大象传媒

Childhood Memories Of The 鈥�30鈥檚 and WW11

Chapter 1 Early Days

I was one of three children. My brother Ken the eldest, myself Don and my younger sister Freda, all born in quick succession in the early 鈥�30鈥檚 just after the depression.
My father suffered a mental breakdown just after the birth of my sister the youngest. He was detained in an institution. We were never to see him again. These were very hard times for a woman with three children. No hand- outs in those days. It was work or starve.
We lived in a simple house which had a stone lean-to room at the side. We knew this room as 鈥楴umber Ten鈥�. At the outbreak of 鈥榃orld War 11鈥� this was used as the headquarters of the area ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Fire-watchers met in this unpretentious room. Stirrup pumps, shovels and buckets of sand lined the walls. These items were used to extinguish incendiary bombs which the Germans dropped in their thousands and causing much damage by fire. A book was used for the duty ARP wardens to signed in for the night watch. These were older men, too old to be called up or men with special skills needed on the home front. All available wardens were called out during air raids to deal with the numerous fires blazing. ARP Wardens duties also involved digging people out of bombed buildings.

Chapter 2 Hardship

Ma would take any work that she could to support her family, this included the neighbours washing. It was hard for her especially at wintertime. As children we watched her through the window doing the washing using a scrubbing board, bathtub and carbolic soap. Snow falling around her, hands raw, it wasn鈥檛 only the washing but the ironing too. No steam irons in those days. Ma was paid a pittance for this service. Later she would melt a block of 鈥楽nowfire鈥� to rub into cracked hands. This was a green cube of scented oil wax. I loved the scent of this.

Electricity wasn鈥檛 laid on to our house. In fact it was as late as 1947 that we finally had a mains supply of electricity. As children we sat around the fireplace, feet in the grate, complaining of the cold and squabbling over who should sit nearest to the fire.
Warmth from the fire was limited as it was piled high with black cooking saucepans, some with cabbage, another with potatoes and a small one with water which hopefully would boil to make a broth or perhaps, a cup of lumpy cocoa. The fire would be damped down with potato peelings to stop the coal from burning too quickly.

Chapter 3 Summer days

Summer months were so much better as we had the one item that many others didn鈥檛, a good size garden, and Ma, God bless her, had very green fingers.
Ma rented a small plot to Mr Foster a neighbour, for a small fee. He lived in a large corner house at the junction with the Causeway and Mayfield Avenue. We thought it was so posh. Returning years later we realised the house was quite ordinary, just larger. Ma was grateful for the rent.
We were taught to sow seeds, plant vegetables and were given a small plot each to grow flowers. The best show won a prize from Ma. Ken usually won. He was and still is, the clever one. We accepted this good-naturedly. We were happy during the summer months having fresh fruit and vegetables to eat, selling the surplus to neighbours, carefully weighing the goods as Ma would be cross to see us giving 鈥榚xtras鈥�.

Chapter 4 Transport

Most goods were delivered by horse-drawn carts, specifically made for the different tasks. Different breeds of horses too. The coalman had a heavy horse and a sturdy cart stacked with coal, some in sacks, most loose. Also on the cart were large scales to weigh the coal. It was a very heavy manual job. The coalman wore one of the sacks over his head with the corners sticking out like horses ears, the remainder of the sack draping over his shoulders protecting him from the dirt and rain. His eyes and teeth sparkling white against a black face.
Ma charged us children to count the sacks as they were emptied in the coalhouse to ensure we weren鈥檛 short-changed.
Paper laid on the floor like stepping stones to the yard as the sacks were carried through the house. We were very poor but Ma was fiercely house-proud.

The baker drove an enclosed cart open at the back with a tarpaulin to draw across. Loaves were neatly stacked like bricks in the back.

Milkmen used a small open cart with a step for the rider to stand on at the back. A long whip upright in it鈥檚 holder. A small pony would draw this. Milk was dispensed using an enamel jug, filling this from the large milk churn then pouring into our own jug.
With all the horses around this meant plenty of manure for the garden.
We watched and waited for the horse to do the business. Then rushed out with bucket and shovel scooping up the steaming pile pushing it on the shovel with our hands. You had to be quick as other kids would try to beat you to it if they could. Ma looked pleased when we returned indoors proudly showing off the full bucket.

Wedding horses and carriages were splendid affairs. A pair of fine white horses decorated with flowers and bells which jingled at every move. White plumes in their manes, drawing a cream- coloured ornate coach. The coachmen splendid in their light buff uniforms.

Funeral horses and carriages were just as elaborate.
A pair, sometimes four, of shiny black horses decorated with black plumes, no jingling bells, hooves padded to soften the noise. I think they were shod with leather shoes. An ornate black gleaming coach with glass sides bore the coffin decorated with wreaths and flowers. The coachmen so sombre in their black top hats and suits. One coachman walked in front of the procession which would proceed at a walking pace to the church.
As it passed men took off their caps, turned to face the carriage and bowed their heads in respect. Servicemen, and there were many of these about, would stand to attention and salute.
No vehicle would pass the entourage as it made it鈥檚 way to the church.

Chapter 5 Poultry

My brother Ken kept poultry and Ma encouraged him. When a hen became broody Ma would buy a dozen eggs from the Co-op. Six would be placed under the broody hen and usual five out of six would hatch into chicks. It goes to show the eggs were fresh and free ranged with a cockerel in with the hens strutting his stuff.
Alternatively china eggs would be placed under the wings of the 鈥榖roody鈥� hen . Mother Hen would sit on them. At night these china eggs would be removed and replaced by day old chicks, which Ken would buy, sometimes with a duckling.
In the morning the hen would be fussing around her new family, some sitting on her back others hiding beneath her wings. A lovely scene.
We also bred rabbits, mainly White Bevans, white with pink eyes. English Butterfly and Havana
Rex. I can鈥檛 remember having to eat one although rabbit was the staple diet at the time.
Chapter 6 Schooldays

My first school was at St John鈥檚 Nursery the Causeway, Fishponds. Bristol. Each afternoon we were made to sleep on canvas beds in the playground if weather permitted. The beginnings of pre-school.

At the age of five I moved to the infants school Chesterpark also at the Causeway, Fishponds. A Church of England school. Pupils were taught the traditional Christian ways starting the day with hymn singing in the hall accompanied by a piano more suited to an 鈥榟onkey- tonk saloon鈥�. My recollections of this junior school are not favourable.

A very large family named Loveridge attended. These children were very poor even by our standards. Their noses always running. Green ribbons hanging from each nostril, being sniffed up each time they breathed in and lowered again on breathing out. A kind of yo- yo game only it wasn鈥檛 a game it was poor health.

Worse still was the teacher, a female. Miss---- what鈥檚 her name? Will it come back to me?
In those days bracers were worn to keep our trousers up. Some children had a small 鈥楽鈥� belt instead. Bracers were worn under the jersey, not outside.
On a regular basis, one of the Loveridge boys would arrive at school with bracers OUTSIDE his jersey. Miss--- what鈥檚 her name? Would then haul the poor lad to the front of the class and by demonstration would show the class the correct way to dress for school.
Off with the bracers, down would drop his trousers, poor chap, no underpants, would stand there crying, sniffing his green yo yo鈥檚 in front of the mixed class who were embarrassingly sniggering. The teacher beaming at the class would slowly raise poor Loveridge鈥檚 short, hole filled trousers, secure the bracers and then place the jersey on top and announce, 鈥淭here!! That鈥檚 better, back to your seat鈥� The poor little chap would shuffle to his seat, head down with even more 鈥榶o-yo鈥檚 and tears. This was a regular occurrence. Was she odd? God knows, but she certainly wasn鈥檛 understanding The name has come to me !! Miss Prescott. Shame on you!..

These children, the鈥� Loveridges鈥�, came to school without shoes. I had shoes to wear these might have been hand-downs, too small or too big, always full of large holes. Ma made cardboard cut- out insoles to cover the holes. At least it was something on my feet.
Ma鈥� heel and soled our shoes using a cobbler鈥檚 last. She was quite skillful. Later Ken would take over this job, never me! Ma would always say, 鈥淟et our Ken do it鈥� She trusted him. I must have been quite useless. I was Ken鈥檚 labourer, mix the flour and water for the wallpaper paste, never allowed to hang the paper, Ken will do that. I accepted this cheerfully knowing my place in the family. But I watched and learnt.

Chapter 7 Christmas

At Christmas it was our task to kill and prepare the birds for the table, not only our own but the neighbour鈥檚 too for a small fee. Their poultry always seemed so much plumper than ours. Ken was the master butcher of course. My task was to hold the torch whilst the deed was done. A most unpleasant job.
Later Ma and the three of us would sit around the tin bath in the tiny scullery, as it was called. We stayed up late that night plucking the birds, feathers flying everywhere, getting up our noses making us sneeze and laugh. A happy time being together, doing something that would ensure a good Christmas Dinner and of course earn money from the neighbours.

Clara the family duck, a Khaki Campbell, escaped the Christmas table. Ma was very fond of her. Later a fox killed her, she cried. This was the only time I saw Ma cry.

Christmas pudding making time was fun. We knew there would be treats for us. Nibbles of candy peel, raisons and best of all spoonfuls of the finished mix, so creamy, fruity and tasty. Ma would get the small bath from the larder for the mix. A large galvanized bin was kept there for the bread. The larder was so damp and smelt musty. Often the bread had a covering of green mould as did the cheese. Ma would cut this away. It didn鈥檛 seem to harm us.

The bath for the Christmas puddings was placed on the dining room floor. Out would come all the packets Ma had saved throughout the year. Candy peel, sultanas, currants, nuts and other ingredients. These we emptied in the bath, milk, nutmeg and water added and then we took turns stirring the mix until Ma declared it was ready.

There was one more task to complete. Adding the silver thru鈥檖enny bits. This coin was very small. Ma shared out the silver pieces and we dropped these into the mix making a plopping sound as they slowly sank. The mix was given another good stir then the white pudding basins were brought in and filled. Each one wrapped with a white cloth, tied in a knot at the top ready to go in the copper boiler. We were given a spoon each taking turns scraping out the mixing bowl, we loved this.

Ma made at least six puddings which would take a long time boiling overnight in the copper boiler, steaming up the house. Ma saved a pudding from the previous Christmas this would be heated up on Christmas Day. A new pudding would be saved for the following year and so it went on.

On Christmas Day Ma lifted the steamed pudding from the basin, untied the white cloth to reveal the dark, fruity pudding.This was cut and we searched our slice eagerly for a silver thu鈥檖enny piece, there usually was one. A thru鈥檖enny piece would buy a lot of marbles, sweets or perhaps a liquorice stick, this was from the root of the tree and very fibrous. It had the strong taste of liquorice and left a dark brown stain on your tongue. It also made you run for the toilet!!

The lead up to Christmas was a busy time. Making chains from strips of coloured paper, looping these and sticking together with flour and water paste. These were strung across the ceiling. Ma would then bring out the most important decoration, flat and plain but when opened made a wonderful red bell shape. Ma must have used this decoration for many years.
Christmas Eve came, hanging stockings up and behaving ourselves to ensure that Father Christmas would call at our home. Ma played the piano and sang carols for us and then sent us to bed happy and excited.

We were awake very early Christmas morning. Carefully removing the paper from the presents found at the bottom of the bed.
Ma saved the paper to use again the following year. It was the same at birthdays too.
The flat iron was heated on the fire or gas stove and the base given a rub with carbolic soap
Ma would then carefully iron the wrapping paper, folding it as she went, until it was in a neat square placing it in a drawer for next year with a sigh of satisfaction saying ,鈥� That鈥檒l do nicely鈥�. I believe she did this until the day she passed away. Old habits die hard.
The presents were simple and usually home-made. Our socks were full with nuts, apples, sweets and holes! A bright red apple bulging through the hole in the socks!
I was given extra chores before Christmas to earn pocket money to buy my own gifts for Ma, my brother and sister.
My presents were usually purchased at Woolworths whose store motto was, 鈥淣othing Over Sixpence鈥� I remember buying Ma a brooch which I thought was gold. It was found amongst her possessions when she died. I could have cried then.

Chapter 8 Homecrafts

During the winter nights we were kept busy embroidering chair-backs, arm-rest covers and table-clothes. We became skillful at this using a round frame to keep tension on the material as the needle with different coloured threads weaved in and out.
Before this stage the design had to be made on the material. This was done by a transfer. Thin layers of paper with different pictures were placed in position on the material then a heated flat iron would smooth and heat the transfer ink. When the paper was removed the design would be there ready to embroider. The ink was usually a dark blue colour.

We all worked at rug-making, cutting strips of coloured cloth, pushing these through a heavy sack, the base material, with a hooked tool. When the base material was full, the tightly packed pile would be trimmed to a short length and the rug was ready for use. Most households had one. Some as large as a room carpet. Imagine how long that took to make.
All done by hand.
Ma taught us to knit, plain, pearl and cable stitch. We liked French Knitting too using a cotton reel with four small nails knocked into it which oddments of wool were wrapped. This was pulled through the bottom hole as we progressed, like a long coloured tail. This long tail would then be laid on a flat surface, coiled up tight then sewn together to make a teapot or plant pot stand.

Chapter 9 Home Entertainment

Ma playing the piano and singing to us was our favourite pastime Her music was kept in the What-Not, a polished cupboard of sorts. Ma collected the music from the Sunday paper, 鈥淣ews Of The World鈥� I think? A new piece of music was published every week.
This gave us another job making a folder for the from brown paper and writing the title on the cover. " Play this one please Ma please!! No, play this Ma.鈥�! We all choose what we wanted to hear and Ma would play until she was exhausted. 鈥� Off to bed now.鈥� No toothbrushes or
paste and only an occasionally wash. We did however have our hair washed with a carbolic acid smelling mixture. This was to get rid of lice, a very common problem. We were given a spoonful of malt, we loved this making it last as long as possible, but still went to bed complaining.

Chapter 10 Bedtime

Ken would watch me when bedtime was close knowing that I would make a dash for the stairs which were in darkness. Ma only lit the one room with a gas mantle which was often broken. I would hide in the darkness of the stairs and wait for Ken to come running up the stairs after me, he was afraid of the dark and didn鈥檛 want to face the stairs alone. I would jump out on him shouting and frightening him, making him angry. He would then chase me to our shared room and we would fight. He then looked under the bed to see if a wolf was there! He looked every night. It鈥檚 no small wonder really as the threats of ,鈥漈he bogey man will get you if you don鈥檛 behave鈥� or 鈥� If you don鈥檛 behave I will have you put in a home鈥� or 鈥� A policeman will come and take you away and lock you up.鈥� I don鈥檛 think Ma was alone with these threats. I believe it was common practice. Am I right?
The small bedroom had a brass bedstead, the type that nowadays would cost a fortune as would the decorative china clock and cherub picture which hung diamond shape above the bed. A Victorian fireplace in the bedroom was never lit as Ma couldn鈥檛 afford the fuel. Same goes for the gas light, this held a broken mantle but no glass shade. We would say our prayers then climb into bed
The bedroom had a view over our lovely garden. My sister Freda slept in the tiny box room next to ours. It鈥檚 distinctive feature was a large glass dome with a stuffed kingfisher in it. It was a common sight to see stuffed birds on display. Nowadays these may be seen in some country pubs but not in homes generall Her window also overlooked the garden and the roof of the kitchen and NumberTen. A stone buttress sloped to meet the roof which proved to be very useful. When I was sent to bed for bad behaviour, which was often! I would quietly lift up the sash window and scramble out on the roof and slide down the butttess to the ground and slip away to play with friends. I don鈥檛 think Ma was aware of this. She would have caned me with the bamboo rod she kept to hand behind the piano if I had been caught. The cane was regularly used and broken at times with a flurry of wallops!! There always was another to take it鈥檚 place.

I was a 鈥榮how-off鈥� in front of my brother and sister, always misbehaving. Out would come the cane. There was no escape even though I tried to run away! I don鈥檛 regret the beatings I received from Ma. They were well deserved. It wouldn鈥檛 happen if I behaved but this seemed impossible for me to do. I realize how hard her life was and my behaviour made matters worse for her. How did she keep her sanity! If it wasn鈥檛 for her strict discipline I fear that I may have drifted into a life of crime.

Chapter 11 Pianoforte

Mother was an accomplished pianist having gained her Cap & Gown at the Trinity College London. Prior to her marriage she must have enjoyed a better quality of life. This qualification was put to good use during the lean years as she taught the local children to play the piano charging sixpence for half hour鈥檚 lesson. During these periods we were banned from the house!
Just as well because the wrong notes being played sounded awful!

