Minnie Madeleine Deakin was born in 1933 at La Madeleine, in Normandy where her parents had family connections. Her middle name was after her maternal grandmother Madeleine Demolin. Her first name was after her much revered paternal grandmother Minnie Deakin.
Minnie lived with her parents in Stroud in the UK and later in Horsham West Sussex where her father George Deakin had been appointed as a Head of Department at Christ's Hospital school for boys. Later, Minnie married Martin Ough Dealy to his good fortune.
A primary school teacher, remedial reading specialist, mother and grandmother Minnie has written many short stories about her past. These have accumulated over the years and now have become a story of her life experience. In a very effective way these short pen pictures have become her memoires. As well as writing her hobbies include cooking (she makes excellent Cornish Pasties and Mexicaan Tostadas amongst much else that is scrumptious), gardening, clay modelling, knitting,Tai Chi and handbell ringing.
Her recollections are available through the links below.
Howick New Zealand 1997
by Minnie Madeleine Ough Dealy nee Deakin
Invited by friends to join the "Write your own story" class at Uxbridge Leisure Centre, I found that it was the much needed trigger for writing about my life, before the younger generation put pressure on me to continue a family tradition.
A year previously, I had made a tentative start, but found that buying a large exercise book, writing 1933 at the top of the first page and continuing in this manner until I reached 1997, was not inspiring.
The solution was simple. In class, we were given exercises in focusing on specific areas of our life, writing about them briefly, then reading the result to the class. The interest and encouragement shown by the tutor and class members unlocked writing skills which had lain fallow since my primary school years.
What I had originally perceived as a long, uninteresting life, led by an unambitious person, became a series of interesting and entertaining episodes which could be written out of chronological order, as and when mood and memory dictated.
To my delight the whole family has been involved. Sylvia deciphers and types out my longhand script, cross-checking the accuracy of dates and family events - Helen has acted as a tactful editor. Jane presented me with a handbag sized notebook for jotting down ideas. Martin has reacted positively on reading my stories, as have the rest of the extended family. Last but not least, Alice has offered to contact the editor of Readers Digest regarding the publishing of one of my stories "Super Gran and Sadie". Even if it's not accepted, I appreciate the thought.
WORK IN PROGRESS
StoriesCopyright of all parts of site is owned by M.& M.M. Ough Dealy.
This page last modified on Thursday, 12 July, 2021