Mum and Dad, George and Hilda Buchan got married in 1945, then moved into no 27 Trinity Church Square. They lived in a couple of rooms there (that's what people seemed to do in those days) for about five years, then moved to no 58 TCS for another 12 years, finally moving to no 65 TCS for the rest of their lives. But Dad has lived on the estate since he was six years old (a grand total of 73 years!). Dad,s family first lived on the corner of Swan Street and Trinity Street, in a big house which, if I remember correctly, didn't have a number but was called Victoria House. He was one of nine children: eight boys and one girl. Mum lived at no 22 Cole Street. They first moved there when Mum was also very young, and she was one of 15 children, not all of whom survived. I knew of ten of them: five girls and five boys (my poor nans with all those children!).

A cinema backed on to my Dad's house on the corner of Swan Street. Needless to say, he and his brothers used to jump over the wall and get in without paying, but he said, looking back, the people who ran the cinema knew that they did this, and turned a blind eye to it. Another story he used to tell is about when they moved from Swan Street to no 22 Trinity Street, which was next door to the Trinity Arms public house. He and his brother Albert were told to clean the chimney as per my Nan's instructions. So, one got on the roof with a brick and a piece of rope tied around it, whilst the other one stood at the hearth in the living room. Down went the brick. Dad said nothing seemed to happen but the brick did disappear, so they decided to go next door to the Trinity and have a drink. As they opened the door, they saw that all the customers were covered in soot, as they'd put the whole lot down the wrong chimney! The cheek of them both was that they still called for a drink, couldn't stop laughing, drank up and went!

Mum and Dad got married whilst Dad was still in the Navy and went on to have three children - Barry, Denise and Philip - and six grandchildren. Mum died in 1987, which left a huge gap in our family. What a wonderful mother and person she was; so dearly loved by all. Dad then kept the family together for the rest of his life.

The estate was a great place to grow up on. We all had so much fun. And the grandchildren thought it was a great place as well. At Christmas and Bank Holidays the whole family used to gather, and we had such good times together. Dad would tell the grandchildren all the antics he got up to as a young lad and what he still got up to. He used to meet his friends in The Town House, The Bell and The Ship public houses every day. They were, and still are, great characters, and they all can tell a good story about their lives (they should write a book).

Both Mum and Dad had so much time for their children and grandchildren. All the grandchildren have said they were the best grandparents ever. They showed and gave so much love to us all.

They are both greatly missed and remembered with love by Barry, Denise and Philip (children) and James, Steven, Adam, Gary, Laura and Jack (grandchildren).

Denise Collins