大象传媒

Margaret Suddes was born on the 29th of September 1918. She was about 21 when the war started. She heard the news of the war coming home on a bus one Sunday afternoon. She was shocked but on the other hand expected this to happen as there had been lots of talk about it.

Margaret had 3 children during the war Wendy, Harry and Lyn. Her husband Harry Suddes was away fighting so she was left as a single mother. She missed him a lot, but could keep in contact by letters and she still remembers his number until this very day. Margaret claims it was very hard living in the war bringing up small children and having her husband and some relatives fighting in the war. Margaret had little time for herself and rarely went out because of her children.

While her husband Harry was away Margaret and her children moved away to Hexham in search of safety. This was evacuation but because they were moving to a relatives house Margaret could go as well.

Rationing was hard but even harder with young children and babies to nourish, as well as feeding herself. Margaret became very thin as her main priority was to feed her children. Margaret often swapped coupons if she needed more of something and less of the other. In those days you had to help each other. The meals were simple as there was not a lot of choice. Margaret prefers food today as there is a lot more variety of food from other countries that there was not at the time of the war.

Margaret was living in the countryside away from the bombs in the city of Newcastle but air raid sirens still sounded regularly. When she had to use the air raid shelter she said it was uncomfortable and hard with small children.

Zoe Mingoia and Chloe Simmister, both Y9 students at George Stephenson High School, Killingworth, Newcastle upon Tyne.

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