Adeline's memories |
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pg 10b L1 | Memories from Adeline **** My Memories by Adeline Bassett Cook Strange, Written in 1988 Origins:Date of birth: October 14th, 1917. Place of birth: Baltimore, Maryland. Weight at birth: 10 lbs Whom I was said to look like as a baby: Big and healthy with lots of black curls First Memories: On my third birthday I remember a parade in celebration. I was held up by a man in uniform to watch my birthday parade. There were trumpets and lots of red clothes. My mother told me when I recalled this to her at the age of six, Don't be ridiculous, that was not a parade for your birthday, it was your father's consecration as Bishop of Delaware. The next thin I remember was after we moved from Baltimore to Wilmington, Delaware. We lived in a large house called Bishopstead. From 14th and Orange streets we entered the grounds there was a hedge on a gravel driveway, a U shaped drive that went to the front door and out an exit through the hedge. I had a tricycle and took it to the top of the drive way and getting out went so fast I could not control it and fell on the ground splitting my nose. My mother called the doctor, Dr. Handy, I still have the scar. Parents:Mother's full name: Adeline Hallett Bassett Date of her birth: May 20th 1881 Place of her birth: New York City, New York. Father's full name: Philip Cook Date of his birth: July 4th 1875 Place of his birth: Kansas City, MI. How and when my parents met: My father was an ordained priest in the Episcopal Church. He was called to the church of the Incarnation in New York City as assistant rector. The church had a Chapel program on the East Side. My mother was a volunteer there because she had learned to speak German from her nurse, Tillie. Date of parents wedding: October 5th, 1905. (Not certain) Their Occupations: Philip Cook: Clergyman Adeline Bassett: Volunteer in various social activities. How my mother used to enjoy spending her free time: When I grew up my mother's free time was calling in the afternoon. Ladies came to us for tea and socializing, or my mother went calling on her lady friends. My parents entertained a great deal and there was a staff of a cook, a waitress, a butler, and a nurse to 2 help with the 7 children, but my mother was always involved with keeping this large family in control and mostly having everything run smoothly for my father. Her volunteer work was mostly with the Babies Hospital. (Now known as St. Michael's Day Care) How my father used to enjoy spending his free time: My father loved to fish trout fish in Nova Scotia, our summer home. My parents built a house there for our long summer vacations from July 5th to September. The house was in the woods on 10 acres over looking a beautiful bay. He cleared the woods, initially a white birch forest. He liked to go duck shooting with his great friend Felix Du Pont. He had very little free time. Special Memories of my parents: My father first, because in my eyes he was always first. I knew he adored us all. He was very big, very handsome and thought everyone in the world adored him. He told me wonderful spooky stories and I often traveled with him when he drove down state for confirmations in various parishes. The red carpet was always out for The Bishop and we were entertained royally after the services. Driving home late he told me ghost stories and I remember them all 65 years later. My mother was the discipliner. She was often alone to manage as my father traveled constantly for speaking engagements (he was a famous preacher) and church meetings. She wasn't fun like Daddy. She was strict. When I grew up I discovered the real woman. She was always beautiful and because of this she had some experiences that I never realized and which she shared much later in life. Quite a gal. When I discovered she was shock proof we had great times. My Grandparents: On my mother's side:Grandfather's name: John Samuel Basset Grandmother's name: Hannah Valeria Cevill. On my father's side: Grandfather's name: John Darwin Shepard Cook Place of birth: New York State Grandmother's name: Rosalie Barlow Where my grandparents lived: John Basset, M.D., practiced in New York and was born in New England. John Darwin Shepard Cook, lawyer, practiced in Kansas City, MO. and was born in New York State. Special memories: I never knew my grandparents except for Grandmother Bassett who came to Bishopstead in an ambulance from New York City. She had a room and nurses for as long as she lived with us. As a child I could go to visit her in her bed. She had a silver basket of candies which I enjoyed. When she died