Z1205/243

Female. Village life during Second World War. Grandfather's threshing business. b. 13.01.1934 Side A (00 mins)Mother was a sociable person who was keen on craft work and was active in organising village activities in Ridgmont. (05 mins)Grandfather was a Fellow of the Royal Horticultural society and worked for the Rothampsted experimental branch at Husborne Crawley. He travelled around the country. He dealt with seeds from Laxtons's. Grandmother was a semi-invalid. Interviewee's parents lived with grandparents in order to look after grandmother. (10 mins)Four-bedroomed house. Grandmother did the cooking, using a coal range. Mother did the cleaning. After 11 interviewee attended school in Bedford and recalls feeling permanently tired. (15 mins)Arrived at Dame Alice School each day as Assembly finished. Influx of evacuees to village in 1939 when she was aged 5. Boys from William Morris School. Further evacuees stayed in Brogborough, which was also served by Ridgmont village school so there were a lot of incomers, brought in by Marston Valley Co. (brickwork) lorries each day. Later, she joined the village church choir. A redundant village chapel was opened for the William Morris boys for schooling but had no heat or light and the meeting rooms at the Baptist Chapel at he Park end of the village was also used by them. They didn't mix educationally with village children. (20 mins)A room called the Carving Room, once used after First World War as a craft training centre for unemployed village men, teaching fretwork and other wood carving skills. Later used as a hall for church activities such as the Grils' Friendly Society and choir rehearsals if it was too cold in church. Women's Institute met in the YMCA hall. Post-war, she attend the first "house" films at the cinema in Ampthill and got the last bus back to the village. Villages in the village belonged to the Duke of Bedford's estate. (25 mins)Duke of Bedford moved out of Woburn Abbey during the Second World War into a house on the estate, while government took over the house for the headquarters of the Political Warfare Unit (secret propaganda work). As a girl, she attended the Band of Hope meetings run by members of the church. She attended piano lessons after school with Miss Pacey and had a piano at home. Later took Music at GCE 'A' Level at school. (32 mins)End of Side A Side B (00 mins)She played the piano for choir practice by the time she was 16 and sometimes for church services. She was also a Sunday school organiser cum teacher. During the war, young families collected rose hip berries for rose hip syrup and blackberries for jam making, as part of the war effort. (05 mins)After a corn harvest, farmers allowed villagers to glean any remaining corn for their poultry to feed on. Potato peelings were billed up with mash to feed chickens (or pigs). (10 mins)Mother grew flowers and provided a part-time floral service for the village. Learned flowers' names from her mother. (15 mins)Paternal grandfather ran a threshing contracting business, using a steam engine. (20 mins)During the war, the village policeman warned the schoolchildren to look for and report any mysterious objects that might be unexploded bombs. Grandfather started by buying a portable steam engine, pulled around by horse, before acquiring a steam traction engine. (25 mins)Eventually Grandfather had three steam engines for taking round to farms. The farms provided the coal and water necessary. Each machine required two skilled people to operate it. During the Second World War, all spare land was ploughed up to increase food production. On Sundays, Grandfather was busy on his allotment, growing vegetables for the family. (32 mins)End of Side B.CONTINUED FROM CS243C SIDE A (00 mins)Great-grandfather had begun the threshing business. Reading (University) Museum has the insurance documents for those steam engines. Grandfather had a small-holding. He did the Duke of Bedford's threshing. (05 mins)Records of steam engines kept by the National Traction Engine Trust and the Road Locomotive Society. Duke of Bedford, on hearing of how a boy from Woburn village had drowned in a local pond, had built the outdoor Woburn swimming pool. (10 mins)He paid someone to look after it. During the economic depression after the First World War the Duke, when unemployment was rife, provided work in the Park weeding driveways, so that nobody would go without a basic day's pay. Schoolgirl picnics with choir and Girls' Friendly Society, by arrangement, in Woburn Park. Stories about one Duke of Bedford insisting that, on his latest estate cottages, there be no front doors, so that he would never see women gossiping with their neighbours: some house have two back doors. (15 mins)Estate dwellings were well maintained. William Morris School was evacuated from Walthamstow during the war, to avoid the aerial bombing. Grandmother had two evacuee brothers staying with her, riddled with fleas, which horrified her. One brother was so homesick that he went back home. The other brother stayed on until he was old enough to join the Royal Navy. He kept in touch with his wartime "grandparents" regularly by letter until they suddenly stopped (presumably through his death during the war). (20 mins)Villagers knit sock and pullovers for the visiting boys, because they could see the need. There was only the radio to listen to in the evening. Interviewee kept up contact with one evacuee until a couple of years ago. It was good, being an only child, for her to have these siblings, like inheriting someone else's family. Members of his family would also visit from war-torn London and be given local food produce to take back. (25 mins)They would offer sweet coupons in return. Recollections of doodle-bug raids and Peace celebrations at the end of the war. She wore fancy dress. Recovering the pieces from a crashed English plane locally. (30 mins)Wartime deaths to locals in fighting forces. No bomb damage in village. (32 mins) End of Side A Side B (00mins)Policeman fell asleep, standing up - overstretched during the war, because so many had gone into the armed forces. Fathers disappeared and grandfathers stepped in to take on their roles in families. Rabbit stew - a mainstay of the wartime diet. Occasionally saw people in uniform, on leave, in the village, but they quickly changed into their own clothes. Remembers "Dig for Britain" week and VE (Victory in Europe) Day. Communal tea in the Village Hall, a