大象传媒

TRANSPORT

Travelling into Leicester was a pleasure in those days. We had many private bus companies e.g. Browns Blue from Markfield, Comfort Buses from Ibstock, Hilton and Dawson from Glenfield, Astill and Jordan from Ratby and Smiths from Groby. They were all so obliging and would stop anywhere you wanted them to. Driving in the dark was very difficult as headlights were very dim and dipped so you could hardly see where you were going. It was only the expertise of the various drivers - one lady in particular Mrs. Smith of Groby - that you arrived safely and always on time, different to the unreliability of today's transport.

FOOD RATIONING

Rationing was quite a problem we always managed to eat reasonably well but simply. Mum and Grandad grew all vegetables and fruit we needed to keep going. I loved shelling peas for dinner but being only young more peas landed inside me than were supposed to be cooked for dinner. I also loved 'topping and tailing' gooseberries and blackcurrants for puddings and bottling the fruit for the winter months.

We got our groceries from Vickers and Mount in Gallowtree Gate, Leicester later to become Raimants, meat and meat products from Folwells Pork Butchers in the Market Place and Parkers between the Market and Gallowtree Gate. Sweets etc. we had from a friend of my mum's whose parents kept a sweet shop in Woodgate (Frears opposite Frears and Blacks Biscuit factory). Rationing for sweets lasted until 1952. There were only 8 children in Faire Road at that time so we all got together, went into Leicester to the first sweet shop near the Bus Station and returned home sharing all our different sweets.

Where we lived it was not easy to get to the shops so we had various good delivered. The bread was brought three days a week by a man called George, who was injured in the throat by shrapnel during World War One, he could hardly speak. Fish and milk were all delivered by local people. Apart from the Co-op, we had milk delivered by Horse and Cart in a churn twice a week from a farm in Anstey. This was ladled into a big jug and later boiled by my mother.

GAMES

We had great times playing in the woods and fields, some even walked the 52 steps and along the Railway Tunnel from Glenfield to New Parks Estate on the outskirts of Leicester (This tunnel and railway line was Stephensons line from Swannington to Leicester and the tunnel was over a mile long)

At school and in the roads at home we played Rounders, Snobs, all other ball games, Tracking and Skipping using a large rope across the road.

My Grandad taught me many things when my Dad was away at camp and in India. He taught me many WW1 songs and the games he taught me were ludo, happy families, snap, snakes and ladders -draughts and dominoes were his favourite.

WIRELESS (RADIO)

Entertainment was very limited during the war, the wireless was the main centre of enjoyment. I listened constantly. Everday I came home from school my grandad and I listened to Childrens Hour - plays and Uncle Mac. There were many other good programmes e.g. Workers Playtime, Music while you work,Womens Hour, comedies with Arthur Askey and Itma, Down you Way on Sundays, Billy Cotton Band Show, In town Tonight on Saturdays and many music programmes and plays. The wireless was like a familar friend in those days and was the only contact for early news.

An occasional visit to the cinema was a real treat.

CHRISTMASTIME

Christmases were very spartan. There was not much available for children, mainly books, annuals, games, puzzles jigsaw puzzles or a scarf and gloves if you were lucky. We spent most of our Christmases at my Aunt and Uncle's house at the Fire Station, 39 Lancaster Place. I used to go to the Firestation Childrens Christmas party and it was a real treat to have jelly and blancmange, cakes and sandwiches followed by games and a present from santa -who was usually one of the firemen.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.