Memories
My memories of Helen Copeland
K. Bell nee Copeland talking about her Grandma Helen Copeland, saying that it was like upstairs, downstairs when she was little (1930’s), when she went to visit her Gran, she went to a typical Victorian house, very dark inside with dark furniture, the drawing room was lined with book cases crammed with books and there were pictures of royalty on the walls, she ate cucumber sandwiches made with hand cut wafer thin bread, this always accompanied by a proper serviette and tea in a china cup, all very grand, plus there were carpets all over the house, then she would go home where there weren't any carpets (or very few) and the bread was cut into doorsteps with jam on, and only a handful of books, her Mum was always sweeping the kitchen floor, it was another world at her Gran's, Helen Copeland was a typical Victorian lady in that she was always taking to her bed feigning illness, she was looked after by her spinster daughter Doris. Helen's Great Granddaughter can remember visiting Helen Copeland when she was dying, she was only very young, but can remember this very dark Victorian drawing room, the ceiling went on forever, it was one of the rare occasions when she and her brother sat very quietly on the settee while everyone else went upstairs, we were mainly quiet due to fear of the very dark room with eerie pictures on the walls!!, eventually they were allowed upstairs to visit their gt gran, a very frail old lady laid in bed, from that day on they thought that when you got old you had to go to bed, if you were dying or not!! Helen Copeland 1874 – abt 1961
Kay can remember her Grandfather Ernest Copeland making the grandchildren Wooden Toys including a Trolley.
Helen Copeland's husband was nephew of Ralph Copeland, Astronomer Royal
July, 2009