Ma would sometimes play to us without music singing her heart out, pop songs of the day. One song was called 鈥淟ove Is All鈥� a popular tune during the war. When this was played in the company of grown-ups the women would fall about laughing and shout,鈥� Waz wanna luv 鈥榚e for!!鈥� It was many years later that I understood the innuendo!!

Opposite the infants school stood a corner pub named 鈥楾he Spotted Cow鈥� Most street corners had a pub or a church. Many a night small children, some holding a pram with even younger children in, could be seen standing outside the doors whilst their parents drank until closing time.
Sometimes the parents would push opening the doors and thrust a bag of Smiths Crisps into their grubby hands then quickly return to the noisy, smoke laden atmosphere of the pub. Usually loud drunken singing could be heard. 鈥淩oll out the barrel鈥� or 鈥淩oll me over in the clover鈥� Popular songs of the war years. The crisp packets contained a small blue paper twist of salt which was usually too damp to sprinkle.

Chapter 12 Junior School

Ken and myself were now attending a junior school, Dr Bells at Fishponds. A very good school. I remember the outside lavatories, so cold at wintertime with burst pipes being a common occurrence, ice splattering out to form wonderful shapes. In those days milk was provided. On cold wintery days the milk would freeze, expanding and pushing off the silver tops. Milk bottles were placed on top of the radiators to thaw, this took ages as the radiators weren鈥檛 very efficient, often not working at all. Scarves and coats were kept on during lessons in these freezing conditions.
I was allowed two free bottles of milk a day as I was very much underweight suffering from malnutrition. This wasn鈥檛 Ma鈥檚 fault as she worked so hard trying to feed us, often going without herself. Poor woman.
Teachers were mainly female most men were called up for war service. One male teacher a Mr Sage,known as 鈥楽agger鈥� to the children was feared by all. Sagger had an artifical leg which may have been the reason why he hadn鈥檛 been called up by the army. This impediment didn鈥檛 stop him moving fast when he wanted.

He administered the cane liberally. Mervyn Groves my friend, was his favourite target. Sagger called him his 鈥楧ancing Doll鈥� the reason being, when Mervyn was called to the front of the class to receive the cane, a regular occurrence, he would hold his arm out with Sagger saying, 鈥淔urther, Further鈥� and when satisfied would raise his cane bringing it down smartly onto Mervyn鈥檚 palm. Mervyn would then jump up and down like a ferret on fire, blowing on his hand. This went on for a minute or so with Sagger nodding to Mervyn鈥檚 dancing antics.

Miss Hill, a female teacher had no such control. She rode a bicycle to school. Children being the little beasts they are took advantage of this running after her catching hold of the back of her bicycle dragging her back whilst she helplessly shouted for us to go away to no avail.

It was common practice for children to chase after slow moving lorries, horse and carts and hang on the back. Lifting our legs up. Often there would be four or more children hanging like bats on the back. The drivers were aware of this but took no notice.

I used to walk home to lunch from school. At the bottom of the Causeway at Fishponds Bristol was a slip road leading to the railway goods yard. Heavy horses from the pottery would stand there waiting patiently.
Paultons Pottery used these horse drawn carts to transport the reject pottery, this was mainly unglazed and if handled would feel like chalk.This would be taken to a China Tip. The journey commenced with a long ,slow plod up a steep incline at the Causeway, this required two horses to pull the heavy cart at times. In the summer months the horses wore large straw hats and looked so cute.

Chapter 13 Five Favourite Places

The China Tip. A huge mountain of assorted unglazed pottery had amassed over the years and was heaven on earth to children. Scrambling over the china, becoming whiter with each move, searching for plates and saucers which had remained intact. These were taken to the top of the china mountain and thrown like 鈥榝risbies鈥�. Other boys would throw their plates trying to hit others in the air. A wonderful game for boys. Never did see a girl playing there.

The Coaltips

Close by was the spoil from the disused coalmines at Speedwell, accumulated over many years into huge mountains of black coal slag.
A sheet of galvanized iron would be taken from the old mine workings, shaped into a rough sledge by bending one end back then dragged to the top of the slag heap.
Sitting astride the improvised sledge and with shrieks of laughter and some fear, go hurtling down the slag mountain ending up at the bottom in a heap and very black. Wonderful.

The Lilypond
This was close to the china and coal tips. A place to fish for newts using a wriggling worm tied to a thin line. Sometimes a roach would be caught by the same method.
Tadpoles were netted and taken home in jars and transferred to the rain-butt. Wonderful.

The Gossie

The 鈥淕ossie鈥� Why it was called that I don鈥檛 known. A wooded valley with a deep stream running through. Playing there was such fun, lighting fires, swinging on ropes across the stream, climbing trees and of course the usual game of cowboys and Indians.

The Brickworks

鈥淭he Brick Works鈥� a working yard at Speedwell making bricks by hand. A huge quarried hole was at the bottom of a narrow railway track used to transport the clay to the factory and kilns above.
This huge hole was partly filled with water which was very deep.
Wooden pallets would be collected and tied together to make rafts. These were paddled by a stick, playing pirates and racing the rafts. So dangerous but at that age that wasn鈥檛 considered. These five places were truly heaven to us and the memories will always stay.
Returning home after playing in any of these places would often mean the cane as we were either white from the china tip chalk, black from the coalpits. Wet from the lilypond. Wet and muddy from the brickworks quarry and trousers usually torn. They were just a mass of patches so one more wouldn鈥檛 hurt!

Chapter 14 Outbreak of World War 2

War broke out on September 3rd 1939 It was my eighth birthday. I was at school. We were sent home. Clutching my gas mask expecting to die at any minute, I ran home. Ma reassured me that all was well .A few weeks later the air-raid sirens sounded for the first time. Ma huddled with us under the stairs praying for our deliverance. This was the first of hundreds of air raids. We eventually became very complacent when the sirens sounded.

At night the powerful searchlights would switch on and search the skies for enemy aircraft. Their beams criss-crossing the night sky. When an aircraft was caught in the multi- beams we would shout in excitement, 鈥� There鈥檚 one ! Go on, shoot it down!鈥� The Ack Ack, anti-aircraft guns would open up with gusto but the aeroplane, that looked bright silver in the lights, would disappear into the night I never saw a single plane shot down by Ack Ack fire..
The night sky would turn to a deep orange as the bombs fell reflecting the flames in the clouds above. Searchlights also reflected on the numerous barrage balloons that hung in the sky like giant jumbos. These were attached to the ground by a thick wire and were supposed to be a deterrent for would be low flying enemy aircraft.

Chapter 15 Rationing

It was the days of food rationing and clothes coupons. Mother sold her coupons on the blackmarket. Coupons were introduced in June 1941. The money from the coupons used to put food on the table. Shopping was a chore that no one enjoyed as food was scarce, little choice and rationed.
Long queues formed and my brother, sister and myself took it in turns to queue at the three major shops alternating each week. The Co-op, butchers and greengrocers .This meant a wait of three hours at times as the queues would start forming at least an hour before opening time and the last in the queue got the least. A bit like today鈥檚 sales!!
Ma would eat pigs trotter, the feet of pigs, pigs ears, chitling , cows intestines, sheep鈥檚 brains and tripe. It鈥檚 hard to believe this was a common food in those days. I must say I could never face eating any of these. The Co-op paid out a dividend cash return, a percentage of the money spent, usually for a six month period. For every penny spent a similar amount was given back as tokens of tin money.
Ma kept her tokens in an old teapot and we loved to count the tin money. When 鈥榙ivi鈥� payout day arrived we took these to the 鈥楥o-op鈥� to join a very long queue to exchange the tin cheques for cash. This could take all day. Extra food on the table that day, we would say grace then get tucked in. We were not allowed to talk at the table and if wishing to leave, did so only with Ma鈥檚 permission.

Chapter 16 Street Games

Children played in the streets all the time except on Sundays. It was considered disrespectful to play outside the home on the Sabbath. Families attended church, sometimes both morning and evening service. The children attended Sunday School.

Playing marbles, whipping tops, street football, cricket and many team games were. All boys belonged to a gang and scrapping was commonplace. Streets were the playground for the children. Not all residents approved and some would come to their gates and shout at us to clear off and play outside your own house!! Girls played with skipping ropes. They were so skilful with a rope sometimes stretching ten feet or so. A girl at each end. They would start turning the rope faster and higher A girl would jump and skip in time with the rope. Others would join her. As many as six girls would be skipping together. Even more skilful, two girls turning the rope swinging not one but two ropes, each turning a different way. The boys rarely skipped, that was for girls, they played marbles in the gutters and on schooldays played all the way to school! The large red, bloodshot marbles were known as 鈥榮ixers鈥� and were very much sought after.
Life was very exciting for a child and I think for most people, a new spirit of comradeship came out of adversity

Chapter 17 Neighbours

Next door on one side lived the 鈥楽marts鈥� a nice, kind family. John the eldest son was my friend, Jean his sister, a scraggy young girl with spots. John also had spots! Too many sweets!
John鈥檚 father worked at Webbers Chocolate Factory in the 鈥楥auseway鈥� Fishponds. So sweets were part of the diet.
Our neighbours on the other side were the 鈥楶arsons鈥� Mrs Parsons was very elderly, a kind dear soul. Her hair thin and her face wore the lines of hard work and laughter too.
Ma would say to us, 鈥� Go and see if Mrs Parsons wants any shopping done and if she does and offers you any money for doing it, don鈥檛 take it.鈥� Mrs Parsons always gave me a halfpenny for doing her shopping and wouldn鈥檛 let me refuse to take it despite Ma鈥檚 instructions. That would buy a bag of broken biscuits or a quarter bag of sweets. Mrs Parsons daughter Lucy lived there with her husband. Lucy would play hymns all day Sundays. Pumping the pedals on the harmonium, singing to the Lord.

Chapter 18 Gas

Our gas masks were adjusted for a mustard gas attack, this being the same gas as used in the First World War. Posts with a bird-like table-top appeared everywhere. These would change colour in the event of a gas attack we were told.
Later on when I started work at the age of fourteen, I met men, ex soldiers from the First War, who spoke in whispers due to being gassed in the trenches. Their vocal chords damaged beyond repair.

Chapter 19 Dunkirk Heroes Return

I remember going with Ma, my brother and sister to Eastville Park where a huge camp had been set up to house the soldiers home from the Dunkirk Invasion and subsequent retreat which is legendary.
Most were wounded and all wore the distinctive blue suit, white shirt and red ties all badly fitting. This clothing was a left over from the Great War worn by hospitalized forces.
Ironically during my National Service in the Royal Engineers in 1950 I too was to wear this clothing at the Royal Military Hospital at Aldershot!!
At the Eastville camp people were wandering around, some with photos of loved ones asking the soldiers if they had seen them. Women weeping, children crying and occasionally some laughing and crying at the same time with their arms wrapped around a poor blue suited damaged soldier united with his family again. It was very sad.

Not sure why we were there. I think Ma was looking for someone too. She had relatives in the forces and had lost a brother in the Great War, the First World War.
Little did she know at the time she was to loose another brother-in-law, my Uncle Ray. He died in the Burma campaign some time after 1941.

Eastville Park was surrounded by green ornate cast iron railings. A huge canon stood on a plinth. A reminder of the Great War. World War One. Later the railings and the cannon were taken away to melt down to make war machines. Most items made of metal were cut down and removed for the war effort.

Chapter 20 Anderson Air Raid Shelter

The German blitz period for us meant sleeping in the Anderson air raid shelter . Not every family had one so we had to share with another family, the 鈥楧ibbles鈥� who lived opposite. Their daughter鈥榮 name was Brenda and the same age as Freda. It was very cramped and in the wintertime so cold and wet.

A sump in the concrete floor collected water that poured from the metal walls, this sump required baling out each day. The smell of damp concrete was all around. During wet periods the shelter would flood to four feet or more as this was the depth of the shelter underground. There were no facilities apart from a bucket which the occupants were reluctant to use due to the lack of privacy.
During the blitz period which lasted a year or so, the family slept in the 鈥楢nderson鈥� shelter every night as this was preferred rather than getting up to rush to the shelter during the night at the sound of the wailing siren.
We received regular visits from the roving fire-watchers of any damage, or worse, the deaths of people in the surrounding area. The citizens of Bristol during the blitz will recall the bombing of the aeroplane factory at Filton. The workers had taken refuge in the shelters during this particularly heavy raid. A direct hit demolished the shelters and all it鈥檚 occupants were killed. Oh! Dear! A very sad day which lowered the spirits of everyone.

The journey to school was one of discovery. Walking along gazing at the houses just hanging there, most with the walls knocked out exposing the contents that up to that moment had been
private. Wallpaper hanging on to large chunks of plaster, a bath right on the edge ready to topple. Bedrooms with a mangled iron bedstead. Occupants picking through what was left of their belongings, sitting amongst the debris crying, not believing what has happened to them.

Chapter 21 Shrapnel a Wartime Hobby

Shrapnel, bomb and shell casing fragments, were all important to children during World War11. It was used to barter for other goods, marbles, foreign stamps etc. Shrapnel was searched for after every raid, collected and graded. Placed in jam- jars and labeled. Children became very knowledgeable identifying where the shrapnel had come from be it a German high explosive bomb, incendiary fire bomb, land mine or from our own soldiers anti- aircraft shells.
The drone of aircraft overhead was relentless during the 鈥淏litz Years鈥� and again we became very adapt recognizing the different types of aircraft and knowing if they were 鈥榦urs鈥� or the enemy. German bombers had a drone to their engines and when heavily laden with bombs would emphasized this drone. We also learnt to recognize the silhouette of each aircraft.

Chapter 22 The Blitz

Bristol, as other major cities, were constantly under attack. Every night the German planes came in their droves to bomb the living daylights out of us, not only by night but daytime too.
First came the Pathfinders, aircraft that would find the target, mark it out with fire bombs like bees finding honey. Then the main force would arrive with a continuous stream of bombers.

Amongst the bombers were the German fighter planes. Fast and determined. In response our own fighter planes were launched. Hurricanes and Spitfires. We would watch the 鈥榙ogfights鈥� enthrolled with the spectacle unfolding in the skies above us. Every shell that exploded left a huge black cloud of smoke. At times the sky was quite black with these man-made clouds.

Now we would witness the enemy under attack.
Machine gun fire and loud explosions filled the air. Great shouts of excitement as a German bomber plunged earthwards with huge black smoke bellowing from the fuselage. We watched, waiting to see if any parachutes would appear. They didn鈥檛. Now a Spitfire started to spin, winding down, faster and faster with a loud whining sound, a trail of black smoke following it down. Again we watched praying to see the mushroom shape of a parachute appear. It didn鈥檛 the crowd fell silent.

The sky would be full of aircraft flying in formations which seemed to be endless.
After dropping their bomb load they would turn for home scattering across the sky, some with a British fighter on it鈥檚 tail with blazing guns.

Looking out from our tiny Anderson shelter, we would see the sky lit up with the familiar deep orange glow a long way off and say, 鈥淭hank God it鈥檚 not us tonight, some poor devil must be getting it鈥�.

Next day listening to the news on the battery operated wireless we would learn that Southampton had been bombed throughout the night, casualties were high but so was the spirit of the people. We will see the Huns in hell . Germans were called Jerries or Huns and often other names which are unprintable.
Next night the door was blown off our air-raid shelter!! The red glow this time was more intense. God! Our house!, it鈥檚 on fire! No, it was the reflection in the windows of the terraced houses of the fires at the Eastville Gas Works which had suffered a direct hit two miles away.
The whole of the Bristol sky, likened to a late summer sunset but lacking the beauty though, as we knew the terrible reason for this glow. As kids we eagerly waited for morning to search for
shrapnel, the most important 鈥榟obby鈥� of wartime kids, that is until the Yanks arrived!!!

Chapter 23 Evacuation

At this time many children were being evacuated, sent away to the country to relative safety. It was ironical that the worst of the blitz was over. At this time the war was taking a turn in our favour at last. Needless to say, Ken and myself were evacuated to a Somerset village named Wiveliscombe which is twelve miles from Taunton. My life would change forever.

Standing at Fishponds railway station at Bristol with our small battered suitcases, names on tags tied to our lapels and gas masks stuffed in crumpled cardboard boxes slung over our shoulders we waited.
My brother Ken and myself were on the packed platform watching for the steam engine to arrive. Parents were milling around anxiously looking up the track for a first glimpse of the train which was to take their children away from them not knowing if they would ever see them again. The children were less anxious not understanding the full implication of what was happening to them.

