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'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Rick Allden of the CSV ´óÏó´«Ã½ Coventry and Warwickshire Action Desk on behalf of Kathleen Hilditch and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions'.

The Buxton Festival.

When war became imminent I was sharing a caravan parked in a field about a mile from Buxton where the Old Vic Company were to perform for the festival. On September 3rd 1939 everyone gathered in the rotunda to listen to the radio. At 11.15 we heard Mr. Chamberlains fateful words that this country was at war with Germany.

After his announcement there was a most profound silence. Shivers went down my spine and I imagined hordes of German bombers flying low over the hedges of Derbyshire. I felt fearful and so vulnerable. The Festival Director, Tyrone Guthrie then spoke to us. He said the festival would continue with some alterations and that the job for everyone now was to inform all ticket holders of the revised time of performances. Information slips had been typed beforehand and the work was to address and stamp hundreds of envelopes for dispatch the following day.

He also made it clear that any of the company expecting call-up papers would not be held to their contracts. Some actors did leave to join the forces and were replaced by those who were unfit for active service or who were conscientious objectors. I was in the latter category and was glad to be able to do a job that helped to keep up peoples moral and also be able to apply for deferment from call-up when the time came.

It was a splendid festival and helped to dispel some of the gloom and depression, as well as the very real worry many of the cast had, because of what the future might hold for them and their families.
After the stay in Buxton it had been decided that the likelihood of air raids made London too dangerous for a return to the Old Vic Theatre and that its home would be in Burnley with tours going out from there to many parts of the country, starting with the North. These would also include small ‘Fit-Up’ tours of Wales to keep up the spirits of the miners and steel workers who were often doing double shifts, as well as the wives and families who were invariably involved in the war effort.

Kathleen Hilditch

This story was donated to the People’s War website by Kathleen Hilditch, of the Leam Writers. If you would like to find out more about Leam Writers call 0845 900 5 300.

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