Tag: London

Sun Sept 15

Tidied up a lot.  Listened to a rather boring lot of records of The Reverend in America.

Mon Sept 16 – Sat Sept 21

Cannot remember much as I forgot to write as I do not have much time.  Go on Mrs. Covey’s bike to Cranley etc. a lot.  Go shooting!  The planes go over every night.

Sun Sept 22

Did not do much today.  Went shooting.

Mon Sept 23

Went to pictures.  Saw Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff in Tower of London, also Vic McLaughlin in Rio.  Nearly got bombed home.

Tues Sept 24

Uncle Hugh came today.  Going to stay week.

Wed Sept 25

Uncle Hugh is always catching rabbits, pigeons etc.

Thurs Sept 26

Forgot to write anything here.  I see June sometimes.  Took her shoes to her house.

Fri Sept 27

Uncle Hugh caught pheasant.  Boy are the bombs Loud.

Sat Sept 28

Uncle Hugh went back in van.  Tudor had cup of tea.  Bombs were terrific.  Went down the village.  Saw Ben.  Rode along with me, talked.

Sun Aug 18  (Full moon)

Had an air-raid warning.  Heard about 5 bombs drop.  Mummy ran from shop, dive bombers overhead about 1-30.  Just going to have dinner.  Had tea at shop.  Second raid at about 6 o’clock.  Sat on stairs.

Mon Aug 19

Daddy’s birthday today.  Sent him birthday cards.  Did not have any raids.  Did not go any place today.  Had nice tea!

Tues Aug 20

Went to pictures saw “The Last Post” also “The Spiders Webb”!!  Very good.  Had dinner at Restaurant.  Mummy had letter from Daddy.

Wed Aug 21

Did not go out today.  Did some washing.  Also ironing.  Very cold weather.  Have got to look for job.

Thurs Aug 22

Saw Doug, Ronnie Wood and friend.  Said hello!  Ron is post office boy.  I have an idea there will be a raid tonight!

Fri Aug 23

Had raid about 3:30 this morning.  Forgot tin-opener.  Heard guns and planes.  Moonlight nights.

Sat Aug 24

Had raid in morning and one in afternoon.  Went to Auntie Pat’s at night, had raid, went in her shelter.  Lasted about 2 ½ hours.  Heard planes afterwards when we got home.

Sun Aug 25

We had bath. Went to Auntie’s.  Had an air-raid about 20 to 11.  Also one at about 1-15.  So stayed night.

Mon Aug 26

Went to pictures.  Saw George Formby in “Let George Do It”, also “Fighting Mad”.  Renee came round, Auntie Pat etc., came for night.

Tues Aug 27

Had terrific raid from 9:30 to 4 o’clock, bombs and guns going.  Did not get much sleep.  Also had rain in afternoon.  Had raid about 9:30, lasted about 2 hours.  Just made tea.

Wed Aug 28

Had raid about 12:30 a.m.  Did not last so very long.   Put earth on shelter the morning.  Had letter from June.

Thur Aug 29

Went after job in Estate Agent.  Don’t know whether I’ve got it yet.  Put more earth on shelter.  Made shelter better.  Washed hair.  Did not have any raids.

Fri Aug 30

Had 1 raid dinner time,  2 in afternoon and one about 9:15 lasting 7 hours.  Have got job, start Tuesday.  The bombs and guns were terrific.  Fell asleep.

Sat Aug 31

Had two raids this morning.  One at 8:30, the other at about 11 o’clock.  Had raids all day today.

Sun Aug 4

Went to Auntie Pat’s in evening with Marnie??  and Mummy.  Did not do much today.  Had Ice and fruits for tea.

Mon Aug 5

Went to pictures.  Saw Edith Fellows in “The five little Peppers”, also James Cagney in “The Pluck of the Irish”.   Were going swimming, closed.

Tues Aug 6

Mummy bought me new dance dress and lovely shoes.  Went to Locarno in afternoon.  Also Mummy, Mrs. Smail, Pamela and Renee.  Had fun.  Went played tennis in evening.

Wed Aug 7

Caught boy stealing pears.  Stayed in bed till late.  Saw Mary.  Went walk.

Thurs Aug 8

Had letter from Mr. Brettell with haymaking money.  Bought some more cards.  Mummy and Pam went to whist-drive across road.  Saw Doug and friend, also spoke to Ronnie several times.

Fri Aug 9

Mummy went to Alfold.  Pam went swimming.  I went to pictures.  Saw “Old Mother Riley in Society” also “Two Thoroughbreds”.  Good.  Had two eggs for supper.  Had dinner at restaurant.

Sat Aug 10

Went shopping with Mummy.  Saw Auntie Pat, Mr. Grieves, Mrs. Arnold and Jean.  Bought Wendy’s present also Mrs. Kirby came and saw flat.  Went to South Side ___  with her.

Sun Aug 11

Got dinner.  Mummy was going to Whist drive, but too late.  Had ices and fruit for tea etc.

Mon Aug 12

Wendy’s Birthday today.  Went to her party.  Lovely tea.  She had 5 cards, cot off Mummy, doll off Auntie Pat etc., beads off Pamela, Brick truck off me.  Played tennis.  Had ices.  Saw Jean Johnson.  Wendy was very excited about her birthday.

Tues Aug13

Went to shop several times, tooth came out, at last.  Mummy did not go out but yes she went to whist drive with Pam??

Wed Aug 14

Saw Ronnie Wood, Doug and Boys.  All or most of shops shut, so did not do much.

Thurs Aug 15

Went to pictures.  Saw “Swanee River” and “City of Chance”.  Air-raid, stayed in cinema.  Wandsworth factory burning.  Guess it was sabotage!

