THE NEXT GENERATION

BLANCHE

My lovely Mummy - the sweetest anyone could have! Like Beatrice, she was very quiet, but occasionally a wicked sense of humour would burst out, shocking everyone! A great dressmaker, she made herself some fabulous outfits and made most of my clothes too. She worked as a worsted cloth mender for many years; not very glamorous - but a very skilled job in those days. Married David O'Hara when both in their early 30's. David was a handsome but poor railwayman from Manchester. Living with grandfather McKinnell, eventually after 10 years they produced - just ME ! I was born in 1941, the middle of the second world war, and it was very difficult for my mother, as by now very confused grandfather was jealous of this new baby in the house, so we sadly had to be kept apart, and I don't remember him at all.

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