THE Times has this year been marking the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War by publishing pictures and anecdotes from readers whose families were affected by the conflict. Tom Endacott of Okehampton sent in some notes written by his aunt, Flora. When she was 93-years old she wrote a short piece to remember her brother and explain what her life was like in Okehampton at a young age — this is what she wrote: 'I was born on July 2, 1889, the middle of five children, Ada Jane Weekes, William Hooper, Flora, Elsie and Dora Emilie, at 11 Fore Street, Okehampton. 'My father Thomas Weekes was a saddler and harness maker and had a business at 12 Fore Street where we moved into when I was very young, a rambling old house with very thick walls, three stories and long passages, and at the back a long yard with buildings and stables, and a long garden for vegetables, leading down to the River Okement. 'My father, really a farmer at heart, had sheep and ponies on the moor. We had a very happy home and childhood. My mother was a dear and worked hard. 'We all went to the Council School at Okehampton at first, then to a private school in Okehampton. 'When I was about 12, my sister Ada and I went to a boarding school at Plymouth, Seaton House School, where we stayed for about three years. 'My brother, of whom I was very fond (Sgt Weekes) went to Tavistock Grammar School daily by train. 'After we left school, my brother trained as a chemist and went to join his uncles who were chemists in London. 'Ada helped to do the booking from the shop and I helped in the house and went across the road to the Temperance Hotel to help sometimes. 'I did a lot of needlework and made some of my own and my sisters' dresses. 'There was not much money about and my father worked hard for the little he got, but we were always happy and contented. 'Dora, after going to boarding school at Plymouth, went to Westcotts, the drapers, to help. 'We had a jingle, or tub cart, which some Sundays we would all squeeze into to go and see my father's sister, Aunt Polly, at a farm near Lewdown, and we would sing all the way home in the evening. 'We all went to Sunday School and to church with mother and father at 11am. 'My brother was in the choir, my father was sidesman and my mother occasionally shook her head at one of us is she thought we were misbehaving — my brother used to make faces at me from the choir. 'I used to go out with my brother and his friends. 'One day, he told me he did not want me to climb trees when other boys were there because I showed my drawers! 'There was very little money about — we had one penny a week pocket money and thought that was riches. 'On Christmas Eve Mr Alford, who worked for dad, would bring in an 'ashen faggot' to put on the fire — a bundle of ash sticks bound by wire. 'As it burned we would all have some ginger or raisin wine and sing carols. 'We only had one present each from mother and dad, and a stocking with nuts and an apple and orange, and a bright new penny, and we all went to church at 11am.' Flora was her brother William Hooper Weekes' number one fan. Nine months after his wedding day, Sergeant Weekes died of exhaustion in the trenches on Thursday, March 21, 1918, aged 31. Sgt Weekes was with the 13th Convalescent Dept of the Royal Army Medical Corps, and was a highly regarded serviceman. He had married Louisa Endacott on June 23, 1917, in Throwleigh. Sgt Weekes had 'joined up' after the outbreak of war and for more than two years was working in a large base hospital in France, and had not been home for more than 18 months when he married Miss Endacott, of Clannaborogh Farm, Throwleigh. She was given away by her father Joseph Endacott and her brother Private William Endacott (Tom's father) who later married Sgt Weekes' sister Dora.