大象传媒

This story was submitted to the the People's War site by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries on behalf of Louis Holford and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When I was a young lad in the early days of the war, we lived in Hunter's Way at the top of Chamberlain Avenue. I used to stand on the front step watching the bombers come over looking for the Michelin. They'd be closely followed by Spitfires and Hurricanes trying to shoot them down. I remember on one occasion the German pilot panicked and dropped a bomb on Newcastle Street in Penkhull. We could see the aftermath from our house. As kids we thought it was fantastic, but it must have been horrendous.

As a family we were lucky. Mother used to clean people's houses. One lady she cleaned for was Mrs Marsh from Shepherd Street. Her husband had a bakery in London Road (now Thorley's). We'd get the odd pheasant, lots of rabbit - my favourite was roast rabbit. Mother and my uncle and aunt who lived with us (dad was in the army) grew lots of veg in the garden. We always had a good meal but mother kept all her butter rations to herself!

The VE Day party was held in Croft Crescent. Lots of cakes and jellies. I've still got a photo somewhere with my sister June, friend Michael Cooke and his brother Peter all at the party.
Louis Holford

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