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Caring for Ensor entertainers

When I was 18 my sister and I went into the NAAFI but we were in what was called ‘service’ at the time, which was working in big houses for rich people’, we were sent to a large house in the village( Lugashall) called White Standen to look after ENSA people. I remember Billy Cotton and his band and Alistair Sims were there. ENSA went to the army camps entertaining the troops. I was what they called a house-maid and I was in charge of all the bedrooms, the dining rooms and lounges and the halls which had lovely, polished parquet floors. It was all very hard work.

In the evenings the staff cooked for the ENSA people, but if they were not back by 11pm we would pack the food into hay boxes to keep the food hot.

We were allowed to go out two at a time which we enjoyed very much as it gave us an evening off. We had occasional days off too and then we used to go into Andover to do shopping or go to the pictures. Other times we would cycle to Little Durnford where my parents lived.

We also went to dances in the village, which is where I learned to dance.

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