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Mum’s Memories

My mother grew up in Liverpool. She kept a diary for many years from the age of 14. Her entries as a teenager during the war years seem to show how normal life went on around the horror of the bombings and the hardships the people endured. These first extracts are from August and September 1940 when air raids were starting to happen on a daily and nightly basis. Mum was then nearly 16. The family used to go down to the relative safety (but I imagine cold, damp discomfort) of their cellar during the air raids.

1940
Wednesday 28 August : Broke up and went to see Miss L. about leaving school. Did a gym display for Rose Queen in small hall. Air Raid.

Thursday 29 August: Terribly tired after being up in night. Went to see Judge Hardy and Son (?)at the Stella. Choir practice, then talked to boys. Big air raid . Lasted ages . Bombs in Crosby.

Friday 30 August: Air raid in the afternoon. 2-4. Mrs L. came in to our house. Tonight another long air raid. Nearly six hours. 8.50 to 3.00. I have left school.

Saturday 7 September: M’s birthday. 2 air raid warnings in morning. Went to town with E. and J. and had to go long way round because of bomb damage. Bought presents for M. and M. Up in long air raid. Fed up of them.

Friday 13 September: Stayed in. Cleaned middle room out with Mum. Went to Endeavour (church meeting) Not many there. Stormy night. No air raid . Quiet night. Wonderful.

Saturday 14 Sept : H. came home. Just went down to village then stayed in. At night air raid 8.30. Very much gunfire. Heard screaming bombs and others. Incendiary bombs all round the district. One in St Thomas’ Church and on H. C.’s house.

Sunday 15 September: Sirens in morning. 2 planes brought down last night. Very small bible class. Went to church and came straight home. Air raid. Went straight to bed. Then another one but stayed there.

The bombings continued throughout the winter months. Mum’s father worked as an air raid warden. He died in January 1941 of bronchitis at the age of 55.
The worst air raids came in May 1941 and mum expressed real fear for the first time. She was only 16 but obviously had to grow up very quickly. It seems that some people were able to escape to ‘billeted’ places and the family eventually went to spend a short time in Southport.

1941
Friday 2 May: Had to go to Blacklers after work. Went to Endeavour. Air raid. Very heavy. Thought our house was down once. Gave us awful fright.

Saturday 3 May: Back windows all out. Lots of people killed last night. Went to see M. J.’s wedding. Big Hall in Mission unsafe. B.C. also got married. Exchange station hit so had to get bus from Bank Hall again. Went to Royal Court to see Gondoliers. Marvellous. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sunday 4 May: (Last night) Had the most awful raid possible . Thought our last had come. Bombs one after the other. Actually did manage to survive it although all windows out. Terrific fires. Johnsons burnt out. Awful day. Terrible damage.

Monday 5 May: Another raid. Got to work awfully late. Went on lorry. No trains. Lewis’ and Blacklers and all docks gone. Every place is down nearly or is burnt out. Went to bed but had to get up for another raid.

Tuesday 6 May: Joined queue for train at Seaforth. Have had the war’s worst air raids. Girls from office went out billeting. Another air raid but 6th night not as bad.
Wednesday 7 May Went out to lunch with M, Went to bed early but of course had to get up. Raid even worse than Sat night. Can’t stay in this house much longer.

Thursday 8 May: Terrible damage. Fire engines from all over the country. When came home half the family had gone to Southport and we followed on. Had marvellous quiet night. Made very welcome.

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