Page 70 - Redditch People

Redditch People

Life and Times of Elsie Haden

Elsie Haden was born in Evesham Road, Headless Cross, Redditch in 1919 and lived there
until her marriage in 1940 when she moved to Crumpfields Lane to a house built by
Melley Brothers, the first they built after the war in 1947.

Her father died when she was four and her mother worked at Needle Industries. Elsie
went to school at St Luke’s in Headless Cross. She left school about 1933 with 3 others,
including Fred Willis who went on to work at the Midshires Building Society on the corner
of Church Green West and Church Road.

During the war period Elsie worked at Clark’s in the Accounts office for 8 shillings per
week and then moved to High Duty Alloys where she worked in Accounts and Purchasing,
eventually retiring from there at the age of 61 in 1980.

During her time at HDA she remembers trips to the Farnborough Air Show as the guest
of the wife of the Chairman of the Hawker Siddeley Group.

Elsie has always been a churchgoer and attended the Methodist Church at Headless Cross
from the age of four until it closed in 2009 (She has written a paper on the history of this
Church).

Elsie believes that many Methodists now attend either St. Luke’s Church Headless Cross
or the Methodist Church in Crabbs Cross Lane, Redditch.

In her spare time Elsie sang in the Church Choir and also with the Astwood Bank Operatic
Society. She had a friend who lived in Redditch in his youth, whom she taught to sing –
he is now known as Lord Bryan Davies of Oldham and sits in the House of Lords!

Early memories of Redditch were the visits of Prince George and Princess Marina,
Duchess of Kent to Clark’s factory. In fact she met Princess Marina on two visits to
Redditch and she was pleased that Princess Marina seemed to remember her on the
second visit. Elsie also remembers the Redditch Carnivals with much affection.

Elsie was involved with the “Friends” of Smallwood Hospital, including a spell as
Secretary, with her friend Jean Newbould, which was the forerunner of the “League of
Friends” at the Alexandra Hospital. Matron Kund “ran” the Smallwood Hospital and the
”Friends” were known as the “Twin-set and Pearls”.

In the early days the “Friends” of Smallwood Hospital served refreshments to patients
and visitors as well as mending worn bed linen.

When it was decided to build the new General hospital in Redditch, Elsie and Jean
Newbould decided to form the “League of Friends” at the Alexandra Hospital. Mr Budgen
was the Hospital Co-ordinator and Elsie remembers climbing over the building site
planning the “League of Friends” and giving tours of the Hospital to local residents before
the Hospital opened.

Meetings were held on a Thursday evening in a room in the Ecumenical Centre. With the
help of Mr. Budgen, John Corbett, Frank Godfrey and others and within 2 weeks they
formed a committee and written the “League of Friends” constitution.

Elsie was secretary of the League Of Friends of Alexandra Hospital for many years and
on her retirement was made Honorary President.

Page: 70 © RLHS 2015