The Hand Me Down Toy Shop

By Susan Murray

A sad beginning for a little girl who had nothing but poverty in her life and a friendly relationship with her school teacher...

"She pressed her little face so tight to the window of the shop"

"They even found an old Porcelain Doll down these mines dating back to maybe the 1800's"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Legend Press
• Release date: Feb 2, 2016
• ISBN: 9781785077883

Susan Murray

My name is Susan Murray, I reside in Westchester County, NY. I am a mother, author, and student. I have two siblings named Tyler and Colleen. I am college educated and hold an AS degree, and pursuing a BA in community and human services. I believe in higher education and that knowledge is power. I have a grown daughter named Taesha, who is my world. My daughter Taesha, is attending college and employed.I am an avid tennis player and love the sport. As a kid growing up, journaling was a favorite pastime and journaled often. I have written and published many books and will continue writing as I find it therapeutic and healing to me. All of my books except the poetry books, share personal stories of experiences in my life and some were painful to write as memories came back of the particular situations. I was once told by a friend, if God has brought you through something, you must share your story with others. I believe that by sharing others will too.

Book preview

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THE HAND ME DOWN TOY SHOP

Miss Hannah Hand was a spinster who lived with her invalid sister Lillian in a small village called Willow Creek which stood on the outskirts of a small town on the North coast of England.

She was a local school mistress and for many years served the little village school.

Being of typical school mistress material of times around the early 1950’s, Miss Hand dressed in old fashioned plaid skirts and little knitted cardigans with thick stockings and black or brown lace up shoes, her hair was always brushed back into an old fashioned bun style and on her face she wore little round glasses.

Miss Hand used a very old fashioned strong perfume, I think possibly lavender and always sucked very strong peppermints.

As a child Miss Hand was a pretty little girl who dressed and acted quite normally, interacting with most other children but, as she got older she became an avid reader so, therefore would isolate herself from them and spending most of her time reading books and became very introvert.

At first glance she looked very strict but inside this little lady she had a heart of gold with a softly spoken voice, nothing like she portrayed on the outside.

Her mother’s background was quite the opposite being a highly respected fashion designer and with it came the dress mode of typical fashion designers.

This story is about how this little school teacher changed the life of a seven year old child who lived in the village, her name was Beatrix Owens, who came from a very different background to Miss Hand and many of her class friends too.

But this story is also about a mixed community of people and their lifestyles, struggles and poverty.

Miss Hand lived in a grand old Estate of several acres named Willow Hall she came from an upper class society although the community were more lower class and struggling to survive, but due to Miss Hand’s family their kindness shone through and helped needy people that were so desperate, who struggled to survive.

The community was quiet and friendly with their local industry manufacturing lace, they had a