St Michael’s Girls, 1926

In the picture below, my mother is on the front row, fourth from the left. Her name was Elsie Garrity. She was born in the Brewer’s Arms, Rochdale Road, Collyhurst, where she lived with her parents, brothers and sisters. Later, she lived near her best friend, Agnes Verrotti, in the Vine Pub, Jersey Street. She was known as a popular dressmaker in her time. Eventually, Mother made it to art school for a short time.

She married James Barnett, but she was widowed on the last day of the war in March,1945 and was left with three children, myself, my sister Pat and our brother James.

Stella Mac Donald (nee Barnett)