大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by the Barnsley Archives and Local Studies Department on behalf of Joan Ward and has been added to the site with his/her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions."
I was still at school when the was declared. Wombwell High School. I remember we had to go for a short walk to a place at the end of Jardin Street to collect our gas masks. We then had to carry them about with us wherever we went. I think I was about 12 or 13 years old when my mother brought home a mother and daughter about 16-17 years old to stay with us. They had come from Jersey, evacuees I believe, they were with us for a while.

My oldest brother went into the army and a sister went into the A.T.S. My father was in the Home Guards.

Although food was rationed we still seem to have good meals. My mother was a very good cook and we always seemed to have a relation coming home on leave, so we were a very busy household at times.

I was about 15 years old when there was the Sheffield Blitz. My grandfather had a grocers shop at Broomhill, Sheffield. The shop did have a few windows shattered and shelves all dishevelled, but he was safe. I did go to work for him for about 4 years. When I was about 19 years old and I had to come back home to look after my mother who was having trouble with her health.

I joined the Wombwell Youth Group where I met my husband. He had been in the Fleet Air Arm. We used to have some happy times at the youth centre and made some good friends. I did work at Blaskeys Wallpaper shop for 3陆 years and was married from their in 1951. We have a daughter and a son and 3 grandchildren

My maiden name was Joan Gyte. I married Douglas Ward in 1951 and moved to live at where I am living now.

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