Aunt Ginnie - A Woman of Many Names

Winifred Johannah Upton Walker, to introduce her with her full birth name, was my grandmother's sister, my father's aunts, and my great aunt. As the title suggests, she was far more than that to many people and she was Aunt Ginnie to me. The following story contains excerpts of one told by her daughter Madeline. I hope I can do her memory justice by using this as she was one of life's wonderful human beings and indeed a person who I looked up to my whole life. She was nothing short of inspirational throughout her life to everyone she met.

Winifred Johannah Upton Walker 1917 -2003

She was born to Elizabeth Lang Craig and William Frederick Walker on 26th February 1917. She was the fourth child, another daughter. Her sisters were Alice. Agnes and Janet. As was common at that time, children were often named after family members. There was a Great Aunt who was very upset because her names had not been included in any of the other girls names, therefore, it was decided that this newest child would have Johannah Upton in her name. In addition, because this was the fourth girl and her father was a soldier in the War to end all wars, she needed to have some of his name, so she became Winifred Johannah Upton Walker. Nine years later the fifth child was born, a boy, who was called William. Her Birth Certificate records she was born in Mossview Cottage, Greenfoot, Coatbridge, Scotland and that her father was a Fire Clay Miner. Every certificate I have seen, birth and marriage gives William Walker a different occupation and from what I have heard he had many more than those recorded! She was the smallest in the family with the longest name. She never topped 5foot 2inches and her sisters were all over 5foot 7inches. One of the results of this was that she always walked very quickly, to keep up with the rest of the family!

Life wasn't easy for the Walker family as my great grandfather had a range of jobs but from what Winnie said, she had a happy childhood. When she went to school her mother had to stand at the door and wave for a long time as the wee yin had a habit of popping back round the corner to make sure her mother was still there. This was obviously in the days when young children made their own way to school! She followed her sister Janet into the Girl Guides and found the wide brimmed hat much more useful for carrying the chips bought on the way home from the meeting than as a piece of head gear. One year the Guides went to camp near Moffat in the Borders. On the Sunday there was a Church Parade and in addition to the wide brimmed hat and the rest of the uniform white gloves were to be worn. Her sister Janet who was also at the camp, in a much more elevated position than wee Winnie, had ensured that everything was to hand and had gone off to organise something when Winnie decided she should go to the toilet. No clean tiled area with a flushing cistem for these Guides. They had a pit Latrine with the luxury of a plank, which had a hole, to sit on. All would probably have been well if she hadn't experimented with swinging her legs. This made her unbalance and in the scrabble to right herself the gloves fell into the latrine. She did try to retrieve them with a stick but was unsuccessful. In this sorry state, she decided to hide in the latrines until everyone had gone. However, big sister came looking (she should have expected that) and resolved the problem, after a ticking off. by giving Winnie one of her gloves and demonstrating how to carry it folded so that it looked like a pair. Thus both Walker sisters evaded detection by their Captain.

Pooh 1934 - 1944

She left school and followed her sister Janet into Nursing. She didn't have the necessary qualifications to go straight into doing her State Registered Nursing training. However, she was accepted into Fevers Nursing. As a very new Probationary Nurse she was told to take a bottle of Lysol (very strong bleach) from the store room to the sluice room. The bottle slipped and smashed on the floor, panicking she grabbed a cloth and mopped up the bleach. Needless to say she did this with her bare hands and ended up in the Infirmary with bleach burned hands. The skin never completely healed although her daughter does recall that in her teens she didn't remember them weeping any more.

One of the things which upset her most was collecting children with Diphtheria from their homes. On one occasion she took a child out of a bed in which three siblings were lying top to tail. This had a lasting effect on Pooh as she knew that she or one of her colleagues were likely to have to come back to the home to collect at least some of the other children. It was made very clear to her daughter that she was extremely lucky that Diphtheria was no longer a threat.

