Kate, for many reasons I have only just heard your mother's story and I can't tell you how sad it has made me feel. I was a close friend of your mother's for several years, when she worked for the Film Officer of the ABC. In fact I introduced Karin Wynter (as she was known then) to your paternal father, Russell Jennings, my cousin. I don't know how you will feel about this, but I think you resemble him, and have similar hair to your Aunt Rhonda, Russel's sister, who lives on the South Coast. Grahame, your father's other brother, lives in Sydney. I have lost touch with both of them.

I was fond of Karin's mother, Mrs Tovey, and was so sorry to hear of her painful death. I met her often, and spent much time with Karin when she lived at a house in St Ives. We lost touch when I married and left for Europe in February 1964, but I think you must have been born about then, for I remember composing a number of baby rhymes and sending them to Karin for your birth.

I admired your mother tremendously, she seemed so very glamorous and Continental - even the food she and her mother cooked seemed to be so much more sophisticated than the ordinary food we lesser mortals ate! And she had Dana Wynter, a film star sister! But even then she had very strong views and when I disagreed with her about a war, she stopped corresponding. By then I was living in South Africa and she also violently opposed Apartheid) .

I would love it if you felt able to correspond with me Kate - I'm not too sure about the terminology of family relationships, but as my cousin's child, we may be second cousins? As you probably know, after Russ's marriage to your mother broke down, he remarried an American woman. Derek and I were in New York just before his death. He also had extremely strong views, for he came down from Rhode Island to spend a day with me, but insisted he wanted the whole day to himself, so Derek and our two kids spent the day sightseeing. You are certainly the offspring of two extremely strong characters!

Derek (who I married in 1964) ,and I run a health food shop in Tweed Heads (Healthy Life in Centro Tweed Mall) and live in Kirra which is in Queensland.and often lumped in with Coolangatta these days. Unfortunately, our two children have chosen to remain in South Africa and I miss my grandchildren more than I can say.

For my sins I am writing a book which has to be exhaustively researched and it is taking more years than I care to admit.

Much love and empathy Kate. My mother died when I was 22 and it is an event that knocks the stuffing out of you.

Jenny Clegg (Nee Jennings)