My name is Evelyn Powell (nee Humphries) I am 91 years of age I am honoured to be President of Wheatley Hill Mothers Club. This honour was bestowed on me as I was one of the founder members in 1949 and have been a regular at tender ever since. I was in the chair for 27 years and on retiring my eldest daughter Dorothy took over in 1977 and has been chair ever since.I was born at 28 Seymour Street Wingate on 15th November 1909 my parents were John Humphries and Elizabeth Sarah, (nee Bunting).

I was one of a family of six daughters and 3 sons. Ellen was the eldest then Dorothy, Mary, Jack, Margaret, myself, Elizabeth, Norman and Edward. Being one of the younger daughters I always had my sisters second hand clothes.

A tale I always tell is, at school I must have been nearly 14 years old before anyone knew I had hands as my coat sleeves were always too long.My first job was as a papergirl then I did various cleaning jobs and at 16years I went to 'place' as it was called in those days.

This was a job as a servant in London. When I arrived in London the mistress of the house was there to meet me with a placard saying 'are you Eva Humphries'. I found that she was very eccentric and as a vegetarian would come into the kitchen when we were cooking bacon for ourselves with a peg on her nose.

I had to leave this job and come home when my youngest sister Elizabeth died aged 16 years. I then worked in a public house, named the Fir Tree in Wingate as a cleaner, barmaid come nanny for Mr. And Mrs. Atkinson until I married in 1935 to Francis Powell (Frank)Our first house was in Wellfield Road Wingate where our first daughter Dorothy was born in 1938.Frank was a regular soldier and at the outbreak of the Second World War he was sent to France

.He was invalided out of the army after Dunkirk. We then moved to 16 Byron Street Wheatley Hill and as Frank had no job I went to work at the Munitions factory at Aycliffe.In 1947 our second daughter Margaret was born and Frank was able to find work again at Easington Colliery, training the young lads down the pit. Although he was always in poor health due to injuries in the war, he worked until he died in 1969.I have 5 grandchildren 7 great grandchildren

. I have always been active in the community of Wheatley Hill and still help with any fun raising. My daughters say that I am the Mothers Club press secretary as I read all the newspapers and keep any relevant information to bring to the Mothers Club. Although I have been a widowed for more than 30 years

I have always had a good social life with my family and friends. I go to the bingo regularly with my friend and neighbour May Burnside who is also in the Mothers club, and visit Hartlepool at least once a week. As my legs are not what they used to be, I hire a motorised wheelchair to get around the town centre.

My friends in the Mothers club make sure they are not in town the day I am (for safety reasons!!!). The Mothers Club has been part of my life for the past 52 years. I have many friends in the club and I always tell them, I have had more education through coming to the Mothers Cub than I ever got at school.