My name is Lawrence Richard Donkin and I was born in Sunderland at
54 Canon Cockin Street Hendon on the 25th October 1917, on the day of the Russian Revolution.
I was named after my father who was a shipwright at the Limited Yard at the South Docks, Hendon.
My mothers name was Emily Louise and I two sisters Elizabeth (Bessie for short) and Margaret (Maggie). Bessie is now 80 years old and lives in Edinburgh as did Maggie,
both of them having married Scotsmen. Sadly, Maggie died a few years ago.