1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,665 >> Today is Wednesday, 2 00:00:01,665 --> 00:00:04,380 October 25th, 2017. 3 00:00:04,380 --> 00:00:06,060 My name is Adina Langer, 4 00:00:06,060 --> 00:00:08,080 and I'm here at the Sturgis Library at 5 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:12,165 Kennesaw State University with June Chandler. 6 00:00:12,165 --> 00:00:14,025 Do you agree to this interview? 7 00:00:14,025 --> 00:00:14,610 >> Yes. 8 00:00:14,610 --> 00:00:17,225 >> Wonderful. Could you please state your full name? 9 00:00:17,225 --> 00:00:19,685 >> June Evelyn Chandler. 10 00:00:19,685 --> 00:00:21,555 >> And what is your birthday? 11 00:00:21,555 --> 00:00:23,970 >> 12th, 2, '35. 12 00:00:23,970 --> 00:00:25,995 >> And where were you born? 13 00:00:25,995 --> 00:00:29,640 >> Enfield, Middlesex, England. 14 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:34,505 >> And can you describe where that is located? 15 00:00:34,505 --> 00:00:37,605 >> It's 10 miles South of London. 16 00:00:37,605 --> 00:00:39,390 >> And is it near the water? 17 00:00:39,390 --> 00:00:45,380 >> No. It's between the channel and the River Thames. 18 00:00:45,380 --> 00:00:50,640 We were in the area where the Germans flew. [LAUGHTER] 19 00:00:50,850 --> 00:00:54,930 >> And so what were your parents' names? 20 00:00:54,930 --> 00:01:00,335 >> Evelyn Sarah Knight and my dad was William George. 21 00:01:00,335 --> 00:01:02,745 >> And did you have a large family? 22 00:01:02,745 --> 00:01:03,735 >> One brother. 23 00:01:03,735 --> 00:01:06,450 >> One brother. And what was your brother's name? 24 00:01:06,450 --> 00:01:08,385 >> Douglas William. 25 00:01:08,385 --> 00:01:10,290 >> And he was older than you? 26 00:01:10,290 --> 00:01:13,005 >> Yes. He was, let me see. 27 00:01:13,005 --> 00:01:16,560 I'm 81, he was 84. 28 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:20,070 >> And can you tell me about your neighborhood. 29 00:01:20,070 --> 00:01:21,225 What was the neighborhood like? 30 00:01:21,225 --> 00:01:23,910 >> It was what we call row houses. 31 00:01:23,910 --> 00:01:28,150 It was almost like what they have as townhouses now, 32 00:01:28,150 --> 00:01:31,670 but they were built in the late 18th century. 33 00:01:31,670 --> 00:01:34,510 So we had neighbors stuck 34 00:01:34,510 --> 00:01:37,600 with us and we had upstairs and downstairs. 35 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:40,690 >> And did you have any kind of a courtyard or garden? 36 00:01:40,690 --> 00:01:43,850 >> We had a garden in the backyard, 37 00:01:43,850 --> 00:01:47,170 and then we had a little side area that we 38 00:01:47,170 --> 00:01:50,835 could go down to go up front or use the front door, 39 00:01:50,835 --> 00:01:55,260 so my place where I used to slip out. [LAUGHTER] 40 00:01:55,660 --> 00:01:58,850 >> And was it a friendly neighborhood? 41 00:01:58,850 --> 00:02:02,220 >> Very. We used to call all our neighbors, 42 00:02:02,220 --> 00:02:05,405 aunt or uncle, it was never mister or missis. 43 00:02:05,405 --> 00:02:09,940 And so that's just the way they did back in those days. 44 00:02:09,940 --> 00:02:11,780 >> And what kinds of jobs 45 00:02:11,780 --> 00:02:13,965 did your parents have and the other adults? 46 00:02:13,965 --> 00:02:17,275 >> My dad worked with a pharmacist and my mom, 47 00:02:17,275 --> 00:02:23,500 she was a telephone operator until she retired. 48 00:02:23,500 --> 00:02:26,220 >> And what are 49 00:02:26,220 --> 00:02:29,155 some of your earliest memories of your childhood? 50 00:02:29,155 --> 00:02:33,280 >> Basically, we had a very nice area. 51 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,700 We had a lot of parks and it 52 00:02:35,700 --> 00:02:38,345 was safe then to let kids go out, 53 00:02:38,345 --> 00:02:39,820 and I can remember going. 54 00:02:39,820 --> 00:02:43,290 We had a river that ran through our backyard, 55 00:02:43,290 --> 00:02:46,740 and we would get out, catch fish. 56 00:02:46,740 --> 00:02:48,440 And in wintertime, we get out there and 57 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,040 skate because it was at the back of the yard, 58 00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:54,170 but it also went through the parks. 59 00:02:54,550 --> 00:02:59,970 >> That sounds lovely. Well, so you were born in 1935. 60 00:02:59,970 --> 00:03:00,600 >> Correct. 61 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:02,900 >> So you were only four years old 62 00:03:02,900 --> 00:03:04,000 then when the war began? 63 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,560 >> Right about there. 64 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:07,280 I can't remember exactly. 65 00:03:07,280 --> 00:03:11,165 I know I was about five during evacuation. 66 00:03:11,165 --> 00:03:14,325 >> What do you remember about the start of the war? 67 00:03:14,325 --> 00:03:18,920 >> At that age, you really don't think too much about it. 68 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:21,075 It's just life. 69 00:03:21,075 --> 00:03:26,040 But I do remember we had to put out shelters. 70 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:27,860 In our neighborhood, we all had 71 00:03:27,860 --> 00:03:29,895 a shelter in the backyard. 72 00:03:29,895 --> 00:03:32,480 It was corrugated iron and 73 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:35,480 then they put a lot of dirt over the top of 74 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,780 it and we had a little door and there was 75 00:03:37,780 --> 00:03:39,540 four bunk type beds 76 00:03:39,540 --> 00:03:41,720 in there because there was four of us. 77 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,860 And during air raids, 78 00:03:43,860 --> 00:03:45,555 that's where we stayed. 79 00:03:45,555 --> 00:03:48,555 >> And was that something issued by the government? 80 00:03:48,555 --> 00:03:49,770 >> Yes. 81 00:03:49,770 --> 00:03:52,120 >> And do you remember when 82 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,295 your father built the shelter, what that was like? 83 00:03:55,295 --> 00:03:56,820 >> I just remember, 84 00:03:56,820 --> 00:03:58,160 like I said at that age, 85 00:03:58,160 --> 00:03:59,760 you don't pay that much attention. 86 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:01,260 I can just remember my brother and 87 00:04:01,260 --> 00:04:02,800 I playing in the dirt because we 88 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:06,655 weren't allowed to do that very often. [LAUGHTER] 89 00:04:06,655 --> 00:04:10,380 >> And had you started school when the war began? 90 00:04:10,380 --> 00:04:11,770 >> Yes, because they 91 00:04:11,770 --> 00:04:14,395 start earlier over there than they do here. 92 00:04:14,395 --> 00:04:16,440 >> And what was your school like? 93 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,060 What was it like to go to school? 94 00:04:18,060 --> 00:04:21,670 >> We all had different classes and it was boys and 95 00:04:21,670 --> 00:04:24,590 girls through the early ages 96 00:04:24,590 --> 00:04:26,750 of school, like the elementary. 97 00:04:26,750 --> 00:04:28,370 Then after that, we went 98 00:04:28,370 --> 00:04:31,190 into the high school, was all girls. 99 00:04:31,190 --> 00:04:33,010 Middle school was all girls. 100 00:04:33,010 --> 00:04:37,065 >> And did you walk to school? 101 00:04:37,065 --> 00:04:39,890 >> Yes. Sometimes my mom 102 00:04:39,890 --> 00:04:41,970 would give me a penny and I could get the bus, 103 00:04:41,970 --> 00:04:43,470 but most times we walked 104 00:04:43,470 --> 00:04:45,505 because my brother walked with me. 105 00:04:45,505 --> 00:04:47,690 >> And was it close to your home or far? 106 00:04:47,690 --> 00:04:49,830 >> It felt like a long way, 107 00:04:49,830 --> 00:04:51,485 but I'm sure it wasn't. 108 00:04:51,485 --> 00:04:54,275 [LAUGHTER] It was close to probably a mile. 109 00:04:54,275 --> 00:04:58,290 >> And did you have to do 110 00:04:58,290 --> 00:05:02,245 anything to prepare for the possibility of being bombed? 111 00:05:02,245 --> 00:05:03,385 Did you have a gas mask? 112 00:05:03,385 --> 00:05:06,010 >> We had the gas masks that we took over. 113 00:05:06,010 --> 00:05:10,570 They didn't issue those until probably the second year. 114 00:05:10,570 --> 00:05:12,675 And for children my age, 115 00:05:12,675 --> 00:05:15,710 we called it a mickey mouse gas mask because it was 116 00:05:15,710 --> 00:05:20,395 red and it had a flap on it and it had royal blue trim. 117 00:05:20,395 --> 00:05:22,405 And when you talk or breath in, 118 00:05:22,405 --> 00:05:24,230 the flap would go supposedly 119 00:05:24,230 --> 00:05:26,150 to entertain the kids, I guess. 