Reminiscing

Joseph was born in Gateside Hospital, Greenock; Bríd was born in Lecamey; Helen, myself and Tommy were born in 24 St Lawrence Street. According to my mother, Helen and I were born in the USA - Up Stairs in the Attic.  At the time we were living in a small two-room flat (with a WC) on the top (fourth) floor. We later moved down one flight of stairs to a marginally larger flat but still just two rooms. One room served as kitchen/dining/living room and was also our parents bedroom. Their bed was set into the wall and hidden behind a curtain. On the wall of that room hung a large zinc bath that was brought down on  Saturday nights for our weekly scrubbing, so I suppose you could say that the room also served as the bathroom. Us children all slept in the other room but I understand that for most of the time one or more of us, prior to starting school, spent a lot of time in Lecamey. The arrival of  Tommy gave us extra housing points and so we qualified for a council house. On ...