I Made My Home in England

By Savitri Chowdhary

Published by SAVITRI CHOWDHARY and Printed in Great Britain by GRANT-BEST LTD., Durham Road, Laindon, Basildon, Essex, England.

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO MY

BELOVED HUSBAND,

DOCTOR DHARM SHEEL CHOWDHARY, M.B.B.S., M.R.C.S.,

L.R.C.P., D.P.H.,

D.T.M. and H.

1902-1959

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  • I was six years old, sick, and in and out of consciousness. Whether my father had walked to the public call box at the station to call Dr Chowdhary, or had walked to his office, I do not know. Had Dr Chowdhary come to examine me in our modest little bungalow at the foot of a mud road (euphemistically called Raglan Road) through a field off Berry Lane,? I cannot remember. What I do remember is being carried by a St John’s Ambulance attendant through the mud of Raglan Road to a waiting ambulance parked in Berry Lane. There, waiting to see me safely loaded into the ambulance was Dr Chowdhary. He had obviously ordered the ambulance but I’m sure there was no need for him personally to be there. But, as my family and virtually all Laindoners knew, he cared deeply for his patients. As for me, I was carted off to St Andrews Hospital in Billericay with Scarlet Fever — quite a serious and very contagious disease in those days. Laindon was very lucky to have Dr Chowdhary.

    By Alan Davies (31/12/2020)
  • What a fantastic doctor, very clever man. As they demolished the school named after him, they should name a road after him.

    By Alan Taylor (28/12/2020)
  • Thank you. Never knew your father.Your mother’s book! I bought a copy in 1963, gave it to a colleague. Bought another one and kept it. My daughter has it now,
    Much appreciated the memoir.

    By Dr JK Anand (27/09/2018)
  • I have just ordered from Amazon. Your Mother would have a fit if she saw the present day rarity value!

    By Mary Cole (30/08/2014)
  • So sorry Amazon are charging a lot for this Mary.  I have a few copies and will be happy to send you one if you have not ordered this yet and if the webmaster will be good enough to pass on your details to me and mine to you.  It would be nice to e-mail each other about our memories too!  So glad you still have the tablecloth after all this time.  Hope to hear from you soon. 

    To Betty Telford – how fascinating those photos must be – I would love to see them.  I think the one of the toddler is my brother (who sadly died in 2000 aged 64)  or it could be me. If you are local to Laindon perhaps we could meet at the library on a Memory Day.  Shakun

    Ken Page – thanks so much for the lovely comments about my mother – made my heart sing!   Shakun

    Editor: Hello Shakun, I will contact Mary and Betty as requested.

    By Shakun Banfield (Chowdhary) (30/08/2014)
  • I am so glad to see this and will try to get a copy.

    We still have the tablecloth she gave us as a wedding present 42 years ago.

    By Mary Cole (29/08/2014)
  • My father’s aunts ran the nursing home in Langdon Hills and were very friendly with the family. David Osborne former Langdon Hills resident, who until their death was in touch with the aunts, has very kindly sent me a lot of the aunts photographs and includes ones I feel sure are of the Chowdhary family in their garden, they look to be happy days! A lovely little toddler is pushing a wooden horse.

    By Betty Telford (27/08/2014)
  • Thanks to Ian Mott Webmaster for putting the whole of my mother’s memoir on the website.  I do hope people will enjoy reading it and it will prompt many memories of both happy and difficult times in Laindon. 

    By Shakun Banfield (Chowdhary) (20/02/2014)
  • A fascinating read indeed, I worked at Grant Best around the time this was published though I had no input to it.  Dr Chowdhary was our family Doc until his untimely death and we found him a fine doctor and a great bloke. The book is a great insight at a new migrant take on life in England in the Thirties and onwards. What a culture shock that must have been to Savitri !! and she overcame it all to become a loved part of our community, good on you Mrs C. may you rest in peace with your beloved husband. Thanks for posting this Ian, and thank you Shakun for providing the book for our enjoyment, God bless, from Australia.

    By Ken Page (20/02/2014)

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