大象传媒

I was four years old when the war began. My father volunteered for the Royal Air Force and that left me and Mom alone, and, as she suffered acute deafness, she decided we would lock up our house in Rushall and move to stay with my Gran and Grandad in Pelsall for what turned out to be six years.
This period gave me a close family upbringing which, as an only child, I would not have had at Rushall. My mothers youngest brother Ernie was more like a big brother to me and she had an older sister living at home who was an epileptic. In those days, this was considered to be an illness which made the sufferer a virtual invalid, so I learned from an early age how to cope with my Aunts epileptic fits! Not a pleasant experience for a small child, but nevertheless, I learned tolerance and care because of it. I feel that these experiences helped to mould me into quite a responsible human being.
My gran was a patient, hardworking lady who did other peoples washing and ironing to make a better life for us all. She was kind and gentle and literally brought me up, as my mother got a job in a factory, to help with the housekeeping. My grandfather was very strict, but I worshipped him, and I think the feeling was mutual. We were never very far apart, except when he went to work, down the pit, as so many men did then. I think his strong discipline could help a few youngsters these days. A threat of his strap round my nether regions kept me in order. I don't remember feeling any hardship, yet there were many things we did not have. We had nothing to compare it with, and what you don't have, you don't miss! Sweets were a rarity, and I can't remember having an orange except at Christmas. Bananas were only seen in comics, and I used to wonder what they were when I saw people eaing them in the Dandy and the Beano! we used to scrump apples from local gardens and get many a clip round the ear'ole for doing it.
The most exciting times for me were when the sirens went in the night. Everyone would get up and dress ready for the air raid shelter. I was usually last to go, as my grandad was the local air raid warden, and he always insisted on taking me himself, wrapped in a large blanket. When we were all settled in the shelter, grandad would be outside with his tin hat on, watching for any potential fires or danger. We children had a whale of a time. It was an adventure, playing round the makeshift table in the middle of the shelter. As I remember, eating candle fat was part of the treat! The next morning, people would check on other neighbours to make sure they were alright. The community atmosphere was something to be proud of, and I wish it existed now. perhaps it takes a war to make people community-spirited! One of my aunts lived near Perry Barr, and as the Kynochs factory was there, it was always feared that'Jerry' would bomb it, as it made armaments for the war effort. However, this never happened and it was later thought that this was because the owners of the factory were German.
After a particularly heavy raid, someone from the family would go over to Sutton to make sure that the family were alright. No telephones to use, but 3 different buses to reach my aunt's house. It had to be done, usually by my Mom, and sometimes I went with her. I can remember when we got off the bus in Perry Barr, there were barrage balloons in the sky and they terrified me. I still don't like to see balloons in the sky as they remind me of those days. A bomb crater appeared outside Blakenall church and everyone wanted to see it. The security was very tight and you could only go within about 100 yards of the scene. It was very exciting at the time.
We used to hear the big gun over Bentley sometimes, firing at the German planes. When they came, they sounded different to our our aircraft, so we knew when the enemy was overhead. You would think the Germans would have been more intelligent wouldn't you?
Going to school was very different in those days. You carried your packed lunch and gas-mask with you every day. We did get school dinners, but I liked my sandwiches. We had about a mile each way to walk. (no cars for a lift in those days.)On occasions, while we were at school, the sirens would sound, and we would have to go to the school shelter, which was a brick built cold place which I hated. It was so different to the excitement of our own shelter in the middle of the night. I suppose we felt strange without our families. However, this did not happen often and schooldays were mainly happy.
At home, the wireless was our only entertainment. On Saturday evenings we listened to 'In town tonight' and on Sundays there was Variety Bandbox. Also 'Paul Temple' was very popular. I remember 'Henry Hall's guest night' They were adult programmes, but the only childrens programme was 'Childrens Hour'. My grandad used to have to take the accumulator to be charged up at the local foundry so that we could have listening time.
I also have memories of prisoners of war stationed at various places around the district. There was an Italian P.O.W. camp in Little Bloxwich, just below the school. We used to pass it on the way to school and back home. At first we were nervous, but eventually we made friends with some of the prisoners who were glad to come to the fence and talk to us.
