No Pipe Dreams for Father

No Pipe Dreams for Father is the second part of The Forest Trilogy, the author’s reminiscences of life in the Forest of the Dean during the first half of the century which began in A Child in the Forest. Winifred Foley recounts time spent with her mother and Auntie doing the family laundry, “the worst day of the week”, happy summer days with her sister fetching water from the well in the early morning sun; and memories of Granny’s treacle puddings! But these were also difficult times. With her father earning a pittance as a miner, they ran up debts wit the doctor, having to borrow money form their equally poor neighbours to pay him back; and watching friends and neighbours die form what are now, common, treatable ailments. Throughout her childhood in the small mining community, whatever the hardships, life was faced with humour and overcome with fortitude.