Santa and the bride

TAlK of Bearman’ s department store in leytonstone, east london (letters), brought back many happy memories for me. our mother was a dressmaker, and twice a year we would go to choose fabrics for our one summer and one winter dress, with matching reels of cotton.

After Mum had handed over the money, the assistant would put it in a contraption on a wire which she would whizz off and a few minutes later come back carrying the change. Magic!

My most abiding memory is of my wedding day, on november 1, 1958. My father and i were being driven in the bridal car when we found ourselves following Father christmas, on his sled on a flatbed truck, all along leytonstone High road to his grotto in Bearman’s store — we were going to St John’s church next door.

The road was lined with people clapping and waving, and Dad and i pretended it was all for us and did our ‘royal wave’ to the crowds.

JEaN GODlONTON, Woodford Green, Essex.