The summer evenings were long and hot. (double summertime) We often took a picnic over the fields. It was wonderful staying up late as there were rarely air-raids whilst it was light. When darkness fell we knew that there could be a raid during the night. The community feeling must have been great in those days, but of course we had nothing to compare it with. Now, when I look back, it was a closeness that is very rare now.
Mealtimes were fine as I remember. Plenty of rabbit stew, shin of beef and boiled chicken. My gran seemed to make wonderful meals all the time and I wish I had shown more appreciation. She would cook a plate of chips just for me, on the small gas stove in the corner of the living room. The sink was also in there, and the wash boiler and the mangle. No place for minimalism then. I don't know how we all fitted in when everyone was at home, but we did. Sometimes the family would all visit, and a billiard table was placed on the dining table. You were lucky not to get an eye poked with a billiard cue.
A coal fire burned in the hearth, a black leaded grate with ovens either side and hobs on top. A shelf over the top was surrounded by a chenille curtain and brasses were always highly polished. It was cosy and warm and had a security you would give your right arm for now. No locking doors in the daytime! The floor was red tile (cardinalled) and home-bodged rugs were scattered around. I used to help gran to bodge rugs. They were made on sacking with pieces cut from old jackets and trousers. I helped gran by fetching and delivering washing for her customers. I used an old pushchair and got a penny for my trouble. I think she earned about a shilling for a full wash and iron.
Breakfast for me was the 'licker'pan. this was the residue after the bacon had been cooked in the fire oven and the taste was out of this world. Two rounds of bread and I could make a meal, scraping every little bit til the pan was clean. Lunch would probably be bread and jam or bread and brown sauce. No butter! sometimes gran would make me a rice pudding. We always had a good dinner when grandad came from work. a piece of toast on the toasting fork by the fire was quite a treat at suppetime, We could have margarine on that. We were lucky because my grandad had hens, so we got fresh eggs. He grew vegetables in his allotment so there was no shortage of good healthy food. Sometimes my gran would give me a jam jar to go and collect blackberries so she could make a blackberry and apple tart-delicious!
Winter evenings the adults would play cards and I would do some crayoning or play snap and draughts. It must have been difficult to keep a child occupied in those days. When it was dark, the blinds were shuttered and no light could be shown. Calls of "Put that light out!" could always be heard.
When my dad came on leave, we would move back to our house in Rushall and that was like a holiday! He would always bring me a present and I looked forward to these times very much.My schooling was allowed to be interrupted because of my Dad being in the forces. I can picture him now in his uniform. I was very proud that he was an airman and in real truth he never went in an aeroplane. He serviced them, but never wanted to fly one.
Christmases were quite good during the war. Not many toys, but the family gathered together and I had my cousins to play with. There was always a party at grans, and nobody went home as there were no late buses, and noone had a car. We slept in rows on the floor while the adults had the beds. If the sirens went. there would be more people to go the shelter.
Most of my clothes were hand-me-downs from my cousin, but they were quite well off, so I had nice things to wear. My mothers workmates gave her clothing and sweet coupons so I could have a treat. Such unselfishness.
Sometimes, half a pig would appear and was kept behind the sofa in the front room, salted down and covered with muslin. Not strictly legal I think, but everyone did anything to help feed their families. Black marketeering was probably the worst crime around then, although I have only learnt this since. When you are struggling, no questions are asked! Nothing was taken for granted and when things were gone, you never knew when they would come again. it all tasted good anyway!
Playing out was a normal part of childhood. Playing in was not an option unless the weather was bad. All the neighbours children gathered together and played at skipping, top and whip, hopscotch, tip-cat, hide and seek, climbed trees, picked flowers and made daisy chains. (and that was just the boys!) Life was a constant adventure and I wish my own grandchildren could experience the wonderful life I had then. The war gave me a wonderful childhood and a good family background where I learned to respect my elders and superiors and a decent start in life.
It took away my father and probably my chance of having any brothers and sisters, but at least I am still here, still wondering what it was all for, and why men still think that war is the answer to anything!

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