I USED to go to the Court School of Dancing which was above Burtons the tailors near the Market Place and the Grenville Dance Room in London Road, Enfield Town.

It was at Court School that I won a prize for the latest dance craze -- the Twist -- and also because I had the largest medallion.

They were one of the fads of the time along with tight skirts and very high heels.

We spent summer days at the open air pool in Southbury Road and later we used the indoor pool at Edmonton Green.

I also attended the slipper baths at Southbury Road pool where, for a fee, you could get a large bath full of hot water.

You just had to call out if you wanted any more hot or cold water in your bath. It was bliss and very popular in the 1960s.

I was married at Edmonton Register Office and all my nine children were born in Chase Farm Hospital.

My three eldest were born in the older part of the hospital which I believe is now part of the children's wards.

While in there we had to stay in bed for three days and nurses brought us baby bottles, nappies etc.

Matron paid us a daily visit and woe betide anyone who had a messy locker or bed.

By the time my next six children came along things had changed a great deal.

It was the in new maternity block . I was out of bed after six hours and had to fetch the babies from the nursery myself, although later the babies were placed next to the bed.

I had to get my own bottles etc and there were no visits from matron.

Three of my grandchildren were also born in Chase Farm Hospital.

In fact my eldest daughter occupied the same bed in the same ward that I had been in.

I moved from the house I was born to a flat on the 11th floor of a tower block in Ponders End in 1968.

We watched the area develop as shops, two other tower blocks and then maisonettes were built.

I can remember there used to be a little old fashioned dairy along Alma Road when we first moved into the area.

We also lived in the flats during the period of organised power cuts in the early 1970s.

I think it was when television went off early and we were issued with petrol tokens, although I don't think we actually had to use them in the end.

From the flats we moved into the house we still live in near Bullsmoor Lane.

My older children who have left home all still live in Enfield.

My eldest son lives in the same tower block we used to be in when he was baby.

My children who are still at home attend Capel Manor Primary and Lea Valley High schools.

I now go to Jesus Church, Forty Hall, where I used to sing with my school when I was younger.

I have shown my children the number carved into one of the panels at the side of the main door of Clock House, on top of Forty Hill almost opposite the main entrance of Forty Hall.

Look out for it next time you are over that way.

I love living in Enfield and have seen many changes, some good and some bad, and look forward to those to come in the next Millennium.

It would be good to see the Hilly Fields bandstand returned to its former glory.

Perhaps we will have a lottery winner to help out.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.