Sue Kirkby in her graduation outfit, 7 July 2007
Photo by Joy Kirkby. Copyright Sue Kirkby
Student digs in St Thomas
By Susan Kirby
I arrived at Exeter from London by the Guild train in early October 1974. (I remember that my grandfather was disappointed that the train departed from Waterloo and took the old Southern Railway route as his father and at least one of his brothers had worked for the Great Western Railway.) There was a delay in confirming my university place on the General Honours course and all the places in the Halls of Residence had been allocated so I was given digs on Wardrew Road, St Thomas. My landlady was a widow called Mrs Letts. I don't think that I ever knew her first name. I believe that she did not have any children and I think that her husband had been a railwayman.
Lodgings and halls of residence
She was very welcoming and kind and I kept in touch with her throughout the three years I was at Exeter although as things turned out I only lodged with her for a couple of weeks. I was soon able to move into Jessie Montgomery House at Duryard Halls. I remember that Mrs Letts was most anxious that I should be able to move into a hall of residence as soon as possible as she felt that I would be lonely living in St Thomas. As I look back now I find this a bit strange in that she might be expected to miss the rent that I was paying but perhaps she was on the university's start of year emergency accommodation list. She did not have another lodger during my years at Exeter.
Graduation
My mum and dad stayed with her when they came down to see me at the end of October that first year. I visited her from time to time over my three years at Exeter. She made me a blouse from some fabric she already had as a present. Examining it now I wonder whether she was trained professionally as a dressmaker because it is a lovely piece of work, beautifully finished. I chose to wear this at my graduation together with a short-sleeved denim dress which I had bought specially. This was called the layered look. I had not originally wanted to attend the graduation ceremony but my parents were very keen so I complied on the condition that we should have champagne and the works! I chose to wear denim as a bit of a protest against all the formality.
Special 21st birthday present
Mrs Letts also gave me a lovely whitework embroidery tablecloth for my 21st birthday which I still have. Perhaps this was made by her mother or another family member. I still have this and I have used it on special occasions to cover a small table for the display of a birthday cake or flowers.
I can remember very little about the house except that it was a small Victorian terrace. The furniture and furnishings were old-fashioned but clean and comfortable.