EDUCATED IN PETTICOATS
MY FAMILY:
It was not easy being a girl in 1951. For me strangely it got easier in 1952. Life changed for a couple of boys I knew as well.
I am Frances, known as Franky. I was the oldest in the family. 20 whole minutes older than my brother. Born December 16 1933. There were six of us in all- five girls and a boy.
I remember feeling it was very unfair that I had to share a room with Lesley (16) and Toni (14) . Mat got a room to himself. Jo (13) resented sharing a small room with Sophie who was not yet 6.
We were poor. I know it was supposed to be the age of affluence. Well it was not for our family. Nor for Westford as a whole. Lots of men were without work.
I liked my dad. We were always pretty good children. However we seemed to be specially well behaved when he was at home. He listened to us. I didn't think about it at the time but I even remember him helping mum with housework.
In fact I had spied in them almost simultaneously cuddling, kissing and hugging whilst washing dishes and drying up together. I now think that it was a strange kind of fore-play.
My dad was also a hero. He never shot at anyone. Instead for 6 years he stoked the boilers that drove the ships that kept us all fed. On May 4 1945 his ship struck a mine.
My mother was, in her way, a heroine. She managed to keep all of us during that time. During the war she also worked in a factory making parachutes. I am proud of both of my parents.
MY SCHOOL:
The school I was at was unusual. It was a co-ed grammar school. Grammar schools were set up to give a very good education to children who passed an exam at 11.
Perhaps teaching boys and girls together should have been good. But at that time the headmaster, Mr Pringle, was an evil piece of work. He also seemed to pick on the girls.
Sometimes he ordered Miss Smart to hit us. That was painful and humiliating. Often it was for quite small things.
At 18 I would now be considered an adult. Not then. I wore socks which were the right colour but which were not quite right for the uniform. This was because mother could only afford three pairs of uniform socks. She had been nursing Sophie with flu and I had been managing the other children.
I was ordered to write 500 lines.
"I must attend school dressed properly."
That would have been bad enough. However at 3 O'Clock on the last day of term I had to stand in the play-ground and read out those lines.
Jim:
Jim Hay was an evil boy. He was always "accidentally" pushing at girls. He was also lazy at school. He did get caned quite often but he thought this was an honor.
For some reason he did not like me. On my way back from that humiliating experience I met him. He blocked my path. I tried to get away but he tripped me.
Now I was five foot eleven and quite broad and strong for a girl. However Jim was six-two and strong for a boy.
He got on to my back. He pulled up my skirt and pulled down my grey school knickers. He hit me a dozen times with a ruler. His younger brother saw it.
"I'm only giving you the hiding you deserve!"
He smirked. He also made the mistake of boasting about it.
I did not complain. I told my mother and she hugged me. She did not complain either. There did not seem any point
Jim'S PUNISHMENT:
However in those 2 weeks things had changed. Whilst I was experiencing one humiliation Mr Pringle was experiencing another. The governors had compared our academic performance with similar schools and with how things had been before he came.
He agreed to retire- at 49. They also decided to make the head of the most successful department headmaster. They were surprised when they checked things over and found it was the Maths department.
Miss Hoffman became headmistress. In those days a headmistress of a mixed grammar school was a very unusual thing. Miss Hoffman might have been the only such headmistress in England.
Before Pringle left in disgrace Miss Hoffman had found out about my official punishment.
In early January she found out about my unofficial punishment. She did two things. She wrote a letter to the National Assistance board. These were the people who paid Mum's pension. She got a grant for more clothing. It was unbelievable.
She did something else. She said that Jim had to be properly punished. I later found out that Jim Hay had been given the choice between accepting a school punishment or facing charges of indecent assault.
I was allowed to watch and help with the preparation of my tormentor for his punishment. He lived ten miles away and had to get two busses to school. However he was very frightened of Police involvement.
So he arrived at eight in the morning- as per instructions. Miss Hoffman took him by the hands and led him into the nurses room.
"Prepare Master Hay for his punishment."
Jim was very surprised when the school nurse started undressing him.
"But you can't this is crazy!"
Miss Hoffman was very insistent.
"Of course it is up to you. If you withdraw your consent to my punishment you can leave the school. We will put the matter into the hands of the Police."
He did not actually resist. The nurse told him about he next thing.
"You now need some injections. I will go upstairs to get my things."
He had to wait, with nothing on for about ten minutes. He was hating it. I was loving it. Finally the nurse came down.
She produced a hypodermic. It seemed to have a longer than average needle. She took a very long time pumping the drug into the syringe.
"Please don't- I hate injections."
The nurse was not sympathetic.
"Don't be a baby. I know it is hard for you but do TRY not to be a baby."
He was very embarrassed. The nurse was enjoying her role.
"Now lie on the table on your left side and make sure you look at the mirror."
There were in fact two mirrors one on each side of the medical table. The nurse wanted to make sure that Jim could see her pushing the long needle into his ass.
"Ow ah!"
A second injection was given to his right buttock then he was told to lie on his right side. Two more injections were given.
Miss Hoffman then addressed him.
"At 9:45 you will be expelled from this school. You will no longer need your uniform. I have therefore donated it to our charity department in case there is a boy who NEEDS uniform.
"I know that your parents are quite rich. You had 19 shillings and eight pence in your pocket. You will give all of that to Frances as compensation."
That was nearly a pound. It was a lot of money in those days. Miss Hoffman continued her explanation.
"Of course you will have to get home. There will be a bus to Darrington at half past ten. If you then wait there for an hour there will be another bus to your home village just after 12. It is market day I believe.
"I have made out a travel warrant. The bus company will honor it.
"I note that you favor hitting naughty children on their bare behinds. I will do this to you- in front of the whole school.
"Finally you show a real fascination for correct girl's uniform. You will wear one during your punishment. That is how you will be attired when you are expelled."
I then smiled.
"It is going to be my job to get you dressed. Sit down."
He sat on the medical table. I first put on his green regulation socks. Grey knickers followed. He was really embarrassed by the bra. This was stuffed with kleenex. Mind you I knew lots of Girls who did that with their brassieres.
Then came his blouse. I took my time buttoning this up. Next a white waist slip. The slip was not compulsory but I liked the idea of him wearing an actual petticoat. Then his skirt. Next his tie. Finally his dark green jumper.
