Back to the drawing board

I returned to Newcastle after the Easter holidays to face my final term at university. The design thesis had to be completed and I began to revise for the final written examinations. A decision also had to be made on finding my first job. Central to these issues was Eileen.

During the day I spent several hours on the design thesis: a proposal for student accommodation in Cambridge. The atmosphere in the studio was more intense as the deadline for submission approached. It was then that Eileen offered to help with finishing the drawings because of her skills in draughtsmanship and engineering drawing. Although her technique was slightly different from architectural drawing, it was accuracy that mattered. She took my drafted working drawings, borrowed a drawing board from her office and set to, at home, to make them into final drawings. 

This saved me so much time that I was well ahead of the other students by the time the Whitsun break came along. To celebrate, I hired a car for the weekend and Eileen and I visited many tourist spots in Northumberland. It was a romantic interlude which became a turning point in our relationship. 

Having more free time, I managed to get in a bit of rowing before the end of term. This was to be the swansong in my rowing career. Ralph Baldwin and I decided to enter the Durham University Regatta as a coxless pair. We invited Eileen and Ralph's wife to come and watch us race. We didn't do very well but managed to finish the course without 'catching a crab' or hitting the bank. When it was all over we were invited by our hosts, Hatfield College, to attend an evening do but the girls were furious that they were not invited. They had to return home to Newcastle by bus. 

With the design thesis handed in and the written exams just around the corner, I had an offer of a job in Norwich. However, the office of Professor Edwards, the head of the School of Architecture in Newcastle, was also looking to recruit a couple of assistants. (The office was actually located just two floors below the fifth year studio.) 

I knew that if I left Newcastle I would most probably never see Eileen again. My decision to stay was therefore made for me. Ken Appleby had already decided to join the Newcastle practice so I told him that I would be joining him. That weekend Eileen and her sister, Maria, were bridesmaids at a wedding between their friend Margaret McMillan and Lewis Ash, another architect. Ken was also at the wedding and unwittingly told Eileen that I had accepted the Newcastle job. She obviously didn't know. Ken apologised to her but said nothing to me. Later that day, when Eileen came to the studio to meet me, I told her of my decision to stay in Newcastle. She didn't give the game away and the moment was unspoiled and memorable. It was only several years later that she told me what had happened. 

It didn't take long after that weekend for me to ask Eileen to marry me. She said yes. 

Once you have found her, never let her go.

In the run up to my finals in 1959, life was very busy but Eileen and I did manage to spend time together.  She would often come to the flat in Bowsden Terrace after work, armed with a pre-prepared meal like corned beef hash or shepherd's pie to pop straight in the oven. She must have had a very understanding boss at the marine research station. As a well-known singer, she was often introduced to visiting VIPs such as naval commanders and other high-ranking dignitaries - Prince Philip being one of them.

The late fifties produced a number of American musicals first on stage and, later, on film. The most prolific writers were Rogers and Hammerstein. Eileen and I saw South Pacific at the cinema and it remained a firm favourite of ours ever since, partly because of the love story of two people brought together from different backgrounds in unexpected circumstances. We could identify ourselves in the lyrics. 

After seeing the film I made a card for Eileen to express my love for her. [Editor: Mum still has this card. 2020] 

I had already spent time with Eileen's family in Wallsend, often staying for Sunday lunch which extended into tea and dinner. I began to appreciate the closely-knit family and the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. I was obviously aware, at that time, of the differences within the Christian Church and the antagonism between Catholics and Protestants, particularly in Ireland. On a personal level, the welcome I received from Eileen's parents and siblings left me in no doubt about their genuine acceptance of me. While their Sunday routine revolved around attendance at Church, I was never made to feel an outsider. Underneath it all, however, there were concerns about our growing relationship because of the Catholic Church's distinctly hostile attitude at the time towards what it called 'mixed marriages'. 

But, as I was to discover later on, my own parents were very concerned about the prospect of me being married and possibly indoctrinated by the Catholic Church. Easter was rapidly approaching for my next return home to Peterborough. I was naturally keen to talk about Eileen but I don't think they believed our relationship was that serious. 

