Clare Masovic, who now lives in Australia, was born in 1948 and raised in Aylesbury. Her maiden name was Wheatley-Bain and she was educated at Southcourt Primary from 1953, Quainton Primary from about 1957, Stewkley Primary, and Wing Secondary Modern from 1959 to 1962.

I had an ordinary childhood, growing up in the 1950's. My earliest memories are of my grandmother's house on the Bicester Rd, Aylesbury. I remember sliding down the beautiful wooden banister, and looking into the bright light whilst having photographs taken in her photographic studio in the Market Square.

My father worked at Wecott so was given a house at 5 Russell Avenue in a new suburb called Southcourt. Here I remember Queen Elizabeth's coronation which was celebrated in Southcourt by a street party: I was dressed as a court jester and refused to leave the house.

My parents together with my grandmother bought a drapers shop in the village of Quainton, on The Green, and then a few years later we moved to a pub called the Black Swan in Stewkley.

I have memories of summer holidays and day trips with neighbours and friends the Williams's, of trips to London to stay with my grandmother who had retired to live with her sister, of the long bus trip to Peterborough to visit my father's mother, and most of all going to sleep listening to the strains of the old song Freight Train being sung by the patrons of the Black Swan.

In 1962 my Father decided to take his family to Australia, and here our family grew from three children to five and my loved grandmother came to join us.

My father died in 1968, my mother in 1990, but there are 15 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren growing here in this wonderful sunny country, but I have never been able to bring myself to become an Australian citizen.

I can just close my eyes and see the Wendover Hills from my bedroom window in Southcourt.

Clare Masovic, Australia, 2002