大象传媒

On Thursday, 12th December, 1940, my young man rang me unexpectedly and asked me to meet him in town at 12.30 pm. We had been courting for five years and he later became my husband. We were goin gto become engaged at Christmas, but he had decided to buy the ring that day.

We made our way to H L Borwn's at the top of Angel Street an dI chose the ring. We then went round town, had a meal to celebrate and went to the Regent in Barkers Pool to see the show.

Eventually it was announced from the stage that an air-raid was on and would we all leave as orderly as possible. We were directed to the shelter underneath the Grand Hotel, just managing to get inside the entrances as it was already full. We didn't think we would get out alive and I thought I would never wear my new ring.

However, we came out safely in the early hours when most of the city centre was burning and water was running down the streets. All the shop windows were out and H L Brown's was demolished.

Later, at home, I took the ring out and said "Well I've become engaged today".

You can appreciate that I never forgot the day that I became engaged, December 12th, 1940.

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