To Dear Daniel With Love...

The story chronicles the life of Maureen Shanks (nee Penn) who grew up in Walthamstow East London during the Second World War and post war years. Her playground was the many bombed out buildings in the local High Street. At the age of around 4 years old Maureen was abducted by a man who took her to a graveyard intent on assaulting her but she managed to break free and some Girl Guides who were coming out of the church at that time took her home. In 1949 The family moved to a 3-bedroom flat on a new Council estate called Priory Court. A Youth club was opened in the newly-built Community Centre which Maureen and her friends attended. Her best friend Marion introduced her to some boys amongst whom was a young man called Roy who was to become Maureen's future husband.