On a happier note, one of the highlights of those early months together was the annual fancy dress Arts Ball, held by the Fine Art Department. Eileen hired a top hat and tails outfit, complete with fishnet tights and high heels. I wore a Spanish dancer costume, complete with wide-brimmed hat and castanets. After the ball was over our party moved to Ralph Baldwin's house in Whitley Bay. Poor Eileen had a singing engagement before the ball so I don't know how she kept going. 

Graduation and a trip to the Lake District

 [Editor notes: I have found a selection of photos from a holiday my dad took with three of his Cambridge pals. He doesn't refer to it in the memoir, but the trip may have occurred after graduation in 1957. Although these photos are out of sync with the current blog posts, I though it would be good to share them.]

Graduating from Emmanuel College Cambridge in 1957. Accompanied by my parents plus my sister, Betty.

A trip to the Lake District with Cambridge friends: Waleed El Hashimi, Anthony Hidden and Roy Lander. 

The Big Show, Tyne Tees Television, 1959

For Eileen, the most significant event on the horizon was her first appearance on local television, due in January. Long before we met, she had successfully auditioned with the producers of The Big Show, George and Alfred Black. The live show was to mark the opening of Tyne Tees Television and it included a number of famous names in the entertainment business at the time, including Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, Jimmy James and the impresario, Jack Parnell.  

Eileen would be singing the "Habanera" from the opera Carmen accompanied by a full ensemble of chorus and dancers in authentic Spanish costume and a full stage set. She had always said that her ambition was to sing Carmen on TV and this was soon to be realised.  

I remember going to the studios with her for one of the rehearsals before the building work was even completed. Rehearsals were only arranged for Eileen's number and one or two of the dance routines. Much of the programme involved stars who would be appearing live on the night. 

To see the show on TV, I was invited to Eileen's home in Wallsend so I could watch with the whole family. There were no facilities to record television programmes at home. (It was 30 years later that Eileen was finally able to obtain a copy of the recording from the Tyne Tees archives and see her own performance from that night).

If you can't see the video above, please click on this link:

Habanera, YouTube

We were all thrilled with her performance and I felt like one of the family as we waited for her to come home after the programme was broadcast. There was so much excitement and shouts of congratulations as she came through the door. 

After the excitement had died down, I found myself alone with Eileen outside the back door for a few minutes. She needed someone to help her climb down from the high she had been on for several hours in the TV studios. She turned to me for support and I realised for the first time my true feelings towards her. Our embrace that night became a milestone in our relationship.

                                                                ........................................

To appreciate this story from my mum, Eileen's perspective, here are her words to describe The Big Show. 

"Tyne Tees Television, a regional commercial station for the North East of England, began broadcasting in January 1959, from a converted warehouse in Newcastle near to the River Tyne.

A live show for the opening night was planned months before when famous impresarios George and Alfred Black, who produced shows in London and Blackpool, held local auditions. I was chosen to perform the "Habanera" from Carmen: I think I was the only Geordie to appear. Other famous faces on the show were Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna and Bill Maynard plus countless performers and comedians who were famous names in the 1950s.

The atmosphere backstage was exciting yet rather stressful for the producers at times. I found the rehearsals fascinating, getting the chance to sing with a big orchestra when I was more familiar with a piano accompaniment. I remember there was a big fuss concerning hair and make-up: they had a great deal of trouble trying to get my hair to set, constantly washing and re-setting the curls until someone noticed they had been using hand cream instead of setting lotion.

I thoroughly enjoyed my song, supported by the wonderful Malcolm Goddard Dancers. I wasn’t at all nervous though I remember developing a massive headache after the performance.

We had rehearsed a grand finale with all the performers walking down to take their bows but as this was a live show, it over-ran and the curtain came down rather too promptly before the show had finished.

I saw this video for the first time in 1989, 30 years after the show was aired, when someone from Tyne Tees gave me a copy. I shed a few tears looking back at myself as a young woman of 24 but I was immensely proud and felt very fortunate that I had a memento of one very special night"

Rag Week and a concert at the City Hall, Newcastle

The following week was hectic as Eileen and I attended the Rag Review, the Rag Dance on the Friday night (all night!) followed by the Rag Procession on the Saturday morning where she joined me on the departmental float through the town, collecting money for charity. We learned a lot about each other during Rag Week and neither of us were lost for words. 

