How many years have I known Gerry? Well all my life, she was a constant friend, and spent a lot of her life at the Post Office, where I was born, in 1949. Gerry's mum became friends with my mother, and my mum, Doris Holland, let Gerry stay and play in our house, with my sister Josephine, while her mother Elsie worked at the Talbot. This was the start of a life time friendship for Gerry and Jo, of over 80 years. This photo now in colour was taken in the garden, on a seat that I still have in the garden where I live. It has seen many family and friends sat on it over the last 100 years. And here it is a testimony to yet another one, myself, Philip Holland and Geraldine Chaplin. Any one who knew our garden would know that the little roofed building behind us was once upon a time our only toilet!

One of my many trips out with the Cooper's. Brian and Gerry loved gardening and anything to do with the open air; where Gerry would take photos of flowers, birds, and her many friends. In their retirement they travelled around many of the National Trust places, and encouraged me to do so to. Both Brian and Gerry were always there to give a helping hand, not just for me but to all their family and many friends too.

Needless to say the friendship between my sister Josephine and Geraldine began when they were both very young children, and has spanned over seventy years. Gerrry was Jo's bridesmaid when she married Gunvald Magne Stenersen, on Saturday, 23rd July, 1966, at Knightwick Church. They both did a trip to, Nässjö in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark, in August 1962, with the Girl Guiddes. Later Gerry visited both Jo and Gunvald at their home in Denmark where their first son Jan was born. One photo shows them out, enjoying a meal somewhere. As I write this my sister Jo and her husband Gunvald are about to celebrate thir Diamond Wedding Anniversary. I feel sure both Gerrry and Brian would have gone over to Norway to celebrate this. Unfortunately that was not to be. Jo and I talk about her, and I know Jo misses her very much. The last photo shows them in their Halcyon days relaxing by the river.