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A Garland of Daisies, A Jersey Childhood - by Margaret Vaudin

Description

Despite the title, part of this book takes place in Badsey, where Margaret moved to in 1974, having got a job in Broadway. Chapter 6 "The Second Great Removal 1970-1981" and Chapter 7 "Retirement Quo Vadis?" covers this period of her life. Margaret describes an afternoon spent house-hunting: "When I was leafing through the brochures, I had picked out this particular house as one I could not live in because the outside looked so unattractive. However, the inside was well-planned, having a garage, a very small garden and faced due south. On the strength of these good points, I more or less told my agent to make an offer. But, in case of being too precipitate, I took Aunty Phil and Diana over to give me their opinion. They were so extravagant in their praise, I had to hush them hastily. I thought they would send the price soaring up." This was a new house on School Lane which Margaret moved into in the summer of 1974. Earlier in the book, whilst describing her student days at Reading University, she writes: "“In rural economics, a subject in which I did not shine, we had to study in depth the workings of the first horticultural co-operative society in the country. This was in 1934. I was quite amazed when, in 1974, chance brought me to live in Badsey, forty years later, where the Littleton and Badsey Growers’ Association, whose function I had studied with such pain, was only just up the road from my house and still very much in business.” The last page of the book indicates that the manuscript was written at Evesham between July 1981 and December 1981. A handwritten note on the title page says, "To Doreen with best wishes, Margaret Vaudin".

Author
Margaret Vaudin
Publisher
Regency, London
Year created
1984
Publication Date/Date Made
1984
Physical Characteristics (Dimensions)
14.7 cm x 20.11 cm
Physical Characteristics (Description)
Hard-back book with dust jacket, 148 pages
Supporting Information

Margaret Hazel Vaudin (1917-2006) was born in Jersey, the second daughter of Ronald and Mary Vaudin. Her father was from a very old Jersey family dating back to 1260, but her mother’s family was from Kidderminster. Margaret was educated at Jersey Ladies’ College and Reading University (1934-1936) where she took a two-year Diploma Course in Horticulture. Margaret worked in Kidderminster for many years but then got a job in Broadway, where her employer had moved to, and bought a house on School Lane, Badsey, in 1974. Margaret moved from Badsey in the late 1980s/early 1990s and died in the Worcester district in 2006.

Donor or Creator of Records
Peter Stewart
Provenance
Bought in a charity shop
Nature of Acquisition
Gift
Accession Date
2010
Access Conditions
Contact Archive Manager
Reference
65/B/LIB