Archive (1372 life histories found)

I was one of the first to sit the dreaded 11 plus exam,which I failed,even though I was on the borderline to pass. This affected me deeply as I thought I had let my parents down. However,it also motivated me to work hard and take an interest in…

Shortly after the war ended,my mum and dad moved the family to a brand new prefab bungalow complete with hot and cold running water,a bathroom and even a fridge. I thought I was a princess as for the first time,I had the luxury of a bedroom all to…

In 1944 my father was lucky enough to be stationed in Ballyhalbert with the R.A.F. We all went as a family and lived in a coastguard cottage right on the beach. It was idyllic. I went to the little country school in the village. We only had two…

My life meandered along in this innocent way until I was six years old and then something happened to change things forever. I came home from school one day to find a little stranger in the house. My young baby brother,Kenneth. My six year old…

Christmas was my very favourite time of year. On Christmas Eve I had to go to bed very early. I was so excited I could hardly get to sleep. Then on Christmas morning I was wakened by my granny shouting 'come and see what Santa has brought '. In…

During the war everything was rationed,we were issued with ration books; cream for groceries,red for clothes and another one for sweets. I was a great treat being given a silver sixpence (2 p) for 2 ozs of sweets,which was all we could buy with…

I remember the night of the big blitz in Belfast. We could hear the terrible sound of the sirens telling us that the German bombers were overhead. Although there were shelters in the street,very few people used them. My mother insisted we all…

Our house was always full of people at weekends. My granny had four sisters,mother,Maggie,Rachel and Lucy who all lived locally and congregated in gran's to catch up with the local gossip. The night usually ended with a sing song,as everyone in the…

Our house was a small terrace house,two up and two down with a tiny garden at the front. We had no hot running water or bathroom. Friday night was bath night. My mum and grandmother carried the big tin bath from the back yard into the livingroom…

Thus started one of the happiest periods of my childhood years. My father was away with the RAFR. My mother took a job in a munitions factory,like so many other women at that time to help the war effort. My aunt worked in a large city centre…