MADAM, – Re: the anonymous letter printed on Saturday, February 6.

I visited my dad on Sunday and he said: "Guess who this is in The Sentinel?"

I recognised Aunty Lucy straight away – she and her friends were celebrating the end of the war in Wood Street, Longton.

Great Aunty Lucy (Lucy Hollinshead née Podmore, 1907 – 1989) was my nan's sister and is the second lady from the left in the group of four, pictured above. She was a character – a lovely lady who brought up a large family.

Her husband was Albert Hollinshead, a coal miner.

My nan was Elizabeth Podmore (1902-86) and she married Edward Blundred. Nan and her sisters all lived close together in and near to Wood Street. They all helped each other through some pretty tough times.

Mum always said she had boys shoes (handed down from Aunty Lucy's boys). They also survived on bread and dripping – mum had the job of fetching a cup full, half a penny from the butchers.

My mum died in 1995. I have researched her family history a little, finding coal miners, potters, carters and agricultural workers.

If your anonymous person from Wood Street gets in touch or if any other Wood Street contacts are made could you please inform me, because I would love to find out more about my Longton family. Lucy, Nellie, Minnie and Lizzy were the Podmore sisters. I think 159 Wood Street was their home, their mother was Minnie and father Thomas.

DENISE BARNES (née Bailey)

Shrewsbury