Episode 1
4 Extra Debut. Life in a large Irish family in a small Watford semi in the 1970s - Mary Portas recalls misbehaviour at communion and school.
Mary Portas reads her moving, funny account of growing up in a large Irish family in a small Watford semi in the 1970s.
Young Mary is always getting into trouble. When she isn't choking back fits of giggles at Holy Communion, or playing pranks on her teachers, she's gluing together cardboard boxes with her mum and dad to win youth club competitions dressed as a pack of Player's No. 6.
In Mary's house, money is scarce and space is tight. But these are good times and everything revolves around the force of nature that is her mum.
Mary's dad is a tea salesman and she loves tagging along on his sales calls to independent shops, selling everything from Chappie dog food and Heinz soups to Homepride flour and Kellogg's Corn Flakes. And even as a six-year-old, the girl who will one day be known as "Mary Queen of Shops" knows there is a world enclosed in the four tiny letters of the word 'shop'.
Read by Mary Portas. Abridged by Jo Coombs
Produced by Hannah Marshall
A Loftus production for 大象传媒 Radio 4
Last on
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Reader | Mary Portas |
| Author | Mary Portas |
| Abridger | Jo Coombs |
| Producer | Hannah Marshall |
Broadcasts
Mon 23 Feb 2015 09:45大象传媒 Radio 4 FM- Tue 24 Feb 2015 00:30大象传媒 Radio 4
- Mon 2 Dec 2019 14:45大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra
- Tue 3 Dec 2019 02:45大象传媒 Radio 4 Extra
Listen to more Audio Books
Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.
Opening Lines
John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.
Sample our books and authors Clip Collection
Interviews, previews and reviews
Subscribe to the Short stories podcast
Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers
How many of these 100 Novels have you read?
After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.
Finding Your Story
Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?
大象传媒 Arts: Books
Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.