Barbara
Diane
Shelton
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
"Everyone needs to have access both to grandparents . . .
and grandchildren in order to be a full human being." ~Margaret Mead
"My biggest regret in emigrating is that Maureen, Barbara and Darryl did not have the opportunity to live near and get to know my or Frank's parents, their grandparents. I tried to make up for the loss by saving up and sending ticket money for my mam and dad, Nanna and Dadda, to come to North Carolina for four months. Darryl was born in January 1962; they came in October of '62 and left in February 1963 after Darryl's first birthday."
--Joan Shelton
Maureen, who was 11 at the time, remembers:
"When we lived in our first real home on Holland Drive in Statesville, Nanna and Dadda came to visit. They flew from London to New York on a prop plane, and Mam and Dad drove all the way to New York City from North Carolina to pick them up. The mother of a neighbor, an elderly lady, stayed with us three kids."
"I wrote an aerogram (a sheet of light blue paper folded and sealed to form a letter for sending by airmail) to Mam and Dad every week, and I remember telling Dad, before he came to visit, to get a good proper haircut. When we met him and Mam at the airport in New York City, he walked down the boarding stairs of the plane, took off his hat, and swiveled slowly in a circle to show me his 'proper' haircut.
Bit of history: The aerogram was largely popularized by its use during the Second World
During the four months Dad stayed with us, he did not go to the barber's again, but once in a while came out of the bathroom with his hair all chopped up (he would hack at it with a razor blade), and I would have to sit him down, tie a towel around his neck, and straighten it out. Mam would say, 'You old fool!'
I didn't have a pram for Darryl, so Aunty Gladys, Frank's sister, lent me her's. It was a big thing which she'd had painted a cream color and reupholstered in turquoise. It served its purpose. While they were visiting, Nanna and Dadda took Darryl out every day in the pram for a walk around the block.
One day I walked into the house and Nanna was holding Darryl under the arms. She said, 'Stand still,' gave Darryl some encouragement, and he came weaving across to me, toddling and stumbling, but with a big smile on his face. Nanna and Dadda had been training him when I wasn't about.
Each afternoon, I would take them for a ride, showing them around Statesville. Their favorite place to go was an old cemetery, Oakwood, where there were graves of soldiers from the Civil War. A grove of lovely old trees lined the road, and since it was October when they arrived, the trees were in all their autumn splendor. They were in awe of the golden archway formed by the trees; we would drive up and down the road, admiring the glorious colors. They never tired of seeing those trees.
They spent Darryl's first Christmas and first birthday (January 30, 1963) with us and then left for England in early February. The family back in England tried to get them to stay longer as England was in the grip of a terrible, icy cold winter, but they were homesick and ready to go."
--Joan Shelton
Maureen remembers:
"When we drove Nanna and Dadda to the airport in Charlotte for their trip home, Dadda was crying, and I will always remember him waving a white hankie from the window of the plane. We stood out on an observation deck, watching and waving back, until the plane took off.."
"My biggest regret in emigrating is that Maureen, Barbara and Darryl did not have the opportunity to live near and get to know my or Frank's parents, their grandparents. I tried to make up for the loss by saving up and sending ticket money for my mam and dad, Nanna and Dadda, to come to North Carolina for four months. Darryl was born in January 1962; they came in October of '62 and left in February 1963 after Darryl's first birthday."
--Joan Shelton
Maureen, who was 11 at the time, remembers:
"When we lived in our first real home on Holland Drive in Statesville, Nanna and Dadda came to visit. They flew from London to New York on a prop plane, and Mam and Dad drove all the way to New York City from North Carolina to pick them up. The mother of a neighbor, an elderly lady, stayed with us three kids."
 |
| Passport photo for Edward Albert Strutt (Dadda) and Hannah Sophia Strutt (Nanna) |
Bit of history: The aerogram was largely popularized by its use during the Second World
War. Lieutenant Colonel R. E. Evan proposed that a lightweight self-sealing letter card that weighed
only 1/10 oz be adopted by the British Army for air mail purposes.
During the four months Dad stayed with us, he did not go to the barber's again, but once in a while came out of the bathroom with his hair all chopped up (he would hack at it with a razor blade), and I would have to sit him down, tie a towel around his neck, and straighten it out. Mam would say, 'You old fool!'
