MEET the ‘threepenny baby’ - Pauline Redknap!

Muriel Povey, of Golafre Road, Abingdon, set us on her trail when she recalled a conversation as her mother and newly-born brother were passing Redknap’s shop at Steventon in the 1940s (Memory Lane, March 23).

She wrote: “Christopher Redknap, who was about four, came running out and asked my mum where she had got her baby from.

“Mum said she had saved up all her threepenny bits.

“Later, he came out with a jar and said: ‘Is this enough?‘ “My mum said he would need a few more.

“A little later, Mrs Redknap had a baby girl, Pauline.”

The letter was spotted by Joan Leahy, one of our readers in Steventon, who alerted the siblings.

Pauline, now Pauline Stock, of Aspley Guise, Milton Keynes, tells me: “I am writing to inform your readers and, in particular, Muriel Povey, of Abingdon, that the 'threepenny baby' is alive and well!

“Thanks to my big brother, Christopher, and his collection of threepenny pieces, I have been around for 62 years.

“Neither of us lives in the Oxford area any more, but have fond memories of our childhood lives in High Street, Steventon.”

Christopher, who now lives at Hove, in East Sussex, writes: “Thank you for rekindling many happy memories of the time we spent in Steventon.

“During our time there, we were shown many kindnesses by Mrs Leahy’s late parents, Gabe and Vera Seary.

“Mr Seary came to our aid so frequently that we referred to him as our Angel Gabriel!

“His daughter’s thoughtfulness shows that she has inherited all her father’s angelic qualities.

“Thank you for reminding my sister and me of the village which has a special place in our hearts.”