The Bergh Family Records

Francis Rattray Bergh

Period VI

The Autumn of his Life - 1945-1947

1945

Once again, Dad, now aged sixty-nine was to witness the joyous scenes which mark the end of a war. The relief people felt being so much greater than in the previous war, because at last after six years, it would be possible to sleep again in bed upstairs and know that there was no chance of being blasted into eternity. Dad and Mother set about once more endeavouring to restore the house again to its former state, the bomb repair squads had re-roofed the house, put in new windows, the plumbing had been renewed and doors replaced, it was now the turn of the plasterers and painters who redecorated the interior. Curtains were severely rationed by coupons and price but gradually the house began to get back its old appearance. The beds were moved upstairs again, the air-raid shelter in the garden dismantled but not removed, and Mother's only hope was that Dad would live long enough to enjoy a few more years in peace. Dad's health seemed to improve considerably, and he began to take an interest in his clothes again, ordering a new suit and generally in many other ways, smartening himself up.

1945

My third daughter, Penny, was born on June 15th this year and once again Dad came over to see her and give his approval to the new grand-daughter. However, he was not well enough to come to the christening, he still suffered from his attacks of Angina, mostly mild, but sometimes extremely severe necessitating calling up the Doctor during the night. On one of these occasions he remarked to me that he was quite prepared for the end and hoped he would be spared a long illness 'For Mother's sake as well as his own'. However, he was not content to remain idle, and at his request I took him up to London, by car, to collect two deed boxes from Bertram Oldfield, he was saddened to see the ruins, it was the last time he went to London. He was then able to sort out and re-organize all the family papers and leave complete instructions as to what his executors should do. When this had been done, he felt that he had made everything as simple as possible for us. Apart from the trouble with his bladder which necessitated the use by him of a catheter, he continued cheerful and well throughout the remainder of the year.

1946

Rowie (R.F.B.) was now demobilized and was anxious to take the remaining part of the final examination for his A.C.I.I. so he found the atmosphere for work more conducive at Chiswick and stayed at '33' for some months this year. He was successful in passing. During this time, Dad continued to write letters to his brother Hal and Rowie (R.H.B.) in Canada and Meggie and Annie in this country. On several occasions his sisters visited him, Annie being accompanied by Frieda Hickson, Mary Wilson also coming to the house. Dad so loved seeing them all again after the lapse of so many years when war conditions made it impossible for them to travel.

On the 13th September of this year Sally, my brother Rowie's daughter was born and Dad was delighted, once more, to see and welcome into the world another grand-child. Dad and Mother with Doris came over to Staines again at Christmas.

1947

Dad's health stood up fairly well during the winter months and as Spring came again he began to busy himself once more in the garden. He ordered another suit 'to wear in the Summer' and we had no idea that the end was coming with such suddenness. On May 20th 1947 Mother telephoned me to say that Dad had gone out shopping to the Chiswick High Road in the morning and had not returned home, a policeman had just arrived to tell her that Dad had been found unconscious on the pavement and had been taken by ambulance to the West Middlesex Hospital. We telephoned Rowie and Doris and arranged to go to the Hospital at once, with fear and foreboding in our hearts.

Copyright © Anthony Hickson