大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Elizabeth Perez of Stockport Libraries on behalf of "Jeananna". It has been added to the site with her permission and she fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

What were you doing the day war was declared? We were holidaying in Blackpool, and suddenly Blackpool without lights was too exciting, especially walking home along the front at night. There was enough natural light to find our way home, and there were no cars to speak of.

We didn't always use the Anderson shelter, which took over almost the whole of the small back garden. Often we just sheltered uner the stairs, when the air raids were not too heavy, some, I believe, I slept through. Whatever happened to those twisted metal bits which, in my ignorance as to their real nature, I avidly searched for? The great British Restaurant must have been a life-saver for working mums' kids. Our local one took over the whole first floor of the Co-op Emporium, with an outside brick staircase, and it was always filled with people.

My teenage years were in the late 40s and I started work at 14. My friends and I would save our sweetie coupons till pay day, all 30 bob of it. When still at school we still had cookery (not domestic science). Dried egg made lovely omelettes. Shrewsbury biscuits and cabbage completed the menu. We didn't throw the cabbage water away, it made a really refreshing drink.

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