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I continued to visit the Garden Suburb, and I soon began to form an unhealthy attachment to Marjorie Ormerod's house in Southway. Miss Ormerod was very fond of boisterous German Shepherd dogs, so I was reluctant to invite myself in for a cuppa. But fortunately I had advocates, in the form of her next-door neighbours, who interceded on my behalf. The indefatigable Miss Ormerod had been a schoolteacher, but her knowledge and enthusiasm encompassed much more than a conventional school curriculum. As well as enjoying regular games on the snooker table - set up in the front bedroom - she also enjoyed star-gazing, from her vantage point on the balcony accessed through the attic French windows.
I don't know for sure, but legend had it that Miss Ormerod had travelled far and wide - even to China - well before package holidays were the norm. It is also said that while she enjoyed cooking, she had insisted on using the original cast-iron range for decades, before she could be persuaded to install a 'modern' gas cooker. And rumour has it that before age got the better of her, the formidable Miss O would hold a regular card school in the dining room, which was especially convenient during the summer, as a door could be thrown open to afford a view of the garden and allow the copious cigarette smoke to escape.
Unfortunately, it was discovered that the house had a gas leak, and Miss Ormerod was persuaded to move out so that it could be dealt with. During this time, she took up residence in the Broadgreen area, in a facility which could meet her needs, and where she chose to stay. She then indicated that she would be willing to let me buy the house, which I eventually did in the year 2000. I was able to look around before the house was emptied and it was fascinating to see many reminders of a bygone era. In the small scullery, there was a brownstone sink, with one cold tap, and an old-fashioned cast-iron mangle in the corner, placed to the side of the entry to an old-fashioned pantry. In the breakfast room, the cast-iron range was still in situ, as was the solid wooden mantelpiece, crammed with household detritus, such as Brown & Polson gravy salt, old-style Birds custard boxes and little blocks of Reckitt's blue.
continued . . .
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