Home: The Story of Everyone Who Ever Lived in Our House

‘The store was busy, fully stocked and gaily decorated for the busiest Saturday of the year.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘She’ll never forget all those beds’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘forty-three years old … and she’s never had a young man in her life!’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘she was my favourite aunt, you see, Aunt Bea!’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘Outside the air is bright, sparkling.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘the car-free road of sixty years ago flashes into life in my head.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘That’s my grandmother, the very old lady …’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘he hurries up from North Street, past the cottages.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘the sprightly little man with a juvenile wit’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘It’s one of those lovely wide new roads near the common.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘I eventually find her. Or at least I think it’s her.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

Edith’s birth certificate (#litres_trial_promo)

For the very first time, I’m looking into the eyes of a Hayward. (#litres_trial_promo)

‘here’s the written proof’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘He peers again at the picture. “Margaret Thatcher?”’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘a grocer’s daughter called Mary Goodall Strange’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘he fell in with a fast set’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘he was singing in a choir’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘when she died she was cremated in it.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘George’s views must have led to a few arguments around the lunch table’ (#litres_trial_promo)

‘It might have been the last match ever played at this piece of ground.’ (#litres_trial_promo)

CONTENTS

Cover (#uae9ca6bb-4c4f-56d1-8943-86e2e91140f8)

Title Page (#ue90ee376-0fc0-58df-b4e0-55829954bf48)

Dedication (#uddf64d86-7964-5f75-b7ce-ad7165395de7)

List of Illustrations (#u4b65156d-a383-57e0-81cd-aa15f77238f5)

Chapter One CALLING OUT THEIR NAMES The Myersons since 1988 (#u33c91426-f393-5be6-abbe-05a1e2abd61f)

Chapter Two THE BOY IN THE TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR ROOM ThePidgeons 1981–1987 (#u3d4f4047-bbc1-5182-af98-24de3249c756)

Chapter Three THE WRONG GERALD SHERRIF, THE RIGHT THOMAS KYLE, AND THE GIRL WHO TOUCHED SNOW Veronica and Doreen Ricketts, Alvin Reynolds, Gerald Sherrif, and Thomas H. Kyle 1976–1980 (#u33d6dfec-3e96-505f-823d-5fe1a185a2cf)

Chapter Four THE FORERUNNER, THE DREAMER, AND THE ONE NOBODY REMEMBERS The Jamaicans 1959–1975 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Five THE WEDDING IN THE BEDROOM, THE BOY IN THE BATHROOM, AND THE LITTLE GIRL WHO SAT VERY VERY STILL The Blaines, the Bartolos, the Costellos, Patricia C. Reynolds, Rita Wraight, Olive Russell, and Mavis Jones-Wohl 1948–1958 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Six WHY WON’T HE WRITE? The Povahs and the Askews 1944–1948 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Seven SOME DIE YOUNG, OTHERS LIVE TO NINETY The Spawtons, the Hinkleys, Vera Palmer, and Beatrice Haig 1894–1944 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Eight ELECTRIC LIGHT AND A SEWING MACHINE The Haywards 1881–1893 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Nine RIDING HORSES IN BEDThe Maslins 1873–1880 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter Ten GRASS AND SILENCE Before 1871 (#litres_trial_promo)

P.S. Ideas, & Features … (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Dear Ms Myerson …

Life at a Glance (#litres_trial_promo)

Top Ten (#litres_trial_promo)

Appendix Chronological List of Residents (#litres_trial_promo)

Acknowledgements (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Praise (#litres_trial_promo)

By the Same Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter One CALLING OUT THEIR NAMES (#ulink_b0d42ef8-91f7-5bf3-a47a-e1e1bd6ec9a3)

The Myersons Since 1988