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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by CSV/´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Nottingham on behalf of Mr. Quiltor and Mrs. Fiques, with their permission. The Authors fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I am the oldest of seven; we lived in a small village 30 miles from London. At the age of 16 I was told I would need to do War Work as my Mother had already taught me to use a Treadle Sewing Machine. I was sent to the Parachute Factory in Woking 2½ miles away.

I did a twin needle cross seam panel of the white chutes the 6 months later I went on shift work. The hours were 3am to 3pm one week then 3pm to 3am the next week. We also learnt how to put firebombs out.

The Parachute Factory was in Portugal Road run by Mr Quiltor and the Manager, Mr Graham. Mr Quiltor was a keen photographer and he used to take our photographs. I still have one where I am carrying a small brown loaf that I had queued for. On another one, the whole workforce was asked to go onto the field for a photograph — along with the Firemen on shift.

We had a new colour of silk come to the cutting room and we learnt that it was khaki which was used to parachute jeeps and light guns.

We had a lot of men writing to us to say thank you for saving their lives!

I also did piece work; if I did over 5 parachutes a shift I got a bonus. I was at my machine frame in 1945 when all the electricity was cut off and it came over the loud speaker to say that the invasion had started. We were laid off because they had enough parachutes in stock.

I went to Guildford to join the Land Army with 5 others who had passed the medical and was posted to Warren Farm in Purford where Mrs Fiques was the owner. My job was to look after 500 chickens, 5 sow pigs, I goat, 2 cows and Nobbin — the Cart Horse.

With my friend I went to the Pirbright Guards Barracks in Surrey to a Prisoner of War coming home dance - where I met my husband Bill. He was 8 years older than me and we had 54 happy years together.

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