Taken from the memories of Mary Mather (mum)

Eventually Christopher (dad) went back to sea and was told his next appointment was to be MoD, London so I packed up the house and my Mother came up by train.  Dear Nettie Shea helped us load the car and Mum, Michael & I set off to drive to Perth where we put the car on the overnight train to London.

We stayed with Mum in Woodford for several weeks  until Christopher flew home from Aden.  I went house-hunting in Surrey and Kent leaving Michael with Mum for as long as I could – but as I was still nursing him, I had to try and get back before all my milk started to pour out and soak through my blouse. 

I looked at rooms in a large house in Woking where several families would have to share the same kitchen and rooms in a semi in Purley owned by two sisters.  Neither were  suitable  but one warm September afternoon I found a top floor flat in an old house in Swiss Cottage.  It SEEMED ideal…little did I know what it would be like in November without heating and how heavy a carry cot would seem when carried up 42 wooden stairs for daily trips to the laundrette to rinse and dry nappies which had been boiled in our Baby Burko.  The flat had grey carpets and black leather furniture with bright red cushions and although I was assured that the radiators were all ready to be connected – they never were and before Christmas we found a flat in Claremont Close, owned by the New River Company near The Angel Islington. 

When we went to see it we found that there were only a few stone steps to the first floor landing and that the living room had a bright warm gas fire – what a treat!  We ordered two beds from the Whitney blanket catalogue and as soon as they were delivered we moved in with our Ercol table and chairs and our ladderax which we made into a wardrobe by using broom handles  as  the coat rail  and a curtain instead of a door.