Of course Jim was bigger, especially taller, than most girls. It was hard for him not to show his panties and very hard not to show his petticoat.
The nurse then gave him some unwelcome information.
"You may have wondered what those injections were for. Well I will explain. You have heard of a local anaesthetic. There is also a "Local Stimulant". It can help where there has been some nerve damage.
"In a case where the nerves are not damaged it will of course amplify the effects of any stimulus- for instance pain. Oh yes and you will find your inhibitions weakened. If you feel like crying- you may well cry."
The first assembly of the school was set up differently to the usual one. The girls were at the front and boys at the back. We had our short religious service then Miss Hoffman told us what her plans were.
She was in favour of self expression. But she was also in favor of hard work. She would not tolerate misbehavior. Especially if stronger people hurt of upset more vulnerable ones.
Then she described Jim Hay's crime. She did not name his victim. Finally she told them something of his punishment.
"Because Jim was so interested in the girls' uniform we thought it good he should wear it on his last morning. He will be expelled in a few minutes.
"He also favours corporal punishment on the bare bottom. It will be interesting to find out his views from a more direct experience.
"Because his behaviour, like that of other bullies, was childish that will be the style of his punishment."
A soft chair with no arms was put onto the stage. Miss Hoffman sat down.
"Across my knees, child."
Jim obeyed. Up came his skirt. Up went his petticoat. Down came his grey panties. His punishment was to be administered as if he were a child of 6 or even two He received six heavy hairbrush blows.
These blows really were VERY heavy. Miss Hoffman was 41, but very fit. Although her specialism was maths she had been a sportswoman. She had played cricket for England ladies. It was said she could send a cricket ball down the pitch at 80 miles an hour. That may have been an exaggeration but she certainly had an extremely strong right arm.
By the fifth blow Jim was crying. Boys at the back and girls at the front were laughing. He had a nasty surprise coming. After six blows he stood up.
"Now the other side."
His left buttock received the same treatment. Then he was expelled. His journey home took 3 hours. He had no chance of getting out of his humiliating clothing until he got home. Lots of people saw him. One of them was my brother Mat.
MAT:
My brother is not as clever as I am, but he's not stupid. Unfortunately at least since Dad's death he was amazingly lazy.
He did nothing to help in the house. I kind of resented that. Of course few other people even noticed it. He was a boy. Girls were the ones who did housework.
He was also lazy at school. He failed his eleven plus. He also twice failed an examination called an "O" level.
There was one other exam he failed three times which had an even greater significance. This was the "Western Insurance Company" exam.
The Insurance company was by far the biggest local employer. Of course this was before the age of computers. They had lots of jobs. They recruited very strictly according to an exam.
About two thirds of their workers were girls. Even so it was the biggest local employer of males- not excluding agriculture.
The truth was that Mat could have passed the eleven plus. He could have passed the "O" levels. He could have easily passed the Company exams. He could even have got to University. He would have got a grant to pay for his studies and his keep because Mum was so poor.
The Insurance Company exam was not that difficult. The papers were published. I did one of them at age 11. I passed. Dad was very proud, although even then he thought I should set my sights much higher. He was determined all his children would have the chances he never got
Instead Mat lazed about. Officially he was still at school. He missed about half the days. Mum did not want a fuss made. If he was treated as her dependent she got extra money. It certainly did not seem likely that he would get a job.
He read comic books. He listened to the radio. He sneaked into the picture house without paying. He hung around with other unemployed lads. He was getting more and more unpleasant to live with.
Some people have suggested he may have had a complex about his size. Dad had been short and fat. Mum was tall and thin. I was tall and broad. Mat was short and thin. He was five one. That is not a midget. However Jo at age 13 was as tall as he was.
MAT'S STORY:
When I got home I met my brother. Mother was busy ironing. Mat said.
"You'll never guess what I saw today in Darrington. That horrid boy at your school. Hay!
"Saw him. He wore his school uniform, only it was the girls' uniform. And it was even funnier. He kept trying to hide the waist slip, petticoat whatever you call it, but he couldn't. And a lot of the time you could see those grey knickers.
"He was standing at the bus shelter for over an hour. I don't know why he didn't sit down."
I chipped in.
"I know why he didn't sit down. His botty was VERY sore. We all watched it get sore. He has also been expelled."
Mat laughed. He had not been told of what had happened to me but he knew a great deal about Jim's reputation.
"Bet he deserved it too."
I added something else.
"And it was on his bare skin."
Mat's attitude changed a little.
"Hay really is a nasty bit of work. But I don't quite think anyone really deserves treatment like that. I mean I'd do anything not to be put in girls' clothes and have my bare bum.."
Mother heard the conversation.
"Don't use that word, it's rude. And what were you doing at Darrington?"
His reply was not very coherent.
"I was er..."
Mother's comment was very clear.
"I do not know what you were doing, but you can't have been at school. You'll not get a job next year. But you'll stop being able to pretend your at school. And they'll stop your money. And I can't keep you.
"I'll have to do something about you."
FINAL WARNING:
The next morning was Tuesday. An urgent letter arrived. It was from Mat's form teacher. He was very worried about the number of classes Mat was missing. He was also concerned about his behaviour when he did actually turn up.
Mother was very angry. She was also frightened. As she saw it her boy was throwing away his life. She spoke loudly and clearly.
"Mat, this is your last warning. If you do not from now on attend every class, do every bit of homework, and act properly in class, I, I'll deal with you."
The truth was that Mother did not know what she would do. She had thought of hitting my brother. Somehow that did not seem the right thing to do to a boy- a young man of his age.
Mat was 18. I don't mean that she was frightened of her son. The truth was if it came to a physical contest mother would have probably won on her own. She would certainly have won with my help. That help would certainly be available.
We had all been hit occasionally when we were younger. This had not happened often. We had not been naughty often. Mother had only hit us when were really awful. Looking back I do not think that dad had hit us at all.
Mat went off to school. He even stayed there all that day. Mother wrote a letter to Mat's form teacher.
Mat did LOOK as though he was doing some homework. He did not want people to see it though. We were not sure what was happening. I sincerely hoped that he had changed.
WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT MAT?:
Now I was legitimately home early that Friday. as part of our history study we went to a local churchyard. It happened to be near our house. I saw mother in a waiting line for the public call box. I said hello. Then about ten minutes later mother came home.
