大象传媒

I was just a child during the war.
It was frightening to see the soldiers and I was scared of the planes when they flew overhead.

Our family was well off so we had money to send me a to a Church School which cost sixpence per week. My mother would buy me porcelain dolls and because she was a seamstress she made rag dolls to give to other children. We each had 4 sets of clothes made for us by mum. She used to do all the island's tailoring. For me, she always made Sunday suits in white drill for church or functions.

Dad was the butcher on the American Base so we always had meat and money for coconut oil to burn in our lamps. Relatives who were short of things used to come to my dad. People who lived in town had to queue up and use vouchers for whatever they needed. People who lived in the country were able to plant breadfruits and coconuts, so if we went hungry it was our own fault.

One night we had a Member of Parliament stay with us. Mum cooked a feast. Next day he went next door and gave the children money because 'they were Labour Party children'.

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