My grandmother was born in the early 1900’s, in Birmingham, and unlike my grandfather she did not come into wealth, and although not poor her family did not have much. She was one of four siblings, the youngest. Like my grandfather the set up was three girls and one boy.

Soon after she was born her father died. Although she did not talk about it much her childhood was not a good one; she was virtually brought up by her oldest sister and grandmother. She was virtually ignored by her...