Maisie Voller was born on February 27, 1925 in Southsea.

She was the youngest of six children. all her brothers and sisters were much older than her. There were some complications at the birth and her mother used to say she didn't know how she (Maisie) had managed to survive. "You shouldn't be here," she used to say to her. She went to Omega Street School where one of her Aunts was headteacher. Her Mum used to say 'Don't tell anyone she's your Aunt or they will make your life difficult'. However, her Aunt used to stop and speak to her and ask how her Mother and Father were! 

She was full of stories about life where she lived when she was a child. She remembered the rag and bone man coming round, probably after Christmas calling out, 'Rraabbit skins' and people coming round the streets crying 'Hot cross bun, one-a, two-a penny'. Also the Italian ice-cream seller with his ice-cream cart. Life was difficult though as money was always short. One of Maisie's brothers bought her a lovely watch but her parents pawned it and she never got it back. She also lost a new coat the same way. Maisie's mother often used to pawn her father's best shoes and hoped he didn't want them before the end of the week.

Maisie was often unwell as a child and had a lot of time off school but her Mum used to keep her off school too for company. They used to go to the cinema a lot. Mum always loved the old films and especially the musicals.

Maisie was 14 when WW2 broke out. her and her Mum were alone quite a lot as her Dad being in the dockyard was sent up to Scotland. They went to the cinema one Sunday and there was an air raid. Her mother thought it was a judgement for going to the cinema on a Sunday.

After the war, Maisie met her future husband through her sister Lily who married his brother.

Maisie and John married in August 1948. It rained, but it was the start of 67 years together.