Pam was born in 1945 (she claims her birthday is a secret, but really, we know it’s one out of 365 days !!). Pam was born around Croydon aerodrome and grew up in places with lots of Bomb damage, when rationing was still happening at the current time, she said that most of this went on until 1953 from what she can remember. When Pam was ten, she had her first pet, a Cray Fish!
for a younger age; this caused her to be arrested because they thought she was underage! Pam was released from the police when they found out she was telling the truth and was not underage drinking.
Pam went to Highview primary school and a girls grammar school, she valued education and went to university of Hull to study Sociology and Philosophy. History was Pam’s favourite subject in school, and she did O-Levels in Latin, French, Spanish and Greek! She finished university at 21 and went on to do a post graduate degree in education.
Pam’s family had an allotment, and they kept rabbits, these were her family’s main source of food during rationing times. Pam stated that growing up, nothing was wasted and if something was broken it would always be fixed. Pam had 2 brothers, one of them was older and one was younger, meaning she was the middle child! Pam was Ill quite a lot when she was younger, she was in and out of hospital which made her quite shy as a result. Pam recalled that her school class went down from 52 people to 42 due to her classmates passing away from illness.
Pam was a teenager in the 1960’s, she was very politically active and liked going out to lots of parties. When pam was old enough to drink alcohol, she still had quite young face resulting in people mistaking her
Pam was married during university and states her first job was being a mother who looked after her baby. Pam went on to have a career in teaching, she taught students who had been excluded; this included a child who she recalls was a very very clever thief!
In Pam’s mid-fifties she became ill again, when she was fifty-three Pam had her colon removed and she nearly died, she is incredibly grateful for the NHS who saved her.
Pam missed working and went on to mark exam papers until age 66! Pam says her achievements from life were the success of her students and children. Pam has two children.
Pam and her husband met at 16, they were friends for a while and shared interests and political views. Pam’s husband and herself got married in a registry office with only thirteen people attending, she was married for 34 years until her husband sadly passed away.
During Pam’s life she travelled around a lot to various places, Zimbabwe for her brother’s wedding and South Africa to visit her younger brother. Pam also travelled to America, Canada, Spain, France, and Italy. Pam has done lots of voluntary work and she loves to read lots; she is currently reading “The colour of Magic”. Pam loves Jane Austen and history books too.
Pam said the day that changed her life was the day she was given a book by Emile Durkheim called “Suicide” this moment persuaded her to become a sociologist, and she wouldn’t be where she is now without it.
Pam’s advice to everyone is to “Think about what you’re doing before you do it and don’t do anything that can’t be undone until you know that’s what you really want to do”. “Always follow the money” Pam concluded.
During Pam’s life she moved around a lot around the country, from London to Huddersfield to Northampton where she lives today!
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