Large families were common in the North East of Scotland. I was one of seven siblings, four girls, and three boys. We were poor but still had a good upbringing. As the eldest, I helped my mother to look after my brothers and sisters and with the running of the house. I started work as a kitchen maid as soon as I could leave school. I was not good looking, and despite my best efforts, I found myself on the shelf. I, theref...

I went to school in Scotland during the 1950s. All the staff at the primary school were female. They had families of their own, some of whom were pupils at the school. In contrast, there were only four women teachers at the large secondary school I later attended. They were excellent educators, but crabby and hard on pupils, particularly the boys. It must have been demanding for them to compete and survive in that male-do...