me with a ruler. Me:-1 accompanying my dad to a disused railway line to dig up the old wood for a fire.2 old itchy army coats for bedding.3 thinking Thursdays were wonderful because our mum told us we had a special tea of jam and bread. Then the treat of having to walk about 8 miles to see my dad at work on Friday and him passing his wage packet through the fence and getting the bus home and getting one bar of chocolate between us. I now realise that the money had run out on Wednesday. Him 1, walking the streets with his dad and picking up cigarette buts and putting them in a tin. 2 waiting in a queue for soup and rissoles from the nuns (he's Irish) We both remember being cold but it not bothering us too much. We both said we never felt poor because everyone we knew lived similar lives. Our poor poor parents how worrying it must have been bringing up a family in such poverty. I hope some of you will share some of your experiences with me. We can get all nostalgic together, or not oh now I remember having to wash your hair over the kitchen sink using a jug and not so warm water. [ shudder emotion]Born at the end of the war, I can relate to most of the above. One of my earlier memories is of my Dad buying a last so he could mend our shoes. He applied rubber soles and heels and sometimes (to our delight) he put blakies (I wonder if you can still buy those?) in our heels. We liked that because then we could tap dance. Each Summer Dad would cut the toes out of our last year's sandals with a Stanley knife and we wore those out of school, conserving the new ones for school and 'best'. Mum made all our clothes and Grandma knitted us jumpers and cardigans. We played out all the time with our friends and had a lot of freedom. I feel sorry for my DGC who are taken everywhere by car and go on 'play dates'. I was lucky enough to have very loving parents and I still miss them both.
! How times have changed. My GD, aged 14 quite openly mentions periods and protection in front of her father and brother and anyone else who happens to be there.
Good Morning Thursday 6th August 2026
Professor Jason Arday - plagiarism etc
