Writing for Fun
October 2015
The Secret Garden - Diane Silverston
Nothing could have told Charlotte that two events were to happen on that day, 22nd July 1915, that were to change her life forever.
She lived in a terraced house with her mother, Father and four older brothers. Frank, the eldest, 18, was already a soldier fighting in France, George, nearly 17, was away with the Navy, no-one was really sure where. Still at home, Peter, 14, a sea cadet locally and at Senior school, John, 11, preparing to leave Junior school at the end of term.
The house was like many others in the town, 2 up and 2 down, outside loo and a small back yard with a gate leading to the alley that ran along behind the 2 rows of properties.
It was her 7th birthday and she had woken to a glorious sunny summer's day. She was so excited. She hurried to get dressed and ran downstairs to the kitchen. There was her Mother stirring the porridge, the two boys were sitting at the table ready, her father in his railway porter's uniform, was pouring the tea.
As Charlotte sat down she saw the small pile of cards, and a small packet for her. She opened the 3 cards and thanked her family, she had hoped her two older brothers might have been able to send something, but no. The little packet contained a beautifully made wooden railway station.
'Thanks Dad,' she said giving him a kiss, 'and you've named it Charlottesville.'
'Yes after my sweet little Charlie,' he replied.
Her father always called her Charlie. When she was born they thought it would be another boy, but were delighted when they had a daughter. 'Can I go and put it in place?' she asked.
'After breakfast.'
Father always made their presents and usually something to do with the toy railway the whole family shared. It was in the attic and took up most of the space there. They all loved going up and pushing the trains round and now she had her own station to put there.
'Come on, come on, you'll be late and I have to get to the factory,' her mother's voice broke into her daydreams.
Peter grabbed his books and headed off, he had quite a walk to get to his large school in the centre of town. John and Charlotte only had to walk down their street, and today because she was 7 she could go with her brother instead of her mother.
As they went along the road they met with other children coming out of their houses, meeting friends and chatting as they got nearer to the Victorian red brick building which was their school.
After school Charlotte and her friends walked home along the alley between the 2 rows of houses, each girl shouting 'Goodbye' as she reached her back gate. Soon there was just Charlotte left, her house was nearly at the end of the row.
Suddenly she noticed a speck of colour peeping over the wall of the end house. Whatever could it be? No-one had any colour in their back yards. No-one had lived in this house for years. The old man had been taken after he had lost his wife and child. The house had been boarded up and was now derelict. No-one passed it as it was attached to the back wall of the factory.
Charlotte made her way to the gate at the back of this house. It was locked but she was able to crawl through the broken part.
What she saw amazed her. The yard was full of colour from flowers growing in the cracks of the concrete. The pink flower she had spotted looked like a rose. How had it got there? She quickly pulled it lower so no-one else would see it, and managed to fix it round a nail in the wall.
No-one had a back yard like this!
In hers there was a coal house, a bath on the wall, an outside loo, a rubbish bin and her father's bike. Here there were greens, yellows and pinks coming out of every crack. This would be her secret, no-one else need know about it.
Charlotte heard the factory hooter from the building at the end of her road. It must be getting late, she must get home quickly. Today was going to be a special tea, because of it being her birthday. She hurried up the alley and into her own back yard, dusted herself down and went into the kitchen.
Just then her brothers rushed in, threw off their school bags and dashed upstairs to change. Her mother arrived soon after and started to prepare tea. Soon her father arrived and they sat down to enjoy the birthday meal.
'Any 2nd post?' asked father.
'Two letters on the mantelpiece,' replied mother.
Charlotte wondered if they might be cards from her brothers, but no. One of the envelopes looked very official. Father opened it, said nothing but went a little pale, and passed it over to Mother. As she read it, she went pale, a sad look appeared on her face. 'Oh, no.'
'We knew it would happen,' said Father.
The three children looked at their parents, it obviously wasn't good news, but how bad was it?
'What's happened?' asked Peter, with a worried tone.
'I've got my papers,' replied Father, 'I've got to attend at the Town Hall tomorrow.'
Papers? What papers? thought Charlotte.
'Oh no, not you as well,' muttered Peter.
'I'm afraid so, now you'll have to be the man of the house,' whispered his father.
Suddenly Charlotte realised what was happening . . . her Father had received his call-up papers . . . he was going to leave them too. He was going to have to go to war just like Frank and George.
Tears began to trickle down her face, it was her birthday . . . supposed to be a super day.
Two events had happened that were going to make her life different, a happy one – finding her secret garden . . . and a sad one – her Father leaving.
The summer months had passed. Charlotte and her Mother had gone to the station to wave goodbye to her Father. It was strange and sad to see him getting on the train, in his new uniform, and leaving. Her Mother had to start working extra shifts at the factory to get the extra money needed for the family. Peter, now 15, had been working in a bicycle shop in the town during the holidays, and was continuing to do so after school and at the weekends. John had been busy helping out at a local shop, running errands and taking messages.
No-one had realised what Charlotte had been up to. Her friends thought that she was at homing helping, her family thought she was out playing with her friends.
But no.
Every day she had crept into her secret garden, keeping it tidy and colourful. She had made herself a shelter in the old coal house, so was able to go even on wet days. She collected feathers, pieces of glass, coloured stones and scraps of material, and was using them to decorate the back yard of the derelict house. Charlotte had found an old plant book in the nearby second-hand shop. She had bought it with her pocket money. She sat for hours in the garden reading the names of plants, most of which she felt she would never see, but it was all so interesting.
With the arrival of September it was time to return to school. John and Peter were both at the Secondary School now. Charlotte was pleased, in a way, to be back, playing with her friends. She said nothing about her secret.
She showed her interest in plants to her new teacher, who was able to answer many of her questions and lend her more up to date books.
Time and years passed. Peter received his call-up papers just before the war ended, and so was never sent abroad. Devastating news had come stating that in 1918 George's ship had been sunk and he was lost at sea. Charlotte's mother was heartbroken at the news and had slowly become weaker and less able to continue with the long shifts. Charlotte had to help around the house more, but she still made time to visit her garden. It was her haven when things and times were really bad. Frank and Charlotte's father both returned from war, wounded. Frank came back blind and her father had lost a leg. He was able to return as a porter on the railway for many years. Frank was able to get a job in a nearby factory. So the family were able to survive, and still enjoyed time together in the attic with the toy railway. Charlotte's father continued to make pieces for it. There was now a second station 'Georgesville' in place.
Charlotte did so well at school in the next few years that she was able to go to college to study. When she was twenty she was back at home, not just for the holidays, she needed to look to her future, she needed to find a job where she could use her skills and knowledge. It was during this time that she noticed builders working on the derelict house, repairing the roof and putting in new windows. She felt so sad, it was no longer hers. She would not be able to visit there anymore. Her garden would be changed and lost to her.
Now it was 22nd July 1968. Here Charlotte was standing in the vast hall, being congratulated on her retirement from the job she had done and loved for 40 years. It had started with her training and putting into practice all she had learnt. With hard work she had gradually moved up the employment ladder, through depression years, wartime and good times, to become one of the celebrated chief gardeners at Kew.
Her husband Trevor, son Frank, daughter Georgina and her elderly father, in his wheelchair, were beside her. Charlotte was presented with her award and retirement present. Her father was smiling, he was so proud of his 'little Charlie'.
'What started you off in this interest in plants?' asked the reporter
'It was a single pink rose and a secret garden.' Charlotte replied.