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I was born at the beginning of the war so my memories are not very clear but accounts and records have helped me from my family and dim recollections of my own.

My Dad, Raymond, was in a reserved occupation so spent the war at home with us. We had a big garden and Dad grew a lot of our own vegetables, as did most folk. He also had a share in a pig!! My sisters and I were fond of this pig and we enjoyed visiting it every Saturday. Somehow it was no longer there and we children were never told why. But I do remember we had a goodly supply of pork and bacon for a while.

Mum (Nell) too did her bit. She was good at making do, and was a dab hand at ‘swapping’ She visited many old acquaintances, taking me along, and they would swap their coupons, our tea ration for their sugar ration. Mum also remade clothes for us all out of cast-offs and we rarely went without.

Dad and his brother Bernard (also in a reserved occupation) were staunch members of Skipton Cricket Club a successful club in the Aire-Wharfe League but by 1944 membership was very depleted as 19 players were serving with Her Majesties Armed Forces. Dad and Uncle Bernard acted as officials and kept the club going successfully throughout the war years, so much so that when the club decided to re-enter the league after the war to recapture some former glory they had a healthy balance of one hundred pounds in spite of the toll of the war years.

On Wednesday 14th November 1945 a Victory Dinner was held to celebrate the end of the war and the return of the club’s members. The Menu was very grand
Starters Mushroom or Oxtail Soup
Main Course Roast Mutton, with boiled or baked potatoes
Cabbage and Carrots
Desert Trifle or Apple tart and Custard.
Followed by Cheese Biscuits and Celery
With Coffee.

A Feast indeed!

Although I was much too young to understand what the celebrations were all about on V.E. Day I’ll never forget the feeling of happiness and I knew something good had happened.

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