On Sunday daughter’s buddy invited her to have lunch with her grandparents in a restaurant close to where daughter and her friend live. The two young women and their husbands and children have been close friends for more than 20 years. Then they discovered that my parents (daughter’s grandparents) and her friend’s grandparents had all known each other from their youth.

This is the lovely story.

The boys had grown up together in Stepney Green. A poor childhood if money is what counts but a childhood rich in friendship, community and family.

Jack, a bit older than my dad did National Service in the Navy, just after the War. He returned home in 1948 and met up with his old friends and joined the football team. By then my mum and dad were married snd had set up a social club called the 47 club for the football team, girlfriends, wives and assorted chums.

Mum had a friend called Rita and she introduced her to dad’s friend Jack.

A marriage made in heaven with help from my late mum, Sybil and my late dad, Leslie.