Hello, I'm Kirstie Young, and this is a podcast from the Desert Island Discs archive.

For rights reasons, we've had to shorten the music.

The program was originally broadcast in 1977, and the presenter was Roy Plumlee. This week are cast away as the designer and writer Shirley Conrad.

Shirley, how good would you be at coping with loneliness?

Well, I think

hard before saying yes fast.

Have you done that?

Yes, I have.

I had a very difficult period after my first son was born when I was in London and

didn't know anybody and had post-natal of depression. I felt very lonely.

What would you be happy as to have got away from?

Oh, tax, yes.

Noise, forms to fill in,

modern bread, modern chickens that taste like fish.

I'll sign that.

And many other little reminders of civilized life, in fact to remind me of what I'm missing,

I'd like to choose my first record if I could.

I'm a woman by Peggy Lee.

I can wash out 44 pairs of socks and have them hanging out on the line.

I can start and I am two dozen shirts for you can come from one to nine. I can scoop up a great big dipper full

of lard from the dripping can. Throw the skillet, go out and do my shopping, be back

before it melts in the pan.

...