LTU which is still operating, the biggest one being Overseas Aviation. He built the first hangar at Gatwick. Overseas Aviation went into liquidation and he had to sell 25 sqare miles of land in Fuerteventura, bought in the Fifties. He started again, acquiring health clubs among other things. I met him at this stage of his life and together we worked and enjoyed life together for the last 39 years.