She was really upset. She was also livid:
"He missed Wednesday mornings lessons, all of yesterday and all of this afternoon. My warning. Has done no good at all. I'll have to get a strap...
"I don't want to hurt him. I never like hitting you. It was just that, everyone said that was how we could do something about misbehavior.
"I don't want to do it. But what else."
Jo was doing her homework. She was at the same school as Mat. This was the Secondary school- for kids who had failed the exam. She was not as clever as he was but she worked MUCH harder. And although she was not academically bright she did notice people. Her comments were very helpful.
"Mum, maybe Mat deserves to be hit. But I don't think that will make him good. They hit him at school. It's at school he's worse.
"What we need is something that will change the way he acts."
Then the crazy idea came into my head. The more I thought about it the less crazy it felt.
Something else happened to make mother cross. Mat did not come home for tea. He stayed out. Mother stayed up. I kept her company. I kept on brooding. Finally I told her.
"Mat has told us what would change his behaviour. Suppose we put him in girls' clothes and told him that he would be allowed to wear boys things if he did all his homework, and either passed the "O" level or the Insurance Company exam."
Mother did not agree.
"Your brother might be dead in some ditch and all you can think of is ways to be cruel to him. How could you?"
I tried to explain myself.
"I'm worried too. But don't you see. I want him to start being the person he could be. And as they say sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind."
My brother was NOT dead in some ditch. At half past midnight he got home - VERY drunk. God knows where he got the money for the booze. He probably stole it.
We carried him upstairs.
MAT'S SURPRISES:
At eleven o'clock that morning Mat was still asleep. His bedroom smelled of booze and urine.
Mother snapped. She had lost patience with her son and agreed with me:
"Franky darling, you were right last night. I am only worried about school and about it not being horrid enough to make him change his mind."
During the night I had thought about things. I went through my ideas with mother. She agreed with all of them- even the selfish one. She also had one more threat of her own.
There were few things that made our plans easier. The first was that all the time mother was worried she got busy. All of Mat's clothes except the ones he was wearing the previous night were washed and ironed.
Then there was the fact that all my younger sisters and worn hand me downs. Then there was Mat's own size.
Finally there was a local second hand clothes shop.
Jo went into Mat's bedroom. She emptied his chest of drawers. She took the clothes the to the second hand shop. She sold them. She bought just two items of clothing. There was a lot of change. This was handy. We were always short of money.
At noon I dragged my still drowsy brother out of his bed.
"Bath time brother!"
Having a bath was big operation. We did not have hot running water. The kettle had to be boiled several times on the gas ring. It then had to be poured into the bath. You also added cold water. It took a lot of effort to get it exactly right.
On this cold winters morning the bath was not that hot. I did not want Mat to enjoy it too much. Mat was very disoriented.
"What's happening?"
I explained:
"You stink! You need a bath."
He was still cross.
"But shouldn't I decide that?"
Mother shouted from the hall.
"Mat for some time to come you are not going to be deciding anything."
Whilst I was busy scrubbing my brother with carbolic soap and a rough cloth he could hear certain things being moved from one room to another.
It was nearly one o'clock when I was finished.
"Now you're coming downstairs."
"But I've got to get dressed."
"That's happening downstairs."
He protected his privates with a towel. It was very like a skirt. Totally appropriate in the circumstances.
He stood in the middle of our living room. Five females surrounded him, all seated. Toni had a job in a shop on Saturday afternoons. Mother explained his new life style and the reasons.
"Mat you have behaved dreadfully ever since your father died. Now of course we were all sad about that. But all your sisters have been specially careful and helpful.
"You've been specially lazy and difficult."
Mat replied briefly:
"I can't help being no good at school work. Lots of children are no good at writing and sums and things."
Mother could see through him.
"Mat the trouble is that you are lazy. If I thought you were trying hard but just could not manage I would not mind. But that's not it- is it? You are just lazy."
Mat was still trying to be defiant.
"Well why should I bother to be any different?"
Mother then gave him very cogent reasons.
"Matty, I am going to give you some very strong incentives to improve your behaviour and you studies.
"Until you have been regularly at school and at all your lessons for three months; AND you've either passed at least 3 "O" levels OR the insurance company exams you will be subject to the following discipline:
"One I will take you to school. I will hold your hand.
"Two Jo will collect you from your class at lunchtime and will walk you to your first class after lunch.
"Three Jo will check every afternoon with the teachers to make sure you have been to all your classes..."
I think Mat felt this was the end of the World. His mother would take him to school as if he were very little. His sister, five years younger than him, would be allowed to supervise him. I think he imagined nothing in the World could be worse. He had several more surprised to come.
"Four, I have checked that there is no school uniform. You will wear short trousers to school.
"Five you will move in with Sophie. Franky and Lesley will have your room. Toni will share a room with Jo."
That was the selfish bit. Every girl would prefer a room of her own. But having to share a small room with two others was really difficult. Mother had not finished.
"Six, from now on you will do a share of the housework."
"Seven, if you act like a naughty child you will be treated as such- over my knees with a hairbrush.
Mat was in shock. He had a bigger shock waiting for him.
"The last punishment was inspired by what you said. You said you would do anything not to wear girls' clothes. We will see if that is right.
"Until you pass some exams you will wear girls' clothing all the time you are at home. You remember Franky did the insurance exam as a bit of fun at age eleven and passed. You failed at age 17.
"I think you will fit in the clothes she wore at age TEN."
Mat was furious:
"No! NO! NO!"
The news for my brother was even worse than he thought. Dad had liked girls to be girls. And little girls at that. Even though there was a on war at the time of my 10th birthday he had smuggled some clothes for me. They were very well made in America. They were very frilly.
I remember not being too happy when I got them. They made me look younger. Except they were in my size- so they just made me look stupid. When Jo finally inherited them she liked them a lot. But of course she was now too big for them round the waist.
Mother offered my brother a pair of knickers with Minnie Mouse on them.
"I won't wear those bloody panties."
Mother was very cross.
"Right child, across my knees."
He tried to run away. Jo grabbed him. I took hold of his feet. Jo kept firm hold of his hands. We lifted him onto mother's lap.
"Sophie, go to mummy's room and get my hairbrush!"
Mat protested.
"Let me go you bitches!"
Mother told him what would happen.
"I am going to spank you twelve times. And for the next two evenings I am going to supervise you in making a VERY soapy drink of water. Then at seven o'clock, just before you go to bed you are going to drink it.