party for the children and social for adults. (05 mins)She remembers taking part in a fancy dress parade and fund-raising events during the war. Poppy collections for the Earl Haig Fund. Maternal uncle named after William Morris, using "Morris" as a Christian name. Grandfather knew the famous William Morris. An RAF woman was billeted with them during part of the war. (10 mins)Three women teachers at Ridgmont village school. Salvaging scarce material during the war. (20 mins)During the war, a brick walls were built outside the school windows to act as blast protection in the event of a bomb. (25 mins)Stove in the classrooms, with railings around, where Brogborough children form outlying houses and farms were allowed to dry their coats and socks. Coats left in the cloakroom would still be wet when you collected them at the end of the day. Outdoor toilet block with bucket wooden eats with holes in. Most people used a standpipe which was shared by a group of houses. School milk - allowance of 1/3 bottle each day, free. Playing hopscotch. (30 mins)Marking out the asphalt with a piece of white chalk, picking up a pebble from the road. Spinning top and a 'whip' to make it spin. Playing 'tag' games and skipping with ropes. (32 mins)End of Side B CONTINUED ON CS243C3 SIDE A (00 mins)Sat and passed 11+ intelligence test and was selected to attend Bedford Modern School for Girls (later known as Dame Alice Girls School) in Bedford (a private Harpur Trust School). Only two girls and two boys were selected from the village school. (05 mins)Excellent facilities at new school. Currant buns at 1d (less than ½ p) to buy, at break time, to eat with your free milk. Transport by train was paid for and all school fees. The uniform had to be paid for. (10 mins)The serge uniform lasted a long while. She was impressed by the corridors lined with proper paintings and illustrations. (15 mins)She was teased by village children and called a "Modern Squasher" if seen in her uniform. Couldn't take advantage of evening activities because of the need to catch the train back home. Attended a few music concerts at Bedford Corn Exchange, which were "an absolute eye-opener". Learned to love Beethoven, Mozart, Bach as a student taking the last year of School Certificate (predecessor to GCE 'A' Levels). Hated PE lessons. Hated dance lessons but loved the music. Kept fit running from St. John's Railway Station to school. (20 mins)Beds. County Council paid for her railway season tickets. She rarely had a seat on the trains, as they were so busy with adult workers, shop assistants, and school pupils. The service ran form Oxford to Cambridge, via Bletchley. Prefects were on the train with a list of all pupils who used it, to keep a register, because they all missed the proper Registration at school. Arrived in time for the first lessons. School lunches were revolting at times and OK at others. You had to clear your plate and weren't allowed to refuse anything. She kept the paper bag she took an 'elevenses' in, in order to remove food she couldn't eat and flush it down the lavatory afterwards. (25 mins)There was still rationing after the war had ended and when she went to the Royal School of Needlework. She had a ration card in London. The more academic girls at school were steered towards staying on in the Sixth Form and on to university. No such thing as careers advice. If you left school at 16 you might go in for secretarial work or work in the 'better' shops in town, working up to being a buyer or head of department. She was good at music, floristry and needlework / embroidery. Aged 15 she wrote to Norman Hartnell, the Queen's dress maker, for advice. (30 mins)She visited the Trades School at the back of Selfridges department store in London but it was like a clothes factory and it didn't appeal to her. She applied successfully for the Royal School of Needlework, overlooking Hyde Park, and spent four years there. (32 mins) End of Side A Side B (00 mins)Outline of college course. (05 mins)Teaching career. Marriage. Involvement with steam engines as a hobby. Quarterly enthusiasts' magazine called "Steaming". Husband died. Grandfather involved in teaching the handling skills to a new generation during the preservation period for steam engines. (10 mins)She learned to drive steam engines and bought an engine with her husband's life insurance money. Travelled around the country to rallies. Joined the National Traction Engine Trust. After thirty years involvements she is now Vice-President of the Trust. She started the Steam apprentice Club, which has a magazine, "Raising Steam". Courses for adults wishing to drive. PR and legislation side of Trust's work. (15 mins)3000 members and many affiliated clubs, adding a further 1000. Additional clubs around the world, including Germany, Holland, Australia, New Zealand and America. Codes of practise for engines and for rallies. As well as expertise there is a knack to handling steam engines. Annual rally in Dorset (20 mins)Everyone knows her through her presence and work over the years. She also does steam ploughing demonstrations. These require a minimum of 6 people to work them, with two engines operating on opposite sides of the field, pulling a rope drum underneath, driven by the engine's power. (25 mins)Changes over her lifetime. People used to speak to each other in the street. More community spirit. More formality when giving titles to people - Mr. or Missus. More respect for teachers. (30 mins)Most people have now travelled abroad. Most have used aircraft. She thinks that the use of teachers' Christian names was a mistake and she would never have tolerated it. (32 mins)End of Side B END OF INTERVIEW Original Intewrview 180 mins

17 September 2003

From: 1930 To: 2003

item

Marston Valley Brickworks,
Russell, Hastings William Sackville (12th Duke of Bedford),
National Traction Engine Trust

social activities, threshing, World War Two, Royal Horticultural Society, Dame Alice Harpur School, evacuees, William Morris School, choir, Baptist chapel, Women's Institutes, Girls Friendly Societies, Band of Hope, piano, MUSIC, hedging, gleaning, harvesting, flowers, allotments, Reading University, unemployment, insects, knitting, radio, air raids over UK, policeman, rabbits, village halls, sewage, milk, games, crafts needlework, Dame Alice Harpur School, corn exchanges, school mistresses, rationing, teacher, steam vehicles, RIDGMONT, HUSBORNE CRAWLEY, Bromborough, Woburn Abbey