This week’s photo selection was inspired by a recent conversation with a woman who has lived in Worcester for more than 80 years.
Elaine Clayton was born at home in Croydon Villas near Oldbury Road and attended Comer Gardens Infant and Junior Schools, which have since been demolished.
She and her family later moved to the prefabricated houses in East Comer before later moving to Hallow.
Elaine told me, “I have such happy memories of living in this area, and although I later moved to the other side of Worcester, my heart has always been in St. John’s.”
Elaine’s father saw active service during World War II and had how many horrific experiences, though luckily he survived to tell the story.
A particularly poignant memory was VE Day and the Worcester Bridge celebrations.
Elaine was only seven years old, and after that her father carried her home on his shoulders and walked all the way down New Road, Laugherne Road, and home.
Elaine attended Bromsgrove College at the age of 16, trained as a nurse at Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital, followed by a period at QE.
After completing her education, she moved back to Worcester and worked at Worcester Eye Hospital in Barbourne for four years until she married.
She and her husband moved into a house in the Brickfields area. Elaine worked in a variety of roles at Elbury Mount Junior School, as a dinner lady, class assistant, and in the office before eventually taking an active role in raising her grandchildren and working a few hours in the sandwich shop at Foregate Street Station.
Thanks to Elaine for sharing her story and inspiring this week’s article. We don’t have photos of some of the locations mentioned, so we’d love to hear from anyone who could fill in the blanks!
Many people in Herefordshire and Worcestershire are now creating their own life stories via the new Life Stories Herefordshire & Worcestershire web platform at life-stories.hacw.nhs.uk and recording elements of their lives that can be downloaded, shared or simply saved as a. can be enjoyed digital slide show.
You can also share your knowledge and photos via the community level at Know Your Place Worcester – kypworcester.org.uk.
Worcester Life Stories is a community project that brings local people together through shared stories of the city of Worcester. It is jointly managed by Dr. Natasha Lord, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust and Sheena Payne-Lunn, Worcester City Council, managed and funded thanks to the National Lottery players.
For more information or to share your stories, visit wocesterlifestories.org.uk, our Facebook page or Twitter @worlifestories.
You can also email Worcesterlifestories@gmail.com or call 01905 721133.
And why not visit the We grew up in Worcester page on Facebook?