Fri Aug 16

Had air-raid in morning and one in evening.  Just going to cinema.  Bombs dropped loudly.   Went to pictures.  Saw “I Take this Woman”, also “Just William”.  Mummy liked them.

Sat Aug 17

Did not have any raids today.  Went Clapham Junction.  Had ice.  Saw Mary and Jean and Ronnie.

Sun July 21

Donald is rather nice.  Had hay fight. Boys chased us.  June does not like to go out with Don.

Mon July 22

Boys made gunpowder.  Shot it in gun.  I played piano.  Went out with boys!

Tues July 23

Went walks today.  Pamela had her tooth out Friday.  Saw tanks and soldiers.

Wed July 24

Found some mushrooms.  Had them for tea.  Saw a plane doing some stunts.  Fell in river.  Went to Stovold’s Hill.

Thur July 25

I go home tomorrow.  Did some packing went to secret meeting with Dennis, Donald and June.  Don bought us Ginger shandy.

Fri July 26

Went home to London!  Uncle Hugh took us to pictures saw Ronald Coleman in “The Masquerader”.  Also another good film!

Sat July 27

Went shopping had photo taken.  Saw Auntie Pat, also saw Dennis Young.

Don also bought block of choc each.  Had some fun.

Sun  July 28

Did not do much today.  Burnt potatoes.  Went  to meet Mummy.  Went walk on common with Mummy, Auntie Pat etc., etc.

Mon July 29

Went to labour exchange.  Am going to have job  in West-End.  Went  swimming.  Saw Doug.  Had dinner in restaurant.   Got off with boys.  Went in park with Mummy.

Tues July 30

Wrote after job.  Went to pictures.  Saw Gordon Marker, Bonnie Hale in “Hyde Park Corner”.  Also Billie Burke, Frank Morgan in “The Ghost Comes Home”.

Wed July 31

Saw Mary.  Went to dance, but full, so came back home.  ________ was Tuesday.  Have not had any letter from June or Roy???

Thurs Aug 1

Went out to Garret Lane.  Saw Mary, Doug, spoke.  Mummy had letter about technical school.

Fri Aug 2

Went to pictures.  Saw George Raft and Joan Bennet in “the House Across the Bay”.  Also East Side Kids in “ditto.  Saw R. W. and friend in evening.  They smiled.

Sat Aug 3

Saw R. W.   Went shopping.  Had dinner in restaurant.  Met Mummy.

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committee began sorting out the children to be billeted with the local inhabitants.  I waited and waited, until just Wendy and myself were left.  We then learned we were to be billeted at the Rectory with my school-teacher and his wife.  I had seen the Rector pacing up and down, and heard him saying something about they were rather in a muddle, having just arrived back from their holidays in France.  Anyhow off we went.  The Rectory was a huge rambling place, with a beautiful garden and orchard.  We learnt later that a former minister of the church who had resided there years before had planted an apple or pear tree for every child his wife bore.  The result an orchard of 22 trees!  I was asked to wait in the lounge with Wendy.  As I stood there in the middle of the floor, and looked slowly around ending up looking at Wendy’s and my reflection in the mirror over the fire-place, I suddenly felt lonely, lost and depressed.  Tears welled up in my eyes.  What a pitiful looking sight we were.  Footsteps sounded along the hall, and I blinked back the tears, and almost tripped over a moth-eaten looking tiger rug, which Wendy didn’t like at all.  They showed us to a cosy looking little bedroom.  Then Wendy started to howl, she wanted to go home.  We had been told to bring only the absolute necessities.  As my Mother was working in a tobacco and sweet shop, it was left to little old me to pack our bags.  The results being, I didn’t have another thing to wear for either of us, and no night-clothes.  What an unpractical dreamer.  Mrs. B., the teachers wife bought some flannelette and made Wendy some night-gowns.  Later in the day more children were brought to the Rectory:  Dorothy and Margaret, 10 year old twins, and Renee from my school, which made me feel a little better.  The next day, we awoke to the twittering of birds, and wonderful country air.  A young parson’s wife and 2 year old son arrived to take up residence, where-upon I was removed from my cute little bedroom.

As I walked along Lavender Hill on that August night, to me, a child of 14, the atmosphere seemed to be filled with tension.  Workmen were busy painting the edges of the side-walks with bright white paint (ready for the great black-out).  Being a very romantic and imaginative young girl, it all seemed very exciting.  A year before everyone had thought there would be a war, and the first thing the authorities did, was to issue everyone with gas masks.  Thank goodness we never had to wear them, as they were the most horrible suffocating contraptions.  They had also had a trial black-out, and my Mother and myself groped our way to Clapham Common to watch the troops work a search-light back and forth in the sky.  One day I volunteered to be a casualty in a mock air-raid.  The attendants tied labels round our necks, and the next thing I was lying on a stretcher, feeling very foolish.  We were all hoisted into ambulances, that were more like tin boxes without any springs and proceeded on a ride around Clapham Common, after an exceedingly bumpy, rattling ride we arrived back where we started from, rather shaken up I’m afraid.

On September 1^st, we were told to report to the school playground, I with my young sister Wendy, who was only 3 years old.  My teacher had assured my Mother that his wife would take good care of Wendy.  The great evacuation from London was on.  Labels with our names and addresses were tied on us, and we proceeded to walk to the station.  Photographers were all over the place, and although I felt very excited, I felt a pang of regret; no one knew where we were going.

We finally got in a train at Clapham Junction, and were taken into the beautiful English Countryside, where-upon we were all herded into buses, and finally arrived at our destination, which in our case turned out to be a small hamlet in Surrey, named Alfold.  In the little village school, each child was given a bag, containing an apple, orange, chocolate etc.  After a few formalities, a local