Aunty Mary was very friendly with three sisters called the Miss Hanks's. These sisters were spinsters who also attended the Baptist Chapel like Aunty Mary.
Two of these sisters went out to work and the third stayed at home to keep house.
Aunty Mabel Hanks, as I knew her, was my Aunty Mary's particular friend and she worked from home as a dressmaker, with her workroom being upstairs to the rear overlooking the garden.
I can remember spending many hours at the Miss Hanks's house; this house was on the opposite side of the street to Aunty Mary's and about ten doors further down the hill.
In the front living room of the Miss Hanks's house was a Grandfather clock. This clock was wound up by pulling the large brass weights on chains situated at the front of the clock in a cupboard. It also had a lovely large pendulum that I could sit and watch going back and forth.
I can also remember of a winter evening sitting in this lovely front room at teatime and listening to the wireless when Children's Hour was on. I can remember listening to Larry the Lamb and stories from Toy Town. There was always a lovely open fire and I was allowed to use the toasting fork to toast myself crumpets for tea.
I can remember one particular day visiting Aunty Mabel to wait for Aunty Mary, who would be calling to collect me, it was summer time, unfortunately at that time I had a nasty infection on my left arm. We thought it was a boil, but it was a carbuncle.
I can remember Aunty Mabel looking at my arm and saying it didn't look to good, it was very red and inflamed, Aunty Mabel seemed to think it was ready for lancing, so she got some boiling water and clean cloths as well as a sharp knife, then she set about lancing this carbuncle. As soon as she put the knife to it, it burst; spreading all the putrid yellow/green gunge it had accumulated all over the room. I have never seen anything like it since and it left a scar on my left arm that I still have to this day.
Every year Aunty Mary and the Miss Hanks's went on holiday together. One of their favourite places was Tenby in Wales although they did go quite a lot to Hastings. I have a photograph of them all at Hastings in 1952, see below. Aunty Mary second from right.
