My childhood was very happy and I was surrounded by family and friends. Our road was a real community and we knew all our neighbours. There was never much money but that did not seem to matter and we were very happy to foster a little girl when I was about six and she lived with us until she married, also in the late 60s. My recent 60th birthday was a wonderful occasion when all three sisters were once again together.
Ranger is a great joy and lives about 35 miles away from where I live at present. He has a small flat and is working in IT and I am fortunate to be able to see him once or twice a month.
This is a link to his website www.calida3d.com
I thought that I ought to add an addendum to this paragraph - Si lives on in my heart and his partner in the USA continues to maintain the website.
All three of us went to the local Church of England school, despite Mum being brought up Catholic! These are school photos which show my rebellious streak coming out as I grew older and bolder, not to say more untidy.
I am not sure why one photo is out of uniform - usually the school was very strict even though I could mostly be found with scruffy hair and dirty knees. I do remember one of the teachers spitting on her hanky and cleaning my face before one of the them but maybe combing hair was going too far.
We used to go to the local Methodist church (as well as our own) but that was because the Sunday School trips were better!
This is one of the children that we were friendly with; there is a story that my Mum had said one day when the doorbell rang, "If that's aunty E I really could do without her today". Aunty E was this little girl's mother.
Of course I reported this verbatim when I opened the door! I have no idea how this resolved but it must have been amicable as I know Mum remained friends with her.
This is one of the children that we were friendly with; there is a story that my Mum had said one day when the doorbell rang, "If that's aunty E I really could do without her today". Aunty E was this little girl's mother.
Of course I reported this verbatim when I opened the door! I have no idea how this resolved but it must have been amicable as I know Mum remained friends with her.
My big sister was always there for me and in this picture it looks as though she is standing guard!!
When she was eleven she was taken to hospital for an appendix operation and I remember being held by a neighbour and shouting at the ambulance men "Don't you take my sister!"
In those days, children were not allowed as visitors in hospitals so I did not see her for some time. When Mum and Dad visited I had to be left outside, alone in a quadrangle - how life and perceptions of danger has changed.
When she was eleven she was taken to hospital for an appendix operation and I remember being held by a neighbour and shouting at the ambulance men "Don't you take my sister!"
In those days, children were not allowed as visitors in hospitals so I did not see her for some time. When Mum and Dad visited I had to be left outside, alone in a quadrangle - how life and perceptions of danger has changed.
We were always at ballet lessons; apparently I was on stage from the age of 2 and enjoyed every moment! We went to a ballet school in Liverpool and took part in countless shows, revues and the Sunshine Babies competitions which I only dimly remember.
The Queens' Coronation in 1953 was a great opportunity to show off our skills and I remember Mum making Beefeater costumes until she became very cross!
The Queens' Coronation in 1953 was a great opportunity to show off our skills and I remember Mum making Beefeater costumes until she became very cross!
Growing up in the sixties was a tremendous time and not only did the Beatles live near us, there were many groups such as The Searchers, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Merseybeats and Swinging' Blue Jeans whom we used to see long before they were famous playing at church halls in and around Liverpool, Ainsdale and Birkenhead and The Floral Hall in Southport. It was such fun!
Cellar parties were all the rage, especially as they mostly did not have electricity so candles were used and the darkness added to the atmosphere.
Cellar parties were all the rage, especially as they mostly did not have electricity so candles were used and the darkness added to the atmosphere.
This photo was taken in April 1962 and I remember the outfit very well. I made it from a Butterick pattern and the shoes were from Dolcis- I wore them on every possible occasion - and the beads look like the plastic poppits which were all the rage. French pleats were very in.
The underskirts were of sugar nylon which you stiffened by dipping in sugar water and the results played havoc with your stockings; tights were only worn by dancers and performers and did not come into vogue until the minis in the mid-60s.