120 00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:28,070 But it was in a little square, 121 00:05:28,070 --> 00:05:30,410 carbo box with string, 122 00:05:30,410 --> 00:05:31,930 and we just carried it over 123 00:05:31,930 --> 00:05:35,180 our shoulders and took it to school. 124 00:05:35,180 --> 00:05:37,910 Wherever we went, the gas mask went. 125 00:05:37,910 --> 00:05:40,370 >> And the air raids, 126 00:05:40,370 --> 00:05:43,690 were they usually at night or? 127 00:05:43,690 --> 00:05:45,690 >> More at night, once in 128 00:05:45,690 --> 00:05:48,725 a blue moon during the day, but mainly night. 129 00:05:48,725 --> 00:05:52,105 >> And what do you remember about what that was like? 130 00:05:52,105 --> 00:05:57,860 >> The biggest memory I have, it wasn't a base. 131 00:05:57,860 --> 00:06:01,900 It was a huge tent in the green area near my house, 132 00:06:01,900 --> 00:06:03,360 and there was a bunch of 133 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,020 Americans lived there and they had 134 00:06:05,020 --> 00:06:08,210 tanks and the AK guns and sattelites. 135 00:06:08,210 --> 00:06:10,120 So when the planes came over, 136 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,760 they would get their search lights 137 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:13,920 on and shoot at the plane. 138 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,200 So we had a lot of shrapnel everywhere come morning. 139 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:20,975 And my biggest thing was the doodlebug, 140 00:06:20,975 --> 00:06:22,565 the V2 rocket, 141 00:06:22,565 --> 00:06:24,580 and we called it doodlebug 142 00:06:24,580 --> 00:06:26,655 because when they would come out, 143 00:06:26,655 --> 00:06:29,745 they had no pilot or anything. 144 00:06:29,745 --> 00:06:33,410 And they would doodle lootle and when they cut off, 145 00:06:33,410 --> 00:06:35,110 they would just drift, 146 00:06:35,110 --> 00:06:36,710 they would land and wherever they 147 00:06:36,710 --> 00:06:38,510 landed, that's where they blew up. 148 00:06:38,510 --> 00:06:42,430 And so the Americans had the big AK guns and they 149 00:06:42,430 --> 00:06:46,600 would try and shoot it before it hit the ground. 150 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,330 So that was a big memory for me because we 151 00:06:49,330 --> 00:06:52,635 sometimes stand outside the shelter and watch it. 152 00:06:52,635 --> 00:06:55,850 And then when we saw they were ready getting it, 153 00:06:55,850 --> 00:06:57,955 then we get back in our shelter. 154 00:06:57,955 --> 00:07:00,570 >> It was easy then to get in the shelter? 155 00:07:00,570 --> 00:07:03,870 >> Yes. We just walked in and stepped down. 156 00:07:03,870 --> 00:07:07,175 It was a couple of steps going down into it. 157 00:07:07,175 --> 00:07:09,420 >> And was there a metal door that shut? 158 00:07:09,420 --> 00:07:10,710 >> It was a metal. 159 00:07:10,710 --> 00:07:12,220 I don't know how thick it would be, 160 00:07:12,220 --> 00:07:15,940 but it was a metal door and we locked it from the inside. 161 00:07:16,260 --> 00:07:18,770 >> And did you 162 00:07:18,770 --> 00:07:20,675 have to have everything pitch black at night? 163 00:07:20,675 --> 00:07:22,970 >> Yes. We had blackout curtains. 164 00:07:22,970 --> 00:07:26,410 And my dad was what they called an air raid warden. 165 00:07:26,410 --> 00:07:28,470 He and another neighbor, 166 00:07:28,470 --> 00:07:30,010 they would walk the streets at 167 00:07:30,010 --> 00:07:32,430 night to make sure no lights were showing 168 00:07:32,430 --> 00:07:34,250 through the windows and they 169 00:07:34,250 --> 00:07:36,490 were taken in turns with different neighbors. 170 00:07:36,490 --> 00:07:38,135 So maybe one day a week, 171 00:07:38,135 --> 00:07:40,110 he was the warning and they wore 172 00:07:40,110 --> 00:07:43,210 their helmets and just walked the streets. 173 00:07:43,210 --> 00:07:45,295 If anyone had a light shining, 174 00:07:45,295 --> 00:07:47,180 they would go let them 175 00:07:47,180 --> 00:07:49,660 know because when the German planes, 176 00:07:49,660 --> 00:07:51,720 if they were running out of fuel or getting 177 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,200 close to running out of fuel, 178 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,700 they would drop their bombs wherever and we 179 00:07:56,700 --> 00:08:00,215 were in a good area for them to drop them. 180 00:08:00,215 --> 00:08:02,020 >> So do you remember a lot of 181 00:08:02,020 --> 00:08:03,410 destruction in your neighborhood? 182 00:08:03,410 --> 00:08:04,900 >> Yeah. And we had our windows 183 00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:07,120 blown in a couple of times. 184 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:08,880 And then they got to the point 185 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,360 where we didn't replace the glass, 186 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:15,260 they would replace it with a black tar paper. 187 00:08:15,260 --> 00:08:18,120 So your house was dark all the time, 188 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,800 needless to say, I keep my house dark now. [LAUGHTER] 189 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:23,720 >> It's interesting you didn't go the 190 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:25,150 other way where you want lots of light. 191 00:08:25,150 --> 00:08:29,320 >> No. I like my house dark. 192 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:34,390 >> And did you ever have 193 00:08:34,390 --> 00:08:36,445 an experience where you 194 00:08:36,445 --> 00:08:39,970 got close to being in danger yourself? 195 00:08:39,970 --> 00:08:42,730 >> Just a street over from us, 196 00:08:42,730 --> 00:08:44,860 we called them bread baskets. 197 00:08:44,860 --> 00:08:46,660 They were incendiary bomb 198 00:08:46,660 --> 00:08:48,700 and they dropped those and it hit 199 00:08:48,700 --> 00:08:53,290 a street behind us and the whole street burned down. 200 00:08:53,290 --> 00:08:54,820 And that was close. 201 00:08:54,820 --> 00:08:56,995 We did have windows blown in 202 00:08:56,995 --> 00:09:01,340 because of the blast and everything. 203 00:09:01,770 --> 00:09:05,365 I remember one time when I was a kid, 204 00:09:05,365 --> 00:09:08,470 a shelter had got water in it because of 205 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:12,460 the river and we went to our next door neighbor's house. 206 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:15,235 My dad was airway warding that night. 207 00:09:15,235 --> 00:09:17,950 We had the bombing and the sirens were 208 00:09:17,950 --> 00:09:20,620 going and my mom grabbed my brother 209 00:09:20,620 --> 00:09:22,750 and I and we ran into the house 210 00:09:22,750 --> 00:09:25,540 next door and all our houses 211 00:09:25,540 --> 00:09:28,000 had a cupboard under the stairwell and we 212 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:30,805 went in the cupboard with my next door neighbor. 213 00:09:30,805 --> 00:09:32,995 And my brother and I were barefoot 214 00:09:32,995 --> 00:09:36,100 because mum had woke us up and 215 00:09:36,100 --> 00:09:38,770 the glass from the front door had blown in and we 216 00:09:38,770 --> 00:09:42,055 ran over that barefoot and neither one of us got a cut. 217 00:09:42,055 --> 00:09:45,310 It's just weird to this day. 218 00:09:45,310 --> 00:09:47,080 I think about that how we ran 219 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:49,150 on glass and didn't get cut. 220 00:09:49,150 --> 00:09:51,295 >> That was quite lucky. 221 00:09:51,295 --> 00:09:54,340 And when we spoke a couple of months ago, 222 00:09:54,340 --> 00:09:57,535 you mentioned that there was one time that there actually 223 00:09:57,535 --> 00:10:02,630 was an air raid during the day? 224 00:10:03,120 --> 00:10:06,370 >> We had laid down. 225 00:10:06,370 --> 00:10:08,890 A German plane came over when 226 00:10:08,890 --> 00:10:11,140 I was actually coming home from school, 227 00:10:11,140 --> 00:10:12,850 and the air raid warden from 228 00:10:12,850 --> 00:10:15,460 the daytime he threw me basically 229 00:10:15,460 --> 00:10:17,410 in the gutter and laid 230 00:10:17,410 --> 00:10:19,930 over me because if they saw movement, 231 00:10:19,930 --> 00:10:21,460 they would machine gun. 232 00:10:21,460 --> 00:10:25,630 So I don't know that it happened anywhere near me, 233 00:10:25,630 --> 00:10:27,580 but that was a possibility. 