大象传媒

My name is Eva Georgina Wiskin (n茅e Swallow) and I was born on the 16th July 1921. I was the eldest girl, having one elder brother (there were five of us that my parents had) and we all had one room which was rented off my aunt.

My aunt's children were cruel to us and my aunt was a domineering person to boot. So I was glad when the slum clearance came about and we were given a six-roomed new flat in a new block complete with indoor bathroom and toilet - we were in heaven!

After moving in, in time, my mother had three more children. My father worked in the Docks. It was alright when the work was there, otherwise things were bad, living from hand to mouth. No luxuries as such. My mother worked hard to make things easy, such as going to the market late so as to get things cheaper. But apart from that, we never went without food and clothes. Perhaps we were a bit low on the ground, so we had to make do with what was affordable.

I was fairly clever at school, winning prizes for reading and writing essays, but I couldn't sit for a scholarship. They said my parents couldn't afford the uniform. Still, I was quite happy at school, leaving at 14 years of age.

I worked packing paper doilies which I loved doing. I worked in the city and I used to get a workman's return for 4 pence which you had to buy before 7.30 in the morning.

I lived on the Victoria Dock Road but we called it 'the Marsh', and as children we would see the foreign seamen going back to their ships with things they bought in the market.

I left work when I was 18 years of age to get married as war was imminent. My husband was called to serve in the Royal Navy for 6 years so I brought two of my children up in wartime. I also did voluntary work.

I was not evacuated but stayed in London throughout the war. I could write so many things about my wartime experiences such as running to get a doctor for my mother-in-law while a raid was on; watching catfights with planes when they were bombing London, especially the Docks; catching the Rum Quay alight; sleeping under the table with my daughter when there were raids.

I tell my grandchildren all about what life was like and now I have great-grandchildren who love to listen to me.

I have seen so many changes in my life, but as I have grown older, I think, looking back, life has made me the strong person I am today. And at the moment I have nothing to grumble about.

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