Voices were raised as the steam engine could now be heard and soon came into sight with a string of brown coaches rocking behind.. A squeal of brakes, hissing sounds as steam escaped and the train was brought to a halt. It sat there waiting for us to clamber aboard.
It seemed like minutes before the guard waved his green flag to go. The steam engine gave a great shudder, the guard blew his whistle and we were off.

Ma shouted her last minute instructions, running along the platform trying to keep up with the train as it speeded up. 鈥淢ake sure you stay together and when you arrive ask the lady of the house if you can see the garden and go and have a good cry鈥� With these words firmly planted in our young minds the train huffed and puffed and we were gone. Ma, with Freda clutching her skirt, disappeared in a mix of smoke and steam and I guess a tear or two. We had never ventured far from home before only to go on the annual Sunday School trip to Weston- Super- Mare which was all of twenty two miles away!

Chapter 24 Arrival

On arrival at Taunton Station. Somerset, the coaches were waiting to transport us to our new homes. We boarded, kneeling up on the seats watching the countryside slip by from steamy windows which we rubbed not wanting to miss any of the views. Wiveliscombe would be our home for the next year.

On arrival we were taken to the village school. Other coaches arrived spilling out children who talked funny. They were Londoners from the East End. Our name tags were checked as we sat in orderly rows. Quite a few children were crying. Ken and myself thought of Ma鈥檚 words and saved our tears for later. Grown- ups wandered around staring down at us pointing at a child saying, 鈥淚鈥檒l take that one鈥� We sat and waited. We were amongst strangers for the first time in our young lives.
The school hall gradually emptied as more children were led away, some by adults looking very unhappy, muttering and complaining. You see, taking evacuees wasn鈥檛 voluntary. If your home had spare rooms you had to take as many children that could be accommodated.
No one else seemed to be coming into the school hall now. Ken and myself kept looking around wondered if anyone would come for us. We did as Ma said and stuck together. Ken grasping my hand. We were poorly dressed and scruffy compared to others. Perhaps a reason not to be selected.

Eventually a lady arrived late looking flustered, she had missed her chance of selection.This lady was a servant from a large house. The Billeting Officers knew there would be ample room there for two so she had no choice but to take us. Gathering our possessions we followed her out of the school to the waiting car.
We were driven to a grand house at the top of a hill overlooking the village. A splendid place with fields, animals, laying hens and a bathroom! A world away from the scenes we were accustomed to.
The owners ,The Morells, were respected member of the community. Mr Morell was employed as an auctioner at cattle markets etc.
Mrs. Morell, the lady of the house, acted accordingly. They were kind to us and had a child of their own. Peter, about the same age as us. He was friendly too but rather studious. Mrs Morell asked if we would like a cup of tea. We said, 鈥淣o thankyou鈥� but asked to see the garden as instructed by Ma.
We were shown outside and when far enough away from the house we both had a good cry and that was that. We settled down to country life.

Peter had so many toys including the whole range of 鈥楧inkie鈥� cars. We were envious naturally. He did allow us to play with these. We in turn showed him how to make powerful caps with salt peter and sulphur, both freely available at chemist shops. A mixture of both, wrapped in a twist of paper would explode when struck with a hammer!!
Our stay at this luxury house was short鈥攍ived as the 鈥楳orells鈥� had agreed to take in army officers which I assume would fit into their life style much better than two scruffy poor kids from Bristol. Who could blame them.

Chapter 25 School

Ken was placed at the village school where we had first arrived. It turned out to be a very good school. I wasn鈥檛 so lucky, I attended a school set up for London evacuees. There were only three evacuees from Bristol at this school. I only remember Alan Gore. He was placed on a family farm and was very happy there.

We immediately became the target for much physical and verbal abuse from the East Enders until they eventually got used to us and the funny way we spoke!! Some even asked us to repeat the Bristolian saying,
鈥淭hee casn鈥檛 speak as good as thee cous鈥檛 and if thee cous鈥檛 thee oosn鈥檛 oost鈥� Which means, 鈥� You can鈥檛 speak as good as you used to and even if you could you wouldn鈥檛 would you鈥�

It turned out that my education was well in advance of the Londoners and I quickly became bored. Much time was spent making the 鈥榯imes tables鈥� with plasticine and learning these by rote. The journey to school came up Golden Hill, a strange name seeing as all the houses were on the condemned list, that is until war broke out then they became tenable again. Golden Hill led to the village square.

The shops around the square displayed war- time posters. 鈥淒ig For Victory鈥� and 鈥� Walls Have Ears鈥� referring to possible spies overhearing you talk about things which might be important to the enemy. All signposts and village names were removed or painted over.
The road led from the Square to pass by the blacksmith鈥檚 forge. I always stopped as long as I could to watch the blacksmith making horseshoes and offering them up to the horses hoofs burning them on. I just love that smell even to this day. The blacksmith would work the bellows and the roar from the furnace filled the place. Blacksmiths were very skilful making parts for farming machinery as well as shoeing horses.
From the 鈥楽mithies鈥� it was just a short walk to the school.
School lessons would commence with a prayer and hymn singing. Regularly the hymn 鈥楨ternal Father Strong To Save鈥� would be sung, this on one occasion made a little girl burst into tears and run from the room, you see, her father was a sailor and had been posted 鈥楳issing presumed lost on active service鈥�

Chapter 26 The Move

After leaving the affluent Morells we were placed with the 鈥楤arringtons鈥� who appeared quite ancient to us. Imagine what it must have been like for them, not used to having children about
especially two urchins. Mr Barrington was a solicitor, a quiet, kindly sort of chap but didn鈥檛 really get involved with us, we were just there and he had to put up with us.

Mrs Barrington was a different kettle of fish, she ruled the roost and insisted that Ken and myself attended the open air swimming pool every day come rain or shine and enter the water during the long season.
The pool was located at the recreation ground and looked after by Mr Barrington鈥檚 brother, a one legged man. There were many limbless men to be seen at this time. Casualties from the First World War. Mr Barrington was an easy going man like his brother, never-the less, his fear of his sister-in law ensured that we would take the plunge each day. It was her way of washing us to avoid soiling her sheets. I can鈥檛 remember ever washing at their home. Perhaps I did.

Ken was a good swimmer and when the weather was warm we spent many happy hours in the swimming pool. This helped to make up for the freezing cold days.
I was a non-swimmer at that time but still enjoyed myself particularly playing with a large black blown- up tractor innertube in the water.

Opposite the 鈥楤arringtons were fields where the circus would over- winter. Great days spent there going around looking at the animals, patting the tethered horses. I did learn the hard way as I was kicked by a stallion , knocking me to the ground and injuring my arm, nothing too serious but from there on I approached horses from the front.

Chapter 27 The Fairground

When the summer arrived the fairground folk would start their generators and build the rides ready for the season ahead. Refreshing the bright paintwork, polishing brasses etc.
I think my favorite ride was the motorbike one. This went round and round very fast and the floor moved up and down in segments like moving orange slices. All the men and boys used to ride standing up on the moving floor, showing off to the screaming girls who hung on so tight.

First attempts to stand up always ended up in a heap on the moving floor which was quite dangerous. There were none of the restrictions in place those days. We eventually became quite expert at standing on the moving platforms and were allowed to move around the ride collecting money from the passengers. I suppose it would be called 鈥榗ool鈥� these days.

We loved the Carousel with it鈥檚 beautiful painted horses. These moved up and down as the ride went around. The horses seemed to throw you high in the air then judder down to the base then up again. Music playing and the models banging drums, the wonderful smell of the traction steam engines which powered the rides and provided the fairyland lights. The combination of all this gave us a feeling of complete happiness.

During the summer months we visited the 鈥楻ec鈥� to watch the cricket, sometimes in the pavilion where the score board was positioned. We were even allowed to change the scores with the number plates. As usual before returning to home we took the prescribed bathe in the open air swimming pool.
Despite all this we were unhappy at the 鈥楤arringtons鈥� and asked to be moved. I鈥檓 not sure how we approached this but do remember having a visit from the Billeting Officer, a Mr Johnstone, a stern man with a grey moustache from Bristol.


Chapter 28 The Final Move and Gandy

We were placed with the 鈥楾hompsons鈥� a London Eastend family who had been 鈥榖ombed out鈥� themselves and moved to 鈥榃ivey鈥�
They were a very kind family and immediately made us welcome and shared everything with us as part of the family. They had a son, John, he was in the in the RAF. A second son named
Ronnie was near enough the same age as me, and a baby boy named Norman. The small terraced cottage was set in a 鈥榙ead-end鈥� lane. It was called Newgate Lane off Golden Hill.

At the bottom of the lane was the 鈥楽tevens鈥� cottage. They had a son called Dennis but always addressed as Gandy. He was to became our friend and mentor in all things country, helped by an incident on the day we met which gave me much street cred.
A commotion was being made by the women gathered. A rat鈥檚 tail was protruding from a stone wall in the lane.
Why I don鈥檛 know, probably showing off, my forte. I grabbed the tail, pulled the rat out and
killed it to the astonishment of Gandy and all assembled. This foolish act became my passport to acceptance. From then on we were pals and inseparable.

Gandy reminded me of this incident fifty years later when we met again on a surprise visit. His first words to me were, 鈥� Course I remember thee, you be Don who pulled thik rat out of thik wall鈥� Time had mellowed Gandy by this time. He was, like me, a grey- haired, spectacled old man. He did comment that those days were perhaps his most memorable.

Gandy continued to surprise us with his knowledge of the countryside. Castle, a place of interest just outside the village of Wiveliscombe, was very special to us.
We collected wood, searched for slow worms and climbed what to us seemed a sheer cliff face. Rode the 鈥楤ucking Bronco鈥� a long, springy fallen tree. Sitting astride this whilst the others bounced the branch violently up and down attempting to dislodge it鈥檚 rider, then take the place of the fallen one. Repeating this until we all had a go.
Castle was also the habitat of vipers, Britains only poisonous snake. Moving as close as we dared to watch them wriggle away, they are dangerous but will avoid humans, unless you stand or sit on one then you may be bitten. Fair do鈥檚 wouldn鈥檛 you!!

Gandy showed us which plants to pick from the hedgerows which were edible. Salt and pepper, wild strawberries and cob nuts and many others. Also when in season, mushrooms. A special find were horse- mushrooms. We would cover them with grass and return the following day to pick as they would grow to the size of a dinner plate in no time at all.
From the fields, turnips, swedes and carrots. Pulling these up eating them like large apples. Spitting on them to remove the soil and wiping it on our trousers. Lovely.

During the war years many things were in short supply or not available at all. Fruits from foreign lands were in this category. Some of the younger children had never seen a banana yet alone tasted one! Due to oranges and lemons being unavailable children would collect rose hips from the hedges. These would be made into marmalade and very nice too.

Mrs Thompson would make a batter in a shallow tray and sprinkle with currants, these would sink to the base .The mixture was placed in the oven to bake. Waiting for Mrs Thompson to remove the tray in anticipation of a treat. I think she was pleased we loved it so much.
Mr Thompson worked at Hancocks Brewery at the top of Golden Hill. A brewery stands there to this day and jolly good beer it is too. Gandy, The wise one of all things country had more surprises for us.
The brewery yard was a place to obtain 鈥榯reats鈥�. Waiting for the cider apple horse and cart to arrive loaded with a wide variety of apples. When the driver went to the office Gandy would check the bags of apples to see which were ok to eat. Generally cider apples are very bitter so Gandy looked for the 鈥楽weet Morgans鈥� and declared, 鈥� Theez be they鈥� making the rips in the bags bigger to get at them. Other rich pickings were handfuls of malt. So sweet.
Behind the brewery were the pig sties. Huge pink pigs fattened up here, enjoying what was to
be a short but happy life.

Chapter 29 Wiveliscombe Market

Market day was an exciting time too. Many hours were spent at the market. Watching the pigs having their ears pierced squealing in protest.
Sheep tumbled out of cattle trucks bleating in protest, some breaking legs on the steep descent from the truck. These were put down by the local butcher always at hand. Not a very pleasant introduction to countryside ways.

Chapter 30 Childhood Nerves

During this period I started wetting the bed and a rubber sheet was placed on top of my mattress. Poor Mrs Thompson, she would change the sheets on a daily basis but never chastised me, bless her.
This bed wetting was a powerful tool for my brother as during our many fights he would threaten to tell my friends of my bed wetting which made me very angry. I don鈥檛 know the reason why I wet the bed, all I can recall is that I had the same dream every night.
I dreamt I was sleeping in a gypsy living van. During the night I would wake up wanting a pee, climb out of bed, down the steps of the van and pee in the hedge, only it wasn鈥檛 the hedge it was the bed. I never told anyone of this dream and don鈥檛 know if it would have helped. Can鈥檛 remember when the bed wetting stopped but it did.

Chapter 31 A School Trip and more Countryways

A year had passed. Ma wrote to us every few weeks and we wrote back. We had settled in and although we thought of Ma and Freda, we didn鈥檛 mope over this. I did think of them every night though as we were brought up to say our prayers at bedtime and I would pray for God to keep them safe.

John Thompson, the eldest son who was in the RAF, would come home on leave occasionally. He would spend hours sketching. He was a good artist. Some of his drawings were of classic nude women. Getting a glimpse of these excited us as we had no idea what an unclothed woman looked like!

I was taken on just one school trip to Taunton to see a film. It was the 鈥淲izard of Oz鈥� I remember being so afraid when the Wicked Witch appeared on her broomstick with her evil green face. I hid under the seat calling to Ken to tell me when she had gone. Of course he told me she was but she was still there. Funny how he was so frightened of the dark but not of the Wicked Witch. I guess it was his way of getting his own back on me for frightening him.
I have watched that film many times since and I still think it is wonderful and the Wicked Witch still frightening. No, I don鈥檛 hide under the seat now!

Gandy was always with us and again showed us more country ways, haymaking and corn cutting. Riding astride the Shire horses, sharing cider with the farmhands. The men swinging the casks high over their arms and drinking with loud glugging noises then passing the cask to us. We tried to imitate them but the cider would pour out over our faces making us wet. This seemed to amused them.

Rabbit catching meant meat on the table and during corn- cutting and hay- making the rabbits were driven by the noise of the horse drawn cutting machine to the middle of the field which grew smaller as the cutter moved around it. Some rabbits made a run for it but the lurcher dogs were waiting for them.
When a rabbit made a run for it the dog would give chase going so fast that when catching the rabbit it would tumble over and over but never letting go of it鈥檚 prize. The remainder of rabbits were teeming in the small square of grass remaining. Men, boys and dogs all eager to catch a rabbit dived into the midst grabbing at the flurry of fur.

Chapter 32 Exams

My school progress was slow and I sank to the level of the remainder of the London evacuees. At the Wiveliscombe school Ken was faring much better and took his exams passing with distinction. He was the one with brains.

He was offered a place at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital College at Bristol. Uniforms there were traditional consisting of a long black vicar- type frock, belt, yellow stockings and buckle shoes. A very high college indeed. I wonder if the uniform is still worn?

Ma could not afford to send Ken there despite him winning a scholarship. Books, uniform, how would he get there as it was the far side of the city It was decided that St Georges Grammar School would be the best option Freda also passed her exams and attended St Georges ..
This meant leaving Wiveliscombe and returning to Bristol.

I can鈥檛 remember saying goodbye to the 鈥楾hompsons鈥� who had looked after us so well. Nor can I remember how we travelled back to Bristol. Was it by rail or coach? Why is this part of my life so vague?

Chapter 33 Returning Home

Coming home to Bristol seemed strange at first. Air raids were few and far between and had been during our period of evacuation which on hindsight was a waste of time. We soon slipped back into family life with Ken once again taking over the roll of 鈥淢an of the House鈥�
I do remember the garden with an abundance of fruit on the bushes and the vegetable patch fully planted.
In the corner at the bottom of the garden lived the hens and a rooster.
A walk-in compound of wire netting contained the brood of mixed breeds, mainly Rhode Island Reds and White Leg Horns. Master of the Pack was a splendid,. feisty Buff Orpington cock bird. When entering the pen a broom was carried to fend off his attacks .

Pullets were purchased to be fattened for the table at Christmas. The birds were fed on kitchen scraps and whatever the poor things could scratch out of the ground. Occasionally the eggs were laid with soft shells. Grit was added to their feed along with a mixture named 鈥楰arsons Poultry Spice鈥�. This would improve the shells.