234 00:10:27,580 --> 00:10:30,280 So whoever was watching 235 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,130 for kids and everything at that particular time, 236 00:10:33,130 --> 00:10:36,380 they would take care of whoever was walking. 237 00:10:36,630 --> 00:10:38,890 >> And you were very young. Did you 238 00:10:38,890 --> 00:10:41,050 feel frightened or did you feel safe? 239 00:10:41,050 --> 00:10:43,390 >> No. I never thought 240 00:10:43,390 --> 00:10:46,150 about being frightened because like I said, 241 00:10:46,150 --> 00:10:48,265 I was so young when it started, 242 00:10:48,265 --> 00:10:51,760 and after that, it was just a way of life. 243 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,590 So if it happened, it happened, 244 00:10:53,590 --> 00:10:55,760 if it didn't, it didn't. 245 00:10:55,790 --> 00:10:59,560 >> What do you remember about rationing during the war? 246 00:10:59,560 --> 00:11:03,835 >> I had a green ration book because of my age. 247 00:11:03,835 --> 00:11:05,140 My brother had the blue, 248 00:11:05,140 --> 00:11:07,285 and my mom and dad had white ones. 249 00:11:07,285 --> 00:11:10,450 And I was able to get orange juice on mine, 250 00:11:10,450 --> 00:11:13,990 and we could get an egg once a week, 251 00:11:13,990 --> 00:11:17,350 and meat was almost unaccessible. 252 00:11:17,350 --> 00:11:20,785 My dad would buy some black market once in a while. 253 00:11:20,785 --> 00:11:23,830 But everything was rationned. 254 00:11:23,830 --> 00:11:25,945 Well, milk was not, I'll take that back. 255 00:11:25,945 --> 00:11:28,915 We had a milkman, but we had the cows around. 256 00:11:28,915 --> 00:11:33,385 But everything else was rationed tea, 257 00:11:33,385 --> 00:11:35,950 more juice they didn't get, 258 00:11:35,950 --> 00:11:38,140 vegetables that we didn't 259 00:11:38,140 --> 00:11:40,705 grow we had to use ration books for, 260 00:11:40,705 --> 00:11:42,220 but my dad had a garden, 261 00:11:42,220 --> 00:11:43,765 so we grew a lot. 262 00:11:43,765 --> 00:11:48,295 My mom did a lot of pickles and stuff to keep us going, 263 00:11:48,295 --> 00:11:50,230 but everything was rationed. 264 00:11:50,230 --> 00:11:53,815 In fact, when I left England in '54, 265 00:11:53,815 --> 00:11:55,630 meat was still hard to get. 266 00:11:55,630 --> 00:11:56,740 It wasn't rationed, 267 00:11:56,740 --> 00:11:59,200 but it was hard to come by. 268 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:01,960 Everything we had was rationed. 269 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,900 >> And what do you remember about the garden? 270 00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:07,420 Was that something you helped with ever? 271 00:12:07,420 --> 00:12:12,040 >> Not really. Just pick out the weeds. 272 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:16,465 My dad he would grow potatoes and green beans, 273 00:12:16,465 --> 00:12:18,325 we call them green peas, 274 00:12:18,325 --> 00:12:21,205 English peas, and that kind of stuff. 275 00:12:21,205 --> 00:12:24,415 And then my mom would pickle a lot of stuff. 276 00:12:24,415 --> 00:12:28,880 So we did all right vegetable wise. 277 00:12:30,060 --> 00:12:32,365 >> You mentioned you didn't have meat. 278 00:12:32,365 --> 00:12:34,735 Did you ever have canned meat like Spam? 279 00:12:34,735 --> 00:12:36,820 >> We had Spam. 280 00:12:36,820 --> 00:12:39,920 >> It was called Snoop, 281 00:12:39,930 --> 00:12:42,505 but it's just like 282 00:12:42,505 --> 00:12:45,800 Spam over here and which I will not eat. 283 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:49,000 And we had canned salmon once in a while. 284 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:50,410 We had a lot of fish, 285 00:12:50,410 --> 00:12:53,035 being an island there was plenty of fish. 286 00:12:53,035 --> 00:12:57,235 So that's what I basically was raised on was fish. 287 00:12:57,235 --> 00:12:59,020 And you mentioned that there were 288 00:12:59,020 --> 00:13:00,610 different colored ration books 289 00:13:00,610 --> 00:13:02,140 for different mebers of the family. 290 00:13:02,140 --> 00:13:05,035 Did they give you access to different things? 291 00:13:05,035 --> 00:13:08,230 >> With the children with the green ration book, 292 00:13:08,230 --> 00:13:09,640 you had more access. 293 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:15,205 You got an egg a week or sometimes two if they had it, 294 00:13:15,205 --> 00:13:19,255 and you would get the orange juice, 295 00:13:19,255 --> 00:13:21,310 and trying to think 296 00:13:21,310 --> 00:13:25,150 the government gave us cod liver oil which we had to take 297 00:13:25,150 --> 00:13:32,095 every day and it was liquid and [inaudible] food, 298 00:13:32,095 --> 00:13:33,670 I think it was what it was called. 299 00:13:33,670 --> 00:13:35,800 It was like a liquid vitamin, 300 00:13:35,800 --> 00:13:40,180 that only was given to younger kids. 301 00:13:40,180 --> 00:13:42,250 But what my brother and my mom and dad 302 00:13:42,250 --> 00:13:45,055 had access to, I don't know. 303 00:13:45,055 --> 00:13:46,900 She did cook and so I 304 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:48,820 really didn't pay that much attention. 305 00:13:48,820 --> 00:13:51,960 I just knew that sometimes 306 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:54,615 we were hungry and most times we were not. 307 00:13:54,615 --> 00:13:57,675 My mom was very good with what she did. 308 00:13:57,675 --> 00:14:00,765 >> Had the rationing started before the war? 309 00:14:00,765 --> 00:14:02,200 >> No. 310 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,015 >> You were born in '35 which was during the depression. 311 00:14:07,015 --> 00:14:09,985 Was there a sense that things were harder than usual? 312 00:14:09,985 --> 00:14:11,515 >> Not that I know of. 313 00:14:11,515 --> 00:14:14,060 Not that I remember. 314 00:14:17,340 --> 00:14:21,250 >> What did you do for fun. 315 00:14:21,250 --> 00:14:22,540 Was there something you could do? 316 00:14:22,540 --> 00:14:25,975 >> Well, we loved jigsaw puzzles. 317 00:14:25,975 --> 00:14:28,870 We played snakes and ladders, 318 00:14:28,870 --> 00:14:30,460 they call it shoots and ladders now. 319 00:14:30,460 --> 00:14:31,720 We played snakes and ladders. 320 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:34,075 We just played a lot of board games, 321 00:14:34,075 --> 00:14:37,990 and we played cribbage and we played cards. 322 00:14:37,990 --> 00:14:40,420 I had my little friends who would come 323 00:14:40,420 --> 00:14:42,805 over because we played house. 324 00:14:42,805 --> 00:14:44,680 And a lot of our stuff, 325 00:14:44,680 --> 00:14:46,870 we would do a little bit in the dirt 326 00:14:46,870 --> 00:14:49,330 when my mom let us get dirty and we'd 327 00:14:49,330 --> 00:14:51,490 make little houses in the dirt and 328 00:14:51,490 --> 00:14:54,310 pretend this is my room and this is your room. 329 00:14:54,310 --> 00:14:56,080 You had to use your head back 330 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,285 then to think up something to do. 331 00:14:58,285 --> 00:15:00,970 But we had a dolls pram 332 00:15:00,970 --> 00:15:04,700 and dolls and stuff like that for Christmas. 333 00:15:04,770 --> 00:15:08,440 I feel like I had a very good childhood. 334 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,225 I had a good mom and dad, 335 00:15:10,225 --> 00:15:12,385 which makes it better. 336 00:15:12,385 --> 00:15:16,165 >> Did you ever, in your games, act out war? 337 00:15:16,165 --> 00:15:18,640 >> No. Well, once in a while we 338 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,850 played like cowboys and 339 00:15:21,850 --> 00:15:25,390 Indians because we had seen that in the movies. 340 00:15:25,390 --> 00:15:27,460 And then sometimes we would 341 00:15:27,460 --> 00:15:30,715 play Germans against the English. 342 00:15:30,715 --> 00:15:33,700 There was one little boy in our neighborhood, 343 00:15:33,700 --> 00:15:34,870 his name was Schuler, 344 00:15:34,870 --> 00:15:37,780 his dad was German and we made him 345 00:15:37,780 --> 00:15:39,250 German and he used to cry 346 00:15:39,250 --> 00:15:40,855 because he said that wasn't fair. 347 00:15:40,855 --> 00:15:44,510 I can remember this child very well. 348 00:15:46,660 --> 00:15:48,770 >> So you mentioned the movies. 349 00:15:48,770 --> 00:15:50,420 Did you go to see movies over theatres? 350 00:15:50,420 --> 00:15:53,915 >> Yes. My mom worked at the theater for a while. 