大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Karolina Kopiec from 大象传媒 GMR Action Desk on behalf of Mrs Betty Haig and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Betty Haig fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When the war started I was evacuated to Nantwich in Cheshire. Every night we would go down to the underground shelters because of the danger of bombings. The German airforce was trying to bomb strategically important Rolls Royce factory (they were producing aircraft engines) and Crewe railway station.
At that time we realised that the place we were evacuated to was just as dangerous as home, and we decided to go back. On our way home, just after we passed Manchester, it was completely flattened by a bombing. Luckily, we managed to be far enough from the city, and we weren't hurt.
Later on, my father was asked to move to Yeadon near Leeds, and set up his firm there. I was 16 by that time and I decided to leave school and start working for my father. But, he said that I could have done it only if passed the same exams as all the boys that were working for him. So, at that time, I was the first girl to study Mechanical Engineering at the Leeds College of Technology. After three years of studying I passed my Certificate in Mechanical Engineering.
While I lived in Leeds, I was able to meet a lot of international soldiers and refugees, Frenchmen, the Americans and many others. This was quite an enjoyable and interesting experience during these sad times of war.
Now I'm retired I spend a lot of time as a volunteer helping at the Plaza Theartre/Cinema. This is a beautiful 1942 Art-Deco grade 2* listed building. To raise money for the renovaition I have written "The Plaza Coockbook" with 100 recipies, which could be obtained from the Theatre.
The large part of the book is the wartime memories about rationing, shortages, and with many funny recipies that helped people to go through the hardtimes of war. Except for that, this book includes my grandmother's recipes from 1930s, and section about foreign travels and recipes.

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