Last Friday my husband Michael & myself attended the unveiling of the memorial at the library, a day of very mixed emotions for a lot of people.
Michael survived the floods in 1953 along with his parents, brother and sister. The children were evacuated to the mainland while his parents stayed on the Island to sort things out and see to the dog and cat.
Later trying to find his parents he was taken to a hall to see if they had registered there, while doing this he had his photo taken which was printed in the Daily Sketch on 2/2/1953.
Michael his brother and sister were reunited with their mother about 4am the next morning at King John’s school, their dad was still helping out on the Island.
While at the library on Friday he saw a copy of the newspaper (he once had a copy but it has been lost somewhere) and I thought it would be nice to have his photo taken with it, Richard Pontius took the attached photo of Michael with two friends, Doreen Hoad nee Corner and Barbara Brown nee Burder, who also survived the floods, they did not know each other in 1953, but have actually been friends for over 50 years.
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Hello…I believe the lady on the right of the picture is called Maureen. She was our next door neighbour in Letzen Road; I remember her babysitting once for us. In later years she still used to see my mum, Mary Johnson at the W.I. meetings held at the Paddocks. I thought she was very glamorous when she was carnival queen! Janette Sheern nee Johnson. I was one of six children living next door to her.
Sorry Janette I think you will find this is Maureen’s sister Barbara.
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