DADS SISTERS Esther Hindhaugh Wilkinson His   eldest   sister   Esther   Hindhaugh   (Ettie)   married   Jack   Pickering,   born   1920   at   Consett, County    Durham.    They    ran    their    own    business    doing    building    repairs,    lived    at    Felton, Northumberland   and   had   two   daughters,   Anne   and   Dora.   Ettie   was   a   cook   at   Eshott   Hall before   she   was   called   up   in   1941.   Although   wanting   to   be   a   driver,   she   was   placed   as   a radar   operator   in   450   Ack   Ack   Battery.   She   served   under   canvas   in   barracks   in   southern England.   She   received   two   medals,   1939   -   1945   Defence   Medal   and   1939   -   1945   War   Medal. Future    husband    Jack,    joined    up    in    May    1939,    before    the    war    started..    He    joined    the commandos,   training   in   Scotland   and   was   a   Tank   driver   and   ammunition   truck   driver.   He received   five   medals,   1939   -   1945   Defence   Medal,   1939   -   1945   War   Medal,   1939   -   1945   Star (6   months   service   in   specified   op.   Areas),   The   Africa   Star   (Service   between   June   1940   and May   1943),   The   Italy   Star   (Service   between   11   June   1943   and   8   May   1945).   Somehow,   in between   all   this   they   managed   to   fit   in   their   wedding   on   May   16   1942   at   St   James’   Church, Shilbottle.   In   1957   they   decided   to   emigrate   to   Canada.   Jack   flew   out   to   Victoria   BC   to   get   a   job   and   find   somewhere   to   live.   He   worked   for Canadian   Liquid   Air   until   he   retired.   Ettie,   Anne   and   Dora   followed   some   months   later,   although   they   sailed   across   the   Atlantic.   I remember   seeing   them   just   before   they   left   at   Grandad   Wilkinsons   house,   Colliers   Close,   Shilbottle,   and   being   extremely   envious   of   a rather   luxurious   games   compendium   that   Anne   and   Dora   had   to   make   their   Atlantic   crossing   a   bit   more   pleasurable.   They   lived   at   602 Battery   Street   and   eventually   moved   to   300   Linden   Avenue,   still   in   Victoria.   We   visited   them   in   1993   and   Jack   took   us   on   a   tour   round   the island.   We   also   met   Dora,   husband   Pete   and   their   family   who   also   lived   on   Vancouver   Island,   but   not   in   Victoria.   We   met   Anne   and husband Gordy when we drove to their smallholding near Legal, Alberta. Isabel Wilkinson Isabel   married   Ernest   Watson,   a   miner,   who   was   born   in   1923   at   Horden,   County   Durham.   They married   on   3   July   1944   at   Alnwick   Register   Office   and   had   three   children,   Peter,   born   1942, Carol,   born   1949   and   Jacqueline,   born   1950.   They   lived   at   Farne   View,   Shilbottle.   I   remember Isabel   being   a   prolific   knitter   and   Ernie   always   reminded   me   of   singer   Frankie   Vaughan.   Once when   the   fair   was   at   Shilbottle,   a   gang   of   youths   from   Alnwick   were   threatening   me   because   I had   my   school   uniform   on,   it   was   probably   the   only   thing   I   had   to   wear   at   the   time.   I   must   have been   about   10   or   11   years   old   and   was   getting   quite   worried,   then   Ernie   showed   up   and   put   the fear   of   death   into   them.   I   toddled   off   home   a   very   relieved   young   boy.   Unfortunately,   Ernie   died young   at   47.   He   was   taken   ill   whilst   fishing   at   Lesbury   and   died   of   a   cerebral   haemmorage.   Son Peter also died young, succumbing to cancer at about 52. Stella Wilkinson Younger   sister   Stella   married   John   Milroy,   born   18   June   1919   at   Smallholm, Dumfries,   in   1948.   They   had   two   children,   Joyce   born   5   June   1949   and   Gavin, born   18   January   1957.   Like   my   father,   Stella   was   not   averse   to   a   bit   of   poaching. She   and   my   mother   were   very   close   and   Stella   often   called   to   take   her   out   for   a run   in   the   car.   John   was   a   painter   and   decorator   by   trade   and   they   lived   in Wooler.   I   remember   a   group   of   us   sitting   in   the   back   of   his   van   having   the   ‘trip   of a   lifetime’   to   Edinburgh   zoo.   They   later   bought   a   fish   and   chip   shop   in   Alnwick and   ran   it   very   successfully.   I   once   borrowed   a   tent   from   them   to   go   camping   at the   Grey   Mares   Tail   near   Moffat   with   Eileen   and   her   brothers   David   and   Peter and   sister   Barbara.   Unfortunately   we   had   quite   a   bit   of   rain   and   I   packed   the   tent away   wet.   It   was   a   few   days   before   I   unpacked   it   and,   of   course,   it   was   covered   in mildew. An expensive few days break but it taught me a valuable lesson in looking after other peoples property. Elizabeth Wilkinson Youngest    sister    Elizabeth    (Betty)    married    Leslie    Thomas    Redpath,    born    1929    in    the Berwick    area.    They    had    two    boys,    John,    born    1952,    and    Neil,    born    1957.        Les    was    a shepherd   and   smallholder   and   moved   around   quite   often.   I   remember   them   living   at   the Clinch,   near   Glanton   and   at      Middleton,   near   North   Charlton.   They   eventually   settled   at Maudlin    Farm,    Warkworth    where    they    used    to    carton    their    own    milk    and    supply    to vending machines, including Whittle Colliery. Betty used to make her own butter