My mother - born this day

My mother was born on the 30th April  1888 in the reign of Queen Victoria.   She lived through the reigns of Edward 7th,  George 5th,  Edward 8th,  George 6th and into the reign of Elizabeth  2nd.  She was born partially blind with cataracts.  Nowadays that would probably have been sorted out in no time but she spent a number of weeks in hospital in her childhood before her sight improved slightly.
Her grandparents were farmers in Essex but she lived with foster parents in London who owned a dairy. "Uncle" was the milkman and delivered milk three times a day.  This being in the days before fridges.  Mother used to go with him before school.
At 14 mother went into service.  She was so badly treated at her first job that she climbed out of the window in the middle of the night and ran home.  It was in service that she met my father.  He had trained as an artist and cartoonist but drifted into service.  His father was a bootmaker in London.  Whenever I see the film "Hobson's Choice" I think of him.
At one period in their early married life they worked in the household of Sir Edwin Lutyens, the Architect who designed the Cenotaph in Whitehall  amongst many other famous houses and buildings .He was married to Lady Emily  who was tthe dau.ghter of a Viceroy of India.  My mother was the nursery maid.  She did all the jobs the Nanny was too superior to do.  Lady Emily and her sister, Lady Constance Lytton,  were much involved in the Suffragette Movement and all the female staff were expected to attend meetings.  Lady Emily and her children were vegetarians but not Sir Edwin.  On one occasion he was reputed to refer to his fish course "as the piece of cod that passeth all understanding".
My parents had 4 children, two of whom were stillborn.  My brother lived to be 91 and I am still here on my way to 90.  Survival of the fittest!Despite her poor sight my mother was a great knitter and made our jerseys and even knitted her own dresses (see picture - mother, me and doll all in knitted dresses! My brother is looking severe - and possibly fed up.)
I think of her today on her birthday with great affection.