Mabel Janes
From Lacey Green History
Mabel's life is listed in Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc. Under date 1987
click Families for other local famlies
click Janes for others in this family
Research by Joan West and reports on her conversations with Mabel Janes.
Mabel Janes born 24th September 1887 was the daughter of Boaz & Caroline Janes.
Mabel never married.
Mabel Janes was born at Sunnybank in Highwood Bottom in 1887, she died in 1987, just a few days off her 100th birthday.
She was a teacher at St. Johns School from 1904 to 1948.
In the census of 1939 Mabel aged 52 is living at Sunnybank with Boaz, her father, aged 78.
Boaz died in 1948. Sunnybank was sold in 1948, to Doris Oliver, wife of Andrew Oliver and Mabel lodged in Lacey Green from then on.
Mabel's Memories
Mabel lived to be just a few days short of 100 years old. Fortunately she had an excellent memory and was able to bring many facts that I was discovering into vivid life with her descriptions. I had many conversations with her, some of which I report below.
All of Highwood Bottom on the east side had been enormous parish woods. In the 1800s it had gradually been felled, but in 1899 people were still coming "chucking" (digging up roots) for firewood.
'Poor money” of 2 shillings & 6 pence (twelve & half p) per week was paid out at The Post Office, Lower Road, Loosley Row. She could see the people from Speen walking along the footpath across the Stocken Farm Fields on their way to the Post Office.
She knew Ann Ginger, (daughter of John & Celia Ginger) who kept The Black Horse and her sister Emily. Emily was simple. She always curtsied to the big crab apple tree in the Horse Meadow at the farm because it reminded her of Mr. Charles Brown, the farmer.
They were spinsters and Ann left the pub to John William Saunders, known as Johnnie Saunders, See John William Saunders & Daisy Dell John Willi. the father of William John Saunders and grandfather of Ted Saunders and twins Millicent and Maurice, known as Mosh & Trudy Saunders.
To raise a bit of extra money, her mother Caroline, would go stone picking in the fields. Stones were used to mend the roads which were only earth tracks with stones on. People had to keep the roads which went past their land repaired. There was always a demand for stones especially in lower lying places
They could not afford doctors or dentists. If you got a toothache you just had to "lump it". There was always someone locally who would act as midwife and someone to lay people out.
Mabel started school at Loosley Row School where the 3 to 7 year olds went. Quite a walk for a three year old from Highwood Bottom.
At 7 years old they moved up to Lacey Green School. Mabel and her brothers and sisters walked to school, as did all children, some from much further distances. They had no other transport.
On 24th October 1904 Mabel Janes started as a teacher at Lacey Green School on a month's trial. She continued teaching there for 45 years. She was then 17 years old and had attended the school herself..
By 1904 both Lacey Green School and Loosley Row School took children from three to thirteen years. School was compulsory up to 11 years of age, when they could leave after taking the "Labour Exam" to show that they could read and write. The boys might then take a job such as holding the head of a plough horse.
The school consisted of two rooms – a small one for infants and a bigger one for the other grades. She thought that there were between 70 and 100 pupils but could not give an exact figure as illnesses were prevalent which could keep a child absent for several weeks.
That winter of 1904/5 had severe frost and snow and as all children walked to school, some over 2 miles, attendance was low. At one point 16 of the infants were away with whooping cough. There had also been croup and diphtheria of which an infant, George Saunders had died.
The following excerpts from the head teacher's logbook are also an indication of Mabel's first year -
3rd February as the ordered coal had not been delivered no fires were possible so a holiday was given in the afternoon. At this time 16 of the infants’ class were away with whooping cough.
All the week of March 17th had been very stormy but attendance was returning to normal.
May 15th half holiday given owing to a children’s tea given in connection with the Chapel anniversary
May 24th. Empire Day, instead of the timetable, lessons on the history and geography of the British Empire were given, interspersed with patriotic songs
May 29th Loosley Row Chapel anniversary tea
May 30th 1904 many children were absent due to the chapel treat at Loosley Row
July 7th Hay making in full swing
July 11th a half holiday was given for the anniversary of Speen Chapel
August 1st School closed in afternoon on account of tea for Sunday School children
Aug 5th In that week attendance had suffered due to several attractions in the neighbourhood
12th August harvest started so attendance low.
