Hélène Cordier was born in 1917 and spent time in England in 1936 and 1937, some at the home of the Downing family. She became a lifelong friend of the eldest daughter Pamela Downing. Below are some photos that have survived.
Photos taken in Tournus, Saône-et-Loire, date from 1938 and seem to coincide with Pam’s own trip to France, where she spent time in Marseille and in Switzerland.
Hélène Cordier (right), picnic in Tournus, 21 Oct 1938
Hélène Cordier (2nd left), picnic in Tournus, 21 Oct 1938
Hélène lived through the occupation in France, married a Dutchman N Fruytier and had four children.
Hélène Fruytier with her children, Paris, c. 1950
After the war Hélène and Pamela stayed in correspondence, eventually meeting up again in 1974. She died and was buried in Brancion in 2007.
Sources
- Cimetière de l’église Saint-Pierre de Brancion (Gravestone) via Geneanet.org