Around this time meet husband-to-be, Cliff. Definitely do not want to be what media describe as ‘teenage bride’. Get married on first Saturday after twentieth birthday. (My children now find this amazing – what, no travelling? no gap year? no uni?)

Have always rather envied friend Rosamund, one of four children. Happily, husband thinks along similar lines. By 1976 have a family of four, three girls and a boy, Nicola, Guy, Zoe and Shona.

Continue to do freelance work while looking after first two. When next two come along find that mothering is full-time occupation.

Move from maisonette with small balcony in suburbs to three-bedroomed rural semi – with scope.

1970s and 1980s: kids grow; we enjoy sunny camping holidays in France and less sunny ones in England.

We build extensions to our house to accommodate the family. Click here to view larger images

Mid-80s: go back to work part-time. Find that ‘hot metal’ printing has given way to phototypesetting. Before long, am expected to learn how to use a computer, oh dear!

Both of us very proud of our four children who all achieve honours degrees.

Early 1990s: move to ‘dream’ house – big, spacious, lots of land. Children leave home. Freedom! But father and father-in-law die soon after and we become responsible for mother and mother-in-law – hadn’t bargained on that! Then both of us made redundant; husband starts own company; I go self-employed and work from home.

Late 90s/early 00s: three of our children now married. Arrival of first granddaughter, a big delight

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