It’s January 1961. Harold Macmillan is Prime Minister, Johnny Tillotson’s Poetry in Motion is number one in the charts – and a group of young wives meet for the first time at Wigton Road Methodist Church in Carlisle.

Fifty-five years later this group of good friends is still meeting every month on a Monday for a coffee, a chat and to catch-up – although many of them are now in their seventies and eighties.

Over the years the women have put the world to rights discussing everything from children to changing household gadgets, politics, the latest fashions and their and their families’ job prospects.

Norah Rennison, 81, one of the women, said: “We’ve discussed babies, nappy rash, starting schools, our children’s problems, changing schools, teenagers and holidays.

“We’ve done politics, contraception, clothes and the latest fashions, our children’s jobs prospects, TV, films, weddings.

“We talked about our own new babies, then we moved onto our grandchildren. Now we’re onto great grandchildren.”

Margaret Graham, 80, of Lowry Hill, said: “We have all been friends for a long time and we have never had a row or fallen out.

“We have a lot of fun – we have laughed and cried.”

The group also includes Mary Barclay, 86, Margaret Miller, 84, Susan Longcake, 80, Sheila Wallace, 75 and Anne Bell, 83.

Mrs Graham’s sister, Anne Ward, was a member of the group but died eight years ago.

Mrs Rennison, of Whinlatter Way, Morton, said: “We used to meet at the church but then decided to meet at each other’s houses, which we still do today – 55 years on.

“At the start I used to leave my tiny baby at home with my husband while I went out to the group.”

Mrs Graham, who used to run Georgie’s clothes shop on St Cuthbert’s Lane in the city centre, said: “When we first met we all lived in the Wigton Road area.

“We had a rota in alphabetical order so we knew whose turn it was to host.

“We initially knew Mary, the oldest of the group, as she used to be our Tawny Owl at guides and we used to go camping with her at Caldbeck.”

Mrs Miller, who used to work in the former Carrs the jeweller’s shop in the city centre, said: “Most of our children went to Newlaithes School as it was newly-built in those days.

“We were all young mums at the same time. I think new mums these days have too much to do as they have jobs as well.

“Things were different in those days. When you had a baby you were in hospital for about 10 to 15 days and for the first three days you weren’t allowed to get up out of bed.”

Mrs Longcake, of Wetheral Pasture, said: “We weren’t as well off as young people today though.”

Mrs Rennison, who used to work as a secretary at Newlaithes Infant School in Morton, said: “Back when we were young you could only buy a house on your husband’s wage.”

The ladies have celebrated the big anniversaries of the group with special meals, usually at a hotel or restaurant.

They have also been to concerts together. One favourite was Sixties’ pop star Helen Shapiro at the former Lonsdale theatre on Warwick Road.

The group still send each other flowers for special birthdays. The card always reads: “With love from the young wives.”

“That makes our families laugh,” said Mrs Rennison.