Penshurst

I remember Mum’s dream even though I was only nine. It was not so much of a dream as an astral projection.

It was 1960 and Mum was not having a good time of it. Firstly, she had post natal depression after my sister was born. We had up sticks and moved as a family from Nottingham down south to live with my Grandfather and Uncle. This had proved a big mistake as Dad could not find work (he was a lace designer) so there was no money coming in. The atmosphere was hostile as Grandad and Uncle Dick did not like Dad much and there were six of us as a family staying in their house. Mum, Dad Jonathan, me, David and Mary. It even got so bad that at one point Grandad asked us to leave. He had invited us in the first place but sometimes these situations do not work out. Mum prayed one night and asked for guidance. What should they do as a family to get out of this mess? During the wake/sleep phase she felt a rush of wind and the flapping of wings and being lifted out of her body. As she looked down she saw herself on the bed. The being came with love and he carried her through the rafters and through the roof. She felt the rush of cold air once outside. Then like on the Snowman, they flew through the air across the countries and seas. At one point and she thought it may have been Africa , they saw lions and they dipped down. She felt a momentary fear then the Being lifted her up again and she felt safe. Soaring on, they dipped into the oceans and saw the marine life and fish. Eventually they arrived at what looked like Sydney Harbour. She recognised the famous bridge. The Being took her to a certain part of the harbour and then they flew away from Sydney into the suburbs. Firstly she thought they flew north and she saw what looked like a concentration camp. Then she was taken south to a street which had trees she had not seen before and at the back of this street was a big water tower. Once she had seen this they travelled back again but much faster this time. She felt herself lowered into her body and the flap of wings and then the Being left. She experienced a sense of calm after this experience and her depression lifted. Although things were not easy for the next year (and they did have to find temporary digs) Mum remained positive. She told us all about this dream and went on about it for about a year. At the end of 1961 we all as a family emmigrated to Australia on the ten pound pom scheme. As we docked in Sydney at Wooloomooloo, Mum recognised it as the place where the angel had taken her. She was quite speechless and she also knew the way when the bus took us to Bradfield Park Immigration Hostel . When she saw it she recognised it as “the concentration camp” she had seen. We moved after six months from the Immigration Hostel to a place called Oatley in the southern suburbs. Four years later when I started Penshurst Girls High School, Mum and Dad were driving me for my first day. As we drove down the road to the school which was lined with Laburnum trees we saw the Water Tower in the distance. Mum shouted “That’s it Bill that’s it, that is the Water Tower I saw in my dream. I think the angel came in answer to Mum’s prayer and we did eventually go to Australia and have a good life for 12 years. Grandad died in 1968 and I think he felt guilty for making Mum feel unwanted he had deposited £200 in The Australia New Zealand Bank in Sydney for Mum and Dad which was waiting for them when they arrived. This helped tremendously as they didn’t have a brass razoo. In 1971 Mum and I were sunbathing in the garden of our home in Oatley near Sydney when she sat up and said “Don’t do it Dick, don’t do it, you keep the house”. That night the police came to say he had committed suicide at the age of 40. Mum inherited the house and we moved back to Herne Bay as a family except for Jonathan in 1972. Mum is elderly now but still lives in that house with my brother David. Although she has slight dementia now, she often recalls the dream she had all those years ago in the very room in which she now sleeps. Five photos underneath. The bottom three pictures are: Penshurst Girls High School, Wooloomooloo docks and the Water Reservoir at Penshurst.

Mum, Dad, Me, David and Mary (not Jonathan) in our garden in Oatley, near Sydney in the 60’s

A friend left, David, Jonathan and Mary at Wooloomooloo in 1972. Saying goodbye to Jonathan (who was married). We were sailing back to Blighty.