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The Americans
by May Roberts

May decided she wanted a home-made cake shop at the tender age of eleven. When she grew up, she became partners with a friend of her mother’s and found a shop in a Worcestershire village. They started their venture at the cafe two days after war broke out and also sold tinned goods and sweets.

It was well-positioned on a main road with parking in front, close to a bus stop and only three minutes walk away from the station.

May made the cakes and her partner served the customers. Business was hectic initially as a school from Felixstowe had been evacuated to the village. The business had gone downhill previously, leaving only £20 worth of stock when May and her friend took over, so they only paid themselves five shillings per week in order to put the rest of the profit into stock.

This was a fortunate move as when rationing begun, it was based on a proportion of the previous year’s output. It cost May 2/6 to go home each weekend so she only had 2/6 to exist on but of course, they were fed from the business.

On her half day, May would walk three miles to the nearest town, take sandwiches and sit in the 6d seats at the cinema for a treat. Sometimes, she had enough money for the bus fare home, otherwise she walked.

Once the Felixstowe children and teachers had gone home, there was an influx of Welsh solders who kept them busy for several months. They came for special training before being posted abroad.

In 1941, May’s partner gave up her share of the business. May tried to manage alone, borrowing some money from her father to buy her partners share. All the furniture belonged to her partner apart from May’s bedroom furniture so she had to furnish the sitting rooms and a bedroom. May’s application for furniture coupons was turned down, so she bought some from customers and auctions and managed to let part of the house to two lady teachers.

One awful day, the tin containing May’s sweet coupons had been accidentally thrown in the bin, but fortunately May retrieved them before the bin was emptied.

Rationing made things difficult and one of the restrictions was that sugar could be put in cakes, but you could be fined if it was sprinkled on top!

Then came the exciting news that an American Army Medical Corps (women and men) were to be billeted in the village. They had to be put in private houses and would have their meals in a purpose-built central hut.

May was very busy again as a result of this. The most popular snack was strong coffee and hot sausage rolls covered in French mustard. She was asked to stay open in the evenings for those who preferred not to go to the pub, but May didn’t have sufficient rations or staff to enable her to do this.

The Americans were friendly and helpful to May. Two of them dug her garden and oranges and sweets were left for her. May and her friends invited some of the female nurses into their homes and became quite friendly with them.

They were sent abroad after a few months and asked May for something green to put on the back of the last truck of the convoy to show it was the end. She gave them a light green petticoat that fluttered in the breeze as the convoy set off. She found ten pounds of sugar that they had left in her kitchen when they’d left.

After this, life went on and May had to make several wedding cakes for local weddings. As rations were scarce, she had to ask them for sugar and margarine. One lady brought butter as her husband couldn’t tell the difference between that and the margarine she had given him instead. All the cakes turned out well which was a relief as the ingredients couldn’t be replaced.

When she went home at weekends, she took part of her ration of meat, butter, sugar and tea as she couldn’t take her family’s. Occasionally, she was given a few fresh eggs by one of her customers. The cakes had to be made with dried eggs, but sometimes May was allowed a tin of frozen eggs which made better cakes.

The local clergyman would hold a service followed by a working breakfast in the rectory, several times a year. May was asked to provide breakfast for twelve. She served fish cakes, tea, toast, marmalade and butter and it was a very jolly occasion.

The local farmers asked for help from the some of the villagers. The first job was to ‘single’ beet. The rows were very long and it made May’s back ache after bending for so long. They gave their wages for this to charity.

After visiting friends one evening a few miles away, May was waiting for a bus when she noticed a distant red glow in the sky. She later discovered that it was Coventry burning from the terrible air raid.

One morning, May answered the phone to the police! However, all they required was a large pot of tea for twenty two policemen playing football. May often made tea for them after this and got on the right side of the law!

Rations became easier during the months that followed and she catered for cricket teas in the summer and hockey teas in the winter in the sitting room or garden to keep the café available for casual customers.

When the local hunt met outside the café she got some fertiliser for her garden!

May sold the business and returned home for family reasons, after a busy, but interesting 17 years.

When she returns to the village to visit friends, she finds it much changed with many more houses and shops. Sadly, the last time she saw the shop and café, it was empty and neglected, but has since heard that it has become a good restaurant, which she hopes to visit on her next trip to Hagley.

May is now 97 years old!
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Sue Russell of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ on behalf of Miss May Roberts and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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