大象传媒

I spent my war years living in Ingrow and I was attending Ingrow Council School when war broke out. However, in 1940 when I reached my fourteenth birthday I left school and began working for Robert Claughs woollen mill in Ingrow as a burler and mender, earning 12 shillings and 6 pence each week. The mill weaved cloth for the army, navy, RAF and ATS.

I have several vivid memories from my time during the war. I remember being on school camp at Humphrey Head when war was declared and how POW鈥檚 from Otley were used to prepare the drains for the Bracken Bank estate prior to it being built. A lack of food has also stayed with me and in particular having to share two eggs between her father and three children along with boiling up potato skins which had to be used for chicken feed.

The restrictions imposed by war included the blackout, when candle light was often the only source of light and small portions of food. The fruit trees that existed at the Worth Valley River Worth Gardens made things slightly easier and Dandelion leaves were used as a lettuce substitute. I also remember mum making us collect White Yarrow leaves for making drinks and we also collected mushrooms locally.

Despite these restrictions however, everyone seemed happy. Families enjoyed their time together spending time on hobbies like rag rugging, playing bingo and helping the local farmers with their haymaking. Dad also provided pocket money consisting of half a penny on a Thursday and one penny on a Saturday. Young people enjoyed their time, holding concerts in the Mechanics Institute

Strangely enough, Keighley was not bombed, as the smoke made the town appear like a lake to the bombers. A cenotaph had also been erected in Morton Banks Cemetery recognising a former German POW who had died in Morton Banks Hospital, and may also have helped spare Keighley from the bombers.

I was the eldest of six, three boys and three girls. The three boys were in the RAF with and I joined the army in 1946 for a four year period, which involved three years in the ATS and one year in the WRAC.

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