Three Jill Browns In London Flat

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29748, 15 February 1962, Page 2

Three Jill Browns In London Flat

[From the London Correspondent of “The Press”)

LONDON, February 9.

Three girls named Jill Brown —one from Christchurch, New Zealand, the second from Kenya, and the third from Bedfordshire—once lived together in a basement flat in Warwick road, London. The confusion was incredible, and often highly amusing.

Now the three Jill Browns have separated, but the nickname each was compelled to accept has endured.

The New Zealander is “Kiwi:” the English girl is “Farmer;” the Kenya Jill Brown is "Cherub”—for the simple reason that she looks cherubic.

“Kiwi” Brown, a 24-year-old school teacher and daughter of Mr and Mrs J. Brown, of Cashmere Hills. Christchurch, said she and another New Zealand girl. Miss Shirley Harrison, of Amberley, joined two giris already in residence in this Warwick road basement flat on New Year's Day. 1961 These were the Kenya and Bedfordshire Jill Browns Initially, the confusion, especialy with mail, was considerable. but gradually those in the know either preceded the surname with “New Zealand.” “Kenya.” or “England” or had this designation tucked away on some corner of the envelope. Sometimes the nickname was used Telephone Trouble Then there was fun with the telephone People would ring and ask for Jill Brown Which one? Then the person telephoning would probably use a nickname or the "nationality:” some. not know’ing these, would ask for the “dark Miss Jill Brown .” Which dark Miss Jill Brown? Each happens to be dark And identification would then go through the further stage with the Instruction: “The short, dark Miss Jill Brown But even this fell short of requirements for “Cherub ’ and “Farmer” are quite tiny. “Kiwi' is slenderly built and of average height (about sft 4in>.

Eight months ago a maga zine article about the girls accompanied by illustrations drew fan mail from different parts of the world—entirely from men: an Italian in Australia. a couple of young men in Ireland, and so on “We used to get many laughs from this mail.” she said

The girls had a financial in‘erest in a “bomb." a ’.938 convertible rejoicing, in the name of "Jezebel.” Everybody in the area knew the vehicle. “ft was the most-pushed car in Warwick road.” said Jill (New Zealand! Brown “Ultimately it was towed away to a junk yard and we girls, as an aggregation, pro-

fited to the extent of 30s. But ‘Jezebel’ helped us to see a great deal of London and elsewhere, even if often she had tc be stopped to enable her to cool down.”

Today, Jill Brown, of Christchurch, is sharing a flat with five other girls (including three New Zealanders)— Misses Shirley Harrison, Pat Borrie, of Picton, and Mary Brown, of Christchurch —not far from Avondale Park School where she has been teaching six-year-old Cockney children. And these youngsters have completely won her heart. “I loved them ” she said. Supply Teacher She has been a supply teacher; that is, a part-time teacher and her term at Avondale Park School finished this week. She was seeking a position in the New Zealano Dairy Board’s stand at the Ideal Homes’ Exhibition opening next month. This former Riccarton School teacher, who can “dance the twist—just.” has

mixed her occupations since arriving in London 14 months ago in order to see the city and meet different types of people. In addition o teaching she has made tea and coffee for one of the oigges? firms in the city: she has been both clerk and post-girl in a textiles firm; she has even sold clocks; and she has loved every minute of every dav The Other Jills She and the other two Jills visit one another—the latter are at the same address but lot in the same flat—meet at parties, and have long telephone conversations “Cherub” and "Farmer” have evinced great interest in

New Zealand, and “Kiwi” thinks it is not entirely beyond the bounds of possibility that the three will link up together again in the Dominion one day. "Kiwi” is off to Europe soon for a three-weeks’ holiday in France, Germany, and Austria. She intends to fulfil a promise made to her parents before she left New Zealand that she would be back in Christchurch by next Christmas.