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The following is a letter from my mother to her cousin Brian, both then aged about 18. My mother had started training to be a Pharmacist with Boots the Chemist at their Big Top store in New Street. She lived in the Hall Green district of Birmingham.
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Dear Brian
So sorry not to have written to you before — I intended writing as soon as I heard you exam results, but since then everything has been in a turmoil and writing gone non-existant.
My heartiest congratulations. It must have been a great relief to you to have passed! How are you settling down to business life now? I expect you are quite used to it and have little, if any, spare time. Have you had any bad air raids around Welwyn? I expect you have heard that Dad’s place has been H.E.’d then burnt clean out — also Boots New St was bombed — we’re open as much as possible now — in common with many place “more open than usual”
Birmingham as a whole is looking a terrible mess and we have just survived a week with no water and no gas — which meant carrying buckets and baths from the Cole or a well up Robin Hood Lane. In Town conditions were very difficult as we had no water for dispensing, and no heating either — apart from having no wall one side of the building. — however we “keep smiling” ! Hope you do too.
Geoff visited us at New Street two or three weeks ago on his return journey from leave — he’s probably mentioned it to you — or perhaps not. I’ve seen Aunt Natalie several times recently too. She seems OK & is quite thrilled with the prospect of her new job which she begins at W.V.S. headquarters.
Our family are carrying on much as normal, air raids are very trying and Dad was on duty from 7p.m. — 4p.m. the following day without any relief after one bad raid, and mother is out a lot too. Great difficulty arises in getting out of B’ham City before the raids start owing to lack of transport and firms leaving early, also debris owing to damage on homeward routes. Still, one manages OK.
Yesterday I cycled over to Henley in Arden — it was a nice frosty day & the country very peaceful — first time I’ve been out of Birmingham since I last saw you.
Guess who’s just arrived here! Cecil Kingdon! He’s moving back to Birmingham & called here to sleep a night or two while finding ‘digs’! so many people have spent nights here lately that we seem a regular boarding house. He is quite well and surviving Coventry raids.
Work is much as normal — after a fashion. I’ve started my final course now. Please write if you can spare time — all send their love and best wishes from
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Brian kept the letter. He did not stay in business but joined the RAF as a Pilot Officer in Coastal Command. His aircraft was deployed to search for a ‘vessel’ (presumably a U-boat) sighted off Bishops Rock, in March 1943 and never returned. My mother’s letter was amongst his personal effects and was returned to her. She has kept a photograph of him on which she has written ‘dulce et decorum est pro patria mori’. Geoffrey was Brian’s elder brother, who was in the Queens Royal Regiment. He was killed the following year in the Anzio landings.
The reference to ‘Dad’s place’ is, I believe, to the BTH factory in Rugby (subsequently AEI — GEC). Both my Grandparents were air raid wardens and the 'duty' was fire watching.

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