Vera Robinson ( Humphrey)
It all started 08/09/1938 when I was born in Sunderland General Maternity Hospital. My father was James (Jim) Humphrey from Wardley, and my mother Vera (nee Allan) she was from Monkwearmouth, Sunderland. We lived at 2 Coxon Street Bill Quay, and then moved to 36 Waggonway Street when I was 18 months old.  My dad was working at the colliery and it was there in Waggonway Street that my three younger sisters were born. I started Old Wardley School in September 1943 and remember my first teacher Mrs. Bearpark with very fond memories, she said I had a halo around my head because my hair was a very rich auburn and very curly. Mr Parkin was a wonderful teacher, he would read the classics to us. I know I for one enjoyed them and I still read them today.  The Christmas parties were the highlight of the school year when we were dressed up in our party dresses.  I also enjoyed playing hockey, we had a team of sorts but never played competitively, (there is a photo of our team on pictures from the past, does anyone recognise themselves?).  The school dinners were the best, just as mam made, in fact for some at school better.
We moved to 43 Whitemere Gardens about 1947/8 and the luxury of a flush loo and hot running water. Also, the most important room in the house was the bathroom and I can still remember my very first bath.
In 1953, my Dad was in an accident with 5 other men at Follingsby Colliery he had extensive injuries and this meant he would never work at the Pit again. It was that year I left school, and my first job was working for Bamlings the fruiters at the Pelaw shop, there was Mr & Mrs Bambling and their son Nicky.  It was very hard and heavy work and it was 6 days a week from 8.30 am until 5.30 pm.  I also worked at the shop on the Felling High Street.  I did get fruit and veg cheap and, even given the bruised fruit on Saturday as it would not have lasted until the Monday. I wasn't sorry to leave there.
I was interviewed and got a job at the CO-OP, that was in 1954. I worked at the Wadley store when Arthur Smith was manager.  Mr Bert Ethrington was on the bacon counter: he had very flat feet and walked badly.  There is a photograph somewhere of him carrying the Jarrow March banner when they marched from Jarrow to London in 1936, and he claimed it was the march that b******* his feet up. Also working there was Lillian Selkirk (nee Dixon), she was the cashier, Billy Brass, Alban Davies he delivered orders on the CO-OP van.  He married my cousin Betty Humphrey, I went to the new store when it opened on the Ellen Wilkinson Estate and walked to work most mornings with Lillian and or Billy Forster he lived in Whitemere Gardens at 35 or 37.  I also had a spell of working at the shops at The Drive at Heworth, and the main store at Pelaw, and the shop at Lingey Gardens.   There was still some ration book coupon about then.  I remember cutting them out of the book: also, weighing and packing some dried goods and vegetables, in very strong paper bags.  I enjoyed my time working for the CO-OP, and really can't remember why I left. That would be around 1956.
I then started at the garage at the top of Palmers Hall Bank.  The pay was very poor but the tips were good.  At that time the building of Leam Lane Est was in progress and of course the drivers of the lorries would fill up at the garage.  There was still a few accumulators' around for the old wireless sets and were brought to the garage to be charged, I remember a few times not getting the connections on properly so of course I was in trouble and had the price of the charge deducted from my pay.  We had some good laughs there, but the work was very smelly and dirty.  That job lasted about 12 months as I was then at the age to start my training as a nurse, which I had been waiting for, and I saved quite a bit of money working at the garage. I was interviewed at Sunderland General Hospital by the MATRON. My parents were present, and in the course of the interview it was mentioned that my place of birth was in that hospital.  To cut a long story short she then produced a diary for 1938, and on the page for the 8th Sept. was entered my birth weight and all that goes with the delivery of a baby, also her name and rank at the time - she was the midwife who delivered me. The references that I had to have were written by Mr Bill Parkin, one of the teachers from school and Mr John Marley who was the Superintendent of the St John's Ambulance brigade and Miss Mary Joyce of West Crescent she was the Matron of the old peoples home in Sunderland that was attached to the hospital, and she was the daughter of Mr and Mrs Anthony Joyce, and had of course known me all my life.  The time there was a happy time and I was doing well in lectures and exams, but I became ill and had to leave, I was there for only a year.  When I eventually was able to return to finding a job it was suggested that I apply to the hospital at Ryhope. As I still wanted to carry on nursing, Miss Joyce was a great help to me than as she knew the Matron there and was able to get me an interview.  I must point out that she had no influence whatsoever and that I had to pass an entrance exam.
I started at Ryhope General Hospital in November 1958, and the years I spent, there were some of the happiest in my life.  The training was very hard and you had to be committed and dedicated and believe me I was. It was built for the wounded soldiers from the Second World War.  There was one long central corridor with the wards branching off at either side.  The Matron, Miss Bowen, was a real Sergeant Major but a very fair one.  I made some very good friends there and I'm pleased to say I still keep in touch with them.  The Sister Tutor was Mrs Sparkes who came from Dorset, she was very patient with all us girls, and I was very friendly with her even after I was married and had a family.
I met my husband Brian at Ryhope, he was a patient on the surgical ward.   But we did not meet for quite some weeks after he was discharged (there was another girl in the frame).  He was in the merchant navy mainly on tankers, in fact he sailed with a Wardley lad Robin Branch. We got engaged just before I sat my finals.  When we told my parents my dad said to him "you don't know what you're taking on there lad", but I know he was very happy for us.
Not long after I qualified I left the hospital to work at Vickers Armstrongs Engineering Works in Elswick Road Newcastle in 1960. Brian and I were married while I was working there, the staff were very kind, and I still have some of the wedding presents they gave us then.  We bought a flat in Roker right next to the old football ground in Roker Baths Road.  After our second son was barn jobs were very scarce, so Brian went back to sea for a few more years. I got a post at The Orthopeadic Hospital Sunderland in 1964 and worked there until we moved to Milford Haven in 1977. We came to Milford Haven to live and have been here now for 39 years.
Although we have settled here and are happy living in Wales, I still call WARDLEY home.