Freda was a lovely sister and had grown up whilst we were away. She was developing into a young woman. She smoothed over the many fights my brother and I seem to revel in. Never running to tell tales to Ma although she had good cause to. She was good fun to be with.

A new member to the household had been added in our absence, Fluff the cat. It had this annoying habit of jumping up on our laps, making itself comfortable,digging it鈥檚 claws in then commence to suck our clothing making it wet as if suckling it鈥檚 mother. We loved Fluff just the same.
When walking home from school Fluff would sit and wait for us on the high wall surrounding the Morley Chapel at the top of the road. As we passed by Fluff would jump down surprising us although we expected it, landing across our shoulders laying there sucking away!! Strange. When she died we cried.

Chapter 34 Senior School and Friends

Ken started at St Georges Grammar School and I at Alexandra Park Secondary Modern School at Fishponds Bristol. Jonny Smart, the boy next door attended as did Mervyn Groves, Still up to his usual mischief.
What a character he was. Always in trouble, very bright and one of a twin. His sister was named Joyce, a really nice girl, in fact a very nice family. They were members of the Salvation Army. Mervyn, his Mum and Dad, played brass instruments in the 鈥楽ally Ann鈥� Band. We joined the 鈥楽ally Ann鈥� Torchbearers Club. A place to meet and play games ,table tennis and the like.
Most youth clubs were attached to a church and to be a member one also had to attend the church.

Mervyn鈥檚 mother worked at the fresh fish shop at Fishponds road near the park. The house reaked of fish, a smell I can鈥檛 stand to this day. His mother asked us to call her Flo. She was so cheerful and forward looking, kind and humorous. I loved being there and for me it was open house.

The smell of fish was unpleasant but the joy of being in that household couldn鈥檛 keep me away. I could walk in anytime without knocking. So different to Ma鈥檚 outlook.
Friends who called at my home were made to wait on the step and rarely invited in.
Flo not only welcomed me but fed me too. There were always lots of kids and laughter in that household. Later in life when I was in the army hospital Flo wrote to me regularly and sent food parcels. What a lady! A breath of fresh air. I loved her like a mother.

Chapter 35 Making Music

Another friend, Rowland Hammond, had a love of brass band music as indeed I did.
We met at 鈥楴umber Ten鈥� to make music in a simple way playing recorders we had made at school, other times playing the paper and comb. This made a sound similar to the bazooka,at least that鈥檚 what I think they were called. A small tin pipe with a mouthpiece and a hole the size of a farthing on the top covered with a fine mesh. By blowing through the mouthpiece a buzzing musical note would sound. I had an instrument called an ochorino, not sure how that is spelt.
It was made of china clay and 鈥楲鈥� shaped. It was played like a simple flute. It disappeared. Later I found out that Ma had visited 鈥楴umber Ten鈥� looking for a hammer and saw this instrument and thinking it was made of metal used it to hammer a nail. It never survived.
Roland and myself would strike up with 鈥楤laze Away鈥� and similar stirring marches attempting to harmonize, our feet tapping out the rythmn . This went on for hours. We thought it sounded so good. I doubt that it did! We enjoyed it and that鈥檚 what really matters. Later Rowland took up music seriously and played in a brass band. Lucky him

Chapter 36 The Concert party

Whilst Ken and myself were away at Wiveliscombe Ma and Freda had joined a concert party
to entertain the troops. Ma played the piano and Freda sang and tap danced. Ma was always being asked to play for choirs and functions.
If you played the piano you were always in great demand. We travelled with the concert party to Army, Navy & Airforce camps to entertain the troops. Also Fire Stations etc.鈥�

鈥淏ig Bertha鈥�,Bristol鈥檚 famous gun, was based at Purdown and regarded with affection by the citizens of Bristol. When it was fired the enormous bang would be followed by exclamations like, 鈥淭here goes Big Bertha ,Good luck鈥� Referring to the possibilities of shooting down an enemy aircraft.
I doubt whether it was ever successful but it was a great moral booster to the people of Bristol.
The concert party performed at this base too. The players were much appreciated everywhere they went. We loved listening to Ma and Freda being clapped and cheered. We were very proud of them.
I think the group were called 鈥淭he Waverleys鈥� The loudest clap was saved for the female singer Doris. Her of the big boobies!! She did have a lovely contralto voice and you could see where it came from!!

The concert group used to 鈥榖lack up鈥� for some of the numbers. Politically Incorrect these days! Cecil the leader, played the banjo and sang. He was well received as was Sid with his accordian playing and monologues of鈥� 鈥楢lbert and the Lion鈥� and 鈥楽am, Sam, pick up thee musket鈥� made famous by Stanley Hollaway.

Freda at a very young age also performed at the Bristol Hippodrome. singing and tap dancing.
I wanted to tap dance too. Freda would show me the basic steps, heel toe tap etc. I never did get the hang of it. I would still love to be able to tap dance!

Chapter 37 The Radio

The war was now going well for the British and Allies. We listened on our Cosser radio to 鈥楲ord Haw Haw鈥� a Nazi sympathiser broadcast doom and gloom for Britain. He was quite accurate with his predictions, broadcasting that the German bombers would raid a named city that night, which became a fact .
He also broadcast the damage caused during the raid the following day which indicated there were German spies about to have this knowledge.
Spies were known as 鈥楩ifth Columnists鈥� There was a saying ,鈥滸irls sleeping in four poster beds beware of the fifth column鈥�
Again loaded with innuendo. Lord Haw Haw was a figure of ridicule. People tuned in just to laugh at him. Now that is odd.

Our radio worked by battery and an accumulator which had to be taken to the shop, Shattocks in the Causeway Fishponds, to be recharged on a weekly basis. This service cost sixpence or to Ma, one piano lesson. The radio had huge valves which were silver and shone like Christmas baubles.

The radio was the mainstay of our entertainment that is when Ma wasn鈥檛 playing the piano.We listened to all the shows 鈥� In Town Tonight鈥� , Tommy Handley鈥檚 鈥淚tma,鈥� 鈥淗appydrome鈥�, 鈥淕illie Potter鈥� 鈥楽peaking to you in English鈥� was his catch phrase, Rob Wilton 鈥淭he day war broke out my missus said to me-鈥�- His catch phrase and many other great shows.
After the war Rob Wilton tried to make the transition to television but wasn鈥檛 successful like many other artists. Similar to the change from silent movies to talking pictures.
These programmes were spirit raising as were the singers of the day, Vera Lyne in particular. Everyone loved her. She was called the Forces Sweetheart she was in fact, everyone鈥檚 sweetheart and you felt she was singing just for you.

.Chapter 38 Paper rounds

My brother, sister and myself all had paper rounds morning and evening. Seven days a week
Yes, we were allowed to work on a Sunday. Getting up early every morning come rain come shine and straight to the paper shop from school to do the three rounds. At Christmas most of our customers would give a small 鈥楥hristmas Box.鈥� Some would donate a penny others a whole shilling.
The rounds were large and the paper bags heavy. Ma collected a percentage towards the housekeeping . Some of this was later used to buy a bicycle. We were going up in the world.
My first bike had a large frame and 28鈥� wheels. To ride it I had to put my leg through the frame avoiding the crossbar as I couldn鈥檛 reach the saddle. Later Ma bought us new bikes. Mine had a back- pedalling brake. Quite advanced for it鈥檚 time. We are growing up fast and the Yanks were over here.

Chapter 39 The Yanks

American servicemen, were everywhere. White, brown and black.
Smart uniforms, plenty of money,candy, chewing gum and of special interest to the girls , nylon stockings and chocolate.
They also had the 鈥榞ift of the gab鈥� and transport, usually Jeeps. This made them irresistable to most girls and caused resentment with the local lads and our own forces who were no match for the Yanks with their rough khaki uniforms and low pay.
Our lads could match them at war but not on the courting scene. Numerous fights broke out between our 鈥楽quadies鈥� and GI Joe as the Yanks were also known.
America had entered the war in December 1941, late as usual. The same as World War1 . It is likely that Britain standing alone against the Germans, Italians and later the Japanese would have lost the war so we should be grateful to the Americans for that.

The Yanks became prey for kids who followed them calling out 鈥� Got any gum chum 鈥� knowing we would eventually wear them down especially if they had a girl or two on their arm ! We were interrupting their romantic prospects, putting it mildly.
They would throw a packet of gum at us as a bribe to clear off which we did until the next Yank came along.

In most dark corner, and there were plenty of these due to blackout restrictions,
a Yank could be found kissing and canoodling a girl or worse!!
Girls that dated Yanks became known as 鈥淕old Diggers鈥� and were shouted at as they passed by.
I had a crush on Joan Fox who lived opposite. Joan was a few years older than me and I tried to impress her with my agility, running, jumping and generally showing off, all to no avail as she succumbed to the chocolates and nylons and became a 鈥楪old Digger鈥� Uncannily, I was to marry a girl who looked just like Joan Fox. When my parents met her the first thing they said was ,鈥滻sn鈥檛 she like Joan Fox鈥� That pleased me. When the Yanks finally left our shores there were a lot of new babies around, many were black and this wasn鈥檛 easy for the stranded, usually unmarried mother. Not like today where no one bats an eyelid. This was a stigma and must have been difficult times for the mothers. Some of course did follow their men back to the USA and made a go of it but not many I fear.

Chapter 40 The Blackout

During the war strict regulations were enforced including the Blackout. This meant severely restricting lighting. Most street lights were gas lit. These were lit by a man with a long pole. He was known as the lamplighter. Which reminds me, there was a man who would call at your home on request to give an early morning call for work. He would knock on the bedroom window with a long pole!
The tops of lights were capped to reflect the light down so as not to be seen from above by enemy planes. All households had shutters to place against the windows to stop any light shining out. The glass was criss-crossed with sticky tape. This was to reduce glass splinters from flying if broken from blast.
Vehicle headlamps also had caps with just a small slit to allow a narrow beam of light to show. You can imagine the streets were a dark place to be.

There were times though when the whole area would be illuminated but not welcome. This occurred when enemy aircraft dropped flares attached to parachutes. This was done to give the bomb aimers a better chance of finding the target.
Wardens patrolled the streets and the familiar call could be heard if they spotted a light shining through a window. 鈥� Oi! Put that light out鈥�

Chapter 41 The Vandyke Cinema

Ronnie Pow a ginger- headed lad was another close friend. His father served as a CPO on board HMS Illustrious an aircraft carrier based in the Pacific waging war against the Japanese.
He hadn鈥檛 been home on leave for several years.
On a visit to the Vandyke Cinema, Fishponds Road we watched the Pathe News which featured a Japanese suicide aerial attack on the 鈥淚llustrious鈥� Huge holes were blown in her flight deck and hundreds killed.
It must have been awful for Ronnie watching this film not knowing if his father had been killed or not. His father did return home eventually undamaged, at least on the outside.

As I have mentioned the 鈥榁andyke Cinema鈥� perhaps a few lines about this place of entertainment should be included.
As children our pocket money was twopence halfpenny a week.
Twopence to get into the Vandyke Cinema every Saturday and one halfpenny to buy a quarter of sweets or a bag of broken biscuits. The cinema was known as the 鈥楾upp鈥檔y Rush鈥�

A large queue would form very early with much pushing and shoving. The doorman would try to keep order. When the doors opened he allowed a dozen or so in at a time.
Films were usually black and white and more often than not included a cowboy picture.
Tarzan was another popular filmstar and of course, Laurel and Hardy and Old Mother Riley with daughter Kitty.

The noise the kids made, shouting and screaming, fighting too! causing the Manager to put up the house lights ,stop the film and announce that the film would not re- commence unless we were quite. We obeyed and kept quiet.
The film started again and so did the shouting.! The session ended with a cowboy serial,鈥� To be continued next week鈥� Buck Jones, Hop- Along Cassidy and Gabby etc. We couldn鈥檛 wait to see what happened the following Saturday. On the way home we galloped on our imaginary horses, shot each other calling out,鈥� Bang! !You鈥檙e dead鈥�!!

Films were categorized as A B and X. No person under sixteen was allowed in to see some of the films unless accompanied by an adult.
It was common practice for under-age children, including myself, to ask an adult to 鈥淭ake us in mister鈥� Some would ,some wouldn鈥檛. If it was a courting couple they might agree on condition you didn鈥檛 sit with them!!

Chapter 42 VE Day

The war in Europe was over. Victory was ours as promised from the start by our great leader and Prime Minister, Lord Winstone Churchill or as he was known more affectionately as 鈥淲innie鈥� A familiar sight with his bulldog looks, famous cigar and all-in-one siren suit of a dark brown colour. The people of Britain copied his style as the siren suit was practical and warm.

This man was an inspiration to the British people which made them determined not to give in to the enemy despite the terrible hardships suffered. His speeches are memorable and will go down in history as some of the best ever.
The war in the Far East continued against the Japanese.

The victory over Europe was a good reason to celebrate. Street parties were organized with trestle tables and chairs being set out in the streets. Buntings of flags were tied across the street and a large bonfire prepared. Celebrations would go on far into the night.
Food and drinks filled the tables as if by magic considering the rationing restrictions.
The children sat down and the adults moved around the tables trying to keep some sense of order. As the light faded the men lit the bonfire on top which sat an effigy of Adolf Hitler the most hated man in the whole world. As the flames consumed him great cheers rang out and the music started. Ma鈥檚 piano was dragged into the street . Ma played all the well know songs of the war years including those made popular during the first World War. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long way to Tipperary鈥� 鈥淩un rabbit ,run rabbit run run run鈥� and the like.

Potatoes were placed in the fire and racked out when cooked. It all seemed so wonderful. There were sad moments too as most people had lost a member of the family or relative during the war. They were temporarily forgotten at this time but not for long..
The laughing, drinking and dancing went on to the early hours.
Next morning the bonfire was still smouldering. Some boys were trying to coax it back to life kicking at the embers but it was all over. The war wasn鈥檛.

Chapter 43 The Far East

The Japanese had entered the war siding with the Germans. A big mistake as they chose to pick on the Yanks at Pearl Harbour.
Their huge armarda sailed into firing range of Pearl Harbour launching bombers from aircraft鈥攃arriers.
The unsuspecting Americans had no chance to fight back. Pearl Harbour was doomed.
The American Eagle had it鈥檚 feathers ruffled and was now hell bent on revenge.
The whole might of the country would now wage war on Japan.

The Japanese were fanatical fighters and loathed even more than the Germans. Both these nations would go down in history as committing the most terrible crimes of mass destruction of human beings.
It was to be another long, hard battle. That is until the atom bomb was used.

An awesome, frightening weapon. So powerful that it could destroy a large city within seconds and fill the air for hundreds of miles with radiation which would have long term effects on any living thing it contacted.

The first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshimo from an American fortress, a huge bomber. Witnesses aboard included our own Leonard Cheshire VC. The scene of destruction was beyond comprehension and had a profound effect on all who watched this event that day.
Leonard Cheshire VC. was moved so much that it changed his life and after the war dedicated all his time looking after disabled servicemen and women setting up homes for them
These are called the 鈥楥heshire Homes鈥�.

It took one more atomic bomb to crush the Japanese. This was dropped at Nagasaki three days later with the same terrible result. The Japanese surrendered unconditionally. This was against all their principles and many of the their forces took their own lives rather than surrender.

The war was over. The task of bringing the prisoners of war home was just beginning and as in Germany, the atrocities committed were unveiled to a disbelieving world.
That is another story.
Celebrations took the same form as the Victory in Europe. Street parties and the joy of surviving
such adverse times.
It was time to rebuild, not only the buildings but lives.

The servicemen were demobbed and given a new suit and that was the end of their war.
Now they had to find a job as everything had changed. Most factories had converted the equipment to build war machines and ammunitions. Technology had moved on and they would have to adapt to new skills. Women had found a new freedom doing work traditionally carried out by men. They would have to adapt too. Life had changed forever.
Many men found it hard to adjust to civilian life missing their pals and the comradeship.
To some their children were strangers. Some had additional children which wasn鈥檛 theirs!
As for me, well, at the age of fourteen I took up a seven year apprenticeship as a lithographer.

At the tender age of fourteen I was now a man.

