A Happy Ending

This story was submitted to the BBC People’s War site by Wymondham Learning Centre on behalf of the author who fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

At the beginning of the war I was 27 years old and I was living in Norwich with mum and dad. I had three brothers — Arthur, who is still alive, and the twins, Ken and Sid.

I worked at Woolworths, but one night it was bombed and I had to look for another job.

We went to the shelter one night during a raid and the houses on the Angel Road estate took a direct hit. The blast came through the shelter and killed my mother. She died beside me. What happened next is a blank. I know that the wardens helped to get us out of the shelter and then we went to stay with my aunt in Wroxham. Dad was not strong but I eventually returned to our council house with him and one of my brothers.

I had a daughter who was born on the 19th July 1944 (the day before my own birthday) and I needed a job where I could look after her. I advertised for a housekeeping job and went to work for a man, Harry Able, who had lost his wife. I eventually married him and we remained married for 43 years.

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