David, and Ann

 David and Ann married at 20. They were married in the local church with both families present. 

They honeymooned on a canal boat. It was during this week, following the wedding that Ann states she discovered her husband’s disability. Prior to that, she says she had no awareness that her husband was partially sighted. Given this disability, a canal boat honeymoon might be considered a poor choice. As they cruised gracefully along the water way, they were blissfully unaware of any impending peril, especially not the upcoming weir. Walkers and other boat goers began to shout warnings in ever-increasing alarm. “ The weir,! watch out for the weir!”, they called. This is the moment Ann says that she found out her husband cannot see. 

They moved into a home together in an East London suburb of Ilford. Here they had cats. They named their kittens Tate and Lyle because they were sweet. Children did not come along for another four years. Once they had started a family, David and Ann moved with their two children and their two cats to a suburb in Essex, from where they could commute daily into their London jobs. In this way, they  became separated from their families and their societies.

The home they bought in Essex was initially an attractive home, but very much in need of modernisation which it never once received over the next 20 years they lived there together. This was one of the causes of resentment between the couple. The home was too small for a family of four. It was too cold, too old, lacking in any kind of modern, convenience, or comfort, the plumbing, pre-dated fitted washing machines its kitchen, pre dated refrigerators. There was a coal bunker and fireplaces.. there was no driveway. No car no central heating no radiators, and of course it was far from any social support or family or friends. The walk to the station which was necessary to begin with journey to work later to School for the children. was a full mile. For an adult this walk was 20 minutes, and for a young child 40 minutes. 

Both Ann and David commuted, neither was prepared to take a part-time role to provide nurture or care for their children are  either considered it to be their role to stay at home, even some of the time. The number of pets increased as to the cats were added, rabbits guinea pigs a budgie and hamsters. There were occasional goldfish. Some of these were won at the fair. All of the animals and the children were equally neglected.. the home was filthy. Cat faeces littered the floors and remained there until they dried up. The smell could be on bearable with every member of the family, refusing to be the one to clear it up and so ignoring it, and pretending they could not smell it. plates were left for the cats to lick clean, and then stayed in piles on the living room floor. Ann’s bipolar disorder was one of the reasons for growing collections of belongings and undiscarded items filling the house in piles of their own. David’s disability and his own institutionalisation contributed to allowing the accumulation of belongings. As a result, the home was untidy, filthy, unhygienic, squalid and disordered.

Here they raised their children.