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Bomb drops on Alfred St. School, Rushden , Northants

“This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Anita Howard (nee Anita Sackett) from the Essex Action Desk CSV on behalf of herself and has been added to the site with her permission. Anita Sackett fully understands the site’s terms and conditions”

My mother Ivy Sackett (nee Corby) worked at John White’s shoe factory in Rushden, Northants making boots for British forces. Nurseries were provided for young children so that mothers could work for the war effort. I remember the little nursery in Tennyson Rd. where I had to have an afternoon nap on a foldaway bed in the afternoon.
My peg had the picture of a lamb on it. One Christmas, the boys were given toy tanks and the girls a soft woollen ball. Needless to say I wanted a tank!
In October 1940 people in the factory heard an aeroplane overhead. From the fire escape they watched a German plane zoom over the High Street dropping a stick of bombs over the buildings below.
My mum’s friend Aunt Dolly said,
“We just stared and couldn’t believe it. It was like watching the films”.
The Queen Victoria Hotel was hit, some cottages in Duck St., Cave’s boot and shoe factory and Alfred St. Junior School. Minutes later the forewoman said,
“Those who’ve got kids ‘ad better goo1”
Several children and a teacher were killed. Luckily no-one in our families were hurt but Aunt Madeleine was in the school when the bomb fell. She was shocked numb but not injured.

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