大象传媒

I was called up and registered in a Labour Exchange in 1941 in NewMarket and after a few weeks I recieved a letter that said we had to a Letchworth training centre in Herts. We did sixteen weeks training on learning the machines to make engineering parts.

The parts were for the Automatic Pilot on Aircraft, so the pilots could have a rest. This allowed them to sleep or eat if they were on a long distance journey. We made gear wheels and spindels in the training centre for tests. The instructors told us what to do in the centre. We would be drilling holes and white wash a piece of metal. Using a drilling machine that was electric were part of the elementry tasks that we were required to do.

We would also be producing cogs and gear wheels. We had to measure them with a micromter. We then left after sixteen weeks and arrived at the factory. I went to one that was known as Nicholls Compressors. There were many different students at the training centre, over 2,000 at least.

It was my first time living away from home. My mother took me to the train station. I stayed with a Mrs Hall, who was from Sunderland. Edna and myself went together and on the digs together. She went on different machines to myself.

At the training centre we would work shifts. This included the hours of 7am to 2pm and 2.30pm to 9pm. The men worked on the nights, the girls worked during the day.

We would produce two or three hundred copies of the same item. The factory was very noisy and dirty. You would put water and oil together to make a liquid to keep the cutter cool on the milling machine during production.

At the factory our hours were from 7.45am - 6pm. This included a lunch hour and tea breaks. There were large leather belts driving the machines. The girls didn't have to look after them.

Some machines were on lease from America for us to use. They were on what we called 'Lend Lease'. These were known as Cinniati and Milwalkie.

The belts made a lot of noise, but we didnt wear any protection on our ears.

We put try to prevent the dirt getting into our hands and nails, but it was very hard.

In our spare time we went dancing and to the Cinema at Icknield Hall and the Broadway Cinema. I used to go two or three times a week.

I was out nearly every night. The factory was given so many tickets, the machine broke down, and I had some free time, so we went to the cinema and we saw Gone With The Wind.We went to the shops too including Selfridges, tea-shops etc.

You had to have a bike, you couldn't get any where without one! I would go to Broadwater Avenue. We went to London during the War too, but we never heard any bombs during our time there.

The more work achieved the better, but we were earning 拢7 a week in the factory and 21 shillings a week in the training centre. I did this between June 1942 and February 1946.

The land ladies would give us breakfast each day, and this included Cornflakes, Porridge and Toast. The factory had its own canteen too with plenty of food.

Our land Lady would recieve 21 shillings a week from the Post Office for us. We had evacuee's at our home during the war. Some of the girls at the factory went to farming machinery eventually.

The Second World War ended on May 8th 1945.

We didn't earn as much money once we moved back to farm machinery work. I got a job in a shop called Harvey's in Ealey after the War.

I got Married in August 1946. My Husband's name was Stan who was in the Navy as a Cheif Petty Officer. We had met as we both had family in the same village.

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