The Forum>>>>>>>>

Arthur and Joan Riley

This one is easy, as they were my parents. My father died in 2006 but my Mum lives on in happy retirement.

Arthur was a Dental Technician with a very high degree of skill and did work for many high profile dentists such as Phil Wander, Alan Dobkin, Peter Kurer and Hans Kurer, OBE.

Doreen and Bill Parfitt

Doreen was the eldest daughter and she married Bill Parfitt. Sadly they have both died now. I wonder if anyone remembers "Doreen's" on Cross Lane in Salford, a knitting and childrenswear shop?

My cousins Pat and Trevor are still very much alive, although the eldest cousin Kit is sadly no longer with us.

I spent a lot of time with this part of the family in my teens and they were very good days.

Pat and Stuart Darlington

Pat was the youngest sister, and my Dad considered it his duty to look after her as a teenager. I'm not sure if she saw it the same way, I must ask...

Styart dies some years ago. He was a massive Sinatra fan. Oh, and he was always first at the buffet table at family parties.

My cousin Keith is a high-flyer indeed and he lives cirrently in London.

Judy and Tom Clayton

Both no longer with us, but my cousin Susan is to be found alive and kicking in London.

Tom was an area manager for the Co-op. In his youth I'm told he was quite the dashing figure, the Errol Flynn of the family.

Jack and Norah Riley

Jack was the baby of the family and therefore could do nothing wrong. You could not wish to meet a nicer person, and he is superb with children. He used to tell be stories when I was a small child and my favourites were the tales of Brickie and Big Black Jack.

Cousins Lesley and Ian are out there somewhere!

Arthur and Mary Riley

My gradparents. Arthur was an engineer, but in later life suffered dreadful pain from his heart. He died aged 80 when I was a young teenager, but I still remember him well.

Mary was a dressmaker and helped to support the family through endless nights of sewing. Sometimes she would sew all through the night to earn the money that kept things afloat. For many many years I saw her every Sunday and she would cook lunch. We were the best of friends.

I still have her Singer sewing machine, converted to electricity in the 1960s.

Emily Jones

My Aunty Emily lived in Liverpool and was Mary's sister.

A lovely lady, she always seemed old to me but she probably wasn't. I remember her front garden, filled with lupins. And her cold, cold house filled with trinkets and ornaments.

Her son Bob lived in Canada, but I did meet him several times in the 1960s.

Poets and Pals

The person I spent most of my time with was my cousin Trevor. We came through our pretentious poetic stage sometime after 1968 and even at one time tried to write a book together. It was dreadful and never was completed.

Trevor moved away to Egypt for several years after he gained his PhD and he has been something of an academic. Currently he has been working in Thailand

Claims to Fame

The Riley family is working on reaching its potential!

This means that there are no claims to fame...yet.