Growing up in the seventies, it was as if I had two mums with one name. For as long as I can remember, Anne was always nearby, always with a smile and usually a cake.
In the days before the Internet and mobile phones, and with only 3 TV channels that didn’t start broadcasting until lunchtime, friends and neighbours meant more and had a bigger influence than they seem to now.
One of my most comforting childhood memories was skipping school for some imagined or exaggerated illness, and getting to join my mums in afternoon tea. The tea was weak and milky if Anne made it and dark and strong if Ann was brewing. There were always biscuits involved and sometimes cake. These were the moments where I discovered Rich Tea biscuits fell apart if dunked too long, Garibaldi biscuits should be avoided and Battenberg cake existed.
And there there were the catalogues: Grattan’s and Freeman’s. They were a window to a new world full of desirable things. They formed a large part of the conversations between the Annes and were eagerly devoured when I eventually got my hands on them. I traded part of my education for these occasions and it was worth every second.
At the time, none of this seemed significant and it remained that way until I had my own children. Now I can look back on the innocence of those times, and how the people, and especially Anne, were fundamental in shaping who I am now. Memories of my childhood are a treasure that I value beyond wealth and Anne was a shining jewel at the centre of it.
Thank you Anne, I take you with me everywhere.
Brian Webster
01/02/2026
