Cobbled Streets and Penny Sweets

Book excerpt: Born in 1950s Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Yvonne Young's childhood was spent at the heart of the city's industry. With her grandfather working as a ship painter, her Uncle Tom helping to build them, and neighbours working for the local armaments factory, the shipyards and factories were her community's lifeblood. Growing up so soon after the Second World War, it was also a time of great hardship and many families around Yvonne suffered poverty and neglect. And yet, people made the best of what little they had, as housewives competed to scrub their doorsteps clean and children turned derelict houses into playgrounds. Yvonne also delighted in hearing about the characters that made up her area, from the chimney sweep to the still occasional sight of the rag-and-bone man. Despite challenges at home, and an education system that didn't expect her to make it beyond the local factory, she always tried to see the bright side. Cobbled Streets and Penny Sweets is an affectionate, at times hard-hitting, and beautifully evocative portrait of life in a city that has changed beyond recognition. Above all, it is a story of family, friendship, and getting through the hard times with a healthy dose of Geordie humour.