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I REMEMBER
1939 — 1948/9ish

Big spoonfuls of Cod Liver Oil and Malt — or spread it on your bread - Lovely.

Blackcurrant purée issued by the M.O.F. for babies: scrape the tin for leftovers, spread it on your bread — lovely.

Parsnip mashed with banana essence — Ugh. There’s no way that could ever taste like a Banana.

‘British Restaurants’ — They looked like the works canteen inside but you could buy a good meal, ‘dinner, pudding and drink for a 1/- A treat for children — most of us had never been in a restaurant.

Bacon and egg pie, made with ‘dried egg’ — Lovely.

Anderson shelter (outdoors) made a great playhouse or den. When our house was bombed our shelter remained in-tack. It only lost its soil covering.

Morrison Shelter; (indoor) steel table I ‘tap danced’ on the top. — How did mum stand it? We slept widthways to get six of us in. Anyone tall, their feet stuck out of the bottom.

Barrage Balloons, flying over ‘RAF Stanmore Park.' Granddad said they were moved about on big trolleys. - ‘I had a white one on a stick’!

There was a big gun on ‘Bell Mount’ Belmont, when it was fired — we all shook.

We made Gollies out of our old black school stockings and made them little trousers and jackets.
The younger children loved them.

Dirndl skirts were made using blackout material, we gathered the material onto a waistband and put one or two rows of braid round the edge. ‘Blackout material was coupon free.’

we made rag rugs. As well as being useful, these tasks kept us occupied in the evenings, as we only had the wireless or each other to listen to.

Mum trying to feed baby boiled egg; my brother and I would keep close watch, when baby left some, there was a little chorus of “can I have it,” mum would say, “you’ll have to share it.”
One egg between three!

We would buy ‘Fisherman’s Friend’ cough sweets to take to school in winter —
‘Sweet coupon free.’

Big Bins on the roadside collecting swill for animal feed.

Bicycle lights, fitted with a shade to allow only a small light to shine down by the front wheel.

Dimmed lights on buses and trains — you could only just see, no reading the papers.

The area beneath the school balcony was bricked up and used as a shelter when the ‘air raid warning’ sounded. We usually had to sing songs.

Carry your gas masks at all times.

School dinners. There was 8/10 to a table, a plate with that number of small cheese squares around the edge was put on the table every day. Help yourself to one square each.

Going to school in the dark - due to ‘daylight saving.’

Very long summer evenings - due to ‘double British summertime.’

People in uniforms everywhere, many from overseas. Adults not in the services would be in the ��ѿ��ý Guard, or ARP.

Some young men were sent to work down the coalmines due to a shortage of miners, they were called Beven/Bevin Boys.

I wanted to join the Land Army, because I fancied the big hat and the britches — but I was too young.

The flying bomb VI, chasing us down the road, passing overhead, and crashing in the distance.

Hearing ‘Wealdstone Fruit Stores’ were getting a delivery of oranges, the first since war began.
We joined the queue at 7.0 am. They started selling at 9.0 a.m. Four oranges per customer.

‘Bata shoe shop’ advertised a delivery of white canvas shoes. I took ½ day off work to buy two pair, one each for my friend and I. Peep toe, lace up, sling-back. - What luxury.

Petticoat Lane — sometimes we could buy nylon stockings. Making a purchase one Sunday morning, I hurried home with my treasure, when I opened the packet I found the welt (top) of the stockings went down to the knee! Completely unwareable, but I couldn’t stop laughing and have never forgotten. — ‘Well worth the money.’

First fashion change —The ‘New Look,’ dress and skirt lengths went down to about 6” above the ankle. I could only afford the dress and had to save up for a coat.

‘But I remember best of all,
People -----— Trusting, Caring, Sharing, Giving, Friendly, Helpful, People.
The way we were. ---- --

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