I didn't have a pram for Darryl, so Aunty Gladys, Frank's sister, lent me her's. It was a big thing which she'd had painted a cream color and reupholstered in turquoise. It served its purpose. While they were visiting, Nanna and Dadda took Darryl out every day in the pram for a walk around the block.
One day I walked into the house and Nanna was holding Darryl under the arms. She said, 'Stand still,' gave Darryl some encouragement, and he came weaving across to me, toddling and stumbling, but with a big smile on his face. Nanna and Dadda had been training him when I wasn't about.
Each afternoon, I would take them for a ride, showing them around Statesville. Their favorite place to go was an old cemetery, Oakwood, where there were graves of soldiers from the Civil War. A grove of lovely old trees lined the road, and since it was October when they arrived, the trees were in all their autumn splendor. They were in awe of the golden archway formed by the trees; we would drive up and down the road, admiring the glorious colors. They never tired of seeing those trees.
 |
| Oakwood Cemetery, established 1887, Statesville, NC |
They spent Darryl's first Christmas and first birthday (January 30, 1963) with us and then left for England in early February. The family back in England tried to get them to stay longer as England was in the grip of a terrible, icy cold winter, but they were homesick and ready to go."
--Joan Shelton
"When we drove Nanna and Dadda to the airport in Charlotte for their trip home, Dadda was crying, and I will always remember him waving a white hankie from the window of the plane. We stood out on an observation deck, watching and waving back, until the plane took off.."
"To the outside world, we all grow old. But not to brothers and sisters . . . .
"We
know each other as we always were. We know each other's hearts. We
share private family jokes. We remember family feuds and secrets,
family griefs and joys. We live outside the touch of time."
--Clara Ortega
Maureen
Sandra
Shelton
Maureen
Sandra
Shelton
"When we are children we seldom think of the future . . .
This innocence leaves us free to enjoy ourselves as few adults can. The day we fret about the future is the day we leave our childhood behind.
--Patrick Rothfuss
"When we lived in Hickory and Statesville we didn't stay home much on weekends. We loved to drive up into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Parkway; on one such drive we saw what we thought were tortoises and so decided to take one home as a pet. Well, the darn thing started spitting every time we picked it up. Someone at Frank's work told him it was a spitting turtle, was protected, and shouldn't have been removed from its habitat."
--Joan Shelton
Bit of information: The Blue Ridge Mountains are noted for their bluish color when seen from a distance.
Trees put the 'blue' in Blue Ridge, from the isoprene released into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their distinctive color.
Bit of information: The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles through twenty-nine Virginia and North Carolina counties, mostly along the Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains. The Blue Ridge Parkway was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Mabry Mill is a watermill located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. According to the date (July 1961) on this photo, Mam was pregnant with Darryl.
Maureen, who was 10 years old when we came back to the States in 1960, has many wonderful memories of her childhood in North Carolina:
"When we came back to the States in 1960, Mam and Dad bought Barbara and me brand new bikes. I was old enough to ride my bike to Viewmont School in Hickory. I remember the school had a little store and besides school supplies that I bought for myself, I would buy a small square box of pretzel sticks to take home to Barbara.
--Patrick Rothfuss
"When we lived in Hickory and Statesville we didn't stay home much on weekends. We loved to drive up into the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Parkway; on one such drive we saw what we thought were tortoises and so decided to take one home as a pet. Well, the darn thing started spitting every time we picked it up. Someone at Frank's work told him it was a spitting turtle, was protected, and shouldn't have been removed from its habitat."
--Joan Shelton
Trees put the 'blue' in Blue Ridge, from the isoprene released into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to the characteristic haze on the mountains and their distinctive color.
 |
| Joan, Barbara (6) and Maureen (11) at Mabry Mill, July 1961 |
Mabry Mill is a watermill located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. According to the date (July 1961) on this photo, Mam was pregnant with Darryl.
Maureen, who was 10 years old when we came back to the States in 1960, has many wonderful memories of her childhood in North Carolina:
I was also allowed to ride my bike to some shops near Viewmont Apartments in Hickory. I would buy little wax bottles in a tiny cardboard box; each bottle was filled with a different colored liquid. You bit the top off and drank the liquid.