351 00:15:53,915 --> 00:15:55,835 It was called the Rialto. 352 00:15:55,835 --> 00:15:58,085 And if it was 353 00:15:58,085 --> 00:16:01,340 a quiet day after we got 354 00:16:01,340 --> 00:16:05,000 back from being in the evacuated, 355 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,310 we would sometimes go there and they 356 00:16:07,310 --> 00:16:09,800 always had the news of the week on and it 357 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:11,585 would show a real of all 358 00:16:11,585 --> 00:16:13,730 what had happened overseas during 359 00:16:13,730 --> 00:16:15,710 the war and keeping you up to 360 00:16:15,710 --> 00:16:17,720 date instead of to read the paper, 361 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:19,835 you could go see the news reel. 362 00:16:19,835 --> 00:16:21,485 >> Did you have a radio? 363 00:16:21,485 --> 00:16:22,965 >> Yes. 364 00:16:22,965 --> 00:16:25,525 >> And did you ever hear news stories on the radio? 365 00:16:25,525 --> 00:16:27,115 >> No. My mom wouldn't listen. 366 00:16:27,115 --> 00:16:28,900 She wouldn't let us listen to them. 367 00:16:28,900 --> 00:16:31,660 What a little bit of music it came from BBC. 368 00:16:31,660 --> 00:16:33,760 So what a little bit of music was on, 369 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:35,020 she would let us have that. 370 00:16:35,020 --> 00:16:38,090 And then there was a soap opera on that 371 00:16:38,090 --> 00:16:41,390 she would listen to called Mrs. Dale's Diary. 372 00:16:41,390 --> 00:16:44,000 And she didn't miss that when she was home. 373 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:46,910 [LAUGHTER] But yeah, we called it 374 00:16:46,910 --> 00:16:48,350 a radio gram because it had 375 00:16:48,350 --> 00:16:50,645 a gramophone on the top of it. 376 00:16:50,645 --> 00:16:54,360 But it sat this high. It was huge. 377 00:16:54,970 --> 00:17:01,295 >> And so you mentioned that you were evacuated. 378 00:17:01,295 --> 00:17:01,835 >> Right. 379 00:17:01,835 --> 00:17:03,620 >> Do you remember how old you were? 380 00:17:03,620 --> 00:17:07,700 >> I was probably around five, five or six. 381 00:17:07,700 --> 00:17:11,270 And I remember my mom and dad putting my brother and I 382 00:17:11,270 --> 00:17:14,570 on the train and I remember as having a gas masks, 383 00:17:14,570 --> 00:17:16,925 but I don't remember having any luggage. 384 00:17:16,925 --> 00:17:18,680 I'm sure we did. 385 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:21,980 And they put us on the train and we went out to 386 00:17:21,980 --> 00:17:25,940 a place called Altrincham in Cheshire near Manchester. 387 00:17:25,940 --> 00:17:29,180 And my brother got to go stay with an aunt of 388 00:17:29,180 --> 00:17:30,740 mine because she had old boys 389 00:17:30,740 --> 00:17:32,480 and I stayed with a school teacher, 390 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,820 which was my aunt's friend. 391 00:17:34,820 --> 00:17:36,560 And she had two daughters, 392 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:39,980 so I was very well looked after over there too. 393 00:17:39,980 --> 00:17:41,420 >> How long were you there? 394 00:17:41,420 --> 00:17:42,860 >> A year. 395 00:17:42,860 --> 00:17:46,895 >> And what do you remember about that place? 396 00:17:46,895 --> 00:17:48,740 >> It just being very nice. 397 00:17:48,740 --> 00:17:50,405 It was out in the country. 398 00:17:50,405 --> 00:17:53,075 And I know the lady that kept me, 399 00:17:53,075 --> 00:17:58,285 it was one classroom school, 400 00:17:58,285 --> 00:18:01,150 and there were several different ages in there, 401 00:18:01,150 --> 00:18:04,570 but it was way out in the country and I remember she had 402 00:18:04,570 --> 00:18:07,750 the geese and she had rabbits and 403 00:18:07,750 --> 00:18:11,330 all the stuff I'd never seen in being close to London. 404 00:18:11,330 --> 00:18:13,460 We didn't have all of that. 405 00:18:13,460 --> 00:18:16,835 But they were very nice to me. 406 00:18:16,835 --> 00:18:18,350 They got me a bike, so I could 407 00:18:18,350 --> 00:18:20,270 ride over and see my brother. 408 00:18:20,270 --> 00:18:22,765 And it was good. 409 00:18:22,765 --> 00:18:25,615 In fact, I think I enjoyed it so much, 410 00:18:25,615 --> 00:18:28,150 especially with having like two older sisters, 411 00:18:28,150 --> 00:18:29,455 which they were not. 412 00:18:29,455 --> 00:18:31,750 But they were very good with me and 413 00:18:31,750 --> 00:18:33,910 when my mom and dad came to pick me up, 414 00:18:33,910 --> 00:18:35,445 I didn't want to go home 415 00:18:35,445 --> 00:18:37,955 because I hadn't seen them in a year. 416 00:18:37,955 --> 00:18:40,700 So now I understand it, 417 00:18:40,700 --> 00:18:44,090 but I think it made or upset my mum must have 418 00:18:44,090 --> 00:18:46,100 been to think I wanted to stay where 419 00:18:46,100 --> 00:18:48,140 I was instead of going home with her. 420 00:18:48,140 --> 00:18:49,760 [LAUGHTER] 421 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:51,470 >> So they were not able to come out and visit you? 422 00:18:51,470 --> 00:18:54,380 >> No. She had to do what they called 423 00:18:54,380 --> 00:18:58,400 piece work and because my dad had to stay. 424 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:00,815 Anyone that had a baby, 425 00:19:00,815 --> 00:19:02,870 the mother could go with them, 426 00:19:02,870 --> 00:19:05,330 but because of my age, 427 00:19:05,330 --> 00:19:08,660 basically, you can say you didn't need your mom. 428 00:19:08,660 --> 00:19:13,235 So that's the reason she wasn't able to go. 429 00:19:13,235 --> 00:19:16,880 >> And her work was essential to the war effort, 430 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:17,990 both your mum [OVERLAPPING] 431 00:19:17,990 --> 00:19:21,365 >> The piece work. She made the safari helmets. 432 00:19:21,365 --> 00:19:24,110 That everybody didn't have small children, 433 00:19:24,110 --> 00:19:26,570 they had to work. 434 00:19:26,570 --> 00:19:28,640 >> And did she do that at home? 435 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:31,040 >> No. She went out. 436 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:33,770 I don't know where she went to do it, but yeah. 437 00:19:33,770 --> 00:19:37,685 She started that actually before I was evacuated. 438 00:19:37,685 --> 00:19:40,490 >> And your father, you say he worked in the pharmacy. 439 00:19:40,490 --> 00:19:42,410 >> He worked with a pharmacist. 440 00:19:42,410 --> 00:19:45,980 He would check in everything the pharmacist needed, 441 00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:50,285 make sure they are the right amount of drugs or whatever. 442 00:19:50,285 --> 00:19:53,615 So he was like a helper, I guess. 443 00:19:53,615 --> 00:19:56,240 >> And did his work ever end up 444 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,360 involving the soldiers or something like that? 445 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:00,490 >> No. 446 00:20:00,490 --> 00:20:05,000 >> So when you came back, 447 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:07,955 the war was still still going on. 448 00:20:07,955 --> 00:20:10,550 And you moved on 449 00:20:10,550 --> 00:20:16,010 to elementary school and I guess you [OVERLAPPING]. 450 00:20:16,010 --> 00:20:17,105 >> Junior school. 451 00:20:17,105 --> 00:20:17,615 >> Yeah. 452 00:20:17,615 --> 00:20:19,415 >> Which was all girls. 453 00:20:19,415 --> 00:20:22,710 And then from there we went to high school. 454 00:20:25,330 --> 00:20:28,150 >> You mentioned that there was some 455 00:20:28,150 --> 00:20:29,560 American soldiers in your back? 456 00:20:29,560 --> 00:20:30,070 >> Correct. 457 00:20:30,070 --> 00:20:31,120 >> When you were a little kid, 458 00:20:31,120 --> 00:20:32,125 did you interact with them? 459 00:20:32,125 --> 00:20:34,450 >> Oh, yes. We always go up there and say, 460 00:20:34,450 --> 00:20:35,875 got any gum chum? 461 00:20:35,875 --> 00:20:37,690 Because we couldn't get candies 462 00:20:37,690 --> 00:20:39,730 or gum or anything like that. 463 00:20:39,730 --> 00:20:43,760 They let us sit in the tanks and show us all things. 464 00:20:43,760 --> 00:20:45,095 Yeah, they were very good to us. 465 00:20:45,095 --> 00:20:46,760 So I guess they missed their own kids, 466 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:49,280 so they interacted with us. 467 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,920 >> And did they ever give you things from their back. 468 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,805 >> They give us some chocolate and like I said, the gum. 469 00:20:55,805 --> 00:20:58,385 And to us, they were all yanks. 