Wednesday 11th April 2012
D.B. Starke, of Radyr, Cardiff, writes ~
Dear Mr. Howell,
I recently acquired a copy of your book ‘Five Connected Lives’ and have enjoyed reading it, particularly the section about Marjorie Fudge.
I was born at Salisbury in 1920; my maternal grandparents and two aunts and their families lived at Warminster so that I came to know the town very well. We visited frequently; as I recollect the return rail fare from Salisbury was 1/6!
In their latter years my grandparents lived in George Street right opposite Miss White’s toy shop. This was a veritable Aladdin’s cave and carried a good selection of cap and blank cartridge pistols amongst other things. I was a regular customer and remember Miss White very well – she was the tall and grumpy one and I was somewhat in awe of her. I think that she regarded small boys with considerable suspicion.
Thank you for a good read which brought back so many happy memories.
Danny Howell replies ~
Thank you D.B. Starke. I’m glad you enjoyed reading the book and I was pleased to hear your anecdote about Miss White. If you were born in 1920, that makes you 92 years old or thereabouts, so I guess you have many such recollections. Once again, thank you for sharing the story of Miss White’s toy shop. The property, now numbered No.7 George Street, Warminster, BA12 8QA, has been owned since the mid-1950s by my aunt Diana Turner, who runs The Baby Shop there still to this day.