I was over at a friend's house one day, riding bikes down a steep hill with a curve at the bottom. I flew off the bike on the curve and landed in the gravel at the edge of the road. I think there was broken glass in the gravel; my ear was nearly cut off.
Dad came and got me and took me to the emergency room where I needed 13 stitches to sew the ear back in place. I begged him not to leave me at the hospital. My greatest fear was having to be away from Mam and Dad. Once I went to a Girl Scout day camp where all the campers were invited to spend one night at the camp. I had an excuse ready for why I couldn't stay.
Dad came and got me and took me to the emergency room where I needed 13 stitches to sew the ear back in place. I begged him not to leave me at the hospital. My greatest fear was having to be away from Mam and Dad. Once I went to a Girl Scout day camp where all the campers were invited to spend one night at the camp. I had an excuse ready for why I couldn't stay.
After coming back from England, Dad bought another car, a big red-and-white station wagon. It was in that car and in Hickory that Mam learned to drive, which really was a necessity in the United States since, unlike in England, distances were greater. She couldn't parallel park that big station wagon so failed her first test in Hickory; Aunty Gladys took her to a small nearby town, Granite Falls, to retake the test, which she passed the second time.
Friday nights in Hickory always meant a trip downtown to spend my small weekly allowance. Murphy's Dime Store was the place to go. Mam says it took me forever to decide what to buy, but I always came away with something.
When I was at Viewmont Elementary School, my class took a train trip from Hickory to Ashville. We went to a craft fair, and having spending money, I came home with several items. I remember Dad taking me aside afterward and asking if I bought anything for Mam. I said I hadn's (selfish little thing I was, it hadn't occurred to me), and he made me promise to always bring Mam something back when I went on a trip. I have tried to follow his good advice ever since."
 |
| Mauree sitting on the tail gate of "the bus" |
When I was at Viewmont Elementary School, my class took a train trip from Hickory to Ashville. We went to a craft fair, and having spending money, I came home with several items. I remember Dad taking me aside afterward and asking if I bought anything for Mam. I said I hadn's (selfish little thing I was, it hadn't occurred to me), and he made me promise to always bring Mam something back when I went on a trip. I have tried to follow his good advice ever since."
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
"I think the American Dream says that anything can happen . . .
. . . if you work hard enough at it and are persistent and have some ability. The sky is the limit to what you can build, and what can happen to you and your family." - -Sanford I. Weill
"Even though immigrating to the United States and leaving England was very difficult for me, I think Maureen, Barbara, and Darryl all had opportunities in the States that they would not have had in England. Here, they all went to and completed college, as did Aunty Glady's three girls, Susan, Karen, and Diane. I don't think my three, nor Glady's three would've had the chance to go to college if we'd stayed in England where there were definite class distinctions even after the war. You were either working class, middle class, or upper class, and it took a lot to pull oneself up out of the working class; it was darn near impossible. I'm not sure we would've ever owned our own home in England had we stayed."
--Joan Shelton
Bit of history: Class distinction in England historically has included, ". . . a very wealthy and powerful upper class that owns and controls the means of production; a middle class of professional workers, small business owners, and low-level managers; and a lower class, who rely on low-paying wage jobs for their livelihood and often experience poverty."
"Up until the outbreak of war in 1939, British society had retained a rigid class structure, with the educated middle and upper classes tending to believe in their own moral and cultural superiority over the working classes. Proper models of behaviour were seen to emanate from this section of society, including correct pronunciation, table manners, appropriate dress and even the courting of wedding partners. With few exceptions, the holders of power and authority came from an upper class background and had a public [private] school education. They saw themselves as the guardians of culture, and those lower down the social order seldom questioned their position. It was a social and cultural hierarchy that was largely self-policed, with members of different classes rarely willing or able to move to alternative social groupings. It was expected that people would conform to the values of their peer group, and any attempt to transcend this hierarchy was restricted by social convention."
"In 1961 we purchased our first home in the United States on Holland Drive in Statesville, NC.