The underskirts were of sugar nylon which you stiffened by dipping in sugar water and the results played havoc with your stockings; tights were only worn by dancers and performers and did not come into vogue until the minis in the mid-60s.
I had a wonderful time in my teenage years and started my banking career in Martins Bank. I loved the work and moved around all over Liverpool.
I met my husband at a rugby club when I was with someone else and within a short time we were engaged.
The club arranged a trip to Paris and Rome and I was one of only five women who went.
This picture was taken in 1965 but I was not allowed into St Peter's Square as my arms and shoulders were not covered and one of the team was nearly arrested because he took off his t-shirt!
I met my husband at a rugby club when I was with someone else and within a short time we were engaged.
The club arranged a trip to Paris and Rome and I was one of only five women who went.
This picture was taken in 1965 but I was not allowed into St Peter's Square as my arms and shoulders were not covered and one of the team was nearly arrested because he took off his t-shirt!
Medieval banquets were all the rage in the early 1970s and this scary picture was taken at Ruthin Castle in about 1972.
My hair has been all styles from a half inch to waist length and this was obviously the style of the moment.
We spent many years in a fellowship which encouraged fund-raising and thoroughly enjoyed the socialising that went with it.
One memorable occasion was when the local Rugby League ground was the venue for "It's a Knockout" and, yes we were lucky enough to have Stuart Hall to commentate!
The town was not a pretty one, being industrial, and Ken Dodd used to joke that even the daffodils came up brown but I was happy and really enjoyed life there. We had bought a plot of land and designed a house which a local builder built for us and then we extended it. It was a project which I thoroughly enjoyed and was astounded when I discovered I was pregnant - something which after thirteen years of marriage was unexpected!
My hair has been all styles from a half inch to waist length and this was obviously the style of the moment.
We spent many years in a fellowship which encouraged fund-raising and thoroughly enjoyed the socialising that went with it.
One memorable occasion was when the local Rugby League ground was the venue for "It's a Knockout" and, yes we were lucky enough to have Stuart Hall to commentate!
The town was not a pretty one, being industrial, and Ken Dodd used to joke that even the daffodils came up brown but I was happy and really enjoyed life there. We had bought a plot of land and designed a house which a local builder built for us and then we extended it. It was a project which I thoroughly enjoyed and was astounded when I discovered I was pregnant - something which after thirteen years of marriage was unexpected!
I was married in the late 60s and moved around the country a great deal in the following 30 years.
My lovely son was born in the late 70s and I came across this picture recently - he was not the easiest of babies but I bonded with him straight away, despite having a difficult birth and having to have food parcels sent in to the hospital to ensure I did not pass out from lack of nourishment.
The hospital where he was born was not one of the best - for instance, on Friday only fish was served. As he was born on Wednesday and it was common for first mums, particularly elderly prima gravda such as me to stay in for at least five days, I was subject to the menu offered. I have an allergy to fish so was offered cheese and biscuits instead and this was for a nursing mother. Also breakfast was cornflakes.
They did allow Guiness as it was considered an aid to breast-feeding; I hate the stuff but swallowed it manfully and I wonder if that is why Ranger really likes the stuff now!
The hospital where he was born was not one of the best - for instance, on Friday only fish was served. As he was born on Wednesday and it was common for first mums, particularly elderly prima gravda such as me to stay in for at least five days, I was subject to the menu offered. I have an allergy to fish so was offered cheese and biscuits instead and this was for a nursing mother. Also breakfast was cornflakes.
They did allow Guiness as it was considered an aid to breast-feeding; I hate the stuff but swallowed it manfully and I wonder if that is why Ranger really likes the stuff now!
We moved to Devon for about ten months in the early 1980's and this picture was taken when Ranger was about five months old.
We moved back to Cheshire in 1981 and I went back to work part-time in the bank for which I worked before our move; I loved the work and the contact with people and it also meant that Mum could look after Ranger and get to know him.
