[Agnes Cowper's brother Henry was born 18 October 1885, nick-named Timmy because  his mother once referred to him as ‘Turbulent Timmy’. The author was the second oldest of nine children, seven of whom were boys, and she had a substantial role in bringing up her younger siblings.]

When Timmy was twelve months old we removed to a house on the outskirts of Princes Park [Liverpool] which had better accommodation than the one we were then occupying.

[…]

Timmy was ever a great giver throughout his life, but to an extent in his childhood which was not always beneficial to his family. I recollect that an Italian organ-grinder came each Friday morning and played a selection of tunes for which he duly collected a copper or two from each house in the vicinity, and from ours, always handed to him by the youngest member of the family. On his last appearance he played for a very short time and did not knock for his copper, which caused my mother to remark upon it. Timmy at once looked up and said, ‘Me gave moogy man penny,’ which led to the discovery that the little fellow had gone upstairs, climbed a chair, and from a box on the dressing-table had taken a sovereign, which had been bestowed upon this son of Italy.