Our dear parents loved us all equally but as is only natural they secretly had their favourites. Nellie was Mum's special one as she was old enough to go with Mum to her beloved whist drives.

I was born on my sister Mabel's second birthday and on that wonderful morning Mum put me gently into my sister's arms and said there you are Mabel, the most precious birthday present you will ever receive, a baby sister.

Then came Phyllis, the tomboy of the family. She immediately ran into the back lane of Rutland Road when we moved to Stamford and she thought she'd join the boys gang.

But they said 'We're not having a Phyllis in our gang' and renamed her Pip and Pip she remained for the rest of her life.

She was Dad's favourite by far as she was a real tomboy sport. He would take her to all sporting events round about and she would win everything she entered. My goodness she couldn't half leg it!

We had so few material things in life but our precious Mum always said that "with love all things are possible." How right she was. We all worked hard at school and did well.

We weren't allowed out to play until we'd finished our home work.
If the gas light went out and we hadn't another penny for the meter we finished by candle light.

Our oldest sister Gwennie made all our dresses by hand, even adding embroidery on the front, butterflies etc.

We girls, six of us would line up to have our white hair ribbons tied ready for school – the patience of our Mum was wonderful.

I was the fifth daughter, then they had a precious son named after his dad Jack Audas.

He joined the Navy in the Second World War and lost his life when the Japanese dive bombed and sank his aircraft carrier Hermes with all hands lost.

But the love we have always had as a family will live in my heart forever.

BERYL GODSLAND,
Doughty Street,
Stamford