1949 - 1979

I was born 8 March 1949 in Eastleigh, Hampshire a Railway Town, that I have lived within a five mile radius, my whole life. Dad was a Train Driver and Mum stayed home, my brother John was born two years later to complete our family. My earliest recollection is of going to see the Queen's Coronation in 1953. I then remember being dragged to school as I hated it so much. Anyway the years went by and Mum and Dad bought a new bungalow when I was 9 and this was then in a relatively unbuilt area and I recall we were allowed out to play all hours, all weathers. One day my brother had to run home and get a ladder because I was stuck up a tree. Another day we tried to April Fool Dad by telling him we had broken his green house windows, unfortunately before shouting April Fool we had both been smacked.
Life drifted on and I attended the local Grammar School but still hated it and was more than happy to leave with 3 GCE's and get on to work. I met a boy at Youth Club and went on to marry in 1971, my two children came along in quick succession, Mark in 1972 followed by Lisa in 1974. We moved house twice in the next couple of years then just after Lisa's 5th birthday Mum was taken ill and that is when Bowel Cancer came into our lives and has never really left it. Unfortunately she had been told by her GP that she had haemorrhoid problems so never really questioned any more, she was taken in to Hospital for surgery but never recovered and died from Bowel Cancer on 1 May 1979 at the age of 55. My Dad was devastated but as a family we had to pull together. This photo was taken at Lisa's 5th birthday party when we had no idea how ill Mum was.
I will cover 1979 - 1999 in my next post.

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