Daniel was born 1926 and went to the Foundling Hospital in Redhill and moved with the school to Berkhamsted in 1935. Daniel worked as a farm hand for some years before enlisting in the Army. Unusually, Daniel was able to trace his birth father who came from Mauritius. Daniel had two children and lived with his wife in West Sussex until his death.
Early Life
‘My foster mother got me ready and the orphanage just come round with the bus like to take us back to the orphanage. And that was the day I left my foster mother and I never saw her again. I suppose I must have been about five or six years when they had what they call “visiting day” at the school for the foster mothers to come and see the kids, like, what they’d brought along like sort of thing. And I will always remember my foster mother was– she give me a six-penny piece and I didn’t even know what it was and I just threw it away, just like that. It was no good to me, I didn’t know what it was.’
School Life: Chariot Races
‘Cause all the corridors in Berkhamsted were made of rubber, you know, and we used to have what you’d call “chariot races” there. That’s when the big boys used to sit on a blanket and us youngsters used to have to tear up and down the corridor with them sitting on it. Chariot race. And they used to nominate one boy to keep “skit” in case the master was coming, you see. Well, he used to have to lay on the floor and just peep round the corner like that. And if he saw the headmaster coming or one of the masters he used to shout “Skit.”‘
School Life: The Cane
‘The cane was one of the biggest hobbies they had. The ruler was another hobby they used to have, “Put your hands out.” And hit you on the back of the hands with the ruler. Cut it down like that. Or a cane across the back of the legs. Instead of putting it across the bottoms they used to go round the legs, you see. And sometimes they’d come along and pull your ear off. If you got caught talking at the table, come along and pull your ear, “Get out.”‘
Search for Birth Families
‘My father was a Mauritian, right. So he came over in 1920 something and was– he was a dental student. And met my wife– met his girlfriend, like. Gave her a babe, went back– he went to Mauri– went back to Mauritius. He didn’t– I don’t suppose he knew she was pregnant, I don’t know. Anyway, he went back to Mauritius, never came back again. My mother had me, she couldn’t look a– look after me. She tried to, apparently, from what I can make of it. Two months, I think it was or three months, something like that, and she put me in the orphanage then. You know, except… But when we traced the family and went out there and met all the whole of my father’s family, you know. They couldn’t believe it, they cou– didn’t even know I existed. [inaudible] They thought I was reincarnated, they thought I was a miracle. We used to have a television bloke who used to come and do our television. And he said, “I got to be quick tonight because I’m talking to Mauritius.” Well, I thought “hello,” see? And Julie said to him, “Well see if you can find this name.” You see, “when you’re talking to Mauritius.” It’s a radio station, you see and it was “Rashid” so he enquired and he got hold of him. And he asked him if he– you know, told him his name, if he could trace these people and he did. And the next time he called us he says “you can have a talk to your family,” he said, “to Mauritius.” I said so– we went up there and we were talking to the family, like, you know, then that’s when we decided to go out and meet them. Well, we met them all.‘
