大象传媒

When the War started in Sept. 1939 I was 17 years old and working in the Office at Cardiff Rural District Council for the princely amount of 7/6d per week (about 37 and a half pence in today鈥檚 money)

Romance flourished in War-time and I soon met a young Airman from St. Athens. He had a transfer to Somerset and I had an Aunt living in Wellington. Whilst visiting her I obtained work in the Wellington Rural District Council at a whole 15 shillings a week, double that in Cardiff.

My work in involved the "Registration" and Issuing of Identity Cards which had to be held by every resident in the U.K. We had quite a job with itinerant people such as Gypsies but as they realised they had to produce these cards to obtain Food Rationing Books the situation Was resolved.

Alongside the Clerical Work was the need, from time to time, to meet trainloads of evacuees from London and arrange billets for them in the Somerset Villages. Some of them had never seen green fields or cattle before. On the whole, the Somerset Folk were kind and welcoming and received these frightened little ones into their homes for the duration of the War.

In., 1941 my fiancee was directed to an R.A.F. Station in Stoke Orchard near Cheltenham where young Pilots were given their elementary training. I had to beg my parents for permission to be married (Consent under the age of 21 was mandatory then). I quickly got a job as Secretary to the Chief Engineer. So many young fresh-faced boys from Offices, Shops and many straight from School came to be trained. Even today I dare not think how many of them survived the war.

In 1943 I was myself a Widow and 7 months pregnant. Without a home I returned to my parents in Rhiwbina, Cardiff until my son was born. An Aunt offered me a home whilst I found work. My baby had to be taken each morning to a "War Nursery" - not a very pleasant place but I had no option.

At first; I worked as Secretary to the Manager of Midland Bank in St Mary Street. This became very difficult as the whole Staff had to remain at work until we 'balanced' which could be quite late at night - impossible with a young baby to care for.

The Bank Manager, a Mr. Evans, recommended me for the position of Secretary to the Cardiff National Savings Committee, and what a lovely job that was. The Committee's President was the Countess of Plymouth who lived in St. Fagan's Castle -then a private home, not a museum.

The Committee was composed of the leading Business Men in Cardiff at that time: Ship Owners, the Head Postmaster, Editor of the Western Mail, Owners of the big Stores James Howells, David Morgans etc.

The object was to raise money for the purchase of Defence Weapons. We would hold events such as "Spitfire Week" when all the citizens of Cardiff would endeavour to raise extra cash. Street and School Savings Groups were formed and rewards given for those raising most cash. My job was to organise Special Events. We could not have Dinners because of food rationing but there were Garden Parties at St. Fagan鈥檚 others and in other large gardens in Cardiff. Several were held at Palace Road, Llandaff, the home of our Chairman Mr. W. E. Hughes.

Open-air Theatres were held in Roath and other Cardiff Parks and of course lots of Dances and Whist Drives. A Celebrity or a Member of the Royal Family would arrive to launch these Special Weeks and many thousands of pounds were raised.

At the end of the War in Europe and the Far East we decided to hold a great Victory Ball in the City Hall on New Year's Eve 1946. There was a great demand for tickets, and for the first time in 7 years we wore evening dress.

I remember it was a cold night with frozen roads but most of the leading folk and the Committee with their families all arrived -it was a great social event to rejoice on an Historic occasion.

The cast of the Pantomime from the New Theatre gave a short show.. It was a special occasion for me personally - at mid-night a young man on his Demob leave from 6 years on active service, including the D Day landing, said it would only be a Happy New Year for him if I would marry him. The War was over... time for a new life and we had 50 happy years together.

People of my generation are now dying out but for us the years 1939-46 will never be forgotten.

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