The World of Frederick Stafford

Life in the Early 1900’s

In a small English town, a hospital sat on a hill.An ordinary day, no different to any other. 10

pounds, 6 ounces, quite a healthy baby they said. Unfortunately the same could not be said for my mother. They were not sure whether she would survive the labour or not. My father prayed and

prayed that things would be okay and possibly get better. After a few months they doctors said she would be okay and she was able to come back

home. At two years old, she sadly passed away. We were grieving and affected dramatically in

several ways. Our family were only just surviving; emotionally and financially. Many relatives helped

us out in ways we could not repay. We did our best though by inviting a lot of them over

whenever we could.

When I turned four, I got a job with my sister, selling newspapers in the local area. Our eldest brother got a job with our father’s business as

blacksmith’s. We did whatever we could to save money. We washed our clothes much less often since it costed a lot, paying for hot water, soap and also to hire a copper pot. That year, I

also started school at Hawthord Road Elementary School. I was often teased for being

small, young and less educated than other students, though I was actually quite

intelligent. I didn’t make very many friends except one boy named Joseph Danver, who

also started a year early.

By the time I reached high school, I already knew a lot of the things we were learning because my

brother would always teach me about all he had learnt. Because I was well educated at a young age, many shops wanted to hire me so that they would be able to pay a smaller wage. My father wanted

me to work at his blacksmith but I decided to work somewhere that would fetch a bit more money. I

got 2 jobs; one at a Benjamin’s Bakery every Saturday and the other at a mathematics tutor.

Though I brought a small amount to my family, my father was always proud of me. My sister also got a new job as a maid for a family 6 days a week. She went there straight after school and we only saw

her on Sundays and early morning other days. We all knew not to work on Sundays because the Saint Josephs church taught us to keep the Sabbath holy.

When I turned 16, I was offered a higher position in work at the bakery. This would mean that I had

to leave school and quit my job as a tutor. I decided to take the job. I was earning a similar amount as my father, since his business wasn’t

doing so well. When I turned 20, the owner of the baker retired and handed it over to me for a small amount of money. I thought this was a

good thing but it was very hard to manage the business on my own. My sister came to help me manage the place. We slowly received more and more money. Our family were no longer so poor. At 29 years old, I moved out of home and into a small cottage. It suited all my needs and costed

very little.

A woman began coming into the baker on a regular basis. She was the most beautiful

young lady I had ever seen. I tried to make conversation whenever possible. Her name

was Elizabeth Evans. She lived quite close and was 27 years old. She came from a rich family

and so had no need for a job. I asked her to come with me to a nice restaurant and she

agreed. It wasn’t long before I was in love. She soon had fallen for me too. When I was 31, I asked her father for permission to take her

hand in marriage.

Her father had other plans. He wanted her to marry a rich, old man named Herman Redford.

He had promised her father a large sum of money for her hand. Elizabeth and I both refused the offer. I would not give her up,

neither would she give up me. We decided to purchase a horse and cart, and elope. We travelled far and wide till we found a small town. We settled down in a house on the

outskirts of the town. It was a nice place to live. We got married there in the Church. It was a great life for us. We brought over all money

either of us possessed and I was able to retire at just 35 years of age. We hired a woman to live with us as the housekeeper. She did an

excellent job of cleaning.

As the years passed life grew dull and we began to fall out of love. For a whole year it was very

silent and we hardly talked. I felt an absence of love and lust. In this absence I sought the

housekeeper for comfort and solace. Although I never planned it, I was unfaithful to Elizabeth on our 9th anniversary. I thought she would never find out. Though it wasn’t planned, the affair

gave me excitement and I continued the same, over and over. 2 or 3 years passed, without her knowing. Our relationship was empty and dead, yet neither of us had nerve to divorce. One day

she could not bare it and wanted to seek my love once again. She walked in while I was having a

shower, longing for me and caught me in an affair.

She divorced me on that very day. The house keeper thought it better that she left too. I was alone and miserable. My life had no meaning and felt very

lifeless. I only had one choice left in my life. To die or not to die?

I did not know yet, but that was my final hour.I decided against ending this poor life. I walked outside

the house, and along the footpath. I just walked and walked for hours. I didn’t know what to do with the rest of my life. Suddenly, a gun shot sounded… and

another. I was bleeding. I didn’t know what was going on. And another. I felt weak. I was loosing breath. I fell to the ground. 2 more shots. I felt lifeless. One final shot roared like bear. I began seeing things. It was my life. It was so depressing. I accomplished

nothing. Everything went black. I didn’t know what happened and I never would.