“Up the Garden Path” was the title of David Bell’s talk when he joined SI Cannock & District as their speaker recently. And it wasn’t a talk about flowers and shrubs – but very amusing anecdotes gathered about “the privy”.
David is an author and has been writing for 25 years; prior to that he was a Primary school teacher and Headteacher, living and working where the three counties of Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire meet. His first books were written for 10 year olds, he then wrote rather gory crime fiction under the name of Jack Wainer. It was when he helped out a friend in a book shop that he realised there was a need for books about life in the three counties he was so familiar with. Then began his series of books: ‘Ghosts and Legends’, ‘Memories of life in the Coalfields’, and books about growing up in the 40s and 50s. The stories he was told led him to research more stories about the privy – which was usually down the garden path. David recounted some of these amusing tales: about threading the torn newspaper to hang on a hook on the wall; saving the orange wrappers for ‘posh’ visitors to use!, 2-seather, 3-seater and even 4-seater privies; and stories of the ‘night-soil man’ who would empty the buckets and throw soil to disguise any residue.
The stories had members remembering their own childhood experiences and laughing at some of the inevitable consequences of the privy in the garden. Of course, those who buried the contents of their buckets grew excellent vegetables! It seems there is a village in Nottingham where privies and buckets are still in use. More information about David, his books and his talks can be found on www.freewebs.com/davebell.
Past President Pam McGauley and Soroptimist Maggie Shore gave the vote of thanks.Cannock Soroptimists’ next speaker is Ian Bott whose subject is Black Country Murders. He will speak at the meeting on July 1st at The Barns. More information is available on the website www.sigbi.org/cannock-and-district, bookings can be made via si.cannock@outlook.com or by phoning 07971 494510
Photo attached: l to r: Dr Janis Lomas, President, SI Cannock & District; David Bell; Past Team President Pam McGauley