Memories of Jenny from Margaret Baker

1960 - 1970

Created by Linda 3 years ago
I first met Jenny when I was working for Shell in The Hague between 1960 and 1962. Jenny and Richard were living in Delft where Richard worked at the Shell laboratories there. I returned to London in 1962 and worked there until 1965 when I moved to the Shell laboratory at Egham and then I bought a small flat in Sandhurst just behind the Military Academy. Richard died about then and Jenny was on her own with three very small children. In my free time I spent quite a lot of time at their house in Camberley and at week-ends we would do a day's outing to somewhere of interest to us and the children. I remember, once, Jenny decided to hold a party and I went round to help her finish preparations to find her concocting a punch. After a lot of tasting and adding a bit of this and that we suddenly realised that we kept adding vodka which you can't taste!! We survived and the guests congratulated her on the punch! Another time Jenny asked me to join her at the Military Academy Passing Out Ceremony. We had Linda with us - I don't remember if Helen and Mark were there also - but Linda sat there entranced, mesmerised by handsome young soldiers in their dress uniforms, the music and the awesomeness of the occasion.!! Hugh had re-met Hugh by the time I left Shell in 1970 and moved north but we kept in touch over the years and I saw her several times when I was going to Tresco to my cousin's timeshare there. It was a longstanding friendship and I shall miss her as, of course, you will Helen, Mark and Linda. You have some wonderful memories to recall - enjoy them with a smile on your face. That is what Jenny would want. In the meantime please accept my deepest sympathy,