大象传媒

This contribution to People鈥檚 War was received by the Action Desk at 大象传媒 Radio Cleveland and submitted to the website by Jane Tombling, with the permission and on behalf of Vera Kelley

My first memory as a five year old as Great Britain declared war in September 1939 was with my brothers and sisters, listening at the wall trying to listen to next door鈥檚 radio 鈥� our Mother had gone into our next door neighbours to listen to Neville Chamberlain's historic broadcast. When Mother returned announcing that war had been declared we knew we had not eavesdropped in vain! I was the youngest of six children and mother had been widowed prior to the outbreak of WW2, Dad had been a bespoke tailor with an excellent business. However upon his demise those who owed money all declared without exception 鈥渢hat they did not pay out money on dead men鈥檚 boots鈥�!!

So life was hard especially with my 2nd eldest brother being at Grammar school 鈥� his expenses were immense for a household on the breadline, but he had earned his place and Mother was determined he would stay at Grammar School regardless of the sacrifices that needed to be made.

As for my own school days, I loved going to school but my joy was to be short lived as the school in Saltburn was bombed when I was in the infant鈥檚 school. Little did I realise how school 鈥� in particular that site 鈥� would have on my life. The school was bombed 鈥� word had gone round the town but I went to attend as usual only to be met with the most awful sight of my beloved infants school razed to the ground.

I thought my school days had come to an abrupt end and I oh so enjoyed going to school. I enjoyed reading, playing with my new school friends, the thought that it had come to such an awful end broke my heart. However, all was not lost. The authorities and the local community ensured that school for everyone went on more or less as usual. Rooms were commandeered throughout the town (the local convalescent home etc) and I recall how most of my school days from then on consisted of an awful lot of going from one building to another especially for school lunches which were now being served and cooked on the premises of the local Presbyterian Church Hall.

My Mother had a hard and difficult life long before the outbreak of war. As if she hadn鈥檛 enough to do she was heavily involved in the local community. The family home was in the next street to the WVS Canteen on Emerald Street. It was situated in a large house on three floors; the bottom floor being two different types of canteen/rest rooms and the second floor contained games rooms 鈥� billiards tables, dart boards where they could also play cards etc. The top floor for me was the most fascinating where a grand piano stood 鈥�! One of the soldiers who was in Saltburn for most of the war was an excellent pianist, playing requests when asked and looking back I understand what pleasure and calm he brought to all those who enjoyed his music. The WVS served tea, Camp coffee, Horlicks with lots of home made baking 鈥� not a mean feat with rations being as they were.

Our home did not benefit from a radio but we unusually enough. had a mains supply bath 鈥� albeit in the attic. It was a freezing cold room even at the height of the warmest of summers. It had a solitary skylight and candles were the only other form of lighting. Occasionally my Mother would allow some soldiers billeted to Saltburn to take a bath in our home 鈥� a rare treat for them and they always repaid the gesture with goodies.

Mother kept the household ticking over by holding down three jobs, while cooking and cleaning for myself and my sister, the remainder of my siblings were away serving the Country in the Navy, Land Army, Munitions and my talented brother Alan who was a Metallurgist was running an iron and steel foundry in Bradford. Mother worked cleaning at the local high school which was five days a week 7 鈥� 9 am; she would clean people鈥檚 homes during the day and return to the high school for her 3 - 6 pm; not satisfied with all of this work to my amazement she often did evenings at the local fish and chip shop, quite where her energy came from I was at a loss to know.

It was 鈥渁ll hands on deck鈥� as far as my being looked after was concerned. From my sister鈥檚 friend who used to come by most mornings to get me ready for school before she went off to work in the local grocers, to neighbours and extended family. Childhood for me was a very happy time 鈥� I often wonder if I could have been any happier had there been no war at all!!

The end of my school days merged into the start of my working life. I had been going to evening classes from the age of 13 and had become a more than competent shorthand typist. My career began at my old school being appointed as the School鈥檚 first School Secretary. During my late teens when the re-building work on the bombed shell of my beloved former infant school began I met and later married one of the builders. So not only was I a very happy child at school, my happiness continued into my career and subsequent marriage.

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