After she qualified as State Registered Fevers Nurse (SRFN) she followed her sister Janet to the Victoria Infirmary in the south of Glasgow. It was there that she became Pooh! The Probationers were all called by their surnames, in Winnie's year there were two Walkers. Winnie and Peggy, so for their fellow trainees they became Pooh and Puggy.

As a very new probationer she was working in the private wards and Matron's sister, who was very well spoken, was in for a minor operation. Young Pooh was told to take her a cup of tea. Placing the saucer on the bedside table there was a spillage and Pooh said the table is Shugly seeing a puzzled look on Matron's sisters face she said sorry coggly! She admitted when telling the story that she didn't think of saying wobbly. As she scurried from the room when Matron entered and she heard the story being retold and the laughter, she made every effort not to deal with Matron's sister again!

War started and all the nurses had the opportunity to take part in war related activities. Pooh volunteered for Fire Watching and spent many nights on the roof of the hospital. This, in addition to ensuring that the hospital stayed safe, gave the watchers the chance to see what was happening in the rest of Glasgow . On one occasion when she was on the roof a number of Firemen, ambulance men and Matron appeared on the roof. They had decided that it was important to find out if it was possible to evacuate the patients from the wards at the top of the building if the stairs were no longer usable. Someone had come up with the clever idea of lowering patients from the roof in a type of Sling Seat if the hospital was hit by a bomb or set on fire.. After everyone peered over the edge and made some measurements. They needed a volunteer to be lowered off the building to test the theory. Pooh immediately stepped forward and was ushered to the sling seat. At this point Matron approached Pooh and handed her a large safety pin. she indicated Pooh's skirts and told her to pin the hems together to ensure that when she was lowered to the ground there would be no inappropriate views of legs! Pooh was lowered oft' the roof and when her sister Janet found out she was in a lot of trouble for putting herself at risk. It was later decided that this method of evacuation would not be possible and the higher wards were empty for the duration of the war. It appears Pooh was the only person, apart from window cleaners, who were ever dangled over the edge of the Victoria Infirmary and lowered to the ground.

As the war commenced there were a number of men who, for a variety of reasons, needed medical or surgical treatment before they could join up. One of these was David Allardice. He had a problem with one of his feet that needed a small operation. He and Pooh met and fell in love, very traditional Nurse/ Patient romance. Well it worked and they married and Winifred Johannah Upton Walker became Mrs Allardice. David was an only child and lived near Wishaw. They married on 7th October 1942 and David went off to war serving with The Royal Army Service Corps. Winnie was no longer able to be a State Registered Nurse in the Victoria Infirmary, married women could not be nurses! She went to work for G&J Weirs as an Industrial Nurse, Weirs made boilers and armaments and was a thriving business in the South of Glasgow. Pooh's sister Janet had also married and her husband Willy Dickson worked at G&J Weirs. As they had some space and Pooh could no longer stay in Nurses accommodation she went to live with her sister. David came home a number of times and Pooh would meet up with him whenever and wherever possible. She told the tale of the last night they met when they were sitting on a bench overlooking the sea on the East Coast. A dog walker went passed shortly followed by his Labrador. David was a dog lover and endeavoured to make friends with the dog, unusually David found this is impossible as the dog's hackles went up and he scuttled quickly around the back of the bench. David laughed it off but it made a big impression on Pooh. David went off the next day to join up with his regiment and Pooh went back to Weirs. Two days later she received the dreaded Telegram telling her that David was dead. At this point she didn't know what had happened only that whatever it was had occurred in London. Willy Dickson took leave and went to London with Pooh, she appreciated this for the rest of her life. Willy and Pooh travelled, with difficulty to London. They discovered that David had died of injuries he received when, having embarked on a ship to once more sail off to war, a derrick broke, and David was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This was bad enough, however, worse was to come when the Military said that she was not eligible to a War Widows Pension as he had not been fighting or abroad when he died! This decision was challenged as he would not have been on the ship but for his army service. The challenge was successful and she received her pension. David's body was shipped back to Scotland and he was buried in his parent's village. Pooh continued to live with Janet and Willy and their son Ian. She was part of a team which consisted of a Doctor and a few Nurses. Working in a factory which was producing as much as possible there were frequent accidents. It was therefore not unusual for her to deal with people who had crush injuries. It was one such incident which introduced her to William Ross, known as Bill. He had a foot injury ! They hit it off and therefore she met both her husbands because of their feet. Bill had two reasons for not being in the forces. He was working for a company which was producing items urgently needed for the war effort i.e. reserved occupation, and he had health problems.

