The one with the four bairns on I can't remember being taken as I was so young but in those days, for some reason my parents were always taking pictures of the local children. I can remember the other two on the photo with our Tom and me. The girl on the left lived across the road from us and was two or three years older than me. Her dad was John Craggs, who had a fruit and vegetable business at one time, with a horse and cart. He used to go round the streets shouting "Ripe Tomatoes!" at the top of his voice.

 

The other girl, Irene Atherton, lived a few doors further up the road, also on the other side. I didn't know her very well but she had two older brothers, Raymond and Arthur. I knew Arthur quite well but they moved to a different street when we were little so we lost touch a bit. I believe out Tom knows them still, because he's lived in Thornley all his life and got to know them again.