大象传媒

During the war Pam Croome was a member of the Fishponds Youth Salvage Squad. A group of 9-14 years old delivered empty hessian sacks to every household in Fishponds and collected the full sacks in a handcart. They worked alone, each child was responsible for a specific street and they took their salvage to a central depot. This was Mrs Wilcox's General Stores on Manor Road, for collection by the Council once a week. Petrol was saved by only the one collection being necessary, instead of touring the streets. Items collected were boxes, paper, metal, rubber and books - all used for recycling.

The picture shows Pam Croome and her young salvage squad in a parade staged to honour the efforts of the young of Bristol and to boost morale. There was a carnival atmosphere as the lorries ferried their youthful cargo down Park Street to the Centre.

Pam also gained a Girl Guide badge for her efforts - the National Service Badge.

Memories from St Matthias College

The school had outings to collect rose hips. Rose hip syrup was issued for babies as an essential source of vitamin C.

Pam remembers tired children falling asleep at their desks. Communal air-raid shelters were too exciting for sleep; in Station Road for example, the whole road shared one shelter.

One day a German plane came down in the grounds of Manor Park Hospital. The crash was heard by the children in the school - they thought it was a bomb in the playgrounds and were terrified.

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