Memories are made of this

Margaret & Ted Boddington Both Margaret and Ted were very special to us all providing exceptional kindness and support when Catherine, James and Caroline were young children.

On cold and wet days Ted and sometimes Margaret would come from their house next door and take care of whoever was not yet at school. I can recall returning from my journey to the Infants School to find our front room turned into an adventure playground with cushions off of the settees and furniture becoming imaginary horses and great squeals of delight. We became their next door neighbours in the Crescent having moved in shortly before Caroline was born; prior to that we had lived in Allen Road. Very soon Margaret and Ted became like our extended family with James and Caroline going round to watch children’s TV with them or Caroline practicing to become a gymnast or ballerina in their enormous back garden. Ted would take mostly James but sometimes Caroline out in their pushchairs and would come back with a beam on his face, short grey hair windswept and his piercing blue eyes glowing; I shall always remember those eyes of kindness.

We did not have a lot at that time but they never judged us but just helped and accepted. Both were hard workers in local shoe factories Ted having to retire early due to ill health .We were all very sad when Ted died and some years later Margaret. They will always remain though in our hearts…people with hearts of gold. Audrey Ellis