"If you want to use nasty words again you can drink soapy water three times a day, every day, until June."
He shut up but still struggled. He did not cry when mother hit him. I think it hurt a bit. The main point was humiliation. He certainly DID feel humiliated.
His spanking was finished but we still held him. Mother addressed him again.
"I can see that someone else will have to dress you. Would you dress your new little sister Franky?"
Jo then piped in:
"Can I dress him- er her?"
Mother agreed.
"That's a good idea. Now Matty don't Minnie mouse knickers suit you?"
He answered very quietly.
"No."
Mother asked him.
"Do you think Minnie mouse knickers are a good idea for little Matty. Speak up so I can hear you."
This time his reply was audible.
"No!"
"Perhaps you would prefer napkins."
Matty was not quite sure what she was talking about. He may have had an idea. He still felt scared by its confirmation.
"What?"
"Napkins, diapers, didies NAPPIES. Maybe you need them anyway judging from last night."
He surrendered:
"I'll wear what you make me wear."
We allowed Matty to sit down on a chair. Jo fitted the childish panties over his feet. They went up to his knees. Jo gave her instruction
"Stand up little Matty."
The panties were pulled up around his bottom. He then allowed Jo to lower a full length petticoat over his head. Then came another. On this the skirt was very full.
Then came white ankle socks. His sandals were black
Finally came the Dress. It was covered in flowers. The sleeves were very full. The petticoat pushed the skirt right out. It had a great big pink bow at the front. Except for his size he looked like a six year old.
One thing that stopped him being a convincing girl was his short hair. In those days boys did NOT wear long hair. Girls rarely wore short hair. Mother however explained something.
"I don't think you should have your hair cut until June."
She then added:
"If you fail your exams would you prefer a pony tail or pig tails?"
WASHING DISHES:
We had our lunch. In the kitchen there was a pile of dishes to wash from breakfast and as well as the lunch things.
"Matty, you will now be doing the dishes."
Mother hung a pinny over him. I guess he was pleased that it hid his dress. Mother carefully showed him how to do the dishes. She washed three plates.
Then we left him to it. An hour later Mother went back in.
"Matty, this is not good enough. You'll have to do it again."
In fact it took a third try.
MOUTH WASH:
I was really looking forward to that evening. My brother was going to learn not to use horrid words. Mother watched whilst he carefully cut up a whole bar of soap. Then he gradually stirred it into a saucepan half full of water. The heat on the gas cooker helped it to dissolve. Then it was allowed to get cold.
At half past six the punishment began. Matty was already in a night-dress ready to go to bed. I think he thought he would be able to get it over quickly. Mother had other ideas.
She took an egg cup and filled it with soapy water from the saucepan. Matty wore a pinny over his nighty. The Saucepan was right in front of him.
"Now little Matty. I want to make sure you remember this. So don't swallow until I tell you to.
"Open up."
The soapy water was poured from the egg-cup into the child's mouth. Then mother talked to Sophie.
"Sophie, would you please count to thirty, very slowly."
Each installment of his mouthwash was given in the same way. Finally mother said.
"Matty, it is half past seven. That is half an hour after your bed time. So what we are going to do is start giving you your mouthwash tomorrow at half past five. Then you can go to bed at half past six.
"Sophie because you have been such a good girl you can stay up until eight o'clock.
"And Matty, remember you sleep in the bottom bunk."
HOUSE WORK:
I do not know whether Matty hoped we would give up if he deliberately did housework badly. It might have been just nobody had ever shown him what to do. Over the next few days. He did lots and lots of jobs again and again.
Although mother had said that my brother would be doing "His Share" of the Housework it ended up with him doing an awful lot of it. We even made him tidy OUR bedrooms. He could not cook. He refused to go out in his frock, and so he did not get any shopping.
By the end of January Matty had learned: How to sweep a floor, how to wash dishes, how to lay a fire, how to wash, how to iron, how to scrub clothes, how to iron.
At the same time he had to do all his homework. Jo checked with his teachers. His behaviour improved very greatly whilst marks shot up. The treatment was working.
SOPHIE'S ATTITUDE:
Little Sophie had long hated being called the baby of the family. Of course from that day in May 1945- before mum even knew she was on the way- Sophie was guaranteed to be, at least chronologically, the youngest.
Maybe too mother love was a bit like smother love for my little baby sister- God Sophie would strangle me for that phrase. Well how do you make it up to a little girl who will NEVER see her Daddy? Especially if you think her Daddy was the best person in the World.
Petticoating was changing Matty. He was being very well behaved and quiet. He was, for instance, much more tidy and considerate than Jo had been when she shared a room with Sophie. He wanted to stop having to wear a dress. He wanted the threat of spankings lifted. He certainly did not want any more mouth washings.
All this meant that he was nice to Sophie. After he had done the dishes up and his home work before he went to bed Sophie went up to him. She asked if he would play with her and her dolly.
At first he did as Sophie said just to avoid a spanking or worse. But as time went on he found he actually liked it. I don't mean he liked putting a dress on a doll. He did like making Sophie happy.
He even understood that when Sophie said:
"I wish I could have a dress as nice as yours!"
She was NOT being horrid.
NEIGHBOURS:
I got on very well with the girls who lived next door. Alice was my age Rosemary was nine. I have to admit that Alice was a much nicer person.
She had been at the same school as me. She could have stayed on and gone to college. But what she wanted to do was work for that insurance company. Already she was supervising the new girls- and even some new boys at only 18.
Rosemary was always nice to me. The trouble was she tended to bully people. She was really nasty sometimes to little- I mean she was not nice to Sophie.
I also knew that some day soon Alice wanted to move out.
PROBLEM:
Although Sophie liked her "New little sister" she did have one complaint. She told mother quietly.
"Sometimes he moves and shakes the bunks a lot. It scares me."
Mother had noticed some stains in his sheets. She knew what that meant. Actually at that age I was very innocent. I did not know what it meant. I heard mother give my brother this final warning:
"If I hear another complaint from your sister or I see one more disgusting stain- I will deal with you and you will be sorry!"
About a week later I heard my mother hearing another complaint from Sophie. Then she saw the stain.
"Disgusting!"
EDUCATED IN PETTICOATS PART TWO
SOLUTION:
Since dad's death both mother and I had learned to be "handymen" about the house. Things sometimes needed doing. We had no men. There was no money.
