General Chat

I have added a thread for this, but I know lots of people look in on this thread, and maybe interested in this......

It's a repeat of a programme first broadcast in 1999, part of a series in which Charles Wheeler marks the sixtieth anniversary of the wartime evacuation of Britain's cities. Evacuees, teachers, billeting officers and a top wartime civil servant describe the emotional events leading up to the first day of evacuation.

If you didn't hear it and would like to, it's on again at 9.30 tonight, or you can listen online at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/schedule/ and go to the link.

This is well worth a listen, I learned a lot from it, didn't realise that 250,000 children, left there families on the first day to be evacuated,

There are lots of people telling there stories of how it was, and how they felt about leaving there homes.

If you like history, this is a must.

Hope you enjoy,

I have not been on here for such a long time. It is an amazing thread and I love it.

I can't think of anything just now, but we all have so many memories, and you are quite right, they could fill a book.

I still have the *make do and mend* gene passed down from my mother.
I think many today would benefit from it too.
I still am able to 'be on my own' and never feel lonely. I will always enjoy my own company ..... as long as I have the knowledge that I still have my loved ones coming in later.
See you all soon I hope.
Deanna X

what with the credit crunch, is there any more war recipes and tips from the war years, we could try??? every little helps!!!

Womans Weekly used to have a feature where they showed you how to make a skirt from a dress, which was easy, and to make a good dress out of two old ones. How to turn a coat so that the unblemished side became the outside. Adding length to a childs sweater when it was outgrown. Dont bother with knitting socks as they do not last as modern ones do.Unpicking a knitted garment and making it into something else to wear or pegging a rug with the wool doubled up.

angel, i've got a little book by marguerite patten,called "we'll eat again ", full of wartime recipes , cost £4.99. published by hamlyn.

Jean,

Your mention of Womans Weekly reminded me of a series of knitting patterns, of clothes for a little doll - about 6".

The old lady next door knitted me all of those clothes, in 2 ply wool and they were kept in a little suitcase. I still have the doll, dressed in various layers of clothes, vest, pants, dress, coat etc. What happened to the other clothes and the suitcase is lost in the mists of time, but I think of Mrs Moore very fondly after almost 60 years. (She was a retired schoolteacher and insisted I read to her. I can remember being urged to 'roll your Rs dear' as if it was yesterday. She was determined I would speak 'properly'.!)

I have a baby doll which I received Christmas 1941. Sorry to say it is in my dressing table drawer, and has never had any clothes other than a wrap. Never was interested in dolls! Cant bear to part with her though.

I cannot believe I have been a member of GR for so many years, and yet never found this thread before. It's brilliant it taken me ages to read through but it brought back so many happy memories. Like black leading the old range, we never had gas on and didn't get electricity until 1953. Running water we did not get until 1955 and when I left home in 1960 the family were still using the outside Elsan toilet.......

I was delivered by V2 in early 1945! Well one dropped in the field beyond the end of our garden as I was born.

I remember rationing. Sugar in blue bags and having to have margarine in sandwiches and butter on bread that was eaten as bread & butter.

Our bread and milk was delivered by horse and cart and yes we scrambled to be first to collect up the horse manure before any other neighbour could.

No locked doors in those days. All the tradesmen used to walk in and collected their allotted monies from the mantlepiece.....nobody ever dreamed of taking what wasn't theirs.

We used to take our baths in a bungalow bath in front of the fire in the kitchen until we got to teenage years and then it was a case of putting the copper on in the wash house and taking a bath out there in privacy!

Spud bashing and black current picking from an early age Wouldn't be allowed today of course. Hard work but the comraderie was tremendous.

Thank you Mac, Deana, Jean and others for such wonderful memories.

a nudge for the newbies so they can add their memories
xx

My Mum said that her mother would buy good quality second hand clothes and make my mum who was a child in the war, coats and dresses ,cut down from the bigger garments,

I am so pleased this has been added to .I am going to hold on to this mac has printed it off it would make a really good book .

Hi everyone

Having had a look at the market

There are dozens of books on a similar theme

I have got it back from the history Student/Historian

So, if anybody fancies having a go I will send it to them

Mac

nudge found a war time display near pickering this weekend on a a station sounds really good north york moors railway october 10th -12th

I live just 7 miles from Pickering and have been to it in previous years

It's great, lots of people dress up in wartime clothes and lots of re-enactment groups go along in service uniforms

The only thing I dont like is to see young men in uniform wearing medals they are not entitled to wear


Mac

Mac, you and me both, but in all probability they have no idea what they are doing, just think of dressing up, with no intent to offend.

You are probably right Jean

Maz,
For Stations read Stations, Pickering, Staintondale Halt, Levisham, Goathland (Aidensfield) and Grosmont

This year the North York Moors Railway has been allowed to run to Whitby, so They may now include it on the Wartime Weekend

See you there, if I am not in the middle of the Atlantic

Mac

..........it washed off!!

I am confused again

What washed off

hi mac I knew you were near there ,I have no transport or I would be there it sounds great ,the weradale weekend was a total washout here in the dale earlier on so hope that that one is not

Nudged for a special day