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Newnham Bridge, in Worcestershire when war broke out in 39. I went every year from when I was nine month old until I was 14, and then I started work for me mother wouldn't let me ramble. I came from Blackheath., Oldbury Every year we went hop picking. Always to the same place. Partridge's Park, Newnham Bridge. I don't really know when the war had started. No, Well, not down there, see; I mean, well, we was in the country. It didn't bother us. Oh, when we went back home, of course.
I know where I live now they dropped a landmine, not far down the hill. And the houses down Grace Road.
But, we had a big air raid shelter on the...; know where Blackheath market is. That island, there.
There was a big air raid shelter under there. Yes, a public air raid shelter.
And I know our mother used to get me out of bed; put me siren suits on. And we'd get 'flak', and they'd say,
"Come on down to the shelter." And when her back was turned they used to get back in bed. (laughs)
"Come on to the shelter!..."I was thirteen then.
It was funny coming back on the bus, because you couldn't have any lights on And, oh, you could see Birmingham burning, definitely. Me, I was about four or five, some'at like that.
They bombed Hadley's out, and, they found one of the occupants... Oh, dear.
I mean the bombs used to whistle, (whistles) and then they were silent.
We used to come on the train; and then turn off, and come over the River Severn; and get off at the station; and go in the farm, lorries...And they'd put all the hop picking boxes on, and then they'd say, "Do you want a lift up?" And we goes, "Oh, we'll walk." I mean, we was only young. "We'll walk." Well, I was born in September and my mother took me the following; erm, December I was born in, and she took me the following November, so I was nine month old And she used to sit me in the crib and ...And...had creepy crawlies in..in the hops...
When I was thirteen in the September, and mother says, "Now this is the last time you'll come hop picking, cos you're fourteen at Christmas."And... on the Thursday, and on the Friday I started; making nuts and bolts. ‘Lenchin.’ You see, in them days you could pack your job in Now me mother said, "You won't be able to go hop picking, no more." And I thought so I used to go and then I'd say, "Mother, I've left me job."
"Come on hop picking."I’d go hop picking and when I'd come back I used to go back to the factory and say,"Er, can I have my job back?"And they'd say, "Yes."…They didn't pay holidays.
Yes, I hop picked through the war. That was when I met my first husband.
When I was thirteen I would say he was two years older, ...So we had to wait til he was 21. I never went out with nobody else.And on the day he was 21 he came up our house knocked on me door, and says,
"Come on..."

This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from Wyre Forest Volunteer Bureau from a recording made by Daphne Joyce, and has been added to the site with her permission

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