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This story was submitted to the peoples war site by Emma, Sophie and Katie from Holmemead and Burgoyne Schools on behalf of Jo Parish and has been added to the site with her permision. Mrs Parish fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

This story was told by Jo Parish on behalf of her family.

A 2nd hand Story by Josephine Parish:

Shiela Mary Cook. In her teens about 12. Very lucky as her mother was a very good cook could make meals out of scraps. When she was little she went to her local primary school. Her mother was in service in a great house he was a parlor made and then became a cook. When 12 she past an examination called the school certificate to go to the gramer school- was in the next town (didcot) in barkshire- travelled by train to a school in Wallingford. Loved going by a train. Long blonde curly hair. Had lots of friends and boyfriends. Was only scared when she heard the sirens. An older sister called Audrey- 18 months older. Not evacuated but had two girls living with her called aggie and flow a bit younger, very very cockney. She helped with a postal round; her uncle had a farm she used to help on the farm. It was a safe area. They lived just next door to a railway station.
Her mum used to sew a lot and she used to cut clothes. They also used coupons. She loved dancing. Big age gap between her grand parents it was 20 yrs. Sitting in there house puffing his pipe. She went to the pictures now and again- big film stars errol Flynn, Veronica Lake. She made friends easily the social type. Father came from Birmingham; mother (she ran a pub) walked outside and had to pick her way through bodies. The army suit- big suits, putties, beret, similar to todays uniform apart from it was made from wool. They had running water but no indoor toilet. In winter it was freezing — no central heating. She would not have thought about having guns in the house. All the home guard had there training to do
Her mother was so glad it had ended she was at the end of her teens.
From what her mum says even though she was not in a bad part of the country when a siren goes of thrills of terror go down her spine. Joe would like you to know that her dad was in the first world war. He was in the Indian raj and in Russia, he had to get a cross country to the port of ark angel before the port froze in the winter. He collected as many riffles as he could.

Joes thought---- if in mums position---- that in many ways she would get of very lightly, that part of the country did not have bad blitz.

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