470 00:20:58,385 --> 00:21:01,085 Rebels they were all yanks. 471 00:21:01,085 --> 00:21:03,780 Every American was a yank. 472 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:08,480 >> Did any of them stand out to particular. 473 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:10,715 Do you remember any particular soldiers? 474 00:21:10,715 --> 00:21:13,190 >> No. They were all just very nice. 475 00:21:13,190 --> 00:21:15,470 They'd see us coming and because we lived 476 00:21:15,470 --> 00:21:18,485 right down the street to where the attempt was. 477 00:21:18,485 --> 00:21:20,435 So they would see us coming and 478 00:21:20,435 --> 00:21:23,345 they'd always give us a little something. 479 00:21:23,345 --> 00:21:26,600 >> And when did 480 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:31,505 you start having the ability have lights on again? 481 00:21:31,505 --> 00:21:34,580 >> It was after the war ended. 482 00:21:34,580 --> 00:21:37,550 And the first thing I remember 483 00:21:37,550 --> 00:21:40,535 about that is the first guy fox night, 484 00:21:40,535 --> 00:21:42,470 which is 5th November. 485 00:21:42,470 --> 00:21:44,840 We were able to have a big bonfire. 486 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:46,640 And that's the first time we had 487 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,800 really seen anything and then they 488 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:52,835 started getting the lamplights and everything going. 489 00:21:52,835 --> 00:21:55,640 And the first Christmas at the after 490 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,835 the end of the war my mom and dad took us into London, 491 00:21:58,835 --> 00:22:01,040 which I mean, it was a lot of it 492 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:03,470 on the ground because it was so bombed there. 493 00:22:03,470 --> 00:22:05,780 But what little area they could decorate. 494 00:22:05,780 --> 00:22:08,030 They had Christmas lights out and it was 495 00:22:08,030 --> 00:22:09,920 just something else because I've 496 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:11,885 never seen Christmas lights before. 497 00:22:11,885 --> 00:22:14,270 Not that I could remember. 498 00:22:14,270 --> 00:22:17,165 >> What do you remember about the end of the war. 499 00:22:17,165 --> 00:22:20,370 Was there a sense that things were different? 500 00:22:20,860 --> 00:22:24,230 >> Not really because stuff was still 501 00:22:24,230 --> 00:22:26,690 rationed and little by little, 502 00:22:26,690 --> 00:22:30,650 there was more to buy and we 503 00:22:30,650 --> 00:22:32,435 got a lot more clothes 504 00:22:32,435 --> 00:22:35,150 because all their clothes were rationed also. 505 00:22:35,150 --> 00:22:37,640 And we were able to buy like I had one pair of 506 00:22:37,640 --> 00:22:40,535 shoes for school and one for Sundays. 507 00:22:40,535 --> 00:22:42,800 And then after I remember after the war, 508 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:46,175 my mom took me to a place called Selfridges in London. 509 00:22:46,175 --> 00:22:47,990 It's a big department store, 510 00:22:47,990 --> 00:22:50,330 and she bought me an extra pair of shoes, 511 00:22:50,330 --> 00:22:52,070 and I thought I was very well off. 512 00:22:52,070 --> 00:22:54,500 [LAUGHTER] 513 00:22:54,500 --> 00:22:55,700 >> Did you have 514 00:22:55,700 --> 00:22:58,760 any family members who were in the service? 515 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,460 I had an uncle. My dad's youngest brother. 516 00:23:01,460 --> 00:23:03,230 He was in the service. 517 00:23:03,230 --> 00:23:06,065 He was captured in 518 00:23:06,065 --> 00:23:07,970 Germany and he stayed in 519 00:23:07,970 --> 00:23:10,760 a prison camp there for about a year. 520 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,130 And actually, I think 521 00:23:13,130 --> 00:23:15,230 the Americans when they got 522 00:23:15,230 --> 00:23:17,735 over there, they released them. 523 00:23:17,735 --> 00:23:21,680 And he came home and I remember I didn't know who he 524 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:27,125 was because he had not eaten and he was so frail. 525 00:23:27,125 --> 00:23:30,170 But I mean, it took I'm sure 526 00:23:30,170 --> 00:23:34,565 over a year or better to start building him back up. 527 00:23:34,565 --> 00:23:36,770 I just remember. 528 00:23:36,770 --> 00:23:39,545 I didn't know who he was when I saw him. 529 00:23:39,545 --> 00:23:42,230 >> And you had known him before? 530 00:23:42,230 --> 00:23:45,500 >> Yes. Yeah, he and my dad were close. 531 00:23:45,500 --> 00:23:48,605 My dad was the oldest of four and he was the baby. 532 00:23:48,605 --> 00:23:50,990 So they were very close. 533 00:23:50,990 --> 00:23:55,880 >> And was your dad just too old to be drafted? 534 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:56,720 >> Yes. 535 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:57,230 >> Service? 536 00:23:57,230 --> 00:23:58,460 >> Yes. 537 00:23:58,460 --> 00:24:05,855 >> And did you count the end of the war from 538 00:24:05,855 --> 00:24:09,275 May of '45 when Germany 539 00:24:09,275 --> 00:24:13,910 was conquered or did you wait till the end with Japan? 540 00:24:13,910 --> 00:24:16,490 >> It was when it was totally over, 541 00:24:16,490 --> 00:24:18,710 that was the end of the war for us because that's 542 00:24:18,710 --> 00:24:21,545 when things started to get a little bit better. 543 00:24:21,545 --> 00:24:24,200 But I will tell you one thing. 544 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,525 When they started the war, 545 00:24:26,525 --> 00:24:29,870 we had rails in our yard 546 00:24:29,870 --> 00:24:33,755 separating us from the front door, at the front, 547 00:24:33,755 --> 00:24:35,540 from the neighbors, and we had 548 00:24:35,540 --> 00:24:37,835 real pretty iron rails 549 00:24:37,835 --> 00:24:40,895 in front of the house going all around the park, 550 00:24:40,895 --> 00:24:42,995 what everybody did and they 551 00:24:42,995 --> 00:24:45,530 took all of those out for ammunition. 552 00:24:45,530 --> 00:24:47,990 And the last time I went home, 553 00:24:47,990 --> 00:24:51,485 we went there and they still hadn't replaced them. 554 00:24:51,485 --> 00:24:55,310 And I actually tried to go in the house 555 00:24:55,310 --> 00:24:57,110 and see if I could look 556 00:24:57,110 --> 00:24:59,420 around and see my old room and everything, 557 00:24:59,420 --> 00:25:02,495 but the people that owned the house then had moved well, 558 00:25:02,495 --> 00:25:03,995 excuse me, not moved. 559 00:25:03,995 --> 00:25:07,610 They were home. They were not home at that point. 560 00:25:07,610 --> 00:25:10,520 So but that was an exciting day for me. 561 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:12,050 [LAUGHTER] 562 00:25:12,050 --> 00:25:14,195 >> Had you not been back in a long time? 563 00:25:14,195 --> 00:25:17,750 >> No. I was over here 23 years before I went home. 564 00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:20,945 I had four children and really couldn't afford it. 565 00:25:20,945 --> 00:25:24,035 So after my dad passed away, 566 00:25:24,035 --> 00:25:27,200 we made a point so I could go home. 567 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:35,790 >> Sure. So when did you start high school? 568 00:25:37,180 --> 00:25:39,695 >> Year wise. I don't know. 569 00:25:39,695 --> 00:25:45,620 I was probably maybe 13. 570 00:25:45,620 --> 00:25:48,470 They do they did do differently over 571 00:25:48,470 --> 00:25:49,790 there or what they do because I 572 00:25:49,790 --> 00:25:51,905 got out of high school at 16, 573 00:25:51,905 --> 00:25:55,570 but that was that was how they did back then. 574 00:25:55,570 --> 00:25:56,860 So you graduated when you were six? 575 00:25:56,860 --> 00:25:57,715 >> Yes. 576 00:25:57,715 --> 00:26:00,850 >> And did you have friends that you would go around 577 00:26:00,850 --> 00:26:04,015 with and travel to London and do things with? 578 00:26:04,015 --> 00:26:07,500 >> Yes, I did. I went to London a lot. I loved London. 579 00:26:07,500 --> 00:26:11,795 And so we just mainly were not during the war. 580 00:26:11,795 --> 00:26:12,935 When I got older, 581 00:26:12,935 --> 00:26:17,930 we were able to catch a bus or train and go into London, 582 00:26:17,930 --> 00:26:21,770 go to some of the newer movies and then have to take 583 00:26:21,770 --> 00:26:23,810 the last bus home or else you'd be 584 00:26:23,810 --> 00:26:26,645 walking because they would quit at 10:00. 