The re-imagined story …
I was shown into the neat front parlour at 131 Faringdon Road where the ladies were enjoying a celebratory tea party. A trill of voices punctuated by laughter and cries of “Do you remember when …” greeted me.
The occasion was the return to Swindon of eldest sister Louisa after more than 50 years of living in Bournemouth. Today the seven sisters were enjoying tea together and had invited the Evening Advertiser to join them.
This was just the kind of human-interest story my editor liked and I had been sent to take the ladies’ photograph.
“Do you know young man we have a combined age of 517 years?”
“Oh Min, you’re exaggerating.”
“No, she’s quite right. If Louisa is 85 next month that would make Maud … “ Mabel proceeded to quote everyone’s age.
“My goodness Mabel, you’re not reckoning up in the Post Office now.”
“Where do you want us to pose, young man?” asked Ethel with a twinkle in her eye, obviously the cheekiest of the seven sisters.
The parlour was rather dark and I had caught a glimpse through the window of the pretty little back garden.
“Shall we move out into the garden?” I suggested.
“That would be perfect, let me grab my cardigan,” said Ethel.
“I hope my hair won’t be spoilt,” Eva tucked the hair grips more securely into her coiffure.
Standing at the bottom of the garden there was more chattering and giggles.
“Tallest in the middle,” former teacher Flora organised her sisters.
“Surely as the eldest Louisa should be in the middle? Would you like a chair darling? I’ll get you one from the dining room.”
I decided it was time to assert some order.
“Ladies, why don’t we form a semi-circle with the eldest at one end, down to the youngest at the other end?”
“You are a clever young man,” said Flora. “What a perfect idea. Right, Louisa you stand there, then we’ll have Maud and Mabel next. Stand next to me Min, there and Ethel and Eva on the end.”
“Lovely. Ladies, are we ready then?”
“Mummy and daddy would just love this. All of us back together again.”
The women linked arms and just as I clicked the shutter on the camera Min said something to make her sisters laugh. Ethel peeped out of place and Louisa closed her eyes.
Youngest sister Eva’s wedding to George Babington in 1911. Photograph courtesy of the Alley family.
You can read more about the amazing Alley sisters in my book Struggle and Suffrage in Swindon available from Amazon
The facts …
By 1881 George Richman Alley and his wife Emma had moved to Swindon. George worked as a body maker and later a wheelwright’s foreman in the GWR Works. The couple lived first at 3 Carfax Street and then at 8 Merton Street where George died in 1925. Emma survived him by seven years. The couple are buried together in a grave in Radnor Street Cemetery, close to the Chapel.
As ever my thanks go to Wendy Burrows, Kay Prosser, Di Edelman and Christine Price.
You may like to read:
Radnor Street Cemetery 
Thank you for writing the story of my 1st cousins twice removed, Frances. We really appreciate all the work you’ve done. 🌺 They must have been a wonderful family of women. Wish I could have met them.
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I’ve just bought your book online through Kobo. Really looking forward to getting into it.
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