my sister Phyllis said Grandma forgot to take her candy to heaven. I peaked through the door and saw the nurse combing her hair after she was dead. 3 Growing up: Life at home: As I child I lived at: Bishopstead, Wilmington, Delaware. The Bishop's residence was then at 14th and Orange streets. The rest of the family comprised: Josephine, Harriet, Adeline (me), Phyllis, George, Philip, and John. What was expected of me; the things that were strictly forbidden: Always to behave, good manners, good conduct. Strictly forbidden were fighting and ridicule, self-expression was not encouraged. We were pretty regimented. Never borrow. All the girls lived on the 3rd floor with Katy, the waitress. Katy let us get away with smoking and reading movie magazines. She was our outlet! Our neighbors: My mother was an social snob. Our residence was the big place in a lower middle class, catholic neighborhood. So we had what mother called our neighborhood friends. We knew and played with them all. They went to St. Patrick's School. We went to Friends School so we had our school friends. Our parents knew these parents, but not well. In the summer we had our Nova Scotia friends. There was one neighbor, a gentle child named Sara Price, who was allowed to come in and play in our doll house. The rest of the neighbors played in our grounds or we skated in the street and played hockey. My childhood pastimes; sports I played, musical instruments I played: Field hockey, skating, badminton. I took violin lessons for years but I was never very good at it. My pets: We always had dogs. Rags, an airedale was with us for years, and Mr. Dick, a cocker spaniel, was very special at the end. Birthday parties I remember: My sister Josephine was born October 19th. My brother Philip was born October 16th. Miss Lightner, my father's long time secretary, was born October 12th, and I was born October 14th. We all celebrated these together. On my birthday I could tell the cook what to prepare. The one who had the birthday gave the presents. We would go with our nurse, Cammie, to Woolworth's and buy presents for everyone. We would wrap them and make a Jack Horner pie, each present had a ribbon that went to a place card. Pull the ribbon and get your present. My Father's birthday was July 4th and it was always celebrated at the Irene duPont's with supper and fireworks. It got so big they had to stop it but it was a wonderful time. 4 Where I went to school; how I got there each day: School for me started at the Miss Hebbs School for Girls. My two older sisters were already enrolled. Our father drove us to school every day. I don't know how we got home, probably walked. My mother, from NYC, was a great walker and school was a mile away from home. In the 3rd grade my sisters and I were abruptly moved to Friends School, mid term. I never knew why until much later. For one year I left school and was tutored by Miss Hattie Brown Moore. No one told me why, She was a Latin scholar. I still remember in with the ablative is in or on, with the accusative into or to, now I hear there is no ablative. Teachers and school friends I remember: I remember Miss McGlaughlin. She was Scottish and wore a black...plaid skirt, every day. One day her slip was dragging and I wrote a note to my friend Julia ... Look at Miss McGlaughlin's slip hanging down. I gave the note to Patsy duPont to hand over to Julia. Patsy was to thick and she sort of waved it around and Miss McGlaughlin asked for it. So I was punished, sent to the coat room, in solitary. When school was over I left and went home with my sisters. The next morning Miss McGlaughlin told me I had not been dismissed and I would have to go back to the coat room. All the lunch boxes were there so I mixed up the contents and the children who were allergic to peanut butter got hives. Miss McGlaughlin was mad at me and I cried and then I went to Friends. Family Holidays Who went; where we went; memories of special holidays: I don't remember Special Holidays. We pretty much stayed home. In the summer, before Nova Scotia, our father took us swimming at Mr. Felix duPont's port. Daddy would tie a clothes line around our waists and sit with Mr. Felix at the deep end. He would let out a few feet on a line and while the new discussed buildings St. Andrews School we would flap a flutter. When the line got taught my father would pull us in. July 4th was a great holiday and Christmas was perfect. Tree, presents and there were services with carols we loved. |
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Link to Front Page & Family Members' Names, pg 00 Link to Adeline Bassett Cook Strange(10), pg 10b |