E. Spicer 12.

The napkins are made out of beautiful rose patterned damask inherited from my mother. But it was not till I was ironing them this morning to use in a photo shoot for my blog that I noticed that they must have been handed down to her.

Mr and Mrs Spicer were lifelong friends of my parents. My father and Mr Spicer had met in the cyclists touring club in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1930s and every year until, first Mr Spicer, then his wife, died; they would come and stay with us before travelling to stay with their daughter and family for Christmas. Their visits felt like the start of Christmas for my brother and I.

I have no idea how my mother came to have some of Mrs Spicer's napkins (I have four of them, all marked in a similar way) but as my parents married in 1952 when rationing was still in force I wonder if some of their presents would have come from their friends' linen cupboards. They must be made of fabulous quality fabric as there is not a single sign of wear and they are as white as ever.