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This story was submitted by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk, on behalf of Margaret Badel. The author has given her permission, and understands the site's terms and conditions

I was nearly seven years old when war was declared. The weekend following the declaration, my family, mum, dad, brother Peter and myself were due to go on Holiday to Skegness. This was cancelled and I remember going shopping with my mother into Derby I think. Looking up and seeing the sky full of barrage balloons, something I have never forgotten.

Towards the end of the war, I was coming home from a girl guide meeting, having been to the meetings in the blackout throughout the years, standing at the top of Browning Street hill looking over the Austin Estate, Sunnyhill area, seeing all the houses lit up, it was like fairyland after the bleak years of darkness.

Many memories come back to me:-

The Ordnance factory on Sinfin Lane camouflaged, the buses with dim blue lighting, torches with slits of light, but we still felt safe going out by ourselves.

Rationing was hard. I never drank tea until I was sixteen. I recently found out why-children were not allowed a tea ration-so mum only received a small amount of tea (Dad was in the Army.)

So my brother and I drank water, no pop or fruit juices then.

Queuing for everything!
Orange’s very rare, strawberries only in season
Cakes from Wlliamsons on St Thomas Road
Cakes from Birds at the Cavendish/corner of Almond Street, with it’s bakery at the rear
Going to the Co-op for rations, I can still remember mum’s ‘Divi’ number-most important to collect the ‘Divi’ every quarter.

2/- or 2/6 worth only (but cakes were about 21 1/2d or 3d each)
(10p or 12p)

Food remembered:
Dried Egg
Dried Milk
Span
Scratchings from the chip shop
Fish Slices
2 slices of potato with a thin layer of fish between, fried in batter at 3d (old pence)

Few sweets-saving up coupons to buy Quality Street chocolates.

I remember gas mask drill at school.
Practice walks to air raid shelters in grounds of nearby Homelands Grammar School-which I later attended.

‘Pig Swill’ bin- no food was wasted.

Wrapping paper and string saved and re-used.

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