By the end of the packed week, however, I felt I needed to stand back for a while and return to my usual routine. This was my last year of study and I was beginning to consider where I was going to find a job. At that time I had no thoughts about staying in Newcastle and newly-qualified architects found it fairly easy to find work in those days.

I also realised that Eileen had a busy life. She was part of a closely-knit family, with a social life and working environment totally different to my own. My world had been turned upside down in a few days but, like a real cad, I didn't make any arrangements for another date. In the following weeks I thought about her a lot and, working side by side with Chris, and seeing him with Eileen's sister, Maria, these thoughts were kept alive. 

Some weeks later Chris approached me with an invitation to a concert at the City Hall in Newcastle, where Eileen was appearing along with the well-known Scottish tenor, Kenneth McKellar. I didn't hesitate in accepting the invitation by ringing Eileen at work. Mind you, I was made to sit up and take notice when she answered the phone with the words, "Hello David!"

The concert in November was a sell-out and there was Eileen's name in the programme as a guest artist. She had booked a row of seats in the front stalls for her family and close friends plus me and another young man unknown to me at the time. Apparently Eileen wanted to put us next to each other but the family wouldn't let her get away with it. 

I soon realised Eileen was an accomplished singer with professional confidence already built up over a few years. Her mezzo-soprano trained voice was superb and she had the looks to match, dressed in evening wear that sparkled in the theatre lights.

The star of the show, McKellar, sang the songs for which he was famous, mostly Scottish ballads, but he could not overshadow Eileen's performance. As a local singer she had plenty of support as she sang numbers including "This is my Lovely Day", "Granada" and "If I Loved You". 

After the concert I met Eileen's family backstage in her dressing room and then I was left to spend some time alone with her. It was a lot for me to take in at the time. This young woman, 24, the same age as me, and yet a star in her own right. It was difficult to appreciate how she was feeling after the high of a public performance and how she needed to wind down before going home. So we walked through the Newcastle streets, chatting about ordinary things from family and work. It was clear that she loved her family including her younger sisters and little brother, who was only 11 at the time. 

As there was nowhere to sit inside at 10pm apart from a few rough city pubs, we ended up opposite the Central Station drinking hot coffee at a mobile drinks stand. We were joined by the concert compere, comedian Fran Dowie, who was waiting for the next train down to London. After the glamour of the entertainment business, this was a bit of a come-down.

From now on I was to experience a life outside university and have the opportunity to enjoy female company to balance the all-male world of the architecture department and the flat. Eileen and I went out together from time to time over the next few weeks and got to know each other better.

Some Enchanted Evening

 October 1958. My dad was continuing his architecture degree at Newcastle University after his three years in Cambridge...

Arrangements were made by my fellow student, Ken, through his girlfriend, Valerie, for me to meet one of her nursing colleagues at SNEC (Saturday Night Entertainment Committee at Newcastle University).  We set off for the Union and made straight for the Bun Room and the bar because I needed a bit of Dutch courage.

What I didn't know at the time was that in the far corner of the room sat another architecture student colleague of mine, Chris Rainford, with his wife, Maria and her sister, Eileen Brennan. Although they had spotted us as we walked in, Ken hadn't noticed Chris in the tightly packed room. After downing a pint of beer, we decided to move up to the lounge bar to meet up with Valerie and her friends. Chris, Maria and Eileen had seen us move and decided to follow us with a view to meeting up. I can, of course, now reveal that Eileen had expressed a wish to meet us but that is her story! 

For my part, I was preparing myself for my blind date with a second pint of beer, when in walked Eileen with Chris and Maria. I was now in a position to see who was walking towards the bar. I had met Maria before, however Eileen took me by surprise. She was not only very attractive but stunningly dressed, setting her apart from the crowd. Her sophistication and poise were immediately evident with her raven hair, closely-fitted black and white checked dress and high-heeled shoes. I took in all this in a matter of seconds from a distance of several yards across the room.

Eileen in 1958.

By this time Ken was on his feet, inviting the other group over. After introductions, we settled around the table. Eileen and I soon got into animated conversation. I discovered she had a professional career as a trained singer as well as working as a tracer in an engineering research station.

At the end of the evening I took my chance and invited Eileen to the Rag events the following week. She accepted and there began our tentative relationship which ultimately blossomed over the next few months. 

I don't think I ever did see the nurse I was supposed to meet.