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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Deena Campbell from CSV Action Desk on behalf of Mrs Agnes Lownes and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Lownes fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

The things I remember don’t seem too hellish I know others had it worse.

My family weren’t particularly poor, living in a two bed roomed house with outside toilet, as did most working classes in those days. I can never remember having much fruit, especially bananas grapes and oranges. Things were not available because of rationing, which was done to give everyone a fair share. Ships coming across the seas with food, required protection from the enemy firing them and often these convoys were not able to get through even sunk. Rationing covered all goods, clothes food, petrol etc. My family of four also with one auntie who was blind never went hungry but food was plain with no luxury goods. Home grown vegetables were plentiful and nutritious. People with gardens or a plot of land grew vegetables and kept chickens — maybe even a pig to help with supplies. This rationing continued until 1951 or 2. It was with great excitement that I chose my first lot of sweets.

Living in Lancashire we were very fortunate, there didn’t seem to be a reason to bomb our area, I think two were dropped by the Germans. I do remember seeing flags and streamers across the streets with banners welcoming any lucky male home from the war. Being very young I didn’t fully appreciate the joy these mothers and wives must have felt to see their loved ones after long periods of war. I heard some people say that some children didn’t remember their own fathers after them being away for so long. I only knew of the war from pictures in the paper, radio news or news reels on the cinema screen. This was unreal to me. But awful to see.

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