TWINS HIT MILESTONE
TWINS who were born in the Staffordshire Moorlands and who still live in the area are to celebrate a special birthday this week.
Miriam Kirkham of Warslow and Margaret Gregory of Leek will celebrate their 90th birthdays on Friday.
Miriam and Margaret were born at Hayes Cottage, Warslow on February 26, 1931.
The girls’ parents were Thomas and Florence Gould. On the day they were born the weather was wintery and snowing and Dr Twigg had to walk from Hartington to deliver the twins at home.
At the age of 10, during the Second World War, they moved to Hayes Farm with their older brothers John and Richard and younger sister Olive.
The girls attended Warslow school where they used to walk to across the fields each day.
At school they had name badges pinned on their uniform so staff and pupils knew how to identify them. But before school they would help with milking the cows by hand which they enjoyed. The twins left school at the age of 14.
In 1947 Miriam married Isaac Kirkham and moved back to Hayes Cottage where they had their first son John, and later moved to Kirkham Yard where their second son Peter was born. Miriam stopped with her farming background for many years.
Margaret married Dennis Gregory in 1963 and lived in Leek. Margaret worked at the Tattons factory in Leek until the premises suffered a severe fire.
She then went on to work for Staffordshire County Council as a home help for 24 years. Margaret went for the town life but loved returning to the countryside whenever she could, while Miriam stayed in the countryside farming and raising her family.
Sadly both Miriam and Margaret have now lost their husbands.
The twins said that washing machines and cars made big changes to their lives.
Miriam said: “When the electricity was put on, a washing machine was the first thing they bought as our mother used to wash all day by hand on a Monday until her hands were raw.”
Margaret, who still drives round to Kirkham Yard at Reapsmoor to visit, said: “Two of the biggest things in my life were moving to Leek and getting my first car.”
It was hoped to have an afternoon tea party for the twins and their friends at Warslow Village Hall, but with the lockdown restrictions this has not been possible.
However, the family are hoping to celebrate when restrictions are lifted.