In this photograph my grandfather Ernest ASHFORTH 1905-1990 is in his element: in a pub, with a pint of beer and no doubt in his pocket a still smouldering pipe. My grandmother Emily ASHFORTH (née Emily BELLAMY 1903-1992) is wearing one of her fur coats, from her collection of fur coats, perhaps with just a whiff of mothball.

Shortly after Ernest died I recall driving to Emily's flat in Langsett Close, Hillsborough, Sheffield in order to take her for a day out in Derbyshire. In the early nineties fur coats had moved into the realm of not being 'politically correct' though I doubt Emily was even aware of the term. Long before she opened the flat door I could smell the mothballs. On opening the door, there she stood, resplendent in fur coat and carpet slippers.

No point arguing, carpet slippers are comfortable and she is not changing into shoes!

Unperturbed I helped her into the car and we drove off towards Derbyshire. Soon we were sat in a tea shop at the village of Tideswell. Within minutes Emily was chatting with a captive audience of tourists, so it was only a matter of time before she was in full flow, recounting in full, gory details of her long list of 'surgical operations'. By this time Emily had poured some tea into her saucer and in between tales of life and death at the hands of the surgeons, was slurping loudly, as is the way in Sheffield.