In the past mother had asked Mat to help with minor household repairs. Her son from the age of 13 made it clear that he was only going to do such jobs for money. Money which we did not have. In any case on this occasion he would not be a good person to ask.
Just after Sophie's last complaint mother called Mat and me. She told me that I would have to help her that day. She was making alterations to a bed.
"Matty, self abuse is disgusting and childish. I sincerely hope that Sophie does not know what you have been doing.
"I know that this habit is going to stop. I had put you in with Sophie as if you were another child. That can not continue.
"Instead you will sleep in Mummy's room- as if you were a baby. I have looked in the attic and we have Sophie's old playpen and cot. They are both broken but they have enough bits for our needs."
I should explain that in England we say "Cot" where I think Americans say "Crib".
Mother made Matty do his homework in his new room- her room so he could see the work we were doing. The bottom bunk was taken from Sophie's room into mother's.
On each side of it were added two sides of the old playpen and one side of the old cot. The ends of the cot were screwed to the ends of the bed. It was not a perfect cot. Some of the bars were horizontal when they should have been vertical. But it would do the job.
The ends of two old belts were fixed to one end of the new crib.
Next mother sewed the fingers and thumbs of two pairs of gloves together. She sewed the inner glove into the outer one. Each time she used strong nylon thread- supposed strong enough for a hundred pound fish.
Bits of old sheets were wrapped and folded round the finger parts of the gloves. These too were firmly sewn in place. Bits of metal and pad-locks were fitted to the front of these new gauntlets. Finally the backs of these new "Gloves" were screwed tightly to the other end of the crib.
When the work was finished mother explained.
"You see child although you will be sleeping in my room I have no intention of being disturbed by your disgusting night time habits."
Matty thought he had an answer.
"But what if I need to go to the toilet at night."
"Well child I advise you to be careful to make full use of the facilities before you go to bed. Just in case I have looked out our old rubber sheet.
"However if this cot is wet twice within any week you will wear nappies and rubber panties and you will stay wearing them until you have been dry for seven nights."
I watched Matty go to the toilet four times in the two hours before his bedtime. By the way he also found use of the wc embarrassing.
Mother had been very angry when he had splashed his dress. She told him what to do. He had to pull his dress and petticoats right up. Pull his panties down to his ankle. Then he had hold his manhood pointing downwards and squat down like girls did.
Despite his efforts by eleven o'clock when mother went to bed he was wet. She could smell it. She woke me up. We both woke Matty up stripped his cot and gave him a cold strip wash.
His bed was wet on Monday morning as well.
STRUGGLE:
Despite everything that had happened I do not think that even then Matty took mother and my threats seriously. As it happened mother had a dental appointment. I got permission to get an early bus and miss games.
I collected Jo and Matty. Then we collected Sophie. Sophie went home with Jo. Even though she was only six she did not have to let her big sister hold her hand.
Matty on the other hand had to endure that indignity. He was surprised when I took him into the draper. He worried a bit when I talked of a big boy with a bed wetting problem and bought the nappies and rubber panties.
He still did not believe it was real. At ten to seven he was in his nighty ready for bed, mother said.
"Now for Matty's nappy."
He tried to run away. We literally carried him to his cot. We forced his handies into the special gloves. Then we secured his feet. I pushed a pillow under his back and was able to pin his nappy on.
He was struggling and pleading.
"Please, don't. I'm not a baby. It's not my fault."
Mother warned him.
"If baby doesn't quieten down he will find himself drinking a baby bottle of soapy water."
That worked. I undid one of the foot straps and slipped the rubber panties over his right foot. Then I re fixed it. Then I undid the bit on his left foot and pulled it over. Mother pulled the panties towards his nappy whilst I re-secured him.
We found out the next morning that one nappy was not enough. We found out the following morning that two were not enough. From the middle of February until the middle of August he wore four nappies every night.
Within a few days he was submitting without resistance to the humiliating ritual. Jo liked Matty even less than I did. She offered to see to his nappies most nights. Mother was happy to let the 13 year old undress her older brother, put him into a nighty, pin him in bulky napkins and then stretch tight waterproof panties over them. Jo also enjoyed actually putting him down in his cot and making him helpless.
SOPHIE'S PROBLEM:
I noticed over next few weeks that Sophie did not want to go out much. I did not connect it at the time with our washing line. Of course neighbours on all three sides could see the nappies and the rubber panties drying.
They knew we had no baby. They assumed that it was a bed -wetting problem. They also assumed that this must be to do with the youngest child.
It was just after six in the evening. The shops had closed. I went next door to borrow some sugar. I over-heard Rosemary very confidently talking to Alice.
"Sophie really is a baby. She's gone back to wetting the bed. I know because I've seen her nappies and rubber panties on the washing line."
No wonder Sophie was so upset. And he had not said anything. Partly it was because she would not be believed. But also Sophie was a nice child. She would not go out of her way to be horrid to Matty. Rosemary continued.
"I asked her and she admitted it. At least she didn't say it wasn't true. Why else would they have nappies if it wasn't for a girl of her age needing them at night."
I went upstairs and knocked on the bedroom door.
"I couldn't help hearing what you said. You are being very unfair to Sophie. I think you should come next door and meet someone."
So they came. Matty was wearing a dress, a petticoat and a pinny. He was finishing the washing dishes pots and pans. Jo realized why I had brought the neighbours over.
"Nappy time!"
She announced.
"But you can't not in front of..."
Mother came in. I explained.
"Rosemary was telling Alice that little Sophie wets the bed. I wanted her to know who the nappies are for."
Rosemary literally didn't recognize Mat.
"Who's that girl and why is her hair so short?"
I explained.
"My brother Mat used to be very lazy at home and at school. One day he saw a boy who was punished by being made to wear a skirt.
"Mat said he'd do anything not to wear girls' clothes. So his mother said:
"You'll wear girly things until you have passed your exams."
Jo added- without giving the full reasons.
"Matty started wetting the bed. So we had to put him back into nappies at night."
I think Rosemary really enjoyed watching my brother's dress being taken off. His other day clothes coming off. His nighty going on. And especially him having to lie down and let himself be pinned into bulky baby-wear.
From then on Rosemary teased Matty much more than Sophie.
LIFE WITH MATTY:
For the next few months my brother's behaviour was very good. He was nice to be with. He did not swear at people. He was helpful.