585 00:26:26,645 --> 00:26:28,520 So we knew whatever we did in London, 586 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,070 we had bit stopped by 10. 587 00:26:31,070 --> 00:26:32,660 >> Did you ever get stuck? 588 00:26:32,660 --> 00:26:33,785 >> Yes. 589 00:26:33,785 --> 00:26:35,465 >> What happened when you got stuck? 590 00:26:35,465 --> 00:26:38,870 >> Police picked a up. [LAUGHTER] Actually, 591 00:26:38,870 --> 00:26:39,980 my girlfriend and I, 592 00:26:39,980 --> 00:26:43,580 we'd missed the last train and there was 593 00:26:43,580 --> 00:26:49,265 no bus at that point and we got out and we were thumbing. 594 00:26:49,265 --> 00:26:51,875 And back then, we felt like 595 00:26:51,875 --> 00:26:54,650 we didn't know anything could happen to you. 596 00:26:54,650 --> 00:27:01,250 And I think we were about 15 to 16 and the policeman, 597 00:27:01,250 --> 00:27:04,355 we were in a car stopped and I asked what we were doing. 598 00:27:04,355 --> 00:27:06,725 And we said we'd missed the last train. 599 00:27:06,725 --> 00:27:08,720 He wanted to know where we lived, 600 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,035 I told him we were on gentleman's row and he said, 601 00:27:12,035 --> 00:27:15,155 get in the back of the car and we got a lecture. 602 00:27:15,155 --> 00:27:17,120 All the way home and I told him I said, 603 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:18,530 please don't stop in front of 604 00:27:18,530 --> 00:27:21,320 my house because my mom never did 605 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,840 know to this date 606 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:26,615 that we had a police car taking us home, 607 00:27:26,615 --> 00:27:28,100 he dropped us off around 608 00:27:28,100 --> 00:27:32,015 the corner so we could walk to the house. 609 00:27:32,015 --> 00:27:33,830 Telling tales now. 610 00:27:33,830 --> 00:27:35,090 [LAUGHTER] 611 00:27:35,090 --> 00:27:41,135 >> So can you describe how you met your future husband? 612 00:27:41,135 --> 00:27:47,270 >> I was in London and my girlfriend and we're going to 613 00:27:47,270 --> 00:27:50,660 a movie and my husband was very I did not 614 00:27:50,660 --> 00:27:54,440 like him when the lights change in London, 615 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:58,640 traffic goes and they don't care who's in the road. 616 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,840 And I had run with the girl I was with to get up 617 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,490 on the curb away from 618 00:28:04,490 --> 00:28:07,400 the taxis because they travel very fast. 619 00:28:07,400 --> 00:28:09,650 And he was standing there and he wouldn't 620 00:28:09,650 --> 00:28:11,825 let me up on the curve. 621 00:28:11,825 --> 00:28:16,505 And I was so mad I just slogged him. 622 00:28:16,505 --> 00:28:19,640 I had a brother, so I knew how to take care of myself. 623 00:28:19,640 --> 00:28:21,695 And we went and sat in a milk bot 624 00:28:21,695 --> 00:28:24,980 my girlfriend tonight and then he and his friend, 625 00:28:24,980 --> 00:28:29,735 we were pickups, I guess and they followed us around. 626 00:28:29,735 --> 00:28:32,990 So and then my girlfriend told 627 00:28:32,990 --> 00:28:35,900 him where I lived and out of the blue, 628 00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:37,970 I got a letter from him and 629 00:28:37,970 --> 00:28:40,610 I finally after I've met him a couple of 630 00:28:40,610 --> 00:28:45,560 times in London and I invited him to come to 631 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,185 my house and I met him at the train 632 00:28:48,185 --> 00:28:51,770 and took him and my parents just fell in love with him. 633 00:28:51,770 --> 00:28:53,660 So the only thing is he called 634 00:28:53,660 --> 00:28:55,970 you was ma'am this and ma'am that. 635 00:28:55,970 --> 00:28:58,280 And my mom, she'd say, Jeff, 636 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:01,655 don't call me, ma'am I sound like an old school mom. 637 00:29:01,655 --> 00:29:03,740 We used to laugh about that. 638 00:29:03,740 --> 00:29:06,830 >> And what was his name? 639 00:29:06,830 --> 00:29:09,170 >> Well, his actual name was Laverne, 640 00:29:09,170 --> 00:29:11,840 but we called him Jeff because that was 641 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:13,520 his nickname on the base because 642 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,680 of Jeff chang of the movie style. 643 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,380 So when he introduced himself, 644 00:29:18,380 --> 00:29:20,405 he introduced himself as Jeff. 645 00:29:20,405 --> 00:29:23,465 And Laverne never worked for me. 646 00:29:23,465 --> 00:29:25,610 He always stayed Jeff. 647 00:29:25,610 --> 00:29:27,560 >> So he was a soldier? 648 00:29:27,560 --> 00:29:29,135 >> He was the air force. 649 00:29:29,135 --> 00:29:31,040 >> And he was from the United States? 650 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:32,975 >> He was from South Carolina. 651 00:29:32,975 --> 00:29:37,385 >> And so he been stationed in London? 652 00:29:37,385 --> 00:29:41,870 >> He was he moved over there, I guess in 51. 653 00:29:41,870 --> 00:29:43,400 He was stationed there, 654 00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:47,840 I met him in 52, and we married in 54. 655 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:50,825 >> And can you describe what your wedding was like? 656 00:29:50,825 --> 00:29:53,765 >> It was just the justice of the peace. 657 00:29:53,765 --> 00:29:58,310 We just went to a place called Edmonton and 658 00:29:58,310 --> 00:30:01,235 my brother's girlfriend and him and 659 00:30:01,235 --> 00:30:03,110 a couple of three of my friends and my mom 660 00:30:03,110 --> 00:30:05,375 and dad, we were there. 661 00:30:05,375 --> 00:30:07,160 That was a very small, 662 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,550 and then we went out to tea for they didn't do 663 00:30:10,550 --> 00:30:15,200 things back there then like they do over here, 664 00:30:15,200 --> 00:30:17,910 it's not wasn't that lavish. 665 00:30:17,910 --> 00:30:20,380 >> And was there a sense for you 666 00:30:20,380 --> 00:30:24,670 that getting married and moving to the United States 667 00:30:24,670 --> 00:30:28,340 would be a better thing 668 00:30:28,340 --> 00:30:29,510 than staying back in 669 00:30:29,510 --> 00:30:31,535 England or was it just that you'd fallen in love? 670 00:30:31,535 --> 00:30:34,180 >> I just fell in love and I couldn't 671 00:30:34,180 --> 00:30:37,970 have asked for a better person the one I'm married. 672 00:30:38,550 --> 00:30:42,070 And you know at that age there again, 673 00:30:42,070 --> 00:30:44,230 I was 18 and you don't 674 00:30:44,230 --> 00:30:47,700 think when he was from a tobacco farm. 675 00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:51,560 So I thought that was a regular English farm, 676 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:53,210 which is very green and very 677 00:30:53,210 --> 00:30:56,135 pretty with horses and the whole bit. 678 00:30:56,135 --> 00:30:58,745 And I saw my first mule at 679 00:30:58,745 --> 00:31:02,330 his house I've never seen a mule in my life, 680 00:31:02,330 --> 00:31:04,880 It was just so different. 681 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:08,810 But it was a big shock going into that and we 682 00:31:08,810 --> 00:31:10,760 lived there for a year and then moved up here 683 00:31:10,760 --> 00:31:13,085 and my husband got a job at Lockheed. 684 00:31:13,085 --> 00:31:14,690 >> So what was it like moving 685 00:31:14,690 --> 00:31:16,205 to the United States initially. 686 00:31:16,205 --> 00:31:18,170 What were your first impressions. 687 00:31:18,170 --> 00:31:20,330 >> Well, I had a lot of friends 688 00:31:20,330 --> 00:31:22,520 when we first got to New York. 689 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,530 We went to New York Port of entry. 690 00:31:24,530 --> 00:31:26,210 We were up there nearly a month for 691 00:31:26,210 --> 00:31:28,400 my husband to get out of service. 692 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:32,840 And then the town we had to 693 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:37,820 get a taxi we got a train to Florence, 694 00:31:37,820 --> 00:31:39,200 South Carolina then we got 695 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,930 a taxi from there to where he lived. 