´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by a volunteer from CSV/BB London on behalf of Nellie Wale and has been added to the site with her permission. Nellie Wale fully understands the site’s terms and conditions

For fourteen years I worked in the Liptons jam factory in Bermondsey. Liptons were a well known company and they joined together with Perks and Maypole to form Allied Suppliers. I worked with a team of 3 other girls finishing jars of jam and marmalade. This involved putting labels on the jar and putting them on to an elevator to go to the packing area. Despite the shortages the production of jams continued throughout the war, mostly strawberry, blackcurrant and marmalade. We used to work from 8.00 — 6.00 Monday to Fridays, but sometimes had to work on Saturdays if we were very busy. Whilst it was not a heavy job it did involve bending over a conveyer belt for 10 hours a day.

We were paid on a piece work arrangement and everyone was keen to work as quickly as possible. On one occasion the other girls in the team were working so fast that there were too many jars on the conveyer belt carrying the bottles towards the elevator. There was an almighty crash and jars fell off onto the floor. 40 smashed jars of marmalade make quite a mess! On another occasion again when the girls were working very fast, as I was putting the jars on to he elevator, I noticed that they had put on the wrong labels. The labels all had to come off and they had to start again

During air raids we used to go down to the basement in the factory to shelter. One day we heard the siren and then the sounds of planes overhead. It was the tea break and I had a cup of tea in my hand. As soon as we heard the siren we started to go down to the basement. I had just reached the top of the stairs when the house next door to the factory was hit. I was blown right down from the top to the bottom of the stairs but luckily only had a few bruises and most importantly, still had some tea in my cup.

I used to travel to work by train everyday to London Bridge. One day on the way into work we heard the sound of a bomb and it landed on a house right next to the railway track and where the train was. The house was destroyed but luckily there was no damage to the train so we just carried on along the line to London Bridge as if nothing had happened.

It was a long day from leaving to get to work and coming home in the evening. I was looking after my father and brothers and step-sisters, having to do all the housework and cooking and also looking after the 100’garden where we used to grow vegetables. Eventually I had to give up working at the factory as it was all getting too much.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.