I just found this rather interesting (to me, at least) photograph. Taken in Egerton Court about 1966, from the left are my Aunt Alice, my mother Grazyna, her mother in law, Pani Seydlitzowa, as I called her, and Dr Ewa Janaszewska, a kidney specialist from Poland. More about her another time.
Pani Seydlitzowa, as you can see, was very regal. She was born to a Polish speaking family in the Russian partition of Poland at the end of the 19th century. I remember her telling me that her family were not rich and that the only dowry her father could give her and her sisters was a good education. And so he did.
She was very knowledgeable about many things. And that’s it really as far as facts are concerned. As a child I found her really difficult to get to know. Only after she died, when I was about seventeen, did I realise how kind she was and loving. As a child I just found her extremely irritating. Let me give you one example. I am not proud of this and it reminds me we must not judge.
I was an only child used to doing things in my own time. I still don’t like to be chivvied or rushed. Some would say I’m slow. Others lazy. My mother was one of the few mothers who went out to work. She would sometimes come home stressed and tired. She would want to put her feet up. I would have been fed and watered by step grandmother if she was staying. I wanted to do my own thing. The three of us were in the living room. My mother would ask me to bring her something. I would say yes of course, (I was a good girl, after all) and slowly gather myself to get up. Meanwhile Pani S would leap to her feet and go and get whatever it was that my mother wanted. Oh the shame, the embarrassment of it all. That I, a child, should let an old lady fulfil my task.
I hated her, poor woman. She was utterly lovely. But very old fashioned. The other occasion when she got in my way was when my mother let me invite a boy to the house for the afternoon. I wasn’t allowed out as I had a cold. I must have been sixteen.
He came, and Pani S very kindly opened the door, and invited him into the living room. Then she called me. I grabbed my box of tissues and went into the salon, to be met with the sight of two occupied easy chairs. We had three arranged in a very open triangle. Andrzej perched on one looking a bit bemused. Pani S on the other, pointedly reading her book. What was I to do? I sat down on the third and proceeded to have a very stilted conversation with Andrzej. Our chaperone neither looked up nor said a word. But I knew, I knew, she was listening and internally recording every word. Oh the horror of it all. The awkwardness. This was the swinging sixties after all.
He left very quickly after that. I saw him again when I was 21. We could only laugh.
I remember complaining to my mother. She would have none of it, and just giggled.
Life Through Basia's Eyes 
Thank you, Basia, for a lovely story! I am surprised that you were born here as it was difficult to leave Poland before, and your parents must have to find the way.
I came from Poland a long time ago and I am part of the furniture now.
I hope that you read at least one of my posts, and not just look at the titles!
Joanna
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Thank you. I was born in london in 1953. My parents came to England via Siberia. They were deported from eastern Poland , now Ukraine, in 1940 then made their way with Anders’ army through the Middle East and Italy to England. They came here (separately- they didn’t meet till 51) in 1947 as refugees. It’s a long story.
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I have looked at your posts and I like the pictures and quotes. But I don’t listen to the videos as they disturb people round about. But tell me is it you talking on them.
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No, it is usually some professor or an expert. You can adjust the volume and no one would be disturbed, it certainly is less noisy than a boxing much, and my post are for people who are interested in finding less known facts.
Joanna
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Thank you. I must get some headphones I think
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Good idea!
Joanna
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Did you see my first reply?
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No, I don’t think so…
Joanna
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Could you tell me which one as we had a few exchanges? Please?
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The one about my parents and why they are in England
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Yes, I read about this but not why they were here, except for the freedom, the reason I came here.
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They could not go back to their home town as it had become part of the Soviet Union.
When did you come?
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I came during the turbulent times of students unrests in Europe. I was born in Warsaw, and just completed my degree in Literature, but the university was closed, and I had to collect my certificate from the police station.
Luckily, I arranged in complex way to have a visa to England, and the year was the famous 1968. I arrived in June
and have been here since. What was difficult for me was not speaking English, bar two words as I was French, Russian and Latin educated.
Still, all well that ends well.
Joanna
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<
div dir=”ltr”>Oh yes. When I was
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You were ?
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Oh yes. When I was at university in 72 I met many people from Poland who had come because of 68. I have lost touch with them all now, unfortunately. My husbands family is from Warsaw too
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Thank you, Basia, my regards to your husband!
Joanna
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Thank you
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