A question of faith….the Gomersall connection

From 1924 until 1928, my mother and her sister were sent to boarding school in Bournemouth, England. They made the passage to England by ship, accompanied by their parents. After settling in and doing some sightseeing as a family, their parents returned home to Shanghai. The girls would never see their mother again, but I’ll elaborate on that later.

My mother was 13 and her sister was 12 so it was their first time away from home and “away” it really was; about 12,000 miles. It took six weeks aboard ship, sailing down the China coast, through Indonesia, across the Indian Ocean into the Red Sea. They transited the Suez Canal and crossed the Mediterranean Sea, past Gibraltar and into the Atlantic. The last leg was northward along the coasts of Spain, Portugal and France and finally, to London.

I know almost nothing of their first three years at school, other than the few stories I’d heard of their escapades while staying with schoolmates during vacations. Fortunately, at the start of their final year, 1928, they purchased a journal and over the Christmas holidays and New Year, they made their first entries. It was a joint venture, with both girls taking turns writing in the book. Reading this diary gave me a window into their lives that I’d never have known had they not kept it.

Just a quick note before returning to the subject of the “Gomersall Connection” and that is to say, that throughout the year, both girls appear to have been firmly ensconced in the Anglican or Church of England religion and often mentioned attending church, sometimes more than once in a day. They seemed to have taken confirmation classes at school, passed, and took part in the rituals at completion. The occasion is noted in the diary entry of March 21st, 1928. They were confirmed by the Bishop of Winchester, at Saint Michael’s Church. The Bishop joined them for tea after the service. I might also mention that their father was married at and Anglican Church in Hong Kong so if any religion can be associated with our family at this point, Anglican would be my guess. This was about to change.

About this time, my grandfather was on his way, overland by train from Shanghai, via Berlin. He intended to spend time in England and tour Europe with the girls at the end of the school year, before they all returned home to China.

In the interest of brevity I’ll skip forward to September 8th when they all boarded the NDL “SS Saarbrucken” at Rotterdam, on their homebound passage. Also aboard the ship was a “Mrs Gomersall” who according to journal entries, joined them at many dinners aboard ship as well as on shore excursions in several ports along the way.

On the 27th of October, they arrived back in Shanghai. This is the last entry about the passage.

Got up early and went on deck. Last morning on board.
Had got into the river already. Water yellow and muddy.
Had breakfast, then packed.
Watched entrance to Shanghai from top deck. Band playing.
River Whangpoo like Thames. Busy etc.

Came aside wharf at 12 p.m. Saw Mr Letton-Samson waiting for us.
Said goodbye to stewardess, Captain, Purser etc. Went to customs.
Left in own car for Gomersall’s in Hankow Road. Nice flat. Good food.
After dinner went for dance with Mr Wolf and Schreeck to Majestic Hotel.
Car broke down. Walked. Dancing fine.
Returned 1:30 a.m. Fog.
Dead tired.

N.H.