I was born in 1929 the eldest of four children. The very early memories are a bit like brief flashes, and only partly remembered. I remember learning to knit in the East Cowes infants school, me left handed, Miss Betts right handed, and the problems at that time being left handed caused. Dad was at sea and he nominated me the man of the family; in that period, those responsibilities were taken very seriously, at a too young age. Sunday school in the morning, followed by a service at the Methodist church, Sunday school in the afternoon and if you had been really well behaved all day, Granny took you to church for the evening service. In our road we had two shops, one was called Betteridge's, and the other one which was opposite, I think was called Loves. Cottells laundry was in the street and I can remember the sheets blowing in the wind and the lines held up with huge wooden props. A group of us kids used to go into their drying field and climb a huge brick wall to steal very small green apples. They were so sour, but we ate them. We got caught a few times too. Our world at that time was very small. Our friends were children living close by in the same street and as we all were much the same age, we all went through the school system at the same time.

At the end of our road across into Yarborough Road, there was an off-licence called Sticky Makers. They sold lovely smelling faggots and peas and on rare occasions I took an enamel pie dish and it was filled to the brim. We were all terrified of Mr Synicks the postman. If he made a mail delivery to our house and heard us squabbling, he would yell through the letter-box, "what's going on in there" and there was immediate silence. We were threatened with this poor man if we were naughty. The only person I can remember with a car was our Doctor. A horse and cart delivered bread, milk, coal etc. And the Lord Elgin came in very regularly with supplies, in very rough winter weather we sometimes didn't get mail or newspapers for a few days. That was before a lot of today's navigational aids. Living on the Island, our lives were very much governed by the sea. The Red Funnel paddle steamers to the mainland, afternoon tea down in the ship's saloon, thick white china with the company logo. The engine room, the smells the noise. Keeping a lookout for the shambles lightship, it was sometimes very rough just there, and the buoys with the bell on the top and the fog horns. Cowes regatta what wonderful memories. Dad's ship's crew would take part in a soot and flour fight in the sea. Hearing the maroons starting the races and seeing the Royal Yacht and at the end of the day the firework display. It was all pretty magical, and rounded off a wonderful day.

We used to go to the Saturday morning "pictures" at the Regal (hope I have the right name) - it was the Mickey Mouse Club. There were two feature films, mostly cowboy films and there used to be a dance troupe called the Mickey Mouse Minstrels who used to put on a little concert in the interval. I was a member of this dance group. Our teacher was a very nice lady, but I cannot remember her name. Mum would meet us in the summer at the end of the show with sandwiches and drinks and we would go to East Cowes beach. There was a big grassed area by the paddling pool where we would have our picnic. But we were not allowed to swim until an hour after eating. The sea was so clear, and we used to swim under water, and see the ridges that the water made in the sand.

In about 1936 we saw a huge airship quite low, slowly going over above our heads. Obviously everyone else knew about it too as there were many people watching as well. I think I recall someone saying it was the Hindenberg, but that could be just say-so. It was a sight I have never forgotten, and there was hardly any noise. The huge liners that used to leave Southampton Water, on their way to the rest of the World, as they swept up the Solent, the huge wash that came off them was quite gigantic. As the wave retreated taking half the beach with it, we would run after it, then run like mad up the beach again before the next mountainous wave came. Needless to say, Mum knew nothing about this! I can only say that our timing must have been faultless.

There was great excitement in East Cowes, and a big tea party was to be held at the town hall to celebrate the silver jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. We had jelly and blancmange, cakes, and a jubilee mug each, to mark the occasion. The girls had on their best dresses, and we wore red, white and blue ribbons in our hair, the same colours that decorated the hall. Then in what seemed a very short time, Mum and Granny were sewing black fabric diamonds on to the sleeves of their coats, because the King had died, and people were so sad. But we were to get a new King, Edward VIII. In those days, children were seen and not heard, but we listened, and I understood a bit about why he abdicated. Then we got King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and we were going to have another party at the town hall. I remember that I was eight years old and 12 May 1937 was the first time I realised what a real live history date was. The tea party was an exact replica of the previous one, except that we all received a coronation mug this time. Oh, and I knew all the words of "God Save The King".

A floating bridge took cars and passengers between East and West Cowes across the river Medina. It ran on chains and used to get very crowded when the workmen came off shift. Going over on the high tide gave us a slightly longer journey and directly the prow went up we were off, across the water. I can remember only two occasions when the ferry didn't run and we were taken over in a rowing boat, much more exciting. West Cowes High Street was quite a busy place. I forget the name of the small hill half way along. There was a coffee importers and the smell of the roasting beans, the husks, some of them sparks, rising in a cloud of smoke, had my full attention until Mum's patience ran out.