Don Shipton December 2003

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21
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Childhood Memories Of The 鈥�30鈥檚 and WW11

Chapter 1 Early Days

I was one of three children. My brother Ken the eldest, myself Don and my younger sister Freda, all born in quick succession in the early 鈥�30鈥檚 just after the depression.
My father suffered a mental breakdown just after the birth of my sister the youngest. He was detained in an institution. We were never to see him again. These were very hard times for a woman with three children. No hand- outs in those days. It was work or starve.
We lived in a simple house which had a stone lean-to room at the side. We knew this room as 鈥楴umber Ten鈥�. At the outbreak of 鈥榃orld War 11鈥� this was used as the headquarters of the area ARP (Air Raid Precautions) Fire-watchers met in this unpretentious room. Stirrup pumps, shovels and buckets of sand lined the walls. These items were used to extinguish incendiary bombs which the Germans dropped in their thousands and causing much damage by fire. A book was used for the duty ARP wardens to signed in for the night watch. These were older men, too old to be called up or men with special skills needed on the home front. All available wardens were called out during air raids to deal with the numerous fires blazing. ARP Wardens duties also involved digging people out of bombed buildings.

Chapter 2 Hardship

Ma would take any work that she could to support her family, this included the neighbours washing. It was hard for her especially at wintertime. As children we watched her through the window doing the washing using a scrubbing board, bathtub and carbolic soap. Snow falling around her, hands raw, it wasn鈥檛 only the washing but the ironing too. No steam irons in those days. Ma was paid a pittance for this service. Later she would melt a block of 鈥楽nowfire鈥� to rub into cracked hands. This was a green cube of scented oil wax. I loved the scent of this.

Electricity wasn鈥檛 laid on to our house. In fact it was as late as 1947 that we finally had a mains supply of electricity. As children we sat around the fireplace, feet in the grate, complaining of the cold and squabbling over who should sit nearest to the fire.
Warmth from the fire was limited as it was piled high with black cooking saucepans, some with cabbage, another with potatoes and a small one with water which hopefully would boil to make a broth or perhaps, a cup of lumpy cocoa. The fire would be damped down with potato peelings to stop the coal from burning too quickly.

Chapter 3 Summer days

Summer months were so much better as we had the one item that many others didn鈥檛, a good size garden, and Ma, God bless her, had very green fingers.
Ma rented a small plot to Mr Foster a neighbour, for a small fee. He lived in a large corner house at the junction with the Causeway and Mayfield Avenue. We thought it was so posh. Returning years later we realised the house was quite ordinary, just larger. Ma was grateful for the rent.
We were taught to sow seeds, plant vegetables and were given a small plot each to grow flowers. The best show won a prize from Ma. Ken usually won. He was and still is,the clever one. We accepted this good-naturedly. We were happy during the summer months having fresh fruit and vegetables to eat, selling the surplus to neighbours, carefully weighing the goods as Ma would be cross to see us giving 鈥榚xtras鈥�.

Chapter 4 Transport

Most goods were delivered by horse-drawn carts, specifically made for the different tasks. Different breeds of horses too. The coalman had a heavy horse and a sturdy cart stacked with coal, some in sacks, most loose. Also on the cart were large scales to weigh the coal. It was a very heavy manual job. The coalman wore one of the sacks over his head with the corners sticking out like horses ears, the remainder of the sack draping over his shoulders protecting him from the dirt and rain. His eyes and teeth sparkling white against a black face.
Ma charged us children to count the sacks as they were emptied in the coalhouse to ensure we weren鈥檛 short-changed.
Paper laid on the floor like stepping stones to the yard as the sacks were carried through the house. We were very poor but Ma was fiercely house-proud.

The baker drove an enclosed cart open at the back with a tarpaulin to draw across. Loaves were neatly stacked like bricks in the back.

Milkmen used a small open cart with a step for the rider to stand on at the back. A long whip upright in it鈥檚 holder. A small pony would draw this. Milk was dispensed using an enamel jug, filling this from the large milk churn then pouring into our own jug.

With all the horses around this meant plenty of manure for the garden.
We watched and waited for the horse to do the business. Then rushed out with bucket and shovel scooping up the steaming pile pushing it on the shovel with our hands. You had to be quick as other kids would try to beat you to it if they could. Ma looked pleased when we returned indoors proudly showing off the full bucket.

Wedding horses and carriages were splendid affairs. A pair of fine white horses decorated with flowers and bells which jingled at every move. White plumes in their manes, drawing a cream- coloured ornate coach. The coachmen splendid in their light buff uniforms.

Funeral horses and carriages were just as elaborate.
A pair, sometimes four, of shiny black horses decorated with black plumes, no jingling bells, hooves padded to soften the noise. I think they were shod with leather shoes. An ornate black gleaming coach with glass sides bore the coffin decorated with wreaths and flowers. The coachmen so sombre in their black top hats and suits. One coachman walked in front of the procession which would proceed at this walking pace to the church.
As it passed men took off their caps, turned to face the carriage and bowed their heads in respect. Servicemen, and there were many of these about, would stand to attention and salute.
No vehicle would pass the entourage as it made it鈥檚 way to the church.

Chapter 5 Poultry

My brother Ken kept poultry and Ma encouraged him. When a hen became broody Ma would buy a dozen eggs from the Co-op. Six would be placed under the broody hen and usual five out of six would hatch into chicks. It goes to show the eggs were fresh and free ranged with a cockerel in with the hens strutting his stuff.
Alternatively china eggs would be placed under the wings of the 鈥榖roody鈥� hen . Mother Hen would sit on them. At night these china eggs would be removed and replaced by day old chicks, which Ken would buy, sometimes with a duckling.
In the morning the hen would be fussing around her new family, some sitting on her back others hiding beneath her wings. A lovely scene.
We also bred rabbits. Mainly White Bevans, white with pink eyes. English Butterfly and Havana
Rex. I can鈥檛 remember having to eat one although rabbit was the staple diet at the time.
Chapter 6 Schooldays

My first school was St John鈥檚 Nursery School, The Causeway, Fishponds. Bristol. Each afternoon we were made to sleep on canvas beds in the playground if weather permitted. The beginnings of pre-school.

At the age of five I moved on to the infants school Chesterpark also at the Causeway, Fishponds. A Church of England school. Pupils were taught the traditional Christian way of life starting the day with hymn singing in the hall accompanied by a piano more suited to an 鈥榟onkey- tonk saloon鈥�. My recollections of this junior school are not favourable.

A very large family named Loveridge attended. These children were very poor even by our standards. Their noses always running. Green ribbons hanging from each nostril, being sniffed up each time they breathed in and lowered again on breathing out. A kind of yo- yo game only it wasn鈥檛 a game it was poor health.

Worse still was the teacher, a female. Miss---- what鈥檚 her name? Will it come back to me?
In those days bracers were worn to keep our trousers up. Some children had a small 鈥楽鈥� belt instead. Bracers were worn under the jersey, not outside.
On a regular basis, one of the Loveridge boys would arrive at school with bracers OUTSIDE his jersey. Miss--- what鈥檚 her name? Would then haul the poor lad to the front of the class and by demonstration would show the class the correct way to dress for school.

Off with the bracers, down would drop his trousers, poor chap, no underpants, would stand there crying, sniffing his green yo yo鈥檚 in front of the mixed class who were embarrassingly sniggering. The teacher beaming at the class would slowly raise poor Loveridge鈥檚 short, hole filled trousers, secure the bracers and then place the jersey on top and announce, 鈥淭here!! That鈥檚 better, back to your seat鈥� The poor little chap would shuffle to his seat, head down with even more 鈥榶o-yo鈥檚 and tears. This was a regular occurrence. Was she odd? God knows, but she certainly wasn鈥檛 understanding. The name has come to me !! Miss Prescott. Shame on you!.

These children, the鈥� Loveridges鈥�, came to school without shoes. I had shoes to wear these might have been hand-downs, too small or too big, always full of large holes. Ma made cardboard cut- out insoles to cover the holes. At least it was something on my feet.
Ma鈥� heel and soled our shoes using a cobbler鈥檚 last. She was quite skillful. Later Ken would take over this job, never me! Ma would always say, 鈥淟et our Ken do it鈥� She trusted him. I must have been quite useless. I was Ken鈥檚 labourer, mix the flour and water for the wallpaper paste, never allowed to hang the paper, Ken will do that. I accepted this cheerfully knowing my place in the family. But I watched and learnt.

Chapter 7 Christmas

At Christmas it was our task to kill and prepare the birds for the table, not only our own but the neighbour鈥檚 too for a small fee. Their poultry always seemed so much plumper than ours. Ken was the master butcher of course. My task was to hold the torch whilst the deed was done. A most unpleasant job.
Later Ma and the three of us would sit around the tin bath in the tiny scullery, as it was called. We stayed up late that night plucking the birds, feathers flying everywhere, getting up our noses making us sneeze and laugh. A happy time being together, doing something that would ensure a good Christmas Dinner and of course earn money from the neighbours.

Clara the family duck, a Khaki Campbell, escaped the Christmas table. Ma was very fond of her. Later a fox killed her she cried. This was the only time I saw Ma cry.

Christmas pudding making time was fun. We knew there would be treats for us. Nibbles of candy peel, raisons and best of all spoonfuls of the finished mix, so creamy, fruity and tasty. Ma would get the small bath from the larder for the mix. A large galvanized bin was kept there for the bread. The larder was so damp and smelt musty. Often the bread had a covering of green mould as did the cheese. Ma would cut this away. It didn鈥檛 seem to harm us.

The bath for the Christmas puddings was placed on the dining room floor. Out would come all the packets Ma had saved throughout the year. Candy peel, sultanas, currants, nuts and other ingredients. These we emptied in the bath, milk, nutmeg and water added and then we took turns stirring the mix until Ma declared it was ready.

There was one more task to complete. Adding the silver thru鈥檖enny bits. This coin was very small. Ma shared out the silver pieces and we dropped these into the mix making a plopping sound as they slowly sank. The mix was given another good stir then the white pudding basins were brought in and filled. Each one wrapped with a white cloth, tied in a knot at the top ready to go in the copper boiler. We were given a spoon each taking turns scraping out the mixing bowl, we loved this.

Ma made at least six puddings which would take a long time boiling overnight in the copper boiler, steaming up the house. Ma saved puddings from the previous Christmas these would be heated up on Christmas Day. A couple of the new puddings would be saved for the following year and so it goes.

On Christmas Day Ma lift the pudding from the basin, untied the knot and removed the white cloth to reveal the dark, fruity steaming pudding. When the pudding was cut we searched our slice eagerly for a silver thu鈥檖enny piece, there usually was one. A thru鈥檖enny piece would buy a lot of marbles, sweets or perhaps a liquorice stick, this was from the root of the tree and very fibrous. It had the strong taste of liquorice and left a dark brown stain on your tongue. It also made you run for the toilet!!

The lead up to Christmas was a busy time. Making chains from strips of coloured paper, looping these and sticking together with flour and water paste. These were strung across the ceiling. Ma would then bring out the most important decoration, flat and plain but when opened made a wonderful red bell shape. Ma must have used this decoration for many years.
Christmas Eve came, hanging stockings up and behaving ourselves to ensure that Father Christmas would call at our home. Ma played the piano and sang carols for us and then sent us off to bed happy and excited.

We were awake very early Christmas morning. Carefully removing the paper from the presents found at the bottom of the bed.
Ma saved the paper to use again the following year. It was the same at birthdays too.
The flat iron was heated on the fire or gas stove and the base given a rub with carbolic soap
Ma would then carefully iron the wrapping paper, folding it as she went, until it was in a neat square placing it in a drawer for next year with a sigh of satisfaction. Saying , 鈥� That鈥檒l do nicely鈥�. I believe she did this until the day she passed away. Old habits die hard.
The presents were simple and usually home-made. Our socks were full with nuts, apples, sweets and holes! A bright red apple bulging through the hole in the socks!
I was given extra chores before Christmas to earn pocket money to buy my own gifts for Ma, my brother and sister.
The presents were usually purchased at Woolworths whose store motto was, 鈥淣othing Over Sixpence鈥� I remember buying Ma a brooch which I thought was gold. It was found amongst her possessions when she died. I could have cried then.

Chapter 8 Homecrafts

During the winter nights we were kept busy embroidering chair-backs, arm-rest covers and table-clothes. We became skillful at this using a round frame to keep tension on the material as the needle with different coloured threads weaved in and out.

Before this stage the design had to be made on the material. This was done by a transfer. Thin layers of paper with different pictures were placed in position on the material then a heated flat iron would smooth and heat the transfer ink. When the paper was removed the design would be there ready to embroider. The ink was usually a dark blue colour.

We all worked at rug-making, cutting strips of coloured cloth, pushing these through a heavy sack, the base material, with a hooked tool. When the base material was full, the tightly packed pile would be trimmed to a short length and the rug was ready for use. Most households had one. Some as large as a room carpet. Imagine how long that took to make.
All done by hand.
Ma taught us to knit, plain, pearl and cable stitch. We liked French Knitting too using a cotton reel with four small nails knocked into it which oddments of wool were wrapped. This was pulled through the bottom hole as we progressed, like a long coloured tail. This long tail would then be laid on a flat surface, coiled up tight then sewn together to make a teapot or plant pot stand.

Chapter Nine Home Entertainment

Ma playing the piano and singing to us was our favourite pastime Her music was kept in the What-Not, a polished cupboard of sorts. Ma collected the music from the Sunday paper, 鈥淣ews Of The World鈥� I think? A new piece of music was published every week.
This gave us another job making a folder for the from brown paper and writing the title on the cover. " Play this one please Ma please!! No, play this Ma.鈥�! We all choose what we wanted to hear and Ma would play until she was exhausted. 鈥� Off to bed now.鈥� No toothbrushes or
paste and only an occasionally wash. We did however have our hair washed with a carbolic acid smelling mixture. This was to get rid of lice, a very common problem. We were given a spoonful of malt, we loved this making it last as long as possible, but still went to bed complaining.

Chapter Ten Bedtime

Ken would watch me when bedtime was close knowing that I would make a dash for the stairs which were in darkness. Ma only lit the one room with a gas mantle which was often broken. I would hide in the darkness of the stairs and wait for Ken to come running up the stairs after me, he was afraid of the dark and didn鈥檛 want to face the stairs alone. I would jump out on him shouting and frightening him, making him angry. He would then chase me to our shared room and we would fight. He then looked under the bed to see if a wolf was there! He looked every night. It鈥檚 no small wonder really as the threats of ,鈥漈he bogey man will get you if you don鈥檛 behave鈥� or 鈥� If you don鈥檛 behave I will have you put in a home鈥� or 鈥� A policeman will come and take you away and lock you up.鈥� I don鈥檛 think Ma was alone with these threats. I believe it was common practice. Am I right?
The small bedroom had a brass bedstead, the type that nowadays would cost a fortune as would the decorative china clock and cherub picture which hung diamond shape above the bed. A Victorian fireplace in the bedroom was never lit as Ma couldn鈥檛 afford the fuel. Same goes for the gas light, this held a broken mantle but no glass shade. We would say our prayers then climb into bed
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The bedroom had a view over our lovely garden. My sister Freda slept in the tiny box room next to ours. It鈥檚 distinctive feature was a large glass dome with a stuffed kingfisher in it. It was a common sight to see stuffed birds on display. Nowadays these may be seen in some country pubs but not in homes generally.

Her window also overlooked the garden and the roof of the kitchen and NumberTen. A stone buttress sloped to meet the roof which proved to be very useful. When I was sent to bed for bad behaviour, which was often! I would quietly lift up the sash window and scramble out on the roof and slide down the butttess to the ground and slip away to play with friends. I don鈥檛 think Ma was aware of this. She would have caned me with the bamboo rod she kept to hand behind the piano if I had been caught. The cane was regularly used and broken at times with a flurry of wallops!! There always was another to take it鈥檚 place.

I was a 鈥榮how-off鈥� in front of my brother and sister, always misbehaving. Out would come the cane. There was no escape even though I tried to run away! I don鈥檛 regret the beatings I received from Ma. They were well deserved. It wouldn鈥檛 happen if I behaved but this seemed impossible for me to do. I realize how hard her life was and my behaviour made matters worse for her. How did she keep her sanity! If it wasn鈥檛 for her strict discipline I fear that I may have drifted into a life of crime.

Chapter 10 Pianoforte

Mother was an accomplished pianist having gained her Cap & Gown at the Trinity College London. Prior to her marriage she must have enjoyed a better quality of life. This qualification was put to good use during the lean years as she taught the local children to play the piano charging sixpence for half hour鈥檚 lesson. During these periods we were banned from the house!
Just as well because the wrong notes being played sounded awful!

