Born Ethel Elizabeth Breward in 1925, Ethel attended school at the age of 3 years at Laburnum Street School, Shoreditch. She left school at the age of 14 and went to work with her mother as a machinist, which she never really liked, (her mother taught her, as she was a tailoress) in the rag trade in Dalston. The company was owned by a Mr. Palmer and they made Ladies and Childrens' coats. This establishment was bombed in 1939 and consequently Ethel and her mother went on to work for Mr. George - brother in law to Mr. Palmer, in Golden Lane around 1940. Around this time they were lucky enough to move to Chingford, Essex and in 1944 she started work for Aquscutum, where her day started at 7.30am till 6pm and sometimes Saturday mornings too.



Ethel married Arthur James Dyall in 1947, had their first daughter, Valerie Francis in 1948, she then returned to work for a while but gave up after contracting Thrombosis. They went on to have another three daughters and a son. When the children were growing up she would make clothes and do alterations on her sewing machine at home – a proper Singer industrial machine, like the ones she used in the factory.



Her hobbies apart from writing stories and poems and of course playing the piano, include dancing. Ethel always loved to dance. Also singing, although she's the first to admit that she can't! Crossword puzzles - her spelling is second to none. Knitting and crochet, cooking - she's an excellent good cook and socialising – the East End girl still loves to party.

Website: http://canwritewillwrite.com/Ethel_Dyall.html

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