In this evocative memoir, Catherine Jacobs recalls her childhood years in Hackney, East London before and during World War Two and paints a vivid picture of everyday life during the 1930s and 40s.

Hers was a large, happy and supportive family and she shares fond memories of several generations of her kinfolk, including grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins, who, in common with so many others at the time, endeavoured to make the most of their circumstances, in spite of the many difficulties they faced.

Her observations and comments on day-to-day life in London, which has changed so much in subsequent years, are now of considerable historical interest and her commentary on the events of the wartime era and their impact on the lives of ordinary Londoners, is equally illuminating.

Her recollections will be of particular interest to anyone who remembers London in the wartime years but they also provide a wonderful source of first-hand information for younger generations curious about the period.