Jo 1944 - 1949

William Brown Ross (Bill) and Winifred Johannah Upton Allardice married in June 1945. Her parents thought it was too soon after David's death and this caused a rift which took many years to heal, however. Janet and Willy Dickson stayed a major part of their lives. Bill called her Jo and addressed all the cards he sent her that way. They moved into digs in Glasgow and because Bill was involved in Transport and had a car he taught Jo to drive. As this was during the war she didn't have to sit a test. As with anyone else he taught to drive, Bill insisted that she knew something of the workings of a car. Unfortunately Jo had neither any knowledge of cars, nor any real interest in learning about the internal workings of a combustion engine!

Bill got a new' job, as Transport Manager, in a subsidiary of G&J Weirs, Weir Housing. This was based in Coatdyke, Coatbridge, Lanarkshire so Bill and Jo had to move from Glasgow. It is not known where they moved to initially but they ended up in a new home built by Weir Housing. A number of the managers from the company were given homes in the same street. The Ross's had moved away from family and friends in Glasgow. By modern standards they hadn't moved far but as none of the family had cars it wasn't easy them to get to Coatbridge and Jo, who was no longer working, had no access to a car during the day. It was the same for others in the street and as a result Jo became friends with Evelyn Smith wife of Bill, as you will have realised there were a number of Bills and indeed Jeans! Jo and Evelyn had more in common than being lonely and living in the same street, they were pregnant at the same time. This was in the era when women hid their pregnancies by wearing smocks and not going out too much, so it must have been good to have a friend in the same position only two doors away. Jo was unwell for a lot of her pregnancy and spent some time in a Nursing Home next to Calderpark Zoo. She didn't talk much about this except to talk about being woken at dawn by the roaring of the lions.

Mum 1949 - 2003

Their daughter was named Madeline Anne, and there was a bit of a scrabble, as Mum was convinced Madeline was a boy and was going to be called Graham, Madeline already had a blue bedroom. So Bill was sent out to buy a book of girls names and her sister Janet, had to find the material to make pink curtains. Around the time Madeline was two years old her parents moved from Coatbridge to Burnside, the first house they ever owned. Merlo, 7 Lower Bourtree Drive was home for Mum from 1951 until 1981. They owned the ground floor and basement of a Victorian Semi.

Throughout Madeline's childhood, despite the fact that her father's heart condition obviously gave Mum great cause for concern. Mum was always there for her. She worked miracles making her costumes for Junior Choir and later the Youth Fellowship concerts. The first of these was when she was a Rabbit (Fluff) in Red Riding Hood, it was an amazing costume and the only part of her which showed was her face, which had whiskers drawn on it. Sitting in the audience the lady next to her said I know that must be your daughter she is so like you. Mum was very taken aback and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

The one thing Madeline didn't like seeing Mum do was knitting. There was a reason for that, she only knitted when her dad was ill - not just a cold or flu - but with his heart problems. If Mum knitted her dad was seriously ill. This started when she was only two and her dad died when she was 1 7. She didn't make a big issue of his condition but used her Nursing skills to keep him as well as possible. She didn't have much time for hobbies as housework, cooking, gardening and looking after Dad and Madeline took up most of her time. However, Mum always found time for her friends, with Morag and Evelyn she took up Scottish Country Dancing and it was Madeline's friend Christine's Mum who played the piano. Mum started painting in oils no less. She thoroughly enjoyed the classes and was extremely good at copying pictures. Once the class moved onto still life etc she did not enjoy it as much and gave up. Mum did sew a great deal, making clothes for herself and Madeline, initially helped by Aileen Ruxton who was an amazing seamstress. She also made the most amazing fancy dress outfits for Madeline, and occasionally for herself and Dad. The most memorable was a scarecrow, wearing an old hat of Morag Gibson, with Madeline's arms inside the jacket as she had a cut down broomstick through the arms. Following the success with the rabbit outfit in her first choir show Mum made outfits for most of the shows in which she was involved