696 00:31:41,930 --> 00:31:45,545 And I had dozed off of course it's 3:00 in the morning. 697 00:31:45,545 --> 00:31:48,590 And he thumped me he said, wake up? 698 00:31:48,590 --> 00:31:51,065 This is our town and I came up 699 00:31:51,065 --> 00:31:53,675 like this and I'm like, where? 700 00:31:53,675 --> 00:31:55,340 He said, well, we're through it now. 701 00:31:55,340 --> 00:31:59,600 [LAUGHTER] I was used to London and it was 702 00:31:59,600 --> 00:32:01,790 like a cross road with a couple 703 00:32:01,790 --> 00:32:04,355 of little shops or stores in. 704 00:32:04,355 --> 00:32:09,140 So that was different to me. 705 00:32:09,140 --> 00:32:13,325 But I didn't like 706 00:32:13,325 --> 00:32:15,290 South Carolina and I 707 00:32:15,290 --> 00:32:17,420 didn't like having to live with in laws, 708 00:32:17,420 --> 00:32:19,070 but after I got up here, 709 00:32:19,070 --> 00:32:20,330 things got a lot better. 710 00:32:20,330 --> 00:32:21,860 I made friends and everything 711 00:32:21,860 --> 00:32:24,125 because I was close in with people. 712 00:32:24,125 --> 00:32:26,075 >> So he got a job at Lockheed? 713 00:32:26,075 --> 00:32:26,450 >> Yes. 714 00:32:26,450 --> 00:32:28,010 [inaudible] 715 00:32:28,010 --> 00:32:30,500 >> He's a flat line mechanic. 716 00:32:30,500 --> 00:32:36,500 >> And what was Marietta Lake, 717 00:32:36,500 --> 00:32:37,970 what would you first see? 718 00:32:37,970 --> 00:32:42,260 >> Beautiful. It was quiet, no traffic hardly. 719 00:32:42,260 --> 00:32:44,195 The chicken was there 720 00:32:44,195 --> 00:32:48,590 and it was a chick chuck and shake back then. 721 00:32:48,590 --> 00:32:51,125 And but Marietta was wearing 722 00:32:51,125 --> 00:32:54,380 East Marietta out near off of Pallas ferry. 723 00:32:54,380 --> 00:32:57,560 And it was just very pretty out there Poserr was 724 00:32:57,560 --> 00:32:59,870 a two lane road and it had 725 00:32:59,870 --> 00:33:03,680 woods and It was just beautiful out there. 726 00:33:03,680 --> 00:33:06,200 Chattahoochee River when you went from 727 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:08,720 Powers ferry to across the Chattahoochee River, 728 00:33:08,720 --> 00:33:10,415 it was a swinging bridge, 729 00:33:10,415 --> 00:33:14,600 one lane and people took turns going across, 730 00:33:14,600 --> 00:33:17,240 which wouldn't happen in this day and time. 731 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:20,900 But it was very pretty around here. 732 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:23,690 >> What was your first home like? 733 00:33:23,690 --> 00:33:26,855 >> You talking about apartment or house? 734 00:33:26,855 --> 00:33:28,340 >> The first place you lived. 735 00:33:28,340 --> 00:33:30,905 >> The first place we lived was a duplex. 736 00:33:30,905 --> 00:33:33,140 Actually, the girl that I was with 737 00:33:33,140 --> 00:33:35,600 when I met my husband married 738 00:33:35,600 --> 00:33:37,250 the guy that he was 739 00:33:37,250 --> 00:33:41,000 with and they ran into each other at Lockheed. 740 00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,850 And I was living in Carolina then because we couldn't 741 00:33:43,850 --> 00:33:47,225 find a place to live up here and they had a duplex, 742 00:33:47,225 --> 00:33:48,650 told us it was empty. 743 00:33:48,650 --> 00:33:50,810 So we moved up here and lived in 744 00:33:50,810 --> 00:33:53,720 the duplex with them basically. 745 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,290 And then we moved off of the square. 746 00:33:57,290 --> 00:34:00,110 In Marietta on Frazer Street. 747 00:34:00,110 --> 00:34:05,075 And then we bought a house in off of Powers ferry in 57. 748 00:34:05,075 --> 00:34:08,165 So that was our first home and I'm still there. 749 00:34:08,165 --> 00:34:09,890 >> Were the homes new then? 750 00:34:09,890 --> 00:34:11,930 >> Yes. They were in the process of 751 00:34:11,930 --> 00:34:14,690 building house when we bought it. 752 00:34:14,690 --> 00:34:20,675 And actually, they let us live there from February 55, 753 00:34:20,675 --> 00:34:28,430 I guess it was till 57 I'll take it back I'm sorry. 754 00:34:28,430 --> 00:34:31,790 57, we moved in in February and 755 00:34:31,790 --> 00:34:34,610 we didn't have to start payments on it until June. 756 00:34:34,610 --> 00:34:36,080 The builder let us just stay 757 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:38,420 there until we close the house out. 758 00:34:38,420 --> 00:34:40,700 So which were very nice. 759 00:34:40,700 --> 00:34:42,410 >> And what were your neighbors like? 760 00:34:42,410 --> 00:34:44,495 >> We've had good neighbors. 761 00:34:44,495 --> 00:34:47,220 Most of them since the 60s 762 00:34:47,220 --> 00:34:49,840 because a lot of them have passed away since, 763 00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:53,800 but then we have younger neighbors than we used to have, 764 00:34:53,800 --> 00:34:55,000 but for the most part, 765 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,055 we have very good neighbors back then. 766 00:34:57,055 --> 00:34:58,900 Everybody was from somewhere else. 767 00:34:58,900 --> 00:35:02,010 Nobody was from Georgia because of Lockheed. 768 00:35:02,010 --> 00:35:04,610 So and then my husband got laid off from 769 00:35:04,610 --> 00:35:07,970 Lockheed many times and he was in the National Guard. 770 00:35:07,970 --> 00:35:09,530 So they had an opening there, 771 00:35:09,530 --> 00:35:11,270 so he joined the National Guard 772 00:35:11,270 --> 00:35:13,655 and he retired from there. 773 00:35:13,655 --> 00:35:15,665 >> And that was right nearby. That was done? 774 00:35:15,665 --> 00:35:16,890 >> Yes. 775 00:35:16,890 --> 00:35:19,210 >> So it probably did 776 00:35:19,210 --> 00:35:21,085 feel good you didn't have to worry about moving? 777 00:35:21,085 --> 00:35:23,330 >> Yes. He he 778 00:35:23,330 --> 00:35:26,120 traveled a lot when he was at Dobins because, 779 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:28,250 they have to go especially bad weather. 780 00:35:28,250 --> 00:35:29,780 They were needed to go somewhere, 781 00:35:29,780 --> 00:35:32,780 but it was nice knowing that he 782 00:35:32,780 --> 00:35:34,370 wasn't going to get laid off he 783 00:35:34,370 --> 00:35:36,585 had a permanent position there. 784 00:35:36,585 --> 00:35:39,430 So he went in as a staff sergeant 785 00:35:39,430 --> 00:35:42,280 and came out as a senior master sergeant. 786 00:35:42,280 --> 00:35:44,275 So he worked very well. 787 00:35:44,275 --> 00:35:46,555 >> Did he ever have to serve, 788 00:35:46,555 --> 00:35:48,625 in any of the Ct? 789 00:35:48,625 --> 00:35:49,915 >> No. 790 00:35:49,915 --> 00:35:53,105 >> No. We were lucky. 791 00:35:53,105 --> 00:35:57,485 >> And so what was your slash is your house like. 792 00:35:57,485 --> 00:36:01,670 >> It's just a small two bedroom house for the pine 793 00:36:01,670 --> 00:36:03,020 paneled and we have 794 00:36:03,020 --> 00:36:05,630 a basement that when my daughter came, 795 00:36:05,630 --> 00:36:07,100 we didn't have anywhere to put her. 796 00:36:07,100 --> 00:36:09,130 So we built the basement 797 00:36:09,130 --> 00:36:11,605 in because I had three boys and it was able, 798 00:36:11,605 --> 00:36:13,750 we were able to keep them all together. 799 00:36:13,750 --> 00:36:15,340 But when she came along, 800 00:36:15,340 --> 00:36:16,810 we didn't have anywhere to put her, 801 00:36:16,810 --> 00:36:18,760 so we built the basement in, 802 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:20,380 which I stayed down there all 803 00:36:20,380 --> 00:36:22,645 the time now because it's dark. 804 00:36:22,645 --> 00:36:25,270 >> When was your first child born? 805 00:36:25,270 --> 00:36:29,410 >> 1955, August of 2055. 806 00:36:29,410 --> 00:36:31,180 Boy, of course. 807 00:36:31,180 --> 00:36:34,315 ?? And what are your children's names? 808 00:36:34,315 --> 00:36:38,305 >> Glen, J, Doug, and Karen. 809 00:36:38,305 --> 00:36:41,040 >> And what was it like to be a new mother? 810 00:36:41,040 --> 00:36:44,585 It was hard because I didn't have anybody to help me. 811 00:36:44,585 --> 00:36:47,420 And at that point, I didn't know anybody because 812 00:36:47,420 --> 00:36:50,480 we were still living I lived in Carolina, 813 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:52,775 which I didn't have any friends later there 814 00:36:52,775 --> 00:36:55,655 because there's no houses close. 