Ma would sometimes play to us without music singing her heart out, pop songs of the day. One song was called 鈥淟ove Is All鈥� a popular tune during the war. When this was played in the company of grown-ups the women would fall about laughing and shout,鈥� Waz wanna luv 鈥榚e for!!鈥� It was many years later that I understood the innuendo!!

Opposite the infants school stood a corner pub named 鈥楾he Spotted Cow鈥� Most street corners had a pub or a church. Many a night small children, some holding a pram with even younger children in, could be seen standing outside the doors whilst their parents drank until closing time.
Sometimes the parents would push opening the doors and thrust a bag of Smiths Crisps into their grubby hands then quickly return to the noisy, smoke laden atmosphere of the pub. Usually loud drunken singing could be heard. 鈥淩oll out the barrel鈥� or 鈥淩oll me over in the clover鈥� Popular songs of the war years. The crisp packets contained a small blue paper twist of salt which was usually too damp to sprinkle.

Chapter 11 Junior School

Ken and myself were now attending a junior school, Dr Bells at Fishponds. A very good school. I remember the outside lavatories, so cold at wintertime with burst pipes being a common occurrence, ice splattering out to form wonderful shapes. In those days milk was provided. On cold wintery days the milk would freeze, expanding and pushing off the silver tops. Milk bottles were placed on top of the radiators to thaw, this took ages as the radiators weren鈥檛 very efficient, often not working at all. Scarves and coats were kept on during lessons in these freezing conditions.
I was allowed two free bottles of milk a day as I was very much underweight suffering from malnutrition. This wasn鈥檛 Ma鈥檚 fault as she worked so hard trying to feed us, often going without herself. Poor woman.
Teachers were mainly female most men were called up for war service. One male teacher a Mr Sage,known as 鈥楽agger鈥� to the children was feared by all. Sagger had an artifical leg which may have been the reason why he hadn鈥檛 been called up by the army. This impediment didn鈥檛 stop him moving fast when he wanted.

He administered the cane liberally. Mervyn Groves my friend, was his favourite target. Sagger called him his 鈥楧ancing Doll鈥� the reason being, when Mervyn was called to the front of the class to receive the cane, a regular occurrence, he would hold his arm out with Sagger saying, 鈥淔urther, Further鈥� and when satisfied would raise his cane bringing it down smartly onto Mervyn鈥檚 palm. Mervyn would then jump up and down like a ferret on fire, blowing on his hand. This went on for a minute or so with Sagger nodding to Mervyn鈥檚 dancing antics.

Miss Hill, a female teacher had no such control. She rode a bicycle to school. Children being the little beasts they are took advantage of this running after her catching hold of the back of her bicycle dragging her back whilst she helplessly shouted for us to go away to no avail.

It was common practice for children to chase after slow moving lorries, horse and carts and hang on the back. Lifting our legs up. Often there would be four or more children hanging like bats on the back. The drivers were aware of this but took no notice.

I used to walk home to lunch from school. At the bottom of the Causeway at Fishponds Bristol was a slip road leading to the railway goods yard. Heavy horses from the pottery would stand there waiting patiently.
Paultons Pottery used these horse drawn carts to transport the reject pottery, this was mainly unglazed and if handled would feel like chalk.This would be taken to a China Tip. The journey commenced with a long ,slow plod up a steep incline at the Causeway, this required two horses to pull the heavy cart at times. In the summer months the horses wore large straw hats and looked so cute.

Chapter 12 Five Favourite Places

The China Tip. A huge mountain of assorted unglazed pottery had amassed over the years and was heaven on earth to children. Scrambling over the china, becoming whiter with each move, searching for plates and saucers which had remained intact. These were taken to the top of the china mountain and thrown like 鈥榝risbies鈥�. Other boys would throw their plates trying to hit others in the air. A wonderful game for boys. Never did see a girl playing there.

The Coaltips

Close by was the spoil from the disused coalmines at Speedwell, accumulated over many years into huge mountains of black coal slag.
A sheet of galvanized iron would be taken from the old mine workings, shaped into a rough sledge by bending one end back then dragged to the top of the slag heap.
Sitting astride the improvised sledge and with shrieks of laughter and some fear, go hurtling down the slag mountain ending up at the bottom in a heap and very black. Wonderful.

The Lilypond
This was close to the china and coal tips. A place to fish for newts using a wriggling worm tied to a thin line. Sometimes a roach would be caught by the same method.
Tadpoles were netted and taken home in jars and transferred to the rain-butt. Wonderful.

The Gossie

The 鈥淕ossie鈥� Why it was called that I don鈥檛 known. A wooded valley with a deep stream running through. Playing there was such fun, lighting fires, swinging on ropes across the stream, climbing trees and of course the usual game of cowboys and Indians.

The Brickworks

鈥淭he Brick Works鈥� A working yard at Speedwell making bricks by hand. A huge quarried hole was at the bottom of a narrow railway track used to transport the clay to the factory and kilns above.
This huge hole was partly filled with water which was very deep.
Wooden pallets would be collected and tied together to make rafts. These were paddled by a stick, playing pirates and racing the rafts. So dangerous but at that age that wasn鈥檛 considered. These five places were truly heaven to us and the memories will always stay.
Returning home after playing in any of these places would often mean the cane as we were either white from the china tip chalk, black from the coalpits. Wet from the lilypond. Wet and muddy from the brickworks quarry and trousers usually torn from the 鈥楪ossie鈥�. My trousers were just a mass of patches so one more wouldn鈥檛 hurt!

Chapter 14 Outbreak of World War 2

War broke out on September 3rd 1939 It was my eighth birthday. I was at school. We were sent home. Clutching my gas mask expecting to die at any minute, I ran home. Ma reassured me that all was well .A few weeks later the air-raid sirens sounded for the first time. Ma huddled with us under the stairs praying for our deliverance. This was the first of hundreds of air raids. We eventually became very complacent when the sirens sounded.

At night the powerful searchlights would switch on and search the skies for enemy aircraft. Their beams criss-crossing the night sky. When an aircraft was caught in the multi- beams we would shout in excitement, 鈥� There鈥檚 one ! Go on, shoot it down!鈥� The Ack Ack, anti-aircraft guns would open up with gusto but the aeroplane, that looked bright silver in the lights, would disappear into the night.
I never saw a single plane shot down by Ack Ack fire. The night sky would turn to a deep orange as the bombs fell reflecting the flames in the clouds above. Searchlights also reflected on the numerous barrage balloons that hung in the sky like giant jumbos. These were attached to the ground by a thick wire and were supposed to be a deterrent for would be low flying enemy aircraft.

Chapter 15 Rationing

It was the days of food rationing and clothes coupons. Mother sold her coupons on the blackmarket. Coupons were introduced in June 1941. The money being used to put food on the table. Shopping was a chore that no one enjoyed as food was scarce, little choice and rationed.
Long queues formed and my brother, sister and myself took it in turns to queue at the three major shops alternating each week. The Co-op, butchers and greengrocers .This meant a wait of three hours at times as the queues would start forming at least an hour before opening time and the last in the queue got the least. A bit like today鈥檚 sales!!
Ma would eat pigs trotter, the feet of pigs, pigs ears, chitling , cows intestines, sheep鈥檚 brains and tripe. It鈥檚 hard to believe this was a common food in those days. I must say I could never face eating any of these. The Co-op paid out a 鈥榙ivi鈥� (dividend) cash return, a percentage of the money spent, usually for a six month period. For every penny spent a similar amount was given back as tokens of tin money.
Ma kept her tokens in an old teapot and we loved to count the tin money. When 鈥榙ivi鈥� payout day arrived we took these to the 鈥楥o-op鈥� to join a very long queue to exchange the tin cheques for cash. This could take all day. There would be extra food on the table that day and sitting at the table we would say grace then get tucked in. We were not allowed to talk at the table and if wishing to leave, did so only with Ma鈥檚 permission.

Chapter 16 Street Games

Children played in the streets all the time except on Sundays. It was considered disrespectful to play outside the home on the Sabbath. Families attended church, sometimes both morning and evening service. The children attended Sunday School.

Playing marbles, whipping tops, street football, cricket and many team games were commonplace. Streets were the playground for the children. Not all residents approved and would come to their gates and shout at us to clear off and play outside your own house!! Girls played with skipping ropes. They were so skilful with a rope sometimes stretching ten feet or so. A girl at each end, they would start turning the rope faster and higher A girl would jump in and skip in time with the rope. Others would join her As many as six girls would be skipping together. Even more skilful, two girls turning the rope swinging not one but two ropes, each turning a different way. The boys rarely skipped, that was for girls, they played marbles in the gutters and on schooldays played all the way to school! The large red, bloodshot marbles were known as 鈥榮ixers鈥� and were very much sought after.
Life was very exciting for a child and I think for most people, a new spirit of comradeship came out of adversity

Chapter 17 Neighbours

Next door on one side lived the 鈥楽marts鈥� a nice, kind family. John the eldest son was my friend, Jean his sister, a scraggy young girl with spots. John also had spots! Too many sweets!
John鈥檚 father worked at Webbers Chocolate Factory in the 鈥楥auseway鈥� Fishponds. So sweets were part of the diet.

Our neighbours on the other side were the 鈥楶arsons鈥� Mrs Parsons was very elderly, a kind dear soul. Her hair thin and her face wore the lines of hard work and laughter too.
Ma would say to us, 鈥� Go and see if Mrs Parsons wants any shopping done and if she does and offers you any money for doing it, don鈥檛 take it.鈥� Mrs Parsons always gave me a halfpenny for doing her shopping and wouldn鈥檛 let me refuse to take it despite Ma鈥檚 instructions. That would buy a bag of broken biscuits or a quarter bag of sweets. Mrs Parsons daughter Lucy lived there with her husband. Lucy would play hymns all day Sundays. Pumping the pedals on the harmonium, singing to the Lord.

Chapter 18 Gas

Our gas masks were adjusted for a mustard gas attack, this being the same gas as used in the First World War. Posts with a bird-like table-top appeared everywhere. These would change colour in the event of a gas attack we were told.
Later on when I started work at the age of fourteen, I met men, ex soldiers from the First War, who spoke in whispers due to being gassed in the trenches. Their vocal chords damaged beyond repair.

Chapter 19 Dunkirk Heroes Return

I remember going with Ma, my brother and sister to Eastville Park where a huge camp had been set up to house the soldiers home from the Dunkirk Invasion and subsequent retreat which is legendary.
Most were wounded and all wore the distinctive blue suit, white shirt and red ties all badly fitting. This clothing was a left over from the Great War worn by hospitalized forces.
Ironically during my National Service in the Royal Engineers in 1950 I too was to wear this clothing at the Royal Military Hospital at Aldershot!!
At the Eastville camp people were wandering around, some with photos of loved ones asking the soldiers if they had seen them. Women weeping, children crying and occasionally some laughing and crying at the same time with their arms wrapped around a poor blue suited damaged soldier united with his family again. It was very sad.

Not sure why we were there. I think Ma was looking for someone too. She had relatives in the forces and had lost a brother in the Great War, the First World War.
Little did she know at the time she was to loose another brother-in-law, my Uncle Ray. He died in the Burma campaign some time after 1941.

Eastville Park was surrounded by green ornate cast iron railings. A huge canon stood on a plinth. A reminder of the Great War. World War One. Later the railings and the cannon were taken away to melt down to make war machines. Most items made of metal were cut down and removed for the war effort.

Chapter 20 Anderson Air Raid Shelter

The German blitz period for us meant sleeping in the Anderson air raid shelter . Not every family had one so we had to share with another family, the 鈥楧ibbles鈥� who lived opposite. Their daughter鈥榮 name was Brenda and the same age as Freda. It was very cramped and in the wintertime so cold and wet.

A sump in the concrete floor collected water that poured from the metal walls, this sump required baling out each day. The smell of damp concrete was all around. During wet periods the shelter would flood to four feet or more as this was the depth of the shelter underground. There were no facilities apart from a bucket which the occupants were reluctant to use due to the lack of privacy.

During the blitz period which lasted a year or so, the family slept in the 鈥楢nderson鈥� shelter every night as this was preferred rather than getting up to rush to the shelter during the night at the sound of the wailing siren.
We received regular visits from the roving fire-watchers of any damage, or worse, the deaths of people in the surrounding area. The citizens of Bristol during the blitz will recall the bombing of the aeroplane factory at Filton. The workers had taken refuge in the shelters during this particularly heavy raid. A direct hit demolished the shelters and all it鈥檚 occupants were killed. Oh! Dear! A very sad day which lowered the spirits of everyone.

The journey to school was one of discovery. Walking along gazing at the houses just hanging there, most with the walls knocked out exposing the contents that up to that moment had been
private. Wallpaper hanging on to large chunks of plaster, a bath right on the edge ready to topple. Bedrooms with a mangled iron bedstead. Occupants picking through what was left of their belongings, sitting amongst the debris crying, not believing what has happened to them.

Chapter 21 Shrapnel a Wartime Hobby

Shrapnel, bomb and shell casing fragments, were all important to children during World War11. It was used to barter for other goods, marbles, foreign stamps etc. Shrapnel was searched for after every raid, collected and graded. Placed in jam- jars and labeled. Children became very knowledgeable identifying where the shrapnel had come from be it a German high explosive bomb, incendiary fire bomb, land mine or from our own soldiers anti- aircraft shells.

The drone of aircraft overhead was relentless during the 鈥淏litz Years鈥� and again we became very adapt recognizing the different types of aircraft and knowing if they were 鈥榦urs鈥� or the enemy. German bombers had a drone to their engines and when heavily laden with bombs would emphasized this drone. We also learnt to recognize the silhouette of each aircraft.

Chapter 22 The Blitz

Bristol, as other major cities, were constantly under attack. Every night the German planes came in their droves to bomb the living daylights out of us, not only by night but daytime too.
First came the Pathfinders, aircraft that would find the target, mark it out with fire bombs like bees finding honey. Then the main force would arrive with a continuous stream of bombers.

Amongst the bombers were the German fighter planes. Fast and determined. In response our own fighter planes were launched. Hurricanes and Spitfires. We would watch the 鈥榙ogfights鈥� enthrolled with the spectacle unfolding in the skies above us. Every shell that exploded left a huge black cloud of smoke. At times the sky was quite black with these man-made clouds.

Now we would witness the enemy under attack.
Machine gun fire and loud explosions filled the air. Great shouts of excitement as a German bomber plunged earthwards with huge black smoke bellowing from the fuselage. We watched, waiting to see if any parachutes would appear. They didn鈥檛. Now a Spitfire started to spin, winding down, faster and faster with a loud whining sound, a trail of black smoke following it down. Again we watched praying to see the mushroom shape of a parachute appear. It didn鈥檛 the crowd fell silent.

The sky would be full of aircraft flying in formations which seemed to be endless.
After dropping their bomb load they would turn for home scattering across the sky, some with a British fighter on it鈥檚 tail with blazing guns.

Looking out from our tiny Anderson shelter, we would see the sky lit up with the familiar deep orange glow a long way off and say, 鈥淭hank God it鈥檚 not us tonight, some poor devil must be getting it鈥�.

Next day listening to the news on the battery operated wireless we would learn that Southampton had been bombed throughout the night, casualties were high but so was the spirit of the people. We will see the Huns in hell . Germans were called Jerries or Huns and often other names which are unprintable.
Next night the door was blown off our air-raid shelter!! The red glow this time was more intense. God! Our house!, it鈥檚 on fire! No, it was the reflection in the windows of the terraced houses of the fires at the Eastville Gas Works which had suffered a direct hit two miles away.
The whole of the Bristol sky, likened to a late summer sunset but lacking the beauty though, as we knew the terrible reason for this glow. As kids we eagerly waited for morning to search for
shrapnel, the most important 鈥榟obby鈥� of wartime kids, that is until the Yanks arrived!!!

Chapter 23 Evacuation

At this time many children were being evacuated, sent away to the country to relative safety. It was ironical that the worst of the blitz was over. At this time the war was taking a turn in our favour at last. Needless to say, Ken and myself were evacuated to a Somerset village named Wiveliscombe which is twelve miles from Taunton. My life would change forever.

Standing at Fishponds railway station at Bristol with our small battered suitcases, names on tags tied to our lapels and gas masks stuffed in crumpled cardboard boxes slung over our shoulders we waited.
My brother Ken and myself were on the packed platform watching for the steam engine to arrive. Parents were milling around anxiously looking up the track for a first glimpse of the train which was to take their children away from them not knowing if they would ever see them again. The children were less anxious not understanding the full implication of what was happening to them.

