大象传媒

This story was gathered, written and submitted to the 大象传媒 Peoples war project by June Martin

5 PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND HOLIDAYS

During these war years very few people had private cars 鈥� only doctors and those in certain reserved occupations. But public transport was generally good. As a family we holidayed in Portrush and went for a number of picnics to the seaside at Bangor, Donaghadee and Newcastle 鈥� all by bus or by train. Many families stayed in 鈥渂oarding houses鈥� and would have to hand over their ration cards to their landlady so that she could buy the food she provided at meal time. Everybody took full board as it was difficult to find cafes or restaurants. In 1944, when my brother became 12, our Portrush landlady told us she would have to charge the adult rate for him as he now was eating so much. I鈥檓 not sure whether by then he would have been on adult rations! But the next year we rented a house for a month near Cloughey, Co. Down, where we did 鈥渟elf catering.鈥� My father, whose annual leave was for just over 2 weeks, was able to travel to work by bus for part of this time.

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