Amazing sequel to 1920s tale

Thursday 7th February 2008, 11:38AM GMT.

Lulu Clay in 1926A photo carried in the Shropshire Star’s Pictures From The Past feature, showing 1920s pupils at Kemberton School has had an amazing sequel – the little girl holding the board bearing the school name and date, 1926, turns out to be still alive.

Her niece has sent us another photo of the youngster, Lulu Clay, which may well have been taken the same day, as her clothes are the same.

Margaret Anderson, of Milford, Baschurch, dropped us a line to say: “You published a photo of Kemberton School in 1926. The little girl holding the board with the name and date on is my aunt, Lulu Clay.

“She is 90. She is a Franciscan nun who is retired to the convent in Godalming, Surrey, after spending most of her life with missions in Nigeria and Zambia.

“The girl in the middle of the middle row is my auntie Anne who died many years ago. She married and became Anne Budgen and lived near Aberystwyth.

“Lulu and Anne lived at The Poplars Farm, Kemberton. There were six children – Olive, Minnie (now 102), Joe (my father), Anne, Lulu and Jean.

Kemberton School pupils in 1926.“Minnie, Lulu and Jean are the only ones surviving.

“Here is a photo of Lulu. She tells me the boy in the striped tie on the end of her row is Cyril Edwards, the two girls by her were Dolly and Nelly Pooler, and the three tallest boys on the back row were also Poolers.”

As it happens, Andrew Pooler of Kemberton has previously contacted us to name most of the children, and it is interesting to compare their names with those of Lulu.

Here is how they remember them: back, from left – Joe Edwards, George Hassell, Percy Edwards, Joe Taylor, Harold Sirrel, unknown, Walter Bowdler, Den Dunn, Jim Jackson

Middle – Marjory Dunn, Harriett (Krinkey) Cross, Winney Jones, Violet Jarvis, Ann Clay, Gladys Meredith, Beate Hammonds, Brenda Darrell (Madeley). Front – Albert (Dick) Pooler, Oliver Woodfield, Daisy Leek, Mary Pooler, Lulu Clay, Freddy Felton, Eric Edwards.

The Poolers on the front row are Andrew’s father’s elder siblings.

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  1. 1
    philipbate

    Hello
    The Landlord of the Swan Hotel Watling St. gave me your details and told me you do a column on where are they now?.
    My great great grandfather John Vallentine Bate was landlord at the Swan Hotel (Inn) in 1861 and stayed there with his family.He was a shoemaker by profession and it seems strange he worked at the Inn at all.Even stranger he and his wife seems to have disappeared after that without trace. One of his sons Edwin,my great grandfather, moved to Manchester to work in the mines in the 1870′s.
    Could any of your readers throw any light on the matter.
    King regards
    Phil Bate

    Report abuse



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