He worked hard at school. He got much closer to Sophie. The truth is that he actually enjoyed playing dolls- especially after mother confiscated his comic books.
On the couple of occasions he answered back he faced soapy mouth-washings. However mother had discovered the ultimate deterrent.
"If you behave badly again you'll wear nappies during the day."
EXAMS AND AFTER:
In June and July both Matty and I had exams. We were both allowed to get away with doing less housework. the stakes were very high for both of us.
I HAD to get very good grades. A few weeks earlier in the careers class we had met a doctor. And she was a woman. Until that time I had just assumed that all doctors were men. In the same way as I had imagined that all nurses were girls.
I had indeed thought about nursing. I do care about people. I do like the idea of helping people get better. But when I found out how little money nurses got I decided to give up the idea of medicine.
Now I was quite determined. I would be a doctor- and a well paid specialist too.
For Matty too these exams mattered a lot. If he got the "O" levels he might get a better job. If he passed the Company exams he could work for Western Insurance. If he passed either he would not have to change into a frock every time he got home.
Exam time is very stressful. We were both very ratty. I thought we had indeed both done very well.
There was a problem. My last exam was on June 27. The insurance Exam was on July 11. But we would not hear about the results until the middle of August.
I spent that month working as a temp- at the records office of the local hospital. Matty spent that month being more and more annoying.
He did less and less housework. He did it worse and worse. Mother got more and more angry:
"Matty- you're not more use in the home than a baby would be. If you want to wear nappies during the day you're going the right way about it."
Matty simply did not take the threat seriously. To be honest neither did I. I was sad that he had gone back to his old ways. On the other hand I felt that if the treatment he got had made him work hard, pass exams and get a job it was worth it. We had lived with a lazy, arrogant young man over the previous six years. We had got used to Matty. Then it happened.
Naughty Baby Matty; I got a Friday afternoon off. Mother was coming home from shopping at the same time I arrived. Perhaps we were both earlier than Matty expected. We found Matty wearing MY old jeans (the only pair of trousers I possessed). He had to have been in my bedroom. He was smoking. He had eaten a lot and drank a lot of coffee. Cups and plates were all over the living room.
Mother was livid:
"What is the meaning of this?"
Matty was defiant:
"Well I know I passed my exams."
I asked
"How- the result doesn't come out until monday."
He replied:
"Well I just passed. Anyway you bitches can't touch me now. I'll be working soon."
Mother spoke quietly but firmly:
"Matty, I never knew until now how much you wanted to spend a whole weekend in nappies."
Mother's tone was very firm.
"Franky will you undress baby whilst I get this mess cleared up?"
Matty knew we meant business. He just let me get on with undressing him. I took my time about it. Finally when I was finished undressing him I said:
"Lie still while I fetch your nappies."
He obeyed. I also deliberately took my time over this. Finally I came downstairs.
I acted in slow motion. Babies's nappies were too small to fold. I pinned each of the four of them at each side. I made sure to make sure that each was pinned really tightly. Then came the rubber panties.
"Baba Matty- where is your fwock?"
Mother came in. She had a better idea.
"Franky, the dresses that Matty has been wearing are far too grown up for a baby."
Somehow I was able to squeeze him into a frock I had worn age seven. I was really glad he was so slim.
Now it was not actually a baby-frock but it had always been quite short on me. Of course I had always been big for my age just as he had been small for his. He was thin enough to wear what I had worn eleven years earlier.
However a shortish 18 year old boy is a lot taller than a tallish 7 year old girl. This showed. More to the point his underwear showed. There was no way at all he could stand or sit without his rubber panties being clearly visible. Then too there was a big bulge under the panties. The napkins made his ass very plump. Nobody could have been in any doubt about the details of his underwear.
HUMILIATING WEEKEND:
For the next couple of hours Matty just sat still and felt miserable. Sophie tried to be nice but that made it worse:
"I am really happy to have a new baby sister."
Then at tea time I had an idea. Mother agreed. I called our on next door neighbors and invited Rosemary and Alice in. Rosemary was very good at teasing Matty:
"I've never seen such a pretty dress. It really does suit you. And it will be so convenient at change time. Won't it?"
At five o'clock we had our tea. Most of us had sandwiches peanut butter sandwiches, cheese and jam (what Americans call jelly). But of course the "baby" was too young to share our food.
Instead mum made a mixture of bread and milk. We put one of his nappies round him- like a bib. The we each got a chance to spoon feed him. Rosemary was specially good at making sure that he got a very messy face. He had more surprised coming.
CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!
Alice had brought her camera.
"Please don't. It's not fair."
I wasn't having any of that.
"It's your behaviour that's been "not fair." You have acted like a baby."
Rosemary chimed in:
"Matty acts like a baby. Matty's dressed like a baby. Matty is a baby."
Jo added.
"And shouldn't babies talk baby talk."
Mother agreed:
"That's right. The next time you use words that don't suit your clothes Matty you'll get some soapy water to drink and a spanking on your bottom- in front of everyone."
A few minutes later Matty got up from his chair and started to go upstairs. Mother was cross.
"Come back this instant."
"But I'm going to toilet."
There followed a struggle. I grabbed and held my brother. Mother went upstairs and undid the special mittens from his cot. They were then re-fitted to his hands.
"Hey, stop it!"
I asked.
"How many bottles of soapy water does baby need?"
Mother was calm:
"Just the one for the moment. And I am surprised. You know I am used to looking after babies. I know that babies can't help wetting their nappies. I won't be cross.
"But I told Matty what would happen. At change time he can look forward to a nice hard spanking."
So he sat at the table desperately trying to avoid wetting himself. Rosemary and Alice looked at him fidgeting. About half an hour later I came in with a baby bottle of soapy water. Mother asked.
"Would Rosemary like to give baby his special feed. You sit down and baby will put his head in your lap."
So he had to submit to this humiliation - and from a girl half his age. Just as the mouth-wash was nearly finished he flooded his nappies.
Rosemary commented:
"I think baby needs changing."
Mother did not agree.
"I think baby needs to stay in wet nappies until bed-time. I think that might make Mat think about what a horrid person he has been for the last few weeks.
"Oh yes- and I think babies crawl- they don't walk."