Darryl was born shortly after on January 30, 1962 at Iredell Hospital in Statesville. He was the first of my three children born in a hospital and not at home which turned out to be a blessing as he was born with a condition known as Rh-induced hemolytic disease. Rh incompatibility is a condition that develops when a pregnant woman has Rh-negative blood which I had and the baby in her womb has Rh-positive blood, which Darryl had.
--Joan Shelton
Bit of information: "During pregnancy, red blood cells from the unborn baby can cross into the mother's bloodstream through the placenta.
"Today this problem can be prevented with injections to the mother during pregnancy, but the first injection for this condition wasn't given until 1964. Before 1964 an exchange transfusion was preformed which involves slowly removing the patient's blood and replacing it with fresh donor blood or plasma. Darryl had an exchange transfusion before coming home from the hospital. Both he and Mom stayed in the hospital for a week."
Maureen, who was 11 at the time, remembers:
"I was called out of class over the intercom by the prinicpal. When I got to his office, he said Dad had called to say I had a baby brother. I was not old enough to go up to the hospital as you had to be 12."
"Even though immigrating to the United States and leaving England was very difficult for me, I think Maureen, Barbara, and Darryl all had opportunities in the States that they would not have had in England. Here, they all went to and completed college, as did Aunty Glady's three girls, Susan, Karen, and Diane. I don't think my three, nor Glady's three would've had the chance to go to college if we'd stayed in England where there were definite class distinctions even after the war. You were either working class, middle class, or upper class, and it took a lot to pull oneself up out of the working class; it was darn near impossible. I'm not sure we would've ever owned our own home in England had we stayed."
--Joan Shelton
Bit of history: Class distinction in England historically has included, ". . . a very wealthy and powerful upper class that owns and controls the means of production; a middle class of professional workers, small business owners, and low-level managers; and a lower class, who rely on low-paying wage jobs for their livelihood and often experience poverty."
"Up until the outbreak of war in 1939, British society had retained a rigid class structure, with the educated middle and upper classes tending to believe in their own moral and cultural superiority over the working classes. Proper models of behaviour were seen to emanate from this section of society, including correct pronunciation, table manners, appropriate dress and even the courting of wedding partners. With few exceptions, the holders of power and authority came from an upper class background and had a public [private] school education. They saw themselves as the guardians of culture, and those lower down the social order seldom questioned their position. It was a social and cultural hierarchy that was largely self-policed, with members of different classes rarely willing or able to move to alternative social groupings. It was expected that people would conform to the values of their peer group, and any attempt to transcend this hierarchy was restricted by social convention."
 |
| Maureen standing in front of the first home we owned in the United States |
Darryl was born shortly after on January 30, 1962 at Iredell Hospital in Statesville. He was the first of my three children born in a hospital and not at home which turned out to be a blessing as he was born with a condition known as Rh-induced hemolytic disease. Rh incompatibility is a condition that develops when a pregnant woman has Rh-negative blood which I had and the baby in her womb has Rh-positive blood, which Darryl had.
--Joan Shelton
 |
| Darryl Franklin Shelton, born January 30, 1962 |
Bit of information: "During pregnancy, red blood cells from the unborn baby can cross into the mother's bloodstream through the placenta.
If the mother is Rh-negative, her immune system treats Rh-positive fetal cells as if they were a foreign substance and makes antibodies against the fetal blood cells. These anit-Rh antibodies may cross back through the placenta into the developing baby and destroy the baby's circulating red blood cells.
When red blood cells are broken down, they make bilirubin. This causes an infant to become yellow (jaundiced). The level of bilirubin in the infant's bloodstream may range from mild to dangerously high."
"Today this problem can be prevented with injections to the mother during pregnancy, but the first injection for this condition wasn't given until 1964. Before 1964 an exchange transfusion was preformed which involves slowly removing the patient's blood and replacing it with fresh donor blood or plasma. Darryl had an exchange transfusion before coming home from the hospital. Both he and Mom stayed in the hospital for a week."
 |
| Barbara, Joan, and Darryl in the den at Holland Drive |
 |
| Barbara feeding Darryl |
Maureen, who was 11 at the time, remembers:
"I was called out of class over the intercom by the prinicpal. When I got to his office, he said Dad had called to say I had a baby brother. I was not old enough to go up to the hospital as you had to be 12."
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