When Mother Christmas gave out the presents

Raymond West from Warwick vividly remembers Mother Christmas in 1950 for she was his mother.

He has submitted this photograph his mother Betty West surrounded by joyful children just before Christmas that year.

He said: “My mother lived at Meadow View, High Cross, Shrewley, with my aunt and me and in early December 1950 she was offered the position of Mother Christmas by Messrs G H Bailey Ltd - this was the furniture store in Leamington. She was visited by many hundreds of children daily, for Mother Christmas was quite a novelty. Bailey’s explained her position as being a helper for Santa Claus. The boy in black on the left in each photograph is, I believe, David Savage.

“I am Raymond, her son and I was seven years old at the time. I can remember visiting her as often as was feasibly possible, travelling to Leamington Spa General Station from Hatton Junction, which was the nearest station to High Cross. It was quite a walk to get there!”

“The photographs were my Mother’s proudest possessions and she never forgot the joyful and yet quizzical looks on the young children’s faces as she handed out the presents. After her untimely passing in October 1992 the very large photographs were framed and they now hang on the wall and for me they are a constant reminder of the halcyon days of childhood, which sadly seem to be ever more eroded these days.”

If you have any memories of Mother Christmas at Bailey’s contact Peter Gawthorpe on 457732 or email [email protected]