大象传媒

After two years of engagement and the previous five years 鈥榗ourting鈥� we decided it was time we were married, in view of the war situation and so we set a date: November 10th, 1940 鈥� we had just six weeks to arrange it.

Next day I took my sister Joyce and cousin Edna who were to by my bridesmaids to Greys Department Store in Bull Street, Birmingham to buy the material for all three dresses. It was a lucky move because within a few hours there came the announcement that all clothing, materials, shoes etc were to go on coupons 鈥� to be found at the back of the ration book.

The following Sunday we asked Reverend Joseph Scarlett if he would marry us at Moseley Road Methodist Church. He said he would be delighted as he was very fond of us both, and we were so well matched.

What to do about a Reception?

My Auntie, Mrs Evans who was a caterer at Moseley Masonic Hall was asked if she could help. She agreed to provide a 鈥楿tility鈥� meal while Mr George Wooley gave us the use of the small dining room as a wedding present.

The materials were already with Margery, the dressmaker and bride and bridesmaids were to go in two weeks time for a fitting. But when we turned up the fabrics were still in the bags they were taken in so we were asked to return in another two weeks. A fortnight later bridesmaids dresses were at the fitting stage but the bride鈥檚 material was still wrapped, untouched and only two weeks to go. 鈥淣ot to worry鈥� said Margery, 鈥渋t will all be ready, come and collect on the 9th鈥�, the eve of our wedding. When we arrived there the Bride鈥檚 material was still waiting to be cut but the blue bridesmaids鈥� dresses were ready. 鈥淣ot to worry鈥� said Margery again, 鈥淚 will bring it around to you at 11 o鈥檆lock in the morning鈥�. She did. She arrived with a beautiful gown with a gorgeous train all cut in scallops around the edge. She and her boyfriend had stayed up all through the night to cut out and make the dress. I tried to put it on 鈥� then panic, the sleeves were too narrow, my hands and arms could not go down them! Fortunately, Margery was still there so she had to set up and unpick them from shoulder to wrist and machine them up again on Mother鈥檚 machine. Time 鈥� 12 o鈥檆lock. The first taxi would be here in 陆 an hour. It would soon be time for Mother and Bridesmaids to go to Church and me not even dressed 鈥� veil to be placed, stockings and shoes to be put on, where are all the flowers?

The taxi arrived. As Mother left the house for Church, our little dog escaped. My Dad chased after her down Lincoln Street but the dog ran faster!! Fortunately a kindly soul captured her and returned her to my Dad who was in a real state, hot and bothered and out of breath. The taxi arrived for us at 12.45 to take us to Church. Our original choice of Moseley Road Methodist Church had been bombed the previous week and was unusable. Reverend Scarlett told us he had crawled on his hands and knees in the rubble to rescue our licence and then re-arranged for the marriage to take place at Cambridge Road Methodist Church in Kings Heath. Our guests were all notified by post, as most of us did not have telephones in those days.

My greatest worry was that my wedding car would have a gas bag on top of it! Fortunately it did not! On the way to church our taxi bumped over hosepipes and was frequently diverted because gas pipes were blazing in almost every road in Moseley. We finally arrived in the rain at church where everyone was waiting, most of all 鈥� Eric.

We were duly married and then by Taxi to the reception at the Masonic Hall. The tables looked lovely 鈥� so did the cake 鈥� three tiers 鈥� all covered in cardboard to look like icing. There was a war on you know!

With the reception over 鈥� everyone was anxious to get home before any more air raids started. There was no petrol available for a taxi back home so we all travelled back on a number 39 tram. We arrived home just in time to dive into our air raid shelter with my mother and sister where we stayed until 6am the next morning. Eric and my Dad returned the next morning after having been on ARP duty all night in one of the most vicious raids of the war. We spent Monday 11th, our 鈥淗oneymoon Day鈥� taking the Bride鈥檚 bouquet to Brandwood End Cemetery to place on the grave of Eric鈥檚 father and mother, then back to work on Tuesday. Each night the bride spent in the shelter, while the groom was on ARP duty. At the end of our first week Eric got his call-up papers to report to the Army in seven days time.

At the end of our first week of marriage, a heavy bomb blasted our room at my parent鈥檚 house. The curtains were cut to shreds, our beautiful eiderdown 鈥� a wedding present 鈥� had its cover cut by glass from the window while another present, our lambs wool hearth rug was full of soot that had come down the chimney in the blast. Even the loudspeaker of our brand new Murphy radio console was ruined before it had been used!! But the loss of our wedding presents seemed trivial when Eric told me he had to collect the remains of a fire-fighter friend he had just left on the corner of Lincoln Street and Edward Road and had been killed in that bomb blast. I am very pleased to see that the name of that fire-fighter, Percy Allan is inscribed on the new Memorial to commemorate civilians killed in the bombing of Birmingham.

Well, after an unforgettable start to our married life, we celebrated our 65th anniversary on 10th November 2005, our 鈥淏lue Sapphire Anniversary鈥� with our family and many friends.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Eric Morris and has been added to the site with his permission. Eric Morris fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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