She still had a mischievous streak-  and once got suspended from Portsmouth High School with a friend, for being honest and admitting to the heinous crime of having bubble gum in her pocket! Her younger sister, Frances was born when Mum was 12. Sadly, soon after this, her sister, Stella, was diagnosed with a long term mental health condition so her parents spending more time supporting Stella. Mum would sometimes be asked to look after her baby sister Frances. She would take her for a walk and meet up with her teenage friends at the park, where, to her small sister’s delight the boys would play chariot races with the babies and give them chocolates to eat. Little Frances arrived home one day with chocolate on her clothes and when asked by her mother where it had come from, volunteered that the ‘uncles’ had given it to her. The trips to the park as childminder were immediately stopped!

Mum was quite sporty– she played lacrosse for the school and once played in a tournament in Winchester which included Princess Margaret’s school team. She also enjoyed tennis* - later teaching Dad and the rest of us to play. Cycling was another favourite pursuit. She rode with her church youth group and once cycled from Gosport to Weymouth in a day with a friend. In the summer holidays Mum went to Christian girls’ camps, where she met Dad’s sister, Molly. Her Auntie Joan, who had Dad lodging with her during the school week, often talked about the Cook family and as Mum had hoped, one summer she was invited to the farm, where she first met Dad’s family and enjoyed helping with harvesting and haymaking and lots of fun activities.