I have very few baby and child pictures as my ex kept hold of them so those I do have are very precious. I love this one which was taken on the first visit to the zoo and the jogging suit and trainers were the height of small person fashion.
It turned out that it was very important that Mum was able to have such close contact with us as she died, quite suddenly, when Ranger was five. The family was devastated and for a while Ranger missed his Nana quite a lot but it is strange that now he does not seem to have many memories of her.
I have very few baby and child pictures as my ex kept hold of them so those I do have are very precious. I love this one which was taken on the first visit to the zoo and the jogging suit and trainers were the height of small person fashion.
It turned out that it was very important that Mum was able to have such close contact with us as she died, quite suddenly, when Ranger was five. The family was devastated and for a while Ranger missed his Nana quite a lot but it is strange that now he does not seem to have many memories of her.
Around the time Mum died I lost three friends to various forms of cancer and was very low.
Our neighbours heard of someone who had a Clumber spaniel who had been bred for show but wasn't quite right in all aspects so they were looking for a home for him; at that time Ranger was quite afraid of dogs so we gave Bumble a home. That was not his official name of course but his back end used to bumble about when he walked and he became a much-loved member of our family.
It was my first experience of this breed which is quite unlike any other and he decided that I was his master and woe betide anyone else who tried to order him about. He was such a character and the vet loved him as he was such an unusual dog; unfortunately they were not able to save him when he picked up some virus and he died on Christmas Eve when his heart gave out. That was a sad time and by then we had a companion for him, a black Labrador named Jake.
Jake was inconsolable and pined for his big friend so we got a bearded collie called Barney. He was very intelligent but a bit mad and his coat used to drive me mad. He was also very frightened of the vet and would jump on my knee when I took him which was OK for him but a bit uncomfortable for me when the Labrador tried to follow suit.
Both these dogs lived to a good age - Jake was eleven and Barney fifteen and a half when they died - so they were a great part of my life. We now have a character cat living with us who belonged to OH before I met him and had been spoiled rotten. He is now eighteen and a half and a very ornery cat!
Our neighbours heard of someone who had a Clumber spaniel who had been bred for show but wasn't quite right in all aspects so they were looking for a home for him; at that time Ranger was quite afraid of dogs so we gave Bumble a home. That was not his official name of course but his back end used to bumble about when he walked and he became a much-loved member of our family.
It was my first experience of this breed which is quite unlike any other and he decided that I was his master and woe betide anyone else who tried to order him about. He was such a character and the vet loved him as he was such an unusual dog; unfortunately they were not able to save him when he picked up some virus and he died on Christmas Eve when his heart gave out. That was a sad time and by then we had a companion for him, a black Labrador named Jake.
Jake was inconsolable and pined for his big friend so we got a bearded collie called Barney. He was very intelligent but a bit mad and his coat used to drive me mad. He was also very frightened of the vet and would jump on my knee when I took him which was OK for him but a bit uncomfortable for me when the Labrador tried to follow suit.
Both these dogs lived to a good age - Jake was eleven and Barney fifteen and a half when they died - so they were a great part of my life. We now have a character cat living with us who belonged to OH before I met him and had been spoiled rotten. He is now eighteen and a half and a very ornery cat!
Apart from eating this is what Robinson does best! His paws are usually grubby as he does not do washing.
We used to go to the local Methodist church (as well as our own) but that was because the Sunday School trips were better!
This is one of the children that we were friendly with; there is a story that my Mum had said one day when the doorbell rang, "If that's aunty E I really could do without her today". Aunty E was this little girl's mother.
Of course I reported this verbatim when I opened the door! I have no idea how this resolved but it must have been amicable as I know Mum remained friends with her.
This is one of the children that we were friendly with; there is a story that my Mum had said one day when the doorbell rang, "If that's aunty E I really could do without her today". Aunty E was this little girl's mother.
Of course I reported this verbatim when I opened the door! I have no idea how this resolved but it must have been amicable as I know Mum remained friends with her.
