Our homes in Welling

In 1954 we moved to Welling, a small semi-detached house with a garden back and front. We lived in this house in Swanley Road until 1957, when we moved again to a larger house in Lynmere Road (still in Welling). We have lived here ever since. We extended the house to four bedrooms and an additional bathroom.

This house has seen some living and holds many memories. We always tried to share our lives with others, consequently through the years we had quite a number of foster children, foreign visitors, nieces, nephews, et cetera stay with us. Having a large family, the children would all bring their friends home from school with them. One day I had 26 children in my garden and in my home. Needless to say I rationed the numbers after that episode.

I made all my girls' wedding dresses. I used to take in wedding orders, it was always a great thrill for me when I saw the brides in a dress that I had made. I used to make all my clothes and most of the children's, too. Of course, as they grow older it was more of an adventure for them to do their own clothes shopping. But they are all very practical and can make their own clothes, and can turn their hands to any task presented to them. Their skills have been very useful to them when it comes to school plays, etc.

I have had so many landmarks in my life. Seeing the Pope; visiting a foreign country for the first time; a man on the Moon; the invention of TV, microwave ovens, modern hoovers; plastic used for all kinds of things; record players and discs; computers; colour photography; electric sewing machines; cine cameras; fridge freezers, to name a few. Vast developments in the medical field, far too numerous to list.

I have also seen the decline in the moral tradition set by the Royal Family (and expected of the old-time commoners). It must have been heart-rending for the Queen Mother, also the Queen and Prince Philip. Moral ideas change often for the better, but the criminal mind seems to get more evil and the criminals themselves seem to become more aggressive. I wonder if the so-called modern inventions, and the outspokenness of the modern world, bring with it added stress. That makes living more complicated, which in turn causes dissatisfaction and aggression, also deep depressions. But that's enough of my pontificating. I am inclined to preach sometimes.