'After tea at Brownie's house he suggested we go to a film but I feigned a headache and he saw me onto the bus. After a quick change I was dancing on the pier with Bernard.'

The following is a very small extract taken from Eve Farrant's (nee Lisher) vastly documented memories of her younger days. Eve is now 84
years of age.

'From the age of seven I actively enjoyed being a Girl Guide, until the day when I was asked by the District Commissioner to resign, being branded a 'ring-leader'.

It was on a Girl Guide outing that I first became friendly with Betty Illsley. She afterwards came to the Methodist Church with me and we would spend quite a few evenings together, often just sitting knitting, toasting chestnuts, etc.

She was apprenticed to a hairdresser in Worthing Arcade called Maidment, and I would go to the salon for her to practice on. I had my first perm at this salon. I also remember the occasion when she persuaded my mother (Annie Lisher) to have her hair cut short for the first time.

Another girlfriend of mine at the Methodist Church was Dorothy Ross who was also a member of the Wesley Guild.

I remember the summer of 1938 when there was a regatta in Worthing. I was meeting my friend Brownie (Yves Browne) and then going to tea with his family (the first time he'd taken me home). His mother was French and they lived in Madeira Avenue. In the afternoon we went to the beach to watch the regatta.

Bernard Farrant (a work colleague whom I'd been romantically involved with) was rowing for a Shoreham four. I chatted with him and he suggested we meet at the dance at the end of the Pier in the evening.

After tea at Brownie's house he suggested we go to a film but I feigned a headache and he saw me onto the bus. After a quick change I was dancing on the pier with Bernard.

Bernard and I had been to several evening dances together at Regent, Sherry's and the Assembly Hall. Although not musical, I found the rhythm most enjoyable, especially with Bernard.

Shortly before the war Bernard decided to go into the RAF, and we agreed to keep in touch, just as friends.

Whilst I kept up correspondence with Bernard I went out with Brownie, who had a secure job at Barclays Bank and wasn't joining up until war started. There were other boyfriends, but mostly they are nameless. Once or twice I went out with Derek West, a rowing club friend of Bernard.

Weekends I would go out with another girlfriend, Pam Crow, often dancing at the Assembly Hall.

During the war, in 1941, Bernard and I got married in Lancing, spending our honeymoon at Timberscombe Guesthouse in Fernhurst.

I was introduced to Lawrence Derrick, a solicitor in Worthing, and I went to see him regarding a house purchase. Whilst explaining legal points, he said, 'You seem to know a lot about conveyancing.' I explained I'd worked in a solicitor's office. 'Would you like a job?' he asked, and as I wasn't very keen on my position at that time, (I was with Cole's, an electrical firm, going round to properties which troops had occupied, with my notebook and returning to type lists of dilapidations.) I agreed.

This was a part time job, and at the same time I was cycling to Worthing with a large standard typewriter balanced on the basket, to an authoress, typing out a book from her very scruffy sheets of handwriting.

I enjoyed very much working with Lawrence Derrick, except I found his continually walking around the room as he dictated, a little disturbing. He gave me quite an amount of responsibility in preparing draft contracts etc. and I found the work very fulfilling. He was a most appreciative employer.

Towards the end of 1946 I was very excited to find myself pregnant, but also scared as this was about the third occasion my hopes had been raised.

I remember one occasion when we'd gone to play cards at Alma Whittingham's house (this we often did in this post-war period), when I had such backache and headache and had to lay on the bed. The next day my dreams were dashed. Having told Dr Whiting of this pattern he suggested the next time I go to him for injections. This I did for three months, having weekly visits to the surgery.

Now, sure that I was pregnant, I left Lawrence Derrick's office as the doctor said bed rest would be advisable each afternoon to avoid hypertension. Actually I kept very well, having help in the home once a week; I really did take care.

On 30th July 1947, I went with Bernard to the tennis courts as I thought the time had come, but didn't want to go to Worthing Hospital too soon. With the packed case in the back of the car I watched Bernard play tennis, making a note of time between pains, until I thought we'd better make our way to the hospital. Bernard went to stay with his parents that night, as we hadn't got a telephone at home.

I was soon prepared and in the labour ward. Dr Whiting was called and I was suddenly alarmed when he said he was giving me an anaesthetic, with no explanation. The mask was placed over my face with me saying that I didn't want this. Exercises had just been introduced to help for easier childbirth and I'd been religiously doing these under instruction from a girl at the tennis club, Pat Lynch, who was training to be a physiotherapist. I was so annoyed I wasn't going to put these exercises into practice.

However, when I came round from the anaesthetic, a bonny 9lb 5oz baby boy was sleeping in the cot beside me. They gave him to me to hold and you can be sure my first question was 'Is he perfect?' He'd been born three minutes past midnight on 1st August 1947. They'd given the anaesthetic because he was wrongly positioned and, being large, they had thought it advisable to turn him before the birth.

Dr Whiting must have been pleased with his efforts as on the way home he went to tell my father, who was then in bed, and threw stones at his window to awake him.

Bernard was also informed, and arrived at the hospital first thing in the morning to see his treasure. We both agreed to name the baby Colin, after Bernard's brother who was killed in the Airforce, and we added Frank to please my father.'

Eve and Bernard went on to have another child, a girl whom they named Lynda.