大象传媒

In September 1939 the war broke out Margaret McDermott was 18 years old and working in a canteen in Cusson鈥檚 soap works at the time. The war had been expected for some time but people were still scared because they knew that there were bombs and more advanced weapons since the First World War. People went silent in the canteen and they all listened to the radio as Churchill gave his speech. People knew that men would be leaving. Soon rations were introduced and it was a change to not be allowed the amount of things that you would like, fruit was rare, and people lived mainly off vegetables and rarely saw meat.

Soon Margaret was making munitions her three brothers were sent away to Blackpool they were split up and the same day the eldest brother bought a train ticket and came back. When she was 20 years old Margaret joined the army and went for 6 weeks training at Worcester. Margaret enjoyed her time in the army. Margaret and the other people in the cook house had to be awake at 2:30 to be on duty at 3:30 to cook the meals for the army during her time there Margaret enjoyed her self she and her friends would often take food and feed it to the children who would visit them. She made good friends in the cookhouse. She finished work at 1:30 but if you were late or did something wrong you would work the
Jankers shift which would last about 1 or 2 hours after the normal shift. In the cookhouse Margaret would do such jobs as podding peas on nice summer days she would sit outside with three other workers around a container and they would pod peas. The children who lived nearby would help them pod peas while they did so they would sing old songs. She had to make breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper she had no machinery to work with at supper they made doughnuts and had to put the holes in herself.
Her friend went on a date to the pictures which ended in her being walked home by her date which was not allowed she kissed him goodnight when the commander came around the corner her date 'Nobby'panicked and knocked her over he got put in the glass house which was like a jail for 2 years.
She had to go on country marches and she would play cricket with the local kids on the green. She missed her brothers when she was in the army and always spent her leave at home thought the train ticket was expensive. Her and her friends used to take trips to London and each other鈥檚 homes she took her friends to Salford. In those days Salford was rough in those days and her friends loved it as there was a pub on every corner!
She met her husband in the coal hole on a blind date after the war and they were married within 9 months.

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