大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Joanne Burgess on behalf of Phyllis Roberts and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I lived in the village of Ledston Luck near Castleford during the war. There were two rows of houses in the village and my Dad worked at the local pit. There was no evacuation from the village it was considered a safe place and so life continued with me going to school during the war.

The only difference was that people in the village had to take in refugees. My brother took in boys from London it was safer for them in Ledston Luck than in London.

I remember having to carry identity cards, you had to carry them everywhere and the police could stop you anywhere and check them.

After school I worked in tailoring at Montague Burtons in Harehills, Leeds. I caught a special bus from the village to the factory. However I then got my papers to call me up to another occupation, more than likely it would be munitions. You could not refuse to go. I was worried because there was talk that I may have to go work at the gunpowder factory in Crossgates. Anyone that worked there, their skin turned yellow so I did not want to go there.

Luckily I went to work at Kershaws on Harehills Lane, they made cameras for the war. There was a special bus to take me from the village to my job.

Eggs, sweets, bananas and oranges were all rationed during the war, if you managed to get any of those then you were extremely privileged. Expectant mothers were given bananas and oranges before anyone else.

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