Childhood memories of kind doctor’s care in 1940s Willenhall

PAULINE Poole’s letter in Bugle 1365, October 24, stirred a lot of memories.

Employment at Garringtons enabled my parents, Frank and Flo Moss, brother Geoff and myself, to move from Hednesford to 56 Harrowby Place, Willenhall, in 1935 – a new semidetached (we were there for 30 years).

Our immediate neighbours were mostly Darlaston folk and Mom, Geoff and myself were “on the panel” of the Drs Lamb – lovely Irish brothers. My father attended Dr Sherwood in Willenhall.

The Darlaston surgeries were on the Bull Stake and the other at Blockall. No cars in those days – Midland Red bus. As Mrs Poole said, the first words uttered were “who do we follow?” Could be there sometimes one hour or two, but a doctor was seen. Similar situation with the dispensary and any medication needed.

At the age of ten – 1942, the height of the war – I was seriously ill with an ear infection, probably mastoiditis. A doctor came in every day, hospital was a serious possibility, but a Dr Lamb called in one afternoon, with tablets, one to be taken every four hours, even during the night, crushed on a spoon with water or milk. They made me feel worse, but the infection started to clear. M&B 693, an early antibiotic.

My regards to any in Harrowby Place who recall the Moss family (the field, I know, is now a housing estate) and to any in Darlaston (Garro’ folk in particular who remember by father Frank), Willenhall and Walsall.

Love the Bugle here in Devon, and Mrs Poole’s letters in particular, and she knows my area Cynthia Smith, née Moss Fremington Barnstaple