A bit further along was the pier where the Red Funnel paddle steamers docked, bringing passengers from Southampton. Uffa Fox used to have offices a bit further on and a photographers called (I think) Beken's, had framed pictures of sailing yachts in their window. Going back to East Cowes, there was a good view of the ships berthed in the river.

Everywhere seemed so busy then, you could tell the time by the hooters from the boat yards. J.S.White the shipbuilders, were always busy and very noisy. We were allowed to go into the shipyard to see the launchings and it was a wonderful sight, to see the ship come off the stocks, with the dust billowing from her shackles. The noise was almost a scream as she started off slowly and then faster as though she just could not wait to reach the sea. I remember one ship being launched sideways into the river. I was told it was too long to go in the river as normal. Also in East Cowes we had Saunders Roe, the aircraft factory. Sometimes you saw a seaplane bobbing at moorings. Other shipyards were Groves and Guttridge. Marvins, to name a couple, employed half the town, and lots of men worked on ships at sea.

It was a time when a farthing (¹/_4d. or £0.001 ed.) bought a liquorice bootlace, a gobstopper, or two peardrops from Mr. Singletons shop. Nurse Kelly brought me two brothers and a sister, in her big brown suitcase in the middle of the night, at intervals. If this sounds like daisychains and buttercups, it was. When Dad was home we would go in the motor boat up the river to Folly - there was the inn there, and a picnic ground. We would have great fun, or we went to Wootton Creek. Coming home tired at twilight we sang songs and it was a happy time. We were free to roam at will, and if you misbehaved, Mother would know about it before you arrived home.

Sunday evenings in the summer, we sometimes walked to Whippingham Church, and I was told about Queen Victoria and saw the chair that she sat in. We always went there on Mothers Day, and picked wild flowers for Mum on the way home.

Monday was washing day. Mum had the copper alight before we got up and we had cold meat and 'bubble and squeak' (fried potato and green vegetable, usually cabbage, ed) when we got home from school at dinner time, among the mangle and the soap suds. It took most of the day to do the wash. It was ironed on Tuesday and mended in the evenings. Dad brought home a new wireless one day, but we were forbidden to touch it. I loved the Hawaiian music the best, and saved the threepence a week I earned doing Granny's shopping to buy twopenny bundles of raffia from Woolworths to make a grass skirt just like the one we saw in the pictures! One morning just a little way up from our house, I saw thick straw, the width of a house, neatly covering the road to the edge of each pavement. I was told that the lady over the road was very ill and the straw muffled the noise of the horse and carts. Mum made all our clothes. We had a big zinc bath, which was brought in on Friday nights for our bath in front of the kitchen range. Water was taken from a well in the garden, but used only to wash our hair. The slugs underneath the well cover were huge .... (shudder). My brother at this time joined the sea scouts and was learning to play the bugle. The noise was awful, and he was only allowed to practice in the shed at the bottom of the garden. I was having piano lessons, they lasted two weary years, then one day Mum said it was a waste of her money, and Miss Simpson's time. I joined the Girls Life Brigade and was lucky to be chosen for the gymnastic team. We went over to Southampton for the Southern England Championships, but I don't think we won. Out of my pocket money, I bought everyone at home a present. Money went a long way in those days. I only had half a crown (£0.125, ed). For myself I got a brooch the shape of my initial studded with "diamonds" for sixpence in Woolworths. The next morning, a Sunday, my sister and I were arguing. To stop her taking my brooch, I put it in my mouth and accidentally swallowed it. As Mum and I were walking down York Avenue, the Town Hall clock was striking 7:00am and Dr. Hartnell was not impressed. For my breakfast I had to eat bread and milk and lumps of cotton wool, awful stuff, but all was well. Although we never did find the "diamonds".

Aunty and Uncle had been spending a few days holiday with us, and they invited me to go and spend a month with them in London. There was a bit of a discussion going on and a lot of wishing and hoping from me. It was all arranged and it was a long train journey after we got off the boat at Southampton. I had a wonderful time. It was the first time I had been away on my own, and I was taken to see Buckingham Palace and all the sights, and to eat in lovely restaurants, things I had never seen or done before. And then one morning a telegram arrived, to say I had to return home the next day. For a ten year old it was frightening. The date was the 1st September 1939........