13th August school closed for summer
26th September tea at Lacey Green Chapel and the Wycombe Fair caused smaller attendance
October 20th bazaar at Loosley Row Chapel kept children away
The winter of 1904/5 had severe frost and snow and as all children walked to school, some over two miles, attendance was low.
H.M.I Report April 1905. The new headmaster Mr Phillips was praised for making a good start, particularly the infants’ class. However it added “The question of improving the cloakroom and providing lavatory accommodation should receive attention. The two cloakrooms are still altogether too small and inconvenient. They should be improved and arrangements should be made for providing lavatory accommodation.
In 1912 Mabel was one of the bridesmaids at the wedding of Walt & Ruth Ginger. Photo on the right -
Mabel had a prodigious memory telling me many things in our chats Here are a few :-
Minnie Brown, just one year younger was her friend throughout their long lives (click Min & Fred Adams).
The smell of fish near Ardengrove where Jacob and Rebekah smoked herrings.
Edith Crook, who walked with a stick, the daughter of John Crook, a superior type who was farm bailiff at Stocken Farm for John & Eveline Forrest was a suplimentary teacher at Lacey Green School.
Connie Redding, daughter of another farm bailiff impaled her leg on the iron railings at the school.
She remembered Mr. Forrest having a pipeline laid from Stocken Farm down to Grymsdyke to take any overflow from the 6 water tanks at Stocken Farm. He then had a well dug at Grymsdyke. She was told it was 303 feet deep, but when there was a drought, possibly 1893, it was taken down another 48 feet. He had built Graham Cottages. She remembered Mr Brown (the schoolmaster) and a policeman living in them and thought a groom had lived there at one time.
During the First world War the Royal Engineers were billeted in the village. They took the small schoolroom and the Home Meadow at Stocken F arm, next to the school. The horses were stabled at the farm and exercises were done in the field. The farm dining room was made into an army hospital and the grain store into their blacksmith`s workshop.
She knew Emily Ginger who lived with her sister Ann who kept The Black Horse pub. they were spinsters and Ann left the pub to John Saunders, father of William Saunders (father of Mosh, Millicent and Ted) Emily always curtsied to the big crab apple tree in the Meadow of Stocken Farm, because it reminded her of Mr Brown, the farmer.
She said William Saunders was very much the boss of his family, with a very loud voice. She could hear him sometimes from Sunnybank. He had bilt a barn in the back corner of Hillcrest field and kept horses there. It grew a lot of mushrooms there and he kept a little pony and trap and would rush across in it to stop people taking the mushrooms. click William Saunders & Bethia Janes
Bethia, Williams wife was a quiet gentle woman, a good wife and mother
Mabel told of numerous epidemics
How run down the school was after WW1
Her travels to the Isle of White and Switzerland with Miss Hopkins, the headmistress of Speen School.
She recalled parties at Stocken Farm where they played cards.
She played tennis at the Vicarage, having helped make a court
14th June 1948 Sunnybank Farm Sold After Mabel's mother Caroline died her executors sold the property. See Sunnybank. Mabel was then aged 61 and she moved to lodge in Lacey Green Village. She certainly lived with the Oakford family an the house at the top of Westlands Road for some time.
Mabel could be called handsome to a degree, when in her prime. But the children nicknamed her 'Pout'. She had a deep somewhat gruff voice, as did many locals, but not as broad 'Bucks' as many.
In her old age Mabel lodged in the village and most days, sometimes twice a day, could be seen catching the bus to Risborough or Wycombe to do errands for anyone she was able to.
She died in August 1987, just a few days off her 100th birthday.
Research Note. An inspired teacher for some, but strict and unpopular with many.
Dennis Claydon, well known as a local historian, told me that It was Mabel, as his schoolteacher and neighbour, that inspired him to have an enquiring mind.
Many pupils were somewhat afraid of Mabel and tried to keep on the right side of her