大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the People鈥檚 War by a volunteer from Lincoln CSV Action Desk on behalf of Philip Green and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Green fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I was born in one of a row of cottages built in front of what was known as The Steam Laundry on Belton Lane in Grantham in Lincolnshire.

The steam room in the laundry had a steel roof so whenever the sirens went off warning of an impending air raid, the whole of the work force plus the mothers an their children from the adjoining cottages crowded into this one room. Later on in the war we were issued with a big steel shelter that was erected in the front room of the house, this was called a Morrison shelter, taking its name from the government minister that was responsible for having them issued to as many homes as possible. The whole family would squeeze in if necessary. There were quite a few Army and RAF troops stationed nearby and I can remember quite clearly that every Thursday during the war one of the big rooms in the factory was cleared so that dances could be held. We weren鈥檛 allowed in so we would peep in through the open door where we would see the troops and the local girls dancing together. My father used to attend every one so that he could keep an eye on my four sisters! As with other fathers, he was very strict and no boyfriends were allowed to come to the house without being vetted by him first.

Another memory I have is of going with my best pal to Lake Windermere camping. We had to wash in cold water in an enamel bowl. I鈥檝e never been camping since! I played in the Ruston & Hornsby band throughout the war. This was a local engineering firm at which I started an apprenticeship when I left school at 14 years of age. During air raids we kept a watch on the factory roofs. We were to take note of where the bombs dropped. This was relayed to the firm鈥檚 fire brigade who would attend to the incident. We used to be paid 2/6d for doing this and got a free meal if we had to stop over night so there was no shortage of volunteers if someone couldn鈥檛 do their designated night.

We were instructed on what to do if an incendiary bomb dropped close by and we practised the routine many times but when some high explosive bombs were dropped in a pub yard close by going off with an awful loud bang we all ran off in the opposite direction. I had a newspaper round at night after school and work with another one to do on a Sunday morning but I had to hand over the money I earned to my mother. 鈥淚 need the money to help feed the family鈥� she used to say. I used to take a newspaper to the Lion Lodge which is the back entrance to Belton Park and at least once a week they would give me a rabbit or a pheasant to take home to help feed the family.

Dad used to keep some pigs on a nearby allotment and I can remember going with him to the market, taking a pig to sell, the pig being transported in a steel wheelbarrow. The whole family used to walk along Belton Lane to Londonthorpe on Sunday afternoon to visit our Granddad. Whilst the grown ups were busy talking we were allowed to play in the nearby field with the warning, 鈥淒on鈥檛 get mucky or you are in trouble.鈥�

The other things I remember are delivering goods to customers for a local draper鈥檚 firm using one the old fashioned bikes with a basket on the front. The other thing that comes to mind is helping out at St. Wulfram鈥檚 church when the organ was being tuned. I got paid 6d a day and allowed to be off school. Can鈥檛 be bad, can it?

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