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About Josie Whitehead (formerly Poole)
I was born in West Hagley, which was then a small village, situated between Stourbridge and Kidderminster. I arrived in this world on 21st June 1941, the day when clothes rationing began in World War 2. My mother was asked by the doctor: "Have you heard the news today?" "No, I have had more important matters to see to" she replied. "Well, they say that Hitler has turned away from attacking Britain and has sent his troops to Russia instead". So they laughed because they said that Hitler had heard of my birth and couldn’t face someone like me.
I attended Hagley Infant School, but left within 2 years because of bullying. I then went to Hill Street Junior School in Stourbridge. In those days your future was decided when you reached the age of 11 years. Someone, in their infinite wisdom, had decided that the 11-plus exam was a clear-cut indication of a child’s IQ, with no other factors taken into consideration, especially determination and hard work. I failed and was channeled into The Grange Secondary Modern School, Stourbridge. Although I had wanted to be a teacher from my first day at school, I was told that, as a result of not passing the 11-plus, it was an impossibility. It was far better to resign myself to the fact that factory or shop work would be a better alternative. I resist people who tell me that I can’t do something that I want to do!! I was interested in words and language then, and wrote my first poem "My Garden" when I was 11 years of age, for the school magazine. Our excellent teacher, Mrs Fonteyn, was the one person who had faith in me, and she helped me by giving and marking English homework. No-one else was given homework, as far as I know. I asked for it especially because I knew I must study if I was to become a teacher later in life.
I, and everyone else, at this school, left at the age of 15. Some went to work, but I studied the very difficult subject of Pitman’s Shorthand, (as difficult as any language), along with other secretarial subjects for one year at Kidderminster College of Further Education – but my mind had been set on teaching since a child. I continued at college, taking the GCE (General Certificate of Education) examinations in Secretarial subjects, English and other general subjects. In those days, ordinary working parents could not afford to keep their children in full-time education for long. I worked for a year doing temporary office work all over the West Midlands, to get the necessary experience needed to teach secretarial subjects. I worked for the Post Office and Telephones in Great Charles St. Birmingham, and went on to work for the Police at Brierley Hill, Staffordshire. I worked hard, improving my skills, preparing work for the various courts, typing statements, etc. etc. I would leave home at 7.45 am to begin work at 8.30 am. I worked until 5.30 pm and then went on the bus to Dudley Technical College and studied after work for 3 hours for the RSA (Royal Society of Arts) Teaching Certificates. I would arrive home at 11.15 pm, in time to get to bed, sleep and start again the next day. I studied for 3 evenings a week. It was a very exhausting time in my life, but I had a goal, which was important to me.
At the age of 21, I had obtained the teaching certificates which I so badly needed. My first teaching post was in Jersey for a small, private secretarial college: "Henrietta Nickels Secretarial College". The three years I spent there were wonderful. I felt so fulfilled with my work, enjoying every minute of it, and my students passed their examinations, many of them with distinctions. Most of them were 18 to 19 years of age, little younger than I was. I often wonder what happened to them in their lives. Who says that the 11-plus decides your future?
I have continued teaching all my life in British Columbia Canada, Edinburgh, many colleges in the West Midlands, 11 years of teaching in Swindon College of Further Education and now we have lived in Ilkley in West Yorkshire for one third of my lifetime. A more beautiful area of the world I think it would be hard to find, and I thank God every day, as I look out of my window at the little lake behind our home, at the convent buildings and the moors behind, at the beautiful trees all around us with the seasons reflected in the lake, that we were lucky enough to be living here.
I write my poems for my own pleasure, and am glad that the children and adults of Ilkley seem to enjoy them so very much. I am so interested in words and the sound of language. I have taught myself Italian from a book, and spend many hours now communicating over the internet (both orally and by writing) to my many good friends in Italy.
The reason for adding these poems to this site is because I thought that as the children here in Ilkley seem to enjoy my poems so much, it would be nice to send them out into the wider world. I do hope that by visiting our website, you will find enjoyment and may be inspired to write poems of your own. Good luck.
Finally, I give special thanks to my husband Mike for all his hard work in building my poetry pages. I think they are lovely.