Winnie 1967 - 2003

When Madeline was 17 they went to a Mary Calder's Wedding in Guildford. The friendship between the Ross's and the Calder's had grown since their meeting on holiday at Potarch and Bill had been asked to do a speech as friend of the family. Madeline had helped Bill to write the poem while Winnie had made Madeline a dress and her own outfit. They drove down to Guildford at the beginning of December 1966. Travelling in the Austin Cambridge and going via the Al to give Madeline the opportunity to do some dual carriageway driving as she had her driving test in the January. The day of the wedding was cold but the company was friendly and Bill got up to deliver the poem. After a couple of verses he collapsed, luckily there was a Coronary Specialist at the wedding and while an ambulance was called he kept Bill alive. Someone brought Winnie's and Madeline's coats and they prepared to go to the hospital. Bill had other ideas that Madeline was to finish the poem! Winnie went off to the hospital with him and Madeline was left at the wedding. The Calders were wonderful on the day and for the next few months. Winnie and madeline stayed with them over Christmas while Bill was in hospital. After Christmas Madeline had to go back to Scotland to school, Winnie stayed at the Calders and Bill went there when he was discharged from hospital. Winnie and Bill returned to Scotland at the beginning of March and Bill died in the April.

This was another new start for Winnie, she had to find a way of making a living and maintaining the home which had big rooms with high ceilings and a very steep garden. This was not an ideal house for two females but Winnie was determined and she decided to open a Playgroup. Playgroups were a fairly new idea in the 60s but it was either that or going back to nursing.

The dining room became the playroom and by September, the start of the school year, it was up and running. Winnie advertised before she opened and never had to place another advert as there was always a waiting list. Winnie went on a series of training classes and Madeline remembers the evening when she came home not knowing whether to laugh or be annoyed. A lecturer from the local college had given a talk about how to make play enriching - so far so good- all went well until it came to the sandpit/box. According to this lady the sand had to be wet as when a child went to the toilet for big jobs they experienced a feeling of loss and the wet sand filled the gap!!!!!!!

Winnie was determined to make the playroom as special as possible, Madeline's Wendy House had pride of place, there was a rocking horse, a slide, painting/drawing tables, water trough - but no sand tray!!!! Winnie managed to obtain a barrel which sat on its side and acted as a tunnel or cave or anything. She wanted a transport area so she needed a steering wheel. A friend managed to get one. No one asked where it came from! The palygroup lasted many years and hundreds of lucky children got to see Winnie's playful side.

In the late 1970s it became necessary because of Madeline's husband Barry's work for them to move away from Lanarkshire and relocate to Surrey. At this point Winnie was not well and it was suspected that she had Parkinson's. Madeline was not prepared to leave her in Scotland when she was unwell and it was decided that they would all move south. Winnie was not entirely sure about this but her friends the Calders lived in Surrey and another friend, Jean Brown, had also moved to Surrey to be near her daughter Aileen. Therefore undaunted she agreed to the move. After a prolonged period of trying to sell a house in Scotland and buy one in England the house in Surrey was ready in August 1981. Winnie moved in with Barry - Madeline was still working in Scotland. Winnie had her own rooms and a flat garden, she liked gardening but had found the slope in Burnside was becoming too much for her, so a flat garden was an enjoyable challenge. There are many many more stories from that house in Surrey. Too many to tell.

