Rosemary Davies ( nee Harley) from Llanstephan was my best friend in Craig-y-nos in 1951.
She was 10 years of age at the time.
Rosemary was one of 11 children. She says going into Craig-y-nos made her feel "special. I had 5 younger brothers and sisters and 5 older ones. We had visiting every month and I used to get lots of presents and attention."
Rosemary was not confined to bed and has happy memories of her time at Craig-y-nos.. The only downside she can remember is that when she came home she couldn't bear to sleep in the house and insisted on sleeping in the barn ( the family had a smallholding).
We used to break into the library to get books because we were the only ones thin enough to get through the bars. Then Rosemary put on weight and got stuck and refused to go in. So it was left to me to break in and open the door to let the others from the balcony in to raid Miss White, the teacher's library.
Oh yes we did return the books once we had read them.
After leaving school Rosemary wanted to be a hairdresser but was advised against it by Dr. Williams, the TB specialist. Instead she "lead a country life out in the open air working on farms " and she attributes this to her long and healthy life. She has a son and today works part-time in the Brigend Inn in Llyswen.
Rosemary remembers the stern Austrian woman doctor, Dr Huppert:" She tore the plaster off my neck ( I had TB gland) and it ripped the skin off too and she kept saying. "No pain, you not feel pain." Dr Huppert also ordered my long plaits to be cut off because she said they took energy away."
No comments:
Post a Comment