Voices were raised as the steam engine could now be heard and soon came into sight with a string of brown coaches rocking behind.. A squeal of brakes, hissing sounds as steam escaped and the train was brought to a halt. It sat there waiting for us to clamber aboard.
It seemed like minutes before the guard waved his green flag to go. The steam engine gave a great shudder, the guard blew his whistle and we were off.

Ma shouted her last minute instructions, running along the platform trying to keep up with the train as it speeded up. 鈥淢ake sure you stay together and when you arrive ask the lady of the house if you can see the garden and go and have a good cry鈥� With these words firmly planted in our young minds the train huffed and puffed and we were gone. Ma, with Freda clutching her skirt, disappeared in a mix of smoke and steam and I guess a tear or two. We had never ventured far from home before only to go on the annual Sunday School trip to Weston- Super- Mare which was all of twenty two miles away!

Chapter 24 Arrival

On arrival at Taunton Station. Somerset, the coaches were waiting to transport us to Wiveliscombe. We boarded, kneeling up on the seats watching the countryside slip by from steamy windows which we rubbed not wanting to miss any of the views. Wiveliscombe would be our home for the next year.

On arrival we were taken to the village school. Other coaches arrived spilling out children who talked funny. They were Londoners from the East End. Our name tags were checked as we sat in orderly rows. Quite a few children were crying. Ken and myself thought of Ma鈥檚 words and saved our tears for later. Grown- ups wandered around staring down at us pointing at a child saying, 鈥淚鈥檒l take that one鈥� We sat and waited. We were amongst strangers for the first time in our young lives.
The school hall gradually emptied as more children were led away, some by adults looking very unhappy, muttering and complaining. You see, taking evacuees wasn鈥檛 voluntary. If your home had spare rooms you had to take as many children that could be accommodated.
No one else seemed to be coming into the school hall now. Ken and myself kept looking around wondered if anyone would come for us. We did as Ma said and stuck together. Ken grasping my hand. We were poorly dressed and scruffy compared to others. Perhaps a reason not to be selected.

Eventually a lady arrived late looking flustered, she had missed her chance of selection.This lady was a servant from a large house. The Billeting Officers knew there would be ample room there for two so she had no choice but to take us. Gathering our possessions we followed her out of the school to the waiting car.
We were driven to a grand house at the top of a hill overlooking the village. A splendid place with fields, animals, laying hens and a bathroom! A world away from the scenes we were accustomed to.

The owners ,The Morells, were respected member of the community. Mr Morell was employed as an auctioner at cattle markets etc.
Mrs. Morell, the lady of the house, acted accordingly. They were kind to us and had a child of their own. Peter, about the same age as us. He was friendly too but rather studious. Mrs Morell asked if we would like a cup of tea. We said, 鈥淣o thankyou鈥� but asked to see the garden as instructed by Ma.
We were shown outside and when far enough away from the house we both had a good cry and that was that. We settled down to country life.

Peter had so many toys including the whole range of 鈥楧inkie鈥� cars. We were envious naturally. He did allow us to play with these. We in turn showed him how to make powerful caps with salt peter and sulphur, both freely available at chemist shops. A mixture of both, wrapped in a twist of paper would explode when struck with a hammer!!
Our stay at this luxury house was short鈥攍ived as the 鈥楳orells鈥� had agreed to take in army officers which I assume would fit into their life style much better than two scruffy poor kids from Bristol. Who could blame them.

Chapter 25 School

Ken was placed at the village school where we had first arrived. It turned out to be a very good school. I wasn鈥檛 so lucky, I attended a school set up for London evacuees. There were only three evacuees from Bristol at this school. I only remember Alan Gore. He was placed on a family farm and was very happy there.

We immediately became the target for much physical and verbal abuse from the East Enders until they eventually got used to us and the funny way we spoke!! Some even asked us to repeat the Bristolian saying,
鈥淭hee casn鈥檛 speak as good as thee cous鈥檛 and if thee cous鈥檛 thee oosn鈥檛 oost鈥� Which means, 鈥� You can鈥檛 speak as good as you used to and even if you could you wouldn鈥檛 would you鈥�

It turned out that my education was well in advance of the Londoners and I quickly became bored. Much time was spent making the 鈥榯imes tables鈥� with plasticine and learning these by rote. The journey to school came up Golden Hill, a strange name seeing as all the houses were on the condemned list, that is until war broke out then they became tenable again. Golden Hill led to the village square.

The shops around the square displayed war- time posters. 鈥淒ig For Victory鈥� and 鈥� Walls Have Ears鈥� referring to possible spies overhearing you talk about things which might be important to the enemy. All signposts and village names were removed or painted over.
The road led from the Square to pass by the blacksmith鈥檚 forge. I always stopped as long as I could to watch the blacksmith making horseshoes and offering them up to the horses hoofs burning them on. I just love that smell even to this day. The blacksmith would work the bellows and the roar from the furnace filled the place. Blacksmiths were very skilful making parts for farming machinery as well as shoeing horses.
From the 鈥楽mithies鈥� it was just a short walk to the school.
School lessons would commence with a prayer and hymn singing. Regularly the hymn 鈥楨ternal Father Strong To Save鈥� would be sung, this on one occasion made a little girl burst into tears and run from the room, you see, her father was a sailor and had been posted 鈥楳issing presumed lost on active service鈥�

Chapter 26 The Move

After leaving the affluent Morells we were placed with the 鈥楤arringtons鈥� who appeared quite ancient to us. Imagine what it must have been like for them, not used to having children about
especially two urchins. Mr Barrington was a solicitor, a quiet, kindly sort of chap but didn鈥檛 really get involved with us, we were just there and he had to put up with us.

Mrs Barrington was a different kettle of fish, she ruled the roost and insisted that Ken and myself attended the open air swimming pool every day come rain or shine and enter the water during the long season.
The pool was located at the recreation ground and looked after by Mr Barrington鈥檚 brother, a one legged man. There were many limbless men to be seen at this time. Casualties from the First World War. Mr Barrington was an easy going man like his brother, never-the less, his fear of his sister-in law ensured that we would take the plunge each day. It was her way of washing us to avoid soiling her sheets. I can鈥檛 remember ever washing at their home. Perhaps I did.

Ken was a good swimmer and when the weather was warm we spent many happy hours in the swimming pool. This helped to make up for the freezing cold days.
I was a non-swimmer at that time but still enjoyed myself particularly playing with a large black blown- up tractor innertube in the water.

Opposite the 鈥楤arringtons were fields where the circus would over- winter. Great days spent there going around looking at the animals, patting the tethered horses. I did learn the hard way as I was kicked by a stallion , knocking me to the ground and injuring my arm, nothing too serious but from there on I approached horses from the front.

Chapter 27 The Fairground

When the summer arrived the fairground folk would start their generators and build the rides ready for the season ahead. Refreshing the bright paintwork, polishing brasses etc.
I think my favorite ride was the motorbike one. This went round and round very fast and the floor moved up and down in segments like moving orange slices. All the men and boys used to ride standing up on the moving floor, showing off to the screaming girls who hung on so tight.

First attempts to stand up always ended up in a heap on the moving floor which was quite dangerous. There were none of the restrictions in place those days. We eventually became quite expert at standing on the moving platforms and were allowed to move around the ride collecting money from the passengers. I suppose it would be called 鈥榗ool鈥� these days.

We loved the Carousel with it鈥檚 beautiful painted horses. These moved up and down as the ride went around. The horses seemed to throw you high in the air then judder down to the base then up again. Music playing and the models banging drums, the wonderful smell of the traction steam engines which powered the rides and provided the fairyland lights. The combination of all this gave us a feeling of complete happiness.

During the summer months we visited the 鈥楻ec鈥� to watch the cricket, sometimes in the pavilion where the score board was positioned. We were even allowed to change the scores with the number plates. As usual before returning to home we took the prescribed bathe in the open air swimming pool.
Despite all this we were unhappy at the 鈥楤arringtons鈥� and asked to be moved. I鈥檓 not sure how we approached this but do remember having a visit from the Billeting Officer, a Mr Johnstone, a stern man with a grey moustache from Bristol.


Chapter 27 The Final Move and Gandy

We were placed with the 鈥楾hompsons鈥� a London Eastend family who had been 鈥榖ombed out鈥� themselves and moved to 鈥榃ivey鈥�
They were a very kind family and immediately made us welcome and shared everything with us as part of the family. They had a son, John, he was in the in the RAF. A second son named
Ronnie was near enough the same age as me, and a baby boy named Norman. The small terraced cottage was set in a 鈥榙ead-end鈥� lane. It was called Newgate Lane off Golden Hill.

At the bottom of the lane was the 鈥楽tevens鈥� cottage. They had a son, called Dennis but always addressed as Gandy. He was to became our friend and mentor in all things country, helped by an incident on the day we met which gave me much street cred.
A commotion was being made by the women gathered. A rat鈥檚 tail was protruding from a stone wall in the lane.
Why I don鈥檛 know, probably showing off, my forte. I grabbed the tail, pulled the rat out and
killed it to the astonishment of Gandy and all assembled. This foolish act became my passport to acceptance. From then on we were pals and inseparable.

Gandy reminded me of this incident fifty years later when we met again on a surprise visit. His first words to me were, 鈥� Course I remember thee, you be Don who pulled thik rat out of thik wall鈥� Time had mellowed Gandy by this time. He was, like me, a grey- haired, spectacled old man. He did comment that those days were perhaps his most memorable.

Gandy continued to surprise us with his knowledge of the countryside. Castle, a place of interest just outside the village of Wiveliscombe, was very special to us.
We collected wood, searched for slow worms and climbed what to us seemed a sheer cliff face. Rode the 鈥楤ucking Bronco鈥� a long, springy fallen tree. Sitting astride this whilst the others bounced the branch violently up and down attempting to dislodge it鈥檚 rider, then take the place of the fallen one. Repeating this until we all had a go.
Castle was also the habitat of vipers, Britains only poisonous snake. Moving as close as we dared to watch them wriggle away, they are dangerous but will avoid humans, unless you stand or sit on one then you may be bitten. Fair do鈥檚 wouldn鈥檛 you!!

Gandy showed us which plants to pick from the hedgerows which were edible. Salt and pepper, wild strawberries and cob nuts and many others. Also when in season, mushrooms. A special find were horse- mushrooms. We would cover them with grass and return the following day to pick as they would grow to the size of a dinner plate in no time at all.
From the fields, turnips, swedes and carrots. Pulling these up eating them like large apples. Spitting on them to remove the soil and wiping it on our trousers. Lovely.

During the war years many things were in short supply or not available at all. Fruits from foreign lands were in this category. Some of the younger children had never seen a banana yet alone tasted one! Due to oranges and lemons being unavailable children would collect rose hips from the hedges. These would be made into marmalade and very nice too.

Mrs Thompson would make a batter in a shallow tray and sprinkle with currants, these would sink to the base .The mixture was placed in the oven to bake. Waiting for Mrs Thompson to remove the tray in anticipation of a treat. I think she was pleased we loved it so much.

Mr Thompson worked at Hancocks Brewery at the top of Golden Hill. A brewery stands there to this day and jolly good beer it is too. Gandy, The wise one of all things country had more surprises for us.
The brewery yard was a place to obtain 鈥榯reats鈥�. Waiting for the cider apple horse and cart to arrive loaded with a wide variety of apples. When the driver went to the office Gandy would check the bags of apples to see which were ok to eat. Generally cider apples are very bitter so Gandy looked for the 鈥楽weet Morgans鈥� and declared, 鈥� Theez be they鈥� making the rips in the bags bigger to get at them. Other rich pickings were handfuls of malt. So sweet.
Behind the brewery were the pig sties. Huge pink pigs fattened up here, enjoying what was to
be a short but happy life.

Chapter 28 Wiveliscombe Market

Market day was an exciting time too. Many hours were spent at the market. Watching the pigs having their ears pierced squealing in protest.
Sheep tumbled out of cattle trucks bleating in protest, some breaking legs on the steep descent from the truck. These were put down by the local butcher always at hand. Not a very pleasant introduction to countryside ways.

Chapter 29 Childhood Nerves

During this period I started wetting the bed and a rubber sheet was placed on top of my mattress. Poor Mrs Thompson, she would change the sheets on a daily basis but never chastised me, bless her.
This bed wetting was a powerful tool for my brother as during our many fights he would threaten to tell my friends of my bed wetting which made me very angry. I don鈥檛 know the reason why I wet the bed, all I can recall is that I had the same dream every night.
I dreamt I was sleeping in a gypsy living van. During the night I would wake up wanting a pee, climb out of bed, down the steps of the van and pee in the hedge, only it wasn鈥檛 the hedge it was the bed. I never told anyone of this dream and don鈥檛 know if it would have helped. Can鈥檛 remember when the bed wetting stopped but it did.

Chapter 30 A School Trip and more Countryways

A year had passed. Ma wrote to us every few weeks and we wrote back. We had settled in and although we thought of Ma and Freda, we didn鈥檛 mope over this. I did think of them every night though as we were brought up to say our prayers at bedtime and I would pray for God to keep them safe.

John Thompson, the eldest son who was in the RAF, would come home on leave occasionally. He would spend hours sketching. He was a good artist. Some of his drawings were of classic nude women. Getting a glimpse of these excited us as we had no idea what an unclothed woman looked like!

I was taken on just one school trip to Taunton to see a film. It was the 鈥淲izard of Oz鈥� I remember being so afraid when the Wicked Witch appeared on her broomstick with her evil green face. I hid under the seat calling to Ken to tell me when she had gone. Of course he told me she was but she was still there. Funny how he was so frightened of the dark but not of the Wicked Witch. I guess it was his way of getting his own back on me for frightening him.
I have watched that film many times since and I still think it is wonderful and the Wicked Witch still frightening. No, I don鈥檛 hide under the seat now!

Gandy was always with us and again showed us more country ways, haymaking and corn cutting. Riding astride the Shire horses, sharing cider with the farmhands. The men swinging the casks high over their arms and drinking with loud glugging noises then passing the cask to us. We tried to imitate them but the cider would pour out over our faces making us wet. This seemed to amused them.

Rabbit catching meant meat on the table and during corn- cutting and hay- making the rabbits were driven by the noise of the horse drawn cutting machine to the middle of the field which grew smaller as the cutter moved around it. Some rabbits made a run for it but the lurcher dogs were waiting for them.
When a rabbit made a run for it the dog would give chase going so fast that when catching the rabbit it would tumble over and over but never letting go of it鈥檚 prize. The remainder of rabbits were teeming in the small square of grass remaining. Men, boys and dogs all eager to catch a rabbit dived into the midst grabbing at the flurry of fur.

Chapter 31 Exams

My school progress was slow and I sank to the level of the remainder of the London evacuees. At the Wiveliscombe school Ken was faring much better and took his exams passing with distinction. He was the one with brains.

He was offered a place at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital College at Bristol. Uniforms there were traditional consisting of a long black vicar- type frock, belt, yellow stockings and buckle shoes. A very high college indeed. I wonder if the uniform is still worn?

Ma could not afford to send Ken there despite him winning a scholarship. Books, uniform, how would he get there as it was the far side of the city It was decided that St Georges Grammar School would be the best option Freda also passed her exams and attended St Georges ..
This meant leaving Wiveliscombe and returning to Bristol.

I can鈥檛 remember saying goodbye to the 鈥楾hompsons鈥� who had looked after us so well. Nor can I remember how we travelled back to Bristol. Was it by rail or coach? Why is this part of my life so vague?

Chapter 32 Returning Home

Coming home to Bristol seemed strange at first. Air raids were few and far between and had been during our period of evacuation which on hindsight was a waste of time. We soon slipped back into family life with Ken once again taking over the roll of 鈥淢an of the House鈥�
I do remember the garden with an abundance of fruit on the bushes and the vegetable patch fully planted.
In the corner at the bottom of the garden lived the hens and a rooster.
A walk-in compound of wire netting contained the brood a mixed breeds, mainly Rhode Island Reds and White Leg Horns. Master of the Pack was a splendid,. feisty Buff Orpington cock bird. When entering the pen a broom was carried to fend off his attacks .

Pullets were purchased to be fattened for the table at Christmas. The birds were fed on kitchen scraps and whatever the poor things could scratch out of the ground. Occasionally the eggs were laid with soft shells. Grit was added to their feed along with a mixture named 鈥楰arsons Poultry Spice鈥�. This would improve the shells.

