大象传媒

This story appears courtesy of and with thanks to The Liverpool Diocesan Care and Repair Association and James Taylor.

There used to be a big Co-op called Unity House in Dale Street and Byrom Street. I was going down to the Co-op to buy some underwear and the air raid warden shouted, 鈥淚ndoors, indoors, indoors.鈥� Wherever you were, you had to go in any shop at all. I went into the Co-op鈥檚 basement and all the staff were there. Some of them were having a singsong, some were knitting and the others were talking. When you were outside you looked up you could see them firing from the planes. When the warden shouted you鈥檇 have to go into the nearest building until the siren went giving the all clear.

Were there any air raid shelters near your home?

We had a big street shelter at Grierson Street but we never used it because we had a shelter in our yard. One time when we had to go in the shelter I was busy making damson jam. My mother used to love it. When the damsons were in season she鈥檇 get a few pounds and ask me to make jam. The rest of the family were in the shelter and my father came out of the shelter and said the planes were overhead. I shouted, 鈥淚 won鈥檛 be a minute dad.鈥� I was waiting for the last bubble to come up off the jam. I had all the jars and labels ready. My father said, 鈥淔or God鈥檚 sake will you leave that alone and come in the shelter.鈥� I had to go because he was getting all worked up. God was a word my father barely used.

What entertainment was there during the war?

There was a wireless, the gramophone and a piano if you had one at home. You could go to The Pavilion and see a turn there.

Ho much food were you allowed on a ration book?

Not much, my father and mother got more because they were diabetic. The size of the ration book depended on the size of the family. You could go to either of two pork shops on Wavertree Road. You had to queue outside for hours for a quarter of boiled ham or roast pork. You only got a quarter of whatever you were getting. If there was a rumour that Parkinsons had stuff in everybody would go and queue outside. There were shops at Crown Street and Falkner Street. They used to get their rabbits from Wales I think. Most people from around the Lodge Lane area were strangers to these shops. The shopkeepers would serve their usual customers and if there was anything left he鈥檇 serve the people such as me. They had lovely big rabbits for a shilling each. It was only fair for them to give his regular customers first. You also got eggs, which you took a chance anyway you could smell they were rotten in the shop. You got one egg each. It was an advantage to your mother if she took the children down with her. It was hard then but those were the days.

鈥楾his story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his/ her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.鈥�

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