Beryl Hindle immigrated with her husband to Auckland from London in 1952. She was 21 years old and their first baby was six weeks old when they sailed. Going to beach in New Zealand was quite a novelty. Both during and in the aftermath of World War II beaches in the UK had been off limits. When they first arrived they lived in Auckland city and could walk to Judges Bay, but if anyone had a car they would go further afield to St Heliers or Mission Bay. By the late 1950s and early 1960s when Beryl wore this leopard-print fur bikini she had had three of her four children and they were living in Howick. The family enjoyed taking a rug down and sitting on Howick Beach and if it was warm enough heading in for a swim.