Freda was a lovely sister and had grown up whilst we were away. She was developing into a young woman. She smoothed over the many fights my brother and I seem to revel in. Never running to tell tales to Ma although she had good cause to. She was good fun to be with.

A new member to the household had been added in our absence, Fluff the cat. It had this annoying habit of jumping up on our laps, making itself comfortable,digging it鈥檚 claws in then commence to suck our clothing making it wet as if suckling it鈥檚 mother. We loved Fluff just the same.
When walking home from school Fluff would sit and wait for us on the high wall surrounding the Morley Chapel at the top of the road. As we passed by Fluff would jump down surprising us although we expected it, landing across our shoulders laying there sucking away!! Strange. When she died we cried.

Chapter 33 Senior School and Friends

Ken started at St Georges Grammar School and I at Alexandra Park Secondary Modern School at Fishponds Bristol. Jonny Smart, the boy next door attended as did Mervyn Groves, Still up to his usual mischief.
What a character he was. Always in trouble, very bright and one of a twin. His sister was named Joyce, a really nice girl, in fact a very nice family. They were members of the Salvation Army. Mervyn, his Mum and Dad, played brass instruments in the 鈥楽ally Ann鈥� Band. We joined the 鈥楽ally Ann鈥� Torchbearers Club. A place to meet and play games ,table tennis and the like.
Most youth clubs were attached to a church and to be a member one also had to attend the church.

Mervyn鈥檚 mother worked at the fresh fish shop at Fishponds road near the park. The house reaked of fish, a smell I can鈥檛 stand to this day. His mother asked us to call her Flo. She was so cheerful and forward looking, kind and humourous. I loved being there and for me it was open house.

The smell of fish was unpleasant but the joy of being in that household couldn鈥檛 keep me away. I could walk in anytime without knocking. So different to Ma鈥檚 outlook.
Friends who called at my home were made to wait on the step and rarely invited in.
Flo not only welcomed me but fed me too. There were always lots of kids and laughter in that household. Later in life when I was in the army hospital Flo wrote to me regularly and sent food parcels. What a lady! A breath of fresh air. I loved her like a mother.

Chapter 34 Making Music

Another friend, Rowland Hammond, had a love of brass band music as indeed I did.
We met at 鈥楴umber Ten鈥� to make music in a simple way playing recorders we had made at school, other times playing the paper and comb. This made a sound similar to the bazooka,at least that鈥檚 what I think they were called. A small tin pipe with a mouthpiece and a hole the size of a farthing on the top covered with a fine mesh. By blowing through the mouthpiece a buzzing musical note would sound. I had an instrument called an ochorino, not sure how that is spelt.
It was made of china clay and 鈥楲鈥� shaped. It was played like a simple flute. It disappeared. Later I found out that Ma had visited 鈥楴umber Ten鈥� looking for a hammer and saw this instrument and thinking it was made of metal used it to hammer a nail. It never survived.

Roland and myself would strike up with 鈥楤laze Away鈥� and similar stirring marches attempting to harmonize, our feet tapping out the rythmn . This went on for hours. We thought it sounded so good. I doubt that it did! We enjoyed it and that鈥檚 what really matters. Later Rowland took up music seriously and played in a brass band. Lucky him

Chapter 35 The Concert party

Whilst Ken and myself were away at Wiveliscombe Ma and Freda had joined a concert party
to entertain the troops. Ma played the piano and Freda sang and tap danced. Ma was always being asked to play for choirs and functions.
If you played the piano you were always in great demand. We travelled with the concert party to Army, Navy & Airforce camps to entertain the troops. Also Fire Stations etc.鈥�

鈥淏ig Bertha鈥�,Bristol鈥檚 famous gun, was based at Purdown and regarded with affection by the citizens of Bristol. When it was fired the enormous bang would be followed by exclamations like, 鈥淭here goes Big Bertha ,Good luck鈥� Referring to the possibilities of shooting down an enemy aircraft.
I doubt whether it was ever successful but it was a great moral booster to the people of Bristol.
The concert party performed at this base too. The players were much appreciated everywhere they went. We loved listening to Ma and Freda being clapped and cheered. We were very proud of them.
I think the group were called 鈥淭he Waverleys鈥� The loudest clap was saved for the female singer Doris. Her of the big boobies!! She did have a lovely contralto voice and you could see where it came from!!

The concert group used to 鈥榖lack up鈥� for some of the numbers. Politically Incorrect these days! Cecil the leader, played the banjo and sang. He was well received as was Sid with his accordian playing and monologues of鈥� 鈥楢lbert and the Lion鈥� and 鈥楽am, Sam, pick up thee musket鈥� made famous by Stanley Hollaway.

Freda at a very young age also performed at the Bristol Hippodrome. singing and tap dancing.
I wanted to tap dance too. Freda would show me the basic steps, heel toe tap etc. I never did get the hang of it. I would still love to be able to tap dance!

Chapter 36 The Radio

The war was now going well for the British and Allies. We listened on our Cosser radio to 鈥楲ord Haw Haw鈥� a Nazi sympathiser broadcast doom and gloom for Britain. He was quite accurate with his predictions, broadcasting that the German bombers would raid a named city that night, which became a fact .
He also broadcast the damage caused during the raid the following day which indicated there were German spies about to have this knowledge.
Spies were known as 鈥楩ifth Columnists鈥� There was a saying ,鈥滸irls sleeping in four poster beds beware of the fifth column鈥�
Again loaded with innuendo. Lord Haw Haw was a figure of ridicule. People tuned in just to laugh at him. Now that is odd.

Our radio worked by battery and an accumulator which had to be taken to the shop, Shattocks in the Causeway Fishponds, to be recharged on a weekly basis. This service cost sixpence or to Ma, one piano lesson. The radio had huge valves which were silver and shone like Christmas baubles.

The radio was the mainstay of our entertainment that is when Ma wasn鈥檛 playing the piano.We listened to all the shows 鈥� In Town Tonight鈥� , Tommy Handley鈥檚 鈥淚tma,鈥� 鈥淗appydrome鈥�, 鈥淕illie Potter鈥� 鈥楽peaking to you in English鈥� was his catch phrase, Rob Wilton 鈥淭he day war broke out my missus said to me-鈥�- His catch phrase and many other great shows.
After the war Rob Wilton tried to make the transition to television but wasn鈥檛 successful like many other artists. Similar to the change from silent movies to talking pictures.
These programmes were spirit raising as were the singers of the day, Vera Lyne in particular. Everyone loved her. She was called the Forces Sweetheart she was in fact, everyone鈥檚 sweetheart and you felt she was singing just for you.

.Chapter 37 Paper rounds

My brother, sister and myself all had paper rounds morning and evening. Seven days a week
Yes, we were allowed to work on a Sunday. Getting up early every morning come rain come shine and straight to the paper shop from school to do the three rounds. At Christmas most of our customers would give a small 鈥楥hristmas Box.鈥� Some would donate a penny others a whole shilling.
The rounds were large and the paper bags heavy. Ma collected a percentage towards the housekeeping . Some of this was later used to buy a bicycle. We were going up in the world.
My first bike had a large frame and 28鈥� wheels. To ride it I had to put my leg through the frame avoiding the crossbar as I couldn鈥檛 reach the saddle. Later Ma bought us new bikes. Mine had a back- pedalling brake. Quite advanced for it鈥檚 time. We are growing up fast and the Yanks were over here.

Chapter 38 The Yanks

American servicemen, were everywhere. White, brown and black.
Smart uniforms, plenty of money,candy, chewing gum and of special interest to the girls , nylon stockings and chocolate.
They also had the 鈥榞ift of the gab鈥� and transport, usually Jeeps. This made them irresistable to most girls and caused resentment with the local lads and our own forces who were no match for the Yanks with their rough khaki uniforms and low pay.
Our lads could match them at war but not on the courting scene. Numerous fights broke out between our 鈥楽quadies鈥� and GI Joe as the Yanks were also known.
America had entered the war in December 1941, late as usual. The same as World War1 . It is likely that Britain standing alone against the Germans, Italians and later the Japanese would have lost the war so we should be grateful to the Americans for that.

The Yanks became prey for kids who followed them calling out 鈥� Got any gum chum 鈥� knowing we would eventually wear them down especially if they had a girl or two on their arm ! We were interrupting their romantic prospects, putting it mildly.
They would throw a packet of gum at us as a bribe to clear off which we did until the next Yank came along. During this period an amazing amount of used condoms decorated the streets. Not pleasant.

In most dark corner, and there were plenty of these due to blackout restrictions,
a Yank could be found kissing and canoodling a girl or worse!! This must be the basis for the old joke, 鈥淗ow did you injure yourself?鈥� response 鈥� Tripped over a Yank in the blackout鈥�
Girls that dated Yanks became known as 鈥淕old Diggers鈥� and were shouted at as they passed by.
I had a crush on Joan Fox who lived opposite. Joan was a few years older than me and I tried to impress her with my agility, running, jumping and generally showing off, all to no avail as she succumbed to the chocolates and nylons and became a 鈥楪old Digger鈥� Uncannily, I was to marry a girl who looked just like Joan Fox. When my parents met her the first thing they said was ,鈥滻sn鈥檛 she like Joan Fox鈥� That pleased me. When the Yanks finally left our shores there were a lot of new babies around, many were black and this wasn鈥檛 easy for the stranded, usually unmarried mother. Not like today where no one bats an eyelid. This was a stigma and must have been difficult times for the mothers. Some of course did follow their men back to the USA and made a go of it but not many I fear.

Chapter 39 The Blackout

During the war strict regulations were enforced including the Blackout. This meant severely restricting lighting. Most street lights were gas lit. These were lit by a man with a long pole. He was known as the lamplighter. Which reminds me, there was a man who would call at your home on request to give an early morning call for work. He would knock on the bedroom window with a long pole!
The tops of lights were capped to reflect the light down so as not to be seen from above by enemy planes. All households had shutters to place against the windows to stop any light shining out. The glass was criss-crossed with sticky tape. This was to reduce glass splinters from flying if broken from blast.
Vehicle headlamps also had caps with just a small slit to allow a narrow beam of light to show. You can imagine the streets were a dark place to be.

There were times though when the whole area would be illuminated but not welcome. This occurred when enemy aircraft dropped flares attached to parachutes. This was done to give the bomb aimers a better chance of finding the target.
Wardens patrolled the streets and the familiar call could be heard if they spotted a light shining through a window. 鈥� Oi! Put that light out鈥�

Chapter 40 The Vandyke Cinema

Ronnie Pow a ginger- headed lad was another close friend. His father served as a CPO on board HMS Illustrious an aircraft carrier based in the Pacific waging war against the Japanese.
He hadn鈥檛 been home on leave for several years.
On a visit to the Vandyke Cinema, Fishponds Road we watched the Pathe News which featured a Japanese suicide aerial attack on the 鈥淚llustrious鈥� Huge holes were blown in her flight deck and hundreds killed.
It must have been awful for Ronnie watching this film not knowing if his father had been killed or not. His father did return home eventually undamaged, at least on the outside.

As I have mentioned the 鈥榁andyke Cinema鈥� perhaps a few lines about this place of entertainment should be included.
As children our pocket money was twopence halfpenny a week.
Twopence to get into the Vandyke Cinema every Saturday and one halfpenny to buy a quarter of sweets or a bag of broken biscuits. The cinema was known as the 鈥楾upp鈥檔y Rush鈥�

A large queue would form very early with much pushing and shoving. The doorman would try to keep order. When the doors opened he allowed a dozen or so in at a time.
Films were usually black and white and more often than not included a cowboy picture.
Tarzan was another popular filmstar and of course, Laurel and Hardy and Old Mother Riley with daughter Kitty.

The noise the kids made, shouting and screaming, fighting too! causing the Manager to put up the house lights ,stop the film and announce that the film would not re- commence unless we were quite. We obeyed and kept quiet.
The film started again and so did the shouting.! The session ended with a cowboy serial,鈥� To be continued next week鈥� Buck Jones, Hop- Along Cassidy and Gabby etc. We couldn鈥檛 wait to see what happened the following Saturday. On the way home we galloped on our imaginary horses, shot each other calling out,鈥� Bang! !You鈥檙e dead鈥�!!

Films were categorized as A B and X. No person under sixteen was allowed in to see some of the films unless accompanied by an adult.
It was common practice for under-age children, including myself, to ask an adult to 鈥淭ake us in mister鈥� Some would ,some wouldn鈥檛. If it was a courting couple they might agree on condition you didn鈥檛 sit with them!!

Chapter 41 VE Day

The war in Europe was over. Victory was ours as promised from the start by our great leader and Prime Minister, Lord Winstone Churchill or as he was known more affectionately as 鈥淲innie鈥� A familiar sight with his bulldog looks, famous cigar and all-in-one siren suit of a dark brown colour. The people of Britain copied his style as the siren suit was practical and warm.

This man was an inspiration to the British people which made them determined not to give in to the enemy despite the terrible hardships suffered. His speeches are memorable and will go down in history as some of the best ever.
The war in the Far East continued against the Japanese.

The victory over Europe was a good reason to celebrate. Street parties were organised with trestle tables and chairs being set out in the streets. Buntings of flags were tied across the street and a large bonfire prepared. Celebrations would go on far into the night.
Food and drinks filled the tables as if by magic considering the rationing restrictions.
The children sat down and the adults moved around the tables trying to keep some sense of order. As the light faded the men lit the bonfire on top which sat an effigy of Adolf Hitler the most hated man in the whole world. As the flames consumed him great cheers rang out and the music started. Ma鈥檚 piano was dragged into the street . Ma played all the well know songs of the war years including those made popular during the first World War. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long way to Tipperary鈥� 鈥淩un rabbit ,run rabbit run run run鈥� and the like.

Potatoes were placed in the fire and racked out when cooked. It all seemed so wonderful. There were sad moments too as most people had lost a member of the family or relative during the war. They were temporarily forgotten at this time but not for long..
The laughing, drinking and dancing went on to the early hours.
Next morning the bonfire was still smouldering. Some boys were trying to coax it back to life kicking at the embers but it was all over. The war wasn鈥檛.

Chapter 42 The Far East

The Japanese had entered the war siding with the Germans. A big mistake as they chose to pick on the Yanks at Pearl Harbour.
Their huge armarda sailed into firing range of Pearl Harbour launching bombers from aircraft鈥攃arriers.
The unsuspecting Americans had no chance to fight back. Pearl Harbour was doomed.
The American Eagle had it鈥檚 feathers ruffled and was now hell bent on revenge.
The whole might of the country would now wage war on Japan.

The Japanese were fanatical fighters and loathed even more than the Germans. Both these nations would go down in history as committing the most terrible crimes of mass destruction of human beings.
It was to be another long, hard battle. That is until the atom bomb was used.

An awesome, frightening weapon. So powerful that it could destroy a large city within seconds and fill the air for hundreds of miles with radiation which would have long term effects on any living thing it contacted.

The first atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshimo from an American fortress, a huge bomber. Witnesses aboard included our own Leonard Cheshire VC. The scene of destruction was beyond comprehension and had a profound effect on all who watched this event that day.
Leonard Cheshire VC. was moved so much that it changed his life and after the war dedicated all his time looking after disabled servicemen and women setting up homes for them
These are called the 鈥楥heshire Homes鈥�.

It took one more atomic bomb to crush the Japanese. This was dropped at Nagasaki three days later with the same terrible result. The Japanese surrendered unconditionally. This was against all their principles and many of the their forces took their own lives rather than surrender.

The war was over. The task of bringing the prisoners of war home was just beginning and as in Germany, the atrocities committed were unveiled to a disbelieving world.
That is another story.

Chapter 43 The End Of World War 2

Celebrations took the same form as the Victory in Europe. Street parties and the joy of surviving such adverse times. It was time to rebuild, not only the buildings but lives.

The servicemen were demobbed and given a new suit and that was the end of their war.
Now they had to find a job as everything had changed. Most factories had converted the equipment to build war machines and ammunitions. Technology had moved on and they would have to adapt to new skills. Women had found a new freedom doing work traditionally carried out by men. They would have to adapt too. Life had changed forever.
Many men found it hard to adjust to civilian life missing their pals and the comradeship.
To some their children were strangers. Some had additional children which wasn鈥檛 theirs!
As for me, well, at the age of fourteen I took up a seven year apprenticeship as a lithographer.

At the tender age of fourteen I was now a man.

Don Shipton November 29th 2003

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