Gervase Phinn: Yorkshire roses

Julie was a secretary in the Education Office where I worked. She was typical of many "a Yorkshire lass" – cheerful, good-humoured and, on occasion, blunt to the point of rudeness. Several people had complained about her outspoken manner, constant chatter and clever comments but she was such a big-hearted, self-effacing young woman and an excellent secretary – efficient, organised and ready to stay late at a moment's notice – that I found it very difficult to criticise her.

I did once take her aside and ask for a little more restraint and deference when she dealt with callers. It was prompted by a particularly patronising and rather pompous headteacher who wrote a letter of complaint about Julie's "very familiar manner"

and "bluntness" down the telephone.

"Oh her," said Julie dismissively, when I mentioned the name. "Like my old mum says, 'All fur coat and no knickers'." Connie was a cleaner at the Teachers' Centre. She was another blunt, hard-working and down-to-earth Yorkshire woman and she kept the premises spotless but she ruled the place with a rod of iron. She was, as they say in Yorkshire "not backwards in coming forwards". She had no conception of rank or status and treated everyone who entered her empire exactly the same, be he the Minister of Education or a man to clear the blocked drains. She could be obstinate, difficult and outspoken but Connie possessed a great impulse for generosity and an intense pride in her work. I was thinking of these two salt-of-the-earth women after receiving a letter from one of my readers. Chris Rose sent me a story which brought a smile to my lips and is worth repeating.

Daffyd married a beautiful Welsh girl. "Glynnis," he said, "now we are wed, I expect that when I come home, my tea will be on the table, the house cleaned, my shirts washed and ironed and my slippers warming by the fire. I think we should start as we mean to go on."

He didn't see anything on the first day but on the second day his tea was on the table, the house was cleaned, his shirts were washed and ironed and his slippers warming by the fire. Angus married a beautiful Scottish girl. "Morag," he said, "now we are wed, I expect that when I come home, my tea will be on the table, the house cleaned, my shirts washed and ironed and my slippers warming by the fire. I think we should start as we mean to go on." He didn't see anything on the first day nor the second but on the third day his tea was on the table, the house was cleaned, his shirts were washed and ironed and his slippers warming by the fire. Jack married a beautiful Yorkshire lass. "Gladys," he said, "now we are wed, I expect that when I comes home, mi tea will be on t'table, t'house cleaned, mi shirts washed and ironed and mi slippers warming by t'fire. I think we should start as we mean to go on." He didn't see anything on the first day, nor the second or the third, but on the fourth day some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye. His arm was healed enough for him to make himself a sandwich, load the washing machine and iron his shirts.

YP MAG 8/5/10