Her mother was born Annie Pattinson, married name Annie Middleton, she left the family home in 1920 and travelled alone to America that year with the Grant family. Her father on her birth certificate is recorded as George Edward Middleton. She worked at Sharp's Toffee Factory in Maitland. She kept in close contact with John Alexander Walker and Emily Walker nee Middleton, birth name Witnell from Darlington, England.