大象传媒

So many childhood memories, but where do I begin? I was 2 陆 years old when my dad dies, in April 1939. The youngest of twelve children, my mother had her hands full before WW2 began. Four young siblings were evacuated to Wales leaving me with mum and five grown up sisters, the two eldest already married. I found everything about WW鈥� exciting; the anticipating wait of a warning siren before dashing down to the sheltered cellar, shared with the neighbours next door.
If a good fire was burning in the kitchen grate, a shovelful would be carried down, along with the oven shelves to keep us warm. No panic or fear, just parties and loud singing. Too young to realise it was the adult way of drowning out the noise of bombing. We were all well fed and I don鈥檛 recall much hardship. Along with my sister鈥檚 contributions, mum earned money finishing by hand men鈥檚 suits, as tailoring was her forte. She also made and sold 鈥榬ag rugs鈥�. I learned form an early age how to cut strips to perfection. Most of our clothes were from the local rag yard, but mum managed to pick the best.
Playing and rummaging through bomb sights was an exciting venture; boys searching for shrapnel and spent bullets, while the girls built houses or collected anything useful to take home. From the park on Rupert Lane, we would count the 鈥榖arrage鈥� balloons over the River Mersey, then wait to see if the Germans would shoot them down. A tram ride to Seaforth docks was a great adventure, arriving home with our ill-gotten bounty of peanuts brown sugar or damaged fruit. I don鈥檛 know how it began, but my family welcomed injured soldiers (wearing blue uniforms) to our house most weekends, for a home cooked meal, and entertainment by the way of the piano in the parlour. I loved the attention and all the pennies I was given.
The bad times I recall were queuing in the rain or snow for coal bricks, some times for hours. Mum would say 鈥淣o fire, no heat, no dinner.鈥� I went to dancing school and was on numerous concerts. A memorable one being Sailors Week; we danced on a mock up ship on a site in Paradise Street, and were introduced to the Lord Mayor and Navel officials at the Town Hall. There are too many treasured memories to relate here, V.E. day being another. They are all stored away in my mind safely. What wonderful memories have this generation of children got to pass onto their off-springs.

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