Rosemary had no intention of leaving. Her sister stayed too. As a special treat "Baby" was allowed to stay up until nearly eight o'clock. He crawled around in soggy sagging nappies for nearly an hour and a half.
At ten to eight mother talked to Rosemary.
"As you know Matty is a very big baby. Big babies do A LOT of wee wee. So we had to give Matty four nappies. Would you like to help me.
"If Rosemary undoes his dress and pulls down his rubber panties and undoes two of baby's nappies I'll undo the other nappies.
"Then I'll wash round his botty. Then he needs a spanking."
So Matty had to allow this little girl to undress him. He really was being treated like a baby. Rosemary also took her time about it.
Mother took her time about undoing the inner diapers. She washed him with a cold rough cloth. Then she put one nappy onto her lap.
"Across my knees child."
He tried to evade punishment by pretending to be stupid.
"The other way."
He was so humiliated by this treatment that he cried. I don't think it was the pain from the spanking. I think it was just that he was feeling so shamed.
Rosemary was also allowed to pin on some of Matty's nappies and to secure him into his cot.
He did not enjoy Saturday either. Firstly he had a mouth-washing for not using baby talk:
"Mother I MUST go to the toilet."
"I told you about not using baby-talk. And I told you that you can use your nappies."
"I meant ..."
I had, on mother's instructions, prepared a baby bottle of soapy water. It was on the breakfast table. I stuffed it into his mouth mid-sentence. Mother explained his situation further.
"You know in my experience babies mess their nappies as well as just wetting them.
"Of course if Matty's passed his exams and is a good boy he can go back to wearing boy clothes. But I will still expect help in the house. That will include washing. I think there are going to be a LOT of nappies to wash."
Next mother noticed his hair was now reasonably long. She put it in pig-tails with pink ribbons.
Two other nasty things happened. Matty was invited next door. He was able to hide his dress with a coat but he found that Rosemary had invited lots of her little friends to laugh at him.
Then on Sunday one of Sophie's friends visited unexpectedly. She saw Matty being changed. She said:
"My brother is having his second birthday party. Can the big baby come."
I went with him. I think he found his worst experience was not wetting and messing himself in front of all those people. The worst thing was hearing other boys and girls being praised for feeding themselves whilst he was spoon fed and praised for using the potty. Especially as his nappies got so very wet.
THE NEXT FEW MONTHS:
I got my place at University. I was able to do the right degree to get into medical school. It was very hard work and I was very lonely in London.
Mat had passed his exams. He did work for the insurance company. As it happened he found that our neighbour Alice was his supervisor. Perhaps surprisingly he worked reasonably efficiently.
I do not think Alice ever made any specific threats. On the other hand the knowledge that your boss has the kinds of photos Alice had of Mat may have been a strong incentive to work very hard indeed.
At home I am told that Mat did do his share- just about. It was an effort to get housework out of him. Still this was a great improvement on the past.
Mother never repeated the discipline. She did however leave the dresses in his wardrobe. Just as a reminder.
A FEW YEARS LATER:
I was in London nearly qualified as a doctor. I was living in a not very nice room. One day I ran into Alice. She had been promoted and was working in the London office. Still her flat (I think Americans call it an apartment) was not very nice- especially considering the cost.
A little later that day I met Jo. She had become a nurse. She did not like the nurses home. The rules were ridiculously strict. They were being treated like something between school girls and nuns. She badly wanted to move out, but on her salary she could not afford it.
Then the idea came into my head. If we got together we would be able to BUY a quite nice house for the three of us. That is what we did.
It was a nice house. It had a nice garden. It was much better than any of us had before.
The trouble was that it was very soon in terrible mess. Now none of us were naturally messy people. On the other hand we all worked very long hours. We had a series of big rows. We seriously considered selling up 3 months after buying the place.
We did not quite get to the point of doing anything about selling. Then one breakfast Alice mentioned Mat. She said that her successor has his supervisor was finding it harder and harder to get him to work properly.
Jo piped in.
"Mother says that he now does hardly any housework either."
So I said.
"So all that effort those years ago was a waist of time."
Jo disagreed.
"No it wasn't. It's just that he needs to spend some more time in petticoats."
A few days later I watched an old movie called "Tender Comrade". It starred Ginger Rogers. It was about women war workers who had shared a house. They too had found it hard to manage the housework. I mentioned it to Alice:
"Maybe we should advertise for a housekeeper. With all our money put together we could maybe afford one. Specially as we could give her a room."
JO'S PLAN:
Alice had talked to Jo. She had found out that Mat's work problems were even greater than we thought. She also found out from mother that since Toni had left she had wanted to sell the house and move into a smaller cottage.
Mother had started to work for the insurance company. The only person who still really needed her was Sophie. It would, however, be difficult to get Mat out of the house.
I do not know whether the blackmail was explicit or not. Neither do I know whether Alice had any influence on Mat's redundancy. I do however know that one Saturday my brother arrived. Jo presented the four of us with a contract. We all signed it.
MATTY THE HOUSEKEEPER:
We had our housekeeper. Mat's pay would be pocket money, plus having his food and a small upstairs room.
His "uniform" in the house would be little girl clothes. Out of the house he would be allowed to borrow Alice's older clothes and have a padded bra. He would also be allowed to wear grown up women's clothing when we had company.
If his work was unsatisfactory we would be allowed to spank him. For very serious misconduct we would have the options both of dismissing him and of ordering a spell of nursery discipline.
Over the next few years the household ran wonderfully well. All our clothes were washed and ironed perfectly. We all knew that we could rest completely as soon as we got home.
Lots of people asked how we ever managed to find such a treasure. At that time I did not tell anyone.
THE 1960S:
I noticed the amount of poverty in the part of London I was working in. I also noticed that many of my senior colleagues seemed to be on the golf course more often than in the operating room. I also worried about various wars and about the bomb.
I started to be involved in politics. During the 60s I never allowed any of my political friends in. They would have been shocked at the very idea of a "servant".
Actually servant was not a good description of our relationship with Matty. It was much more like he was a loved little sister. Of course we expected Matty to work. But then most girls help their parents in the house. We did LOVE Matty.
Alice loved Matty in several different ways. In 1963 Alice decided she wanted a baby.
I also knew that Alice definitely wanted a girl child. I gave Matty an experimental drug. It worked. In fact I think it was the fact that it DID work which stopped it being allowed to be used. It was designed to ensure that a male for a period of months would only be able to father girl-children.
