More about the object

Now, before I go into detail I think I had better explain just how I got to know the person who owned it. As those who have read all of my blogs, I was in business at the seaside from 1969. The owner for the premises told me to look after the old couple over the road because he would go and sit on the promenade and anyone who asked him where to get a decent meal, he would then give them my premises name and direction. The way I was to look after them was to get their bread from my baker. This I did. It didn't do any good though because unfortunately the man didn't live a lot longer. I still went over though to take her the bread. I guess she was then about 75. Over the next few years she grew weaker, first she had an estrogen deficiency and developed a so called dowagers hump. I forgot to tell you, she lived in a house that was 4 bed roomed, had no bathroom, no electricity, had only gas down stairs and candle for upstairs. The owner of the property wished to install electricity but she kindly refused. She had no close relatives only a Nephew and Niece, they both lived at Grimsby some 35 miles away. They did 'nt call on her very often, however as she got older they did call a little more frequently. She used to hate them coming because she did a posh tea for them. You will understand more as I tell you more about her. the only time I ever heard a swear word was once when they had been and eaten all before them. She called him a greedy bugger. I just laughed. She told me that when she was gone they would be here like vultures. She was right of course. She had no money and no property, she did however have some nice things. She once took me into her front room and showed me a 24 piece tea service which she called a blackberry design. It certainly looked nice. Now a little more about her, as she got older, I found myself going over to see that the coal was in, that the gas mantle was lit, by now she couldn't reach the handle to turn it on. I remedied that by tying string so that she at least could reach to turn on the gas mantle. Then one day she told me that she was going to have a gas fire fitted, this she said would allow her to be able to control her heat herself. She really lived in a very spartan place. Incidentally there was no hot water, in fact only 1 tap. This was in the scullery. I would go and sit with her, she would then reminisce, she sent me upstairs,which I was highly honoured as she never allowed anyone up there. She told me where to go and what to get. On one occasion it was an album. There were plenty of photos, as she turned each page she would sometimes tell me who they were. I noticed a man in uniform and asked her who it was. She told me that it was her intended husband. He was a butchers Son. He had wanted to marry her before he went back to the front, however his father informed him that the war was drawing to a close and if he waited, he would pay for everything when the war was over. Unfortunately, he never returned. Another album was filled with postcards. There were well over 100 she told me that her Brother Arthur sent her a postcard every time he went anywhere. he told me that he was her elder brother but was a sickly child and never really improved. He did eventually die of Consumption(Tuberculosis). She asked me if I had noticed the fox head on a wooden plinth in the hall. I told her I had. She told me that this was given to Arthur on his first kill. Normally they were bloodied. I think that is how the original quote arose. they are now bloodied in.That is the brush was cut off the fox and then smeared across each cheek of the newest member but because he was sickly, they gave him the head instead. It was dated 1901. I guess Arthur would be about 13 then. By the way, tomorrow I will put on my blog a picture of where she was born. The White Heart Hotel. Spilsby. The photo was taken, I think in 1897 to commemorate Queen Victoria 60 years on the throne. Standing outside was her Father, Mother Arthur, herself and her pet dog which I forget what it was called. By the way, this was a photo I found upstairs in her bedroom. She gave it to me. As she got older and weaker, she would tell me more of her life. She was born around 1983 in Spilsby. She led a privileged life. Her Father was the Manager of the White Heart Hotel. She never had to do a thing for many years as everything was done for her. Suddenly around 1920 everything stopped. Her father suddenly died and as everybody knows as soon as the man dies, the woman had to vacate any licensed premises. So that was the end of her grand life. Now to the I don't know what to call it. It was always either on the table but when the table was set, it was on the sideboard. One day I asked her about it, she just said it was her bulldog breed. Now to how I got it. The niece who was reasonable would often come and have 5 minutes with me. I once told her that she had a profile of a woman hanging on the wall. I just told her I did not like it at all. Well when she died, she came over to see me, gave me the key so that I could let any authorised person in. She then told me that she had taken the profile of that woman down, also that horrible monkey figure and put them both in the dustbin. I didn't say anything but was disappointed that the bulldog breed had gone. Well as I had a key, sometime later I went over and to my surprise, she had disposed of both objects in the dustbin but like most methodical women had firstly wrapped them up in newspaper. I retrieved the bulldog, noticed that the top came off. I have thought about it often and I am satisfied that I think this was a promotion for the display and selling of cigars in the White Heart. It must be remembered that this was a very quality place in the late 1800s. I will continue to tell just a little more tomorrow.