大象传媒

Tuesday 111 Bray Road
(1941) Speke
(Liverpool)

My Dear Mother + Ronald,
I just got your letter on Friday, well Sandy isn`t working yet.
Routes protested about the meeting saying they had only two advocates instead of
three but it is just an excuse not to start the men, however I thought by today that
something would have been settled as they wrote to the prime minister and he put it in
the hands of Bevin the Minister of Labour, but I had to write as there is no news yet
but I`d write again if there is any word of them starting. This week they collected for us at the factory and Sandy + the other three, got 拢4.10 each so that was something to go on with. It is three weeks today since they came of work.
I was saying in my last letter that Derek wasn`t so well, well it turned out to be
measles, but he wasn`t too bad he was really more ill before the spots came out, but
he was covered with them just the same and he terribly itchy with them I had to bathe
him often with warm water, to ease him but he is fine today and wanting to go out
and play. he`s got a cough but it isn`t bad and I `ve got a good cough bottle for him
so I hope he`ll be all right soon, it`s lovely weather and that`s a great help.
Well I`m glad you got a nice suit for Ronald he`ll be very pleased with himself I`ll
send you the money soon as I`ll likely be getting some from Sandy`s society dispute
money.
I had a nice letter from Sally she was telling me she was putting the children in a
Military home, and going to work, and that Hugh was getting married next month.
he`s 35 yrs old and his girl is 26. They`ve got a house in Dennyloanhead, but maybe
Sally has told you all this, she says she sees you often.
Well ma I`ll be glad if you can put us up, anyway we can see how we get on if your
not too crushed. I don`t know when I`ll be home, if Sandy would only get started. I
would know what I was doing. I`ll maybe able to tell you next week.
I got quite a surprise to know that Chrissie was expecting anyway she`s had a long
time between, wee Frank will soon be five. I`m glad she is keeping well.
I always meant to ask you if Tot Smith was married to that West Yorkshire fellow? so
she got a son and so easy too.
Well I`ll close now mother give my love to all at home and lots to you and Ronald.

Your Daughter Doris

PS. its 3.30 and Derek + me have been up since 2 o`clock the sirens went at 1.30 but
when guns got going bad I get him up, and was just down stairs before a high
explosive fell near here. I heard windows crash, Sandy`s out fire watching he`ll
maybe know where they fell. One of our own shells whizzed past a wee while ago
and came down with a bang, just near.------ Its qr to four + Sandy`s come in and he
dosn`t know just where they fell but its Gregory`s Way and the blast blew a bathroom
window right out across the road from me.
(all clear10 to four) off to bed, good night X X X X

Some notes on Doris Thomson and the 1941 letter.

Doris was born in1908 at Boness, Scotland the daughter of a cinema manager who was killed in action at Arras, France, in 1917. Her mother had to bring up Doris and her three younger brothers on a widow鈥檚 pension and all five lived in a one room flat.
She left school at fourteen and worked as domestic servant until 1930 when she married Sandy Thomson, a pattern maker. I was born in 1931 and Brother Derek in 1936. Just before the start of WW2 the family moved to Speke, Liverpool where Sandy had obtained work at the Routes aeroplane factory.
I n 1940, shortly after the war started, I was evacuated to Denny, Scotland to stay with my grandmother. Derek was too young to be evacuated and he stayed at home throughout the blitz, though the German bombing was light in this part of Liverpool.
I have been unable to find out what the dispute at Routes was about but the men must have felt very aggrieved to feel moved to write to Mr. Churchill, the Prime Minister.
Sally was my mother鈥檚 closest friend whose husband was in the army. Chrissie was her sister in law. My mother could not remember who Tot Smith was!
Sadly Doris died early in November aged 97.
Ronald Thomson
December 2005

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