Auntie Rose lived next door to us here in Southwick.

Twenties flapper hat Twenties clothes Twenties shoes ...it was 1964.

Faded, but still glamorous.

Retired buyer for Debenhams of Brighton.

Never married.

Every Tuesday after primary school I’d go round for tea.

Tinned herring roes on toast Cheese and onion crisps a game of snap then home to bed.

Every Tuesday I’d marvel at her outside toilet with the big spiders her garden with the stag beetles her living room with furniture from a bygone age and a grandfather clock from an even more bygone age and her mantelpiece crammed with stuff.

There were two pictures on it.

One of her as a little girl standing with the Southwick football team in the 1890s and one of a man standing in a field leaning on a rifle.

I’d always wondered so one day, aged about eight, I asked the question.

‘Auntie Rose, Why did you never get married?’ She smiled.

Tears came to her eyes.

She pointed to the photo.

‘The man in the photo is the man I was going to marry.

He was killed in the First World War.

I never loved anyone else So I never got married, John.

That’s why’.

I looked at her.

'That’s really sad, Auntie!'

She smiled bravely.

We had another game of snap.

Attila the Stockbroker

Victoria Road

Southwick