Winnie-Jo 1994 - 2003

The next new beginning for Winnie was in 1989 when Barry and Madeline went their separate ways and Winnie and Madeline stayed in the Horley house. In 1993 Madeline met Alan and they decided to get married. Barry and Madeline agreed that he would buy her out and Madeline looked for a home for Winnie near her new home in Sandhurst, Bracknell Forest. After searching fruitlessly Alan, her husband, stumbled upon sheltered housing in Windlesham, which is Surrey but not too far from Sandhurst. Winnie loved the flat they showed her and they bought it immediately. In March 1994 she moved into yet another new home. She said it was like playing houses. For the first time in her life she had fitted carpets throughout and Madeline managed to get her new furniture which matched the few pieces Winnie had brought with her from Scotland. Getting to know the other residents she found that she was Winifred number four. There was already Winifred, Winnie and Freddie so she reverted back to Jo. However, as so many people knew her as Winnie she decided to be Winnie-Jo.

The move from Horley had been easier than it might have been as her friend and next door neighbour Della had moved to be near her daughter in Cumbria and she had no close friends left in Horley. Now there were new people on her doorstep many of whom had recently moved. Winnie-Jo being who she was lost no time in making friends, she was even befriended by the volunteer who took her to hospital appointments, whose mother became a good friend. There were day outings, supper parties, lunches, drinks evenings and all other sorts of social events.

Having said she wanted to go up in a Hot Air Balloon, Madeline decided that this would be perfect for her 80th Birthday. Who gives a rather frail 80 year old a Balloon Flight, well when it is Winnie-Jo you do! Alan and madeline decided to have a party at their house, it was amazing how many people had to be invited. Winnie-Jo had a ball, there was even a cake with a Balloon - courtesy of Aileen who has made all our family special cakes since I was 21. There were lots of cards, presents to open, food and drink and so many people to talk to and everyone from the under 2 year old Catherine upwards spent time with her. A couple of weeks later Winnie-Jo, Alan and madeline went to Bath for the weekend and on the Sunday the weather settled and we were able to fly. This time we were all going up, up and away. Winnie-Jo loved it. Well they all did, however. Alan thought it was the handsome young men helping her in and out of the basket which really made her day. When we got her back to Windlesham, having learned my lesson, Madeline asked her what she wanted to do for her 90th. When she told her she fancied Abseiling she told her she would buy her the experience but would not be doing it with her!!! Unfortunately Winnie-Jo did not live to abseil. She would have loved it.

When she knew that she was dying she told Madeline it was her time and that she loved her. What more can anyone do. To the end she had a sense of adventure, she could see the funny side of everything and she loved people.

Aunt Ginnie?

My gran and grandpa Jan and Willie Dickson were an integral part in Winnie's life. Their tenemant flat at 634 Cathcart Road, Govanhill, Glasgow, where my grandparents lived for much of their life, in fact their whole married life, was a second home for both Winnie and Madeline. Winnie spent Saturdays with Aileen but Sundays were with the Dicksons. My gran was big sister and friend and grandad was still a rock to Winnie as he had been when David her first hsband had been killed. My father Ian was now married to my mum Flo, and I was born the year Bill Ross had died. I remember Winnie fondly from my early years and I always loved visiting her as her Playgroup was an absolute Disneyland as I was there when the kids weren't and I had carte blanche to do what I liked. I christened her Aunt Ginnie, not because she drank huge amounts of Gin, although she did know her way around a bottle of Gordon's, it was more because my grandmother Jan was teetotal, she signed the pledge when she was as a girl. Aunt Ginnie just seemed more adventurous than my lot.

That's enough from me now although there are many many more stories to tell about Aunt Ginnie. Her bridge playing, Concorde, holidays going around the world, visiting her in Horley with my friend when I was about 17, the list goes on. Suffice to say she is well missed but she lived her life well and made many other peoples lives much more pleasant.

Most of the stories are recollections by Madeline Denton, her daughter, put down in writing in A Woman of many names - The story of my mother.