大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War web site by a volunteer on behalf of Vivien Ford and has been added to the site with her permission. She fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My name is Vivien Ford, (nee Banfield), and I was born in August 1939, just before the Second World War broke out. I had two older brothers: Peter was 6 and David coming up to 4. We lived in a three bed-roomed semi detached house in North London, in a very pleasant tree-lined neighbourhood.

When the War began, I guess my parents panicked a bit - not surprising really with three young children to look after. My father decided that mother and children should stay with friends in Bristol, and he took us all there, but had to return home to work. It turned out to be a difficult situation for my mother, with a new baby and two lively boys to look after on her own. We were given rooms at the top of a big house, but I don't think the friends helped in other ways. Fortunately a friend popped in to see the family downstairs, and summed up the situation. "Let me put the boys to bed for you while you look after the baby'" She did the ironing too and remained a good family friend over the years - alas she is now in an Abbeyfield Home in Bristol. I don't know how long my mother 'stuck' it in Bristol, not many weeks I think. For the rest of the War we stayed at home, happier to be together, and we were one of the lucky families that survived.

My father's job working for the Food Research meant that he wasn't called up, but he was an ARP Warden in the area as well. At the beginning when there was a raid, we all squashed into the cupboard under the stairs - there wasn't much room at a1l. I can remember my parents saying years later that Peter just sat and read books all the time, quite unconcerned. My second cousin (the 'new' baby mentioned!) recently unearthed the enclosed letter. It was written in 1940 by my mother, in her familiar neat handwriting, and it describes how my parents coped at night during the War. It gives quite a good insight into family life during the War. Mother wrote it to her cousin Connie, and her family had evacuated from Sydenham, London, to Buckinghamshire.

I have memories of laying in the Morrison air raid shelter, which was in a corner of the sitting room, the front room downstairs. The Morrison Shelter must have been a later stage than the one described in my mother's letter. There were three 'beds' in it for the children, my parents slept on a put-u-up settee in front of us until there was a raid and the siren went, and then they joined us, inside the shelter. The windows were covered with blackout material so that no light shone through to the outside. As I didn't know anything different, I wasn't actually 'afraid'. I can remember hearing the doodlebugs approaching, and my brothers and I would chant, "This is it, this is if. Fortunately for us, it wasn't. Bombs were dropped not too far away, and I did feel awful when I saw the damage and devastation as we passed afterwards on a shopping trip. I recall that we all had gas masks later in the War, and mine was especially small. I still have a tiny silver bracelet that I wore, with my name and identity number engraved on it.

I can remember the Ration Books. My parents didn't take sugar in their hot drinks and were able to swap sugar for butter (or would it have been margarine?) with friends down the road. I can also remember 'dried' eggs. I think we received parcels of tinned fruit and packets of dried fruit from relations in South Africa. This meant Mother was able to make special cakes for Birthdays. Towards the end of the War I can remember my elder brother talking excitedly about bananas and Mars Bars. "Just wait, Viv," he said, "You'lI love Mars Bars!" Even after the War had ended, we still had to use Ration Books. We used to divide the sweets between the three of us, and put them in our own little sweet tins - but there would be no more for a week!

We were very fortunate to have summer holidays in Bognor Regis during the War. We stayed in a Guest House in Park Road that went down to the seafront. Of course, we couldn't go on the beach at all. There was barbed wire and barriers, but my parents still thought we'd all benefit from the sea air. Sometimes our grandparents also stayed there, and sometimes our friends from down our road, or our cousins. So it was always good fun. We played in the Marine Gardens on the seafront. I can remember the barricaded seafront, climbing up the steps to the grand Victorian Guest House (it is still there) and playing in the sand pit in the Gardens. I can recall being lifted to see the gold fish swimming in the raised round fishpond. I have often been back there, and parts of the Gardens haven't changed much. The daughter of the Guest House owners is still a great friend of the family. Towards the end of the War there was a raid while we were in Bognor; it was early morning, and I can remember my Dad diving in to bed on top of me to protect me. I was a bit scared as the trouble seemed close, and there was a bang - the glass in the front door was blown in as a bomb dropped somewhere in Bognor.

I well remember the excitement in the family when my parents said the War had ended. I didn't really know what that meant or what difference it would make to our lives - I had not known anything else. But I could really sense the pleasure and excitement. We went up to London on the Underground and joined the crowds celebrating in front of Buckingham Palace. There were so many people there; but my Dad let me sit on his shoulders so I could see.

15 Beechdale,
London N21

22nd Sept.'40

Dearest Corrie and George
We were delighted to have the good news on Friday evening of the safe arrival of Catherine Elaine
Congratulations and loving wishes to all four of you. You must be immensely relieved Corrie, in these hard days to have it all safely over and I hope you and the Wee One are making good progress.

I do hope you don't think that because I haven't written of late you have been out of mind. Believe me such is not the case. I have thought of you many times and oft but with three little ones it is very difficult to find time for letters. Earlier in the month I wondered how you were and several times tried to get George on the phone (that would be at the office in the City) only to be told that "there was a delay on the line with Mansion House" and then "Sorry, I can't get the number." I begin to wonder whether the Phoenix (George's office) has suffered among the many other' buildings in the City. Isn't all this destruction heart-breaking?

I wish so much I could see you all and the new arrival. It would be so much nicer to have a talk - alas, I wonder just when we shall meet again? There's so much I want to know - I hope one of you will be able to write soon and tell me all about everything. I hope you are not too disappointed you didn't have the long-for son: I'm sure you are not. As long as the darling is safely here and whole in limb that's all that matters, isn't it? It is rather nice for Elizabeth to have a sister too. I expect she is thrilled. And you will find it useful to hand things down, I find that with the boys!

We are certainly getting the raids we were promised all those months ago now aren't we? The barrage over here is terrific - we have several heavy guns quite close. Frank has made the lounge our refuge room and we all (!!!!!) sleep there now. The boys have a double mattress on the floor with their own singles on top, thus giving them separate beds, the settee locks and this is where Vivien sleeps with a huge chair in front of her. Then we have a bed beside the wall running along the hall. We feel it is impossible to take children into a shelter at night as they are so cold so we just hope for the best. The boys go straight to bed there and sleep right through. Just a couple of times David has wakened with the guns, but not for long. Vivien normally goes up in her cot at 6 pm until the warning sounds, then she is sound asleep when I bring her down. I don't think she would settle off so well with the boys. She is a picture of health and has just begun to walk. She is very precious. The boys have never got over their delight in having her and of course we haven't! David started school a fortnight ago, he seemed to need the occupation - he just loves it and gets upset if the siren sounds and prevents him going. At present he only goes in the morning.

Frank (my Dad) is kept very busy - I suppose you know he had a trip to Aberdeen for work on the herrings. Since then he has had several trips to Birmingham for special work for the government. He had to go up for a day or two each of the last three weeks.
Well dears, we hope for all our sakes that all this worry and strife will cease and we can have the pleasure of meeting. Kiss the Little One for me and may she grow strong and be a real joy to you both. I'm so glad Elizabeth is not to be an only - it's lovely isn't it to have two safely after your long wait.

Heaps of love to each one of you and loving wishes,

Yours affectionately,

Effie

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