I was born in Leeds in 1923, of immigrant parents from Poland and Russia. My mother did not speak or write English, yet in spite of this, we three siblings did well at school. We played with buttons and chalked on the pavement. I remember getting on well with other children and not feeling different, even though we were Jewish.

I left school aged fourteen years, and got a job in Lewis’s until the war broke out, when I was fortunate to be employed by the Food Office.

I met my husband Lionel when I was fifteen, and we married when he left the forces. We both worked hard to provide for our two children. Although we loved England, we felt unable to give them a good start in life: to be educated and secure. At this time, many families were being encouraged to take the £10 scheme, and sail to Australia. Sponsored by relatives living there, you could expect to be set up with accommodation.

Dilemma: should we go, or stay with family and friends, in a country where we felt safe?
A decision to go was made, and the four week sea journey was a great experience for an old-fashioned woman like me.

When we stepped off the ship and set foot on this distant land, the first feeling struck me, of overwhelming fear. What would happen to us, as we had no money and no jobs! I guess with true Yorkshire grit we made it work, and our children had a good education and a healthy outdoor life, and made lots of friends.

But I missed England, and after my father’s early death I was concerned for my mother, who was all by herself. The life in Australia was fantastic – but letters from home made me feel guilty. So we returned to Leeds and with the money we had saved, we bought a sweet shop.

I believe you have to make the most of what you have. I love life at 95 years old, and always look for interesting things to do. Life is there to be enjoyed, after all.