Hey, little hen!

ANNE JONES

Location: BANGOR, NORTH WALES

I was brought up in Bangor, North Wales and was 6 years old when World War Two broke out in September 1939, but I do remember some things quite clearly — the blackout, the air raid siren was frequently heard. Just one bomb was dropped on Bangor, on the outskirts of the city. Two houses were demolished and one man was killed — he was a member of the BBC staff.
The cast of ITMA (It’s That Man Again) stayed at Bangor during the War. Tommy Handley, Jack Train, Arthur Askey, Vera Lynn and Tessie O’Shea and several others whose names I don’t remember. I also remember the programme “Happidrome”, which was broadcast on a Sunday evening. I remember the first four lines of their opening song, “We three in Happidrome, working for the BBC, Ramsbottom and Enoch and me”
Tommy Handley and cast held a children’s theatre on Saturday mornings in the County Theatre where most broadcasts took place. I often went with my sister and two brothers, the entry charge was 2/-
(2 shillings). It was there I learnt the song “HEY LITTLE HEN, WHEN WILL YOU LAY ME AN EGG FOR MY TEA”.
The National Eisteddfod of Wales was held in Bangor in 1943 but, because of the War, they weren’t allowed to hold it in a pavilion, so it was held in the County Theatre and I was a member of the Eisteddfod’s children’s choir.
Many evacuees came to Bangor from Liverpool. I do remember them arriving, some of them stayed after the War and I remember one girl was killed while playing on Bangor Mountain.

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