My childhood was pretty normal British 1950's working class, except for the fact that my Mum was blind and really rather an exceptional woman. My Dad was a carpenter who learned his trade as an apprentice from the age of 14. He came from the West country and was something of a country boy. He met my Mum during the war (he was sent shipbuilding in Portsmouth Dockyard during the war, so wasn't called up to serve in the army). She was born in Portsmouth and so was I - in a little flat on the second floor a Victorian terraced house. That was quite a long time after they got together. My Mum went blind when she was 27, before I was born. It was all very tragic I think.
When I was a few months old they moved into a 'prefab'. These were council built prefabricated bungalows erected to replace the terrible bomb damaged housing in the cities. Portsmouth certainly had it fair share of bomb damage. Then when I was 5 years old we moved to a council estate on the outskirts of Portsmouth. It wasn't a bad place to grow up. The house was seriously small - two bedrooms and two rooms downstairs (kitchen and living room). But it did have a big garden and the garden backed on to marshland so it was a little bit like being in the country if you looked in the right direction.
Dad grew lots of vegetables and fruit. I realise now how brilliant he was at gardening. We ate very plainly but there were lots of fresh vegetables. Very little meat. My Dad didn't earn what carpenters can earn these days and we were always rather poor. My love of good food can no doubt be traced back to those fresh vegetables and fruit.
My Mum was totally extraordinary. Despite being totally blind she brought up me and my younger sister with no help other than from my Dad (and he was at work all day). She cooked all the meals and did all the housework. If I think about this (having brought up 4 kids myself) I can't comprehend how she managed. We all know you have to have eyes in the back of your head where toddlers are concerned. She was adamantly an agnostic and refused to have either of us Christened which was very unusual for those days. I liked the fact she was so strong in her views (about almost everything). It made me feel different and strong too, to have a Mum like that. I owe her a lot. She taught me to question everything and never settle for being 'normal'. She died not long ago aged 97 and still curious about things... she loved the internet!
Perhaps it is somewhat ironic that I ended up following a career in the visual arts. But I have my Dad to thank for that. He wrote poetry and painted after he retired. He always wanted to be an artist. So when I went to Art School he was very pleased!
Sorry guys - a long post. But now you know all you ever need to know about Morning Glory.
When I was a few months old they moved into a 'prefab'. These were council built prefabricated bungalows erected to replace the terrible bomb damaged housing in the cities. Portsmouth certainly had it fair share of bomb damage. Then when I was 5 years old we moved to a council estate on the outskirts of Portsmouth. It wasn't a bad place to grow up. The house was seriously small - two bedrooms and two rooms downstairs (kitchen and living room). But it did have a big garden and the garden backed on to marshland so it was a little bit like being in the country if you looked in the right direction.
Dad grew lots of vegetables and fruit. I realise now how brilliant he was at gardening. We ate very plainly but there were lots of fresh vegetables. Very little meat. My Dad didn't earn what carpenters can earn these days and we were always rather poor. My love of good food can no doubt be traced back to those fresh vegetables and fruit.
My Mum was totally extraordinary. Despite being totally blind she brought up me and my younger sister with no help other than from my Dad (and he was at work all day). She cooked all the meals and did all the housework. If I think about this (having brought up 4 kids myself) I can't comprehend how she managed. We all know you have to have eyes in the back of your head where toddlers are concerned. She was adamantly an agnostic and refused to have either of us Christened which was very unusual for those days. I liked the fact she was so strong in her views (about almost everything). It made me feel different and strong too, to have a Mum like that. I owe her a lot. She taught me to question everything and never settle for being 'normal'. She died not long ago aged 97 and still curious about things... she loved the internet!
Perhaps it is somewhat ironic that I ended up following a career in the visual arts. But I have my Dad to thank for that. He wrote poetry and painted after he retired. He always wanted to be an artist. So when I went to Art School he was very pleased!
Sorry guys - a long post. But now you know all you ever need to know about Morning Glory.