大象传媒

It was September 1939. I was 13 years listening to an announcement on radio at 11 o鈥� clock declaring war.

We were not able to go to cookery lessons owing to moving to another school. In those days you were taught at home. I remember blacking out windows and sticking tape on the windows to keep the glass from shattering in case of bombs falling.

We lived in a back-to-back house with an outside loo. I remember my granddad being a knocker up and having to blackout his lantern, leaving a small circle for the light to help him to find his way to the houses where he knocked on bedroom window with a long pole to wake people up for work. I remember the cellar being reinforced which was where we had to go when the sirens sounded.

Starting work August 1940 at John Barrans clothing manufacturers.

Almost straight away learning to make uniforms for the army. We made greatcoats, which were very heavy. We also made uniforms for Leeds public transport. The standard of work was very high at Barrans as they made suits for Austin Reeds, Harrods and Selvidges on Saville Row. The lady who passed all our work carried on the same standards for all the war work we made. We had to be perfect!
Eventually as time went on, I was transferred to another department making flying suits. These were made of yellow material and had kapok padding in. We all had to wear green snoods on our heads to keep the fluff off our hair. I made the channels. These were long pieces of material sewn onto the suits and had electric wires inside to help to keep the aircrew warm. Some girls made white snowsuits for the Russian war. We often had parties of airmen round our workroom for them to see how their clothes were made.
We were only teenagers and we always got very exited when they appeared and looked at us.

Eventually when I was 18 I was sent to Tap and Toothills a large firm not far from were I lived to make shell bags. We worked on tables in a line about 10 on a table and the shell bags started off on the first table and we had to do a target, and then move onto the next shape of bag right down the room. I sometimes worked nights.
We always looked forward to music while you work, and the whole room would sing. These were the days when songs had proper words and not one line repeated 10 times over as now.

My friend and I had an allotment. 'Dig for Victory,' ran a Savings Group, and made big efforts to sell the Savings Stamps, as we had special weeks for targets to buy certain things.

We walked around in the dark home from our local cinema and we could see the stars. Something you can't do now because of the lights. We often saw shooting stars and we had to make a wish. I think it very sad now we cannot see how beautiful the sky is.
I lived with my aunt, uncle and granddad. My Uncle was the manager of a branch of Gallons (a grocers.) The rationing made a lot of work counting all the coupons. He often had to bring them home.

Everyone on the Home front was united to win the war.
Churchill鈥檚 speeches held the country together. We listened to all the news bulletins on the radio. Even now when Churchill鈥檚 famous speech is played to us.
鈥淔ight on the beaches etc 鈥�.鈥�
It sends shivers down my spine. Although I was not old enough to join the armed forces we still all did our best at home.
We even had meetings and formed groups for 鈥榤ake do and mend鈥�
After the war in Italy was over we had many Italian prisoners in our area. They were all dressed in brown track suit type clothes and seemed to have plenty of freedom to leave the camps where they were living and walk freely. We often would meet them whilst we were out walking around Lower Wortley and Farnley area.

As teenagers our lives were fully occupied with doing our bit to win the war.No one seemed to cause any trouble out of boredom.

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