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Moseley Chimes
July—August 2008
Next month Hilda Johnson will be donning her glad rags in order to attend the Queen’s Garden Party — strictly by invitation only! Moseley Chimes managed to drag her out of the kitchen in order to find out how this came to be. Hilda has been involved with St Anne’s Luncheon Club since it started way back in 1986. She’d just retired from nursing and, not being one to sit back and relax, she immediately threw herself into helping get the club off the ground.
“It was for older people that were living on their own and needed some company — but they wouldn’t let me cook so we had Meals–on–Wheels which were disgusting!”
As that first Christmas approached, Hilda took matters into her own hands declaring that there was no way Meals–on–Wheels were supplying Christmas dinner and so she pulled on her pinny, rolled up her sleeves and prepared Christmas dinner (with all the trimmings) for 50 people. It was such a success that Meals–on–Wheels were shown the door and Hilda continued cooking for the next 16 years.
“They made me retire when I was 80!”
It was for these services that Hilda is being honoured. She’ll be taking her daughter Julie (well someone needs to keep an eye on her) and wearing a hat especially for the occasion.
“I always thought I didn’t suit a hat.”
Hilda has been a member of St Anne’s for some 46 years. She first came when living in Sparkbrook but found her local church to be a little too far up the candle. Her sister, Marguerite, was already attending St Anne’s and recommended it as the sort of place that would suit her. She later moved to Billsley but again found her local church not to her tastes and so, despite needing to take two buses (on a Sunday) continued to attend in Moseley. Since then she’s seen Julie christened and then later confirmed here. She even had a stint as Brown Owl. Her late husband John wasn’t entirely convinced she was the Brown Owl type. When she mentioned that she’d been approached to take up the position he said:
“Go on, take on Brownies, there’ll be none left in six months.”
Those six months soon turned into eight years. It was only when Hilda found her revised shifts as a nurse meant she felt standards were slipping that she felt compelled to step down — passing on the mantel to her other daughter, Audrey.
Hilda’s faith plays a vital and central role in her life:
“Without faith there wouldn’t be a life. It’s [my faith] been tried but I couldn’t give up coming to church. After John died I couldn’t have coped but everyone was so fantastic. I don’t understand how people think they can get through life without faith.”
So finally I asked her how she felt about her impending trip to meet the Queen.
“It still feels like a dream — I won’t really believe it until I’m actually there.”
I just hope the Queen knows how privileged she is to meet ‘our Hilda’.