The Aitken lads were both clever boys. Tom had won a Margaret Bryce Scholarship, in those days the highest scholarship which gave you a free Grammar School education plus a Financial award to pay for school books etc. Two years previously George had won a straight scholarship to a free Grammar School education and the same year that Tom won his scholarship, I had won a Choral scholarship, and as a Cathedral Chorister I got a Free Grammar School education. We all went to the Liverpool Institute, Liverpool's top Grammar School and we all used to walk to school together every morning..

Mr.Aitken was a Presbaterian Lay Preacher and Secretary for the Gordon Smith Institute for Seamen where Merchant Seaman coming into Liverpool could get accommodation, Meals and Baths etc. Anyway, the Aitkens had a maiden Aunt living with them. This old lady was from the Shetlands, as were the Aitkens, but this aunt spoke Gealic and could speak very little English. She didn't have a lot of conversation except with Tom's Mum and Dad who spoke Gaelic and English.

Well, there was a Seaman named Norman who also came from the Shetlands and was Gaelic speaking, so when he docked in Liverpool he would stay with the Aitkens and the Aunt and him used to have a great old natter in this strange language.

This guy Norman was a true Scot, so he used to bring his bag pipes . One day I was fascinated watching him assemble his bag pipes, blow up the bag, put the bag under his arm and place the pipes over his shoulder . He then commenced to march up and down this small room (The Aitkens parlour ) with the skirl of the pipes deafening the neighbours and bending the walls ! The Aitkens being Scots loved it.

My mother had a sister, Mabel, who worked as a housekeeper for some well-off people who lived in Croxteth Drive, then the area of the very wealthy, anyway this maiden aunt used to visit us fairly regularly . On one of these visits she noticed a cat walking along the top of the wall that divided the yards. These walls were about seven feet high and were always being patrolled by the local 'Moggies ' ( Liverpool slang for cats ), who would drop into the yard, leaving their 'calling card ' and be off again along the top of the wall . On this particular occassion Aunt Mabel grabbed a jug, filled it full of water, dashed out into the yard and threw the water at the unsuspecting moggey . Unfortunately the jug body seperated from the handle so the cat copped for the lot and was knocked off the wall, all whirling legs and claws !

On another occasion she brought her employers dog with her . This dog was a small, snappy, irritable and unpredictable little creature. My mother had laid the table for Tea. In the centre of the table was a large cake dish heaped with tarts she had made, and these were lavishly filled with her home-made
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