Then at the right time of each month Matty was tied to a bed. His dress was pulled over his face. Alice got on top of him. Within three months Alice was pregnant.
The wedding took place as soon as the pregnancy was confirmed. It took place in a church of England church. Alice was very determined that her daughter would not be "illegitimate".
The ceremony was interesting mainly for the clothing. Alice was known as "Al" for the purpose of the ceremony. She wore full male drag. A suit, a tie, a top hat, the lot.
Mat was known as Matty. He wore a wedding dress. However he underneath not only did he have a heavily padded bra but also, strapped to his tummy, there was a bag of water. Matty looked nearly nine months pregnant.
He had to walk for two miles through the streets of London. Everyone assumed that "She" was a "bad girl" being luckily rescued by a man who did the right thing.
A few weeks after the birth they was divorced. Alice junior did not know who her biological father was. She did however learn that women should be supreme. For many years Alice junior thought there was a hypocrisy in our family. How could we believe in female supremacy and yet have a woman as a housekeeper doing all our housework.
We of course made sure that little Alice was not there when Matty was spanked.
THE 1970S:
Then in the early 1970s I joined the women's movement. As you will know there were many factions. Some thought we could manage simply without having any men. Other groups preached justice and equality.
My small faction did not want to do away with men. Neither did we preach equality. We felt that the only thing wrong with the male/female power balance was that it was the wrong way around. If Parliament had 605 women and 25 men we would be better governed. Or better still if men were given the legal status of Victorian women.
Eventually I had the courage to invite some of my friends from this group home. Matty was very embarrassed when his birth gender was revealed. He threw a tantrum. He threw a cup at me. I read out his contract- which had been renewed for five years every year.
8 different ladies had him over their knees. He was given 48 of the best with a hairbrush. As usual after this discipline he was stood in a corner. His pretty frilly panties were around his knees His frock an petticoat were safety pinned to reveal his very red botty. Two mirror were carefully arranged so that he had to spend that 40 minutes looking at his ass- and especially at its new complexion.
He was also warned that I would have to consider buying some nappies for him in case he needed a more humiliating discipline. The mention of nappies brought a request from Irene. She had been a battered wife but had escaped. She had two young children:
"It sounds to me as if Matty is underemployed during the day with you all out at work. I mean Alice junior can look after herself. Now I can't afford disposable nappies on Supplementary Benefit but I do so hate scrubbing dirty nappies.
"I was wondering if you could lend Matty. You say he is good at washing. It would be such a great help if I had someone to do this chore."
I of course agreed. Matty rebelled. The rebellion did not last long. He spent one weekend of WEARING nappies. He had suffered this indignity before. However there was a new factor.
At the age of 12 Alice junior found out about her "housekeeper's" birth- gender she thought it was great fun. She had learned all her life that males should be kept in an inferior place. She was glad that the maid was male.
She liked the idea of nursery discipline for a very special reason. Because of her upbringing Alice junior had never been allowed to have doll. Now she had a real live "baby doll".
I think Matty found being spoon fed and having his nappies changed by his daughter especially humiliating. On Sunday afternoon little Alice said she would take her "baby doll" out in his short dress and soggy nappies. They would feed the ducks. This threat ended Matty's rebellion.
Matty called me. He agreed to be very good. We telephoned Irene and made the arrangements. Every other day Matty would go to Irene's flat. Matty would wash the wet and dirty diapers. Irene would have the full authority to spank him if he did not make a good enough job of this.
EPILOGUE:
I thought about the experience with Matty. I also thought about how lazy and incompetent many important rich men were. I knew that going to the right boys fee-paying school and having the right friends was what decided who got the top jobs.
I also thought back to my childhood. I remembered not only Matty but many, many boys at my school. I remembered how badly Mr Pringle had run that school and how well Miss Hoffman had done.
I wondered whether there were wider lessons to be learned from our experience with Matty. I also thought about how happy I had been watching Jim Hay's discipline. I wondered whether putting men into petticoats- and under firm female control- might make them much more useful creatures.
Then I thought about Dad and felt ashamed of this idea. I reconsidered my politics. Some men needed to be put in a very inferior place but others could be almost as caring as women. I was due for a big surprise.
I arrived home one morning after a very long shift. It was longer because one of my male colleagues had not turned up and another had botched an operation and forced me to do it again.
I saw an airmail letter. I was about to read it. Then I saw that the house was a tip. I shouted. He had maybe hoped to have more time to tidy up. He had no convincing excuse.
"Matty, what is the meaning of this?"
"I was going to, I mean I will - its just that. I mean I'm sorry."
I sat down on a low but comfortable chair. Matty knew the significance of this.
"Across my knees child."
I did not do it with ceremony. Within seconds I had his dress and petticoat over his back and his panties round his knees. Each hairbrush blow was heavier than the last. I think maybe Matty was experiencing my anger at male-kind in general. Two, three, four, five...
"Swack, SWACK, SWACK!"
I did not notice that I had left the front door open. For a few minutes I did not notice an elderly lady coming in. I felt confused.
"I er...!"
The lady surprised me.
"Carry on."
The airmail letter had come from the United States. The lady was grandma. She had written to let me know her plans. The letter was delayed. She was dad's mother. I discovered from my grandmother why my dad was such a good caring man.
"You see your grandfather was away from home for months at a time. He had used to take a belt to your father. It had not made much difference. Certainly it did not improve his behaviour.
"Then one autumn it had been a long time since I had been sent a postal order from your grandfather. Jobs were really hard to come by then. I was worried about clothes for the children. I talked to my sister in law. She was able to help. I told Alfred.(my dad)."
"Look Alf this winter I'm afraid you'll have to wear your cousin Pat's old things.
"Well, at age 12, he threw a tantrum like a two year old. I eventually realized why. Alf had two cousins- Patrick and Patricia. He thought I was going to make him wear girls' clothes. He soon calmed down when he realized what I meant. But he had planted a seed.
"Then a few weeks later he played with matches. The washing line caught fire. This time I DID borrow old clothes from PatRICIA.
"I very soon found out that a spanking over my knees with a hairbrush- provided Alfred was in a frock- was a better deterrent than taking a belt to his back.
"As you know Alfred soon became a quite exceptionally caring man."
I have decided that petticoat discipline and female supremacy WOULD be a good way of making the World a nicer safer place.
THE END