In 1949 my dad won £32 on the penny points football pools. This was equal to about four weeks wages for him. From his winnings he bought a "modern fireplace" to replace the cavernous open fire area we had in our home. He also hired a caravan at Whitburn. It was here where my mum, dad two sisters and I enjoyed our very first holiday. One day we made our way to Marsden Bay beach where a photographer took a family picture of us. A week or so after the holiday was over, to our astonishment, our neighbours informed my mum of a wonderful photograph being displayed in Jerome's window in Jackson Street, Gateshead. We all took the tram along Sunderland Road to join the crowd peering at this photo of a working class family having the time of their lives. The photograph remained in the window for many weeks much to the joy of us all. To top it all, they had given my dad £2 for agreeing to the display.