815 00:36:55,655 --> 00:36:58,160 And when I moved up here, 816 00:36:58,160 --> 00:37:01,250 Glenn was about three months old. 817 00:37:01,250 --> 00:37:04,700 And after I started meeting people, 818 00:37:04,700 --> 00:37:05,840 it got a lot easier, 819 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:07,550 but I wished I'd have my mom 820 00:37:07,550 --> 00:37:10,040 closer to help me out some friends. 821 00:37:10,040 --> 00:37:15,440 It was hard but you learned so he was on swing shift. 822 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:17,240 My husband was on swing shift then 823 00:37:17,240 --> 00:37:20,150 so and my son had carlic and it always 824 00:37:20,150 --> 00:37:22,640 started at three in the afternoon 825 00:37:22,640 --> 00:37:26,528 and he was gone. [LAUGHTER] 826 00:37:28,420 --> 00:37:30,980 >> What did you find to be 827 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:33,575 a support network you met people, what did you do? 828 00:37:33,575 --> 00:37:36,425 >> After I moved out to where I'm living now, 829 00:37:36,425 --> 00:37:38,780 like I said, everybody was in the same boat. 830 00:37:38,780 --> 00:37:40,910 They were all from different states and 831 00:37:40,910 --> 00:37:43,325 they had come in basically for Lockheed. 832 00:37:43,325 --> 00:37:47,525 So we were all about the same age back then. 833 00:37:47,525 --> 00:37:50,150 And we just visited each 834 00:37:50,150 --> 00:37:53,030 other and I got everybody drinking tea. 835 00:37:53,030 --> 00:37:55,460 So when I go to any of the neighbors, 836 00:37:55,460 --> 00:37:56,900 the first thing they do is put on 837 00:37:56,900 --> 00:37:58,520 the kettle and we'd have a cup of tea. 838 00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:00,530 So it was very nice. 839 00:38:00,530 --> 00:38:03,620 >> And did your family 840 00:38:03,620 --> 00:38:05,150 ever move from England 841 00:38:05,150 --> 00:38:06,680 and were able to come out and visit you? 842 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:10,430 >> My mom came out once and my brother came out several 843 00:38:10,430 --> 00:38:14,270 times but she had a glass over here, 844 00:38:14,270 --> 00:38:20,375 but she was late 60s when she came and she loved it. 845 00:38:20,375 --> 00:38:22,190 >> And that was the only time she had come out? 846 00:38:22,190 --> 00:38:23,820 >> Yes. 847 00:38:24,100 --> 00:38:28,895 >> And did you ever work outside the home? 848 00:38:28,895 --> 00:38:32,675 >> I worked at Lennon's and things for 20 years, 849 00:38:32,675 --> 00:38:34,370 but I didn't do that until 850 00:38:34,370 --> 00:38:36,630 after my daughter got out of high school. 851 00:38:36,630 --> 00:38:38,830 I was one of those stay at home mom. 852 00:38:38,830 --> 00:38:40,825 So when they got in from school, 853 00:38:40,825 --> 00:38:42,520 they knew I was going to be there 854 00:38:42,520 --> 00:38:44,080 and they better be in on time. 855 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,750 [LAUGHTER] 856 00:38:46,750 --> 00:38:48,820 >> And how was it like raising your four kids here? 857 00:38:48,820 --> 00:38:53,405 >> It was fun. I feel like they had good schooling 858 00:38:53,405 --> 00:38:59,225 and trying to think three of them came here to school. 859 00:38:59,225 --> 00:39:01,640 And the oldest one did 860 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,460 a year here and went to the University of Georgia. 861 00:39:04,460 --> 00:39:08,360 The middle one graduated from here and 862 00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:10,610 the youngest boy graduated from 863 00:39:10,610 --> 00:39:13,775 Southern Tech and my daughter graduated from here. 864 00:39:13,775 --> 00:39:17,120 So all in the family here. 865 00:39:17,120 --> 00:39:19,595 >> And where are they all located now? 866 00:39:19,595 --> 00:39:23,495 >> My oldest boy lives in Covington on Lake Jackson. 867 00:39:23,495 --> 00:39:28,760 My middle son lives in Charleston, South Carolina. 868 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:31,040 My youngest son lives in Clearwater, 869 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:33,995 Florida, my daughter lives in Smyrna. 870 00:39:33,995 --> 00:39:38,390 So my daughter her first husband passed away, 871 00:39:38,390 --> 00:39:40,460 but he was a basketball coach at 872 00:39:40,460 --> 00:39:44,540 [inaudible] state and he passed away. 873 00:39:44,540 --> 00:39:47,240 I think they've been married about 13 months 874 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:49,355 and he had brain cancer. 875 00:39:49,355 --> 00:39:51,440 So it was Ron Walker. 876 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,450 I don't know if they still had they used to have 877 00:39:53,450 --> 00:39:56,405 something a picture of him in the gym. 878 00:39:56,405 --> 00:39:58,430 I don't know since they've redid the gym, 879 00:39:58,430 --> 00:40:00,635 whether he's back there or not. 880 00:40:00,635 --> 00:40:03,970 >> And do you have any grandchildren. 881 00:40:03,970 --> 00:40:07,600 >> I have six grandchildren, 882 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:12,915 three great grandchildren and two on the way. 883 00:40:12,915 --> 00:40:16,025 So I say pretty busy. 884 00:40:16,025 --> 00:40:19,820 My granddaughter is very good texting back and forth. 885 00:40:19,820 --> 00:40:22,790 I keep up, they send me pictures. 886 00:40:22,790 --> 00:40:24,860 The Thanksgiving, we always go to 887 00:40:24,860 --> 00:40:27,860 my oldest boy's house because it sits right on 888 00:40:27,860 --> 00:40:30,110 the lake and it's very pretty 889 00:40:30,110 --> 00:40:32,660 there and they've got a lot more room than anybody else. 890 00:40:32,660 --> 00:40:34,805 So the whole family, 891 00:40:34,805 --> 00:40:36,680 grandkids, everything will go there. 892 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:38,030 So we have a blast at 893 00:40:38,030 --> 00:40:40,700 Thanksgiving and I don't have to cook. 894 00:40:40,700 --> 00:40:42,170 >> You don't cook anything? 895 00:40:42,170 --> 00:40:43,040 >> No. 896 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:44,270 >> Do you like to cook? 897 00:40:44,270 --> 00:40:48,155 >> No. I had to with four children, 898 00:40:48,155 --> 00:40:52,290 but when I got where I didn't have to cook, I don't cook. 899 00:40:52,390 --> 00:40:55,280 >> And so do you go around and 900 00:40:55,280 --> 00:40:57,755 visit them in their homes? Do they come visit you? 901 00:40:57,755 --> 00:41:00,080 >> I don't drive that far anymore. 902 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:01,835 They come and visit me, 903 00:41:01,835 --> 00:41:05,660 but my sons call me every day, almost every day. 904 00:41:05,660 --> 00:41:08,285 My daughter calls me two or three times a day. 905 00:41:08,285 --> 00:41:10,670 And so I don't know if they're 906 00:41:10,670 --> 00:41:11,780 bored or I just want to 907 00:41:11,780 --> 00:41:13,040 make sure I'm still breathing. [LAUGHTER] 908 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:17,585 >> And your husband, is he still alive? 909 00:41:17,585 --> 00:41:20,580 >> No. He died in '98. 910 00:41:20,710 --> 00:41:23,490 >> That's a while ago. 911 00:41:23,920 --> 00:41:29,850 >> August of '98, we've been married exactly 44.5 years. 912 00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:32,495 >> And he have prolonged illness or anything? 913 00:41:32,495 --> 00:41:34,610 >> He had bone cancer, 914 00:41:34,610 --> 00:41:37,535 so about a year, a year and a half. 915 00:41:37,535 --> 00:41:41,190 I kept him at home. We had hospice. 916 00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:45,590 >> So after he died, did 917 00:41:45,590 --> 00:41:48,560 you find that you still have a good support network? 918 00:41:48,560 --> 00:41:50,720 >> Yeah. My kids were very good. 919 00:41:50,720 --> 00:41:53,645 And all of them lived around here at that point, 920 00:41:53,645 --> 00:41:56,240 but two of them have moved out since. 921 00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:59,000 But I feel my neighbors were 922 00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:02,630 very good and they checked on me. 923 00:42:02,630 --> 00:42:04,310 Like I said, we're all been there 924 00:42:04,310 --> 00:42:08,150 so many years and some of them have passed on, 925 00:42:08,150 --> 00:42:12,410 but I've had a very good fortunate being 926 00:42:12,410 --> 00:42:14,120 with neighbors that I've had. 927 00:42:14,120 --> 00:42:23,195 >> So thinking about the war and it's history, 928 00:42:23,195 --> 00:42:26,960 what do you think is most important for young people to 929 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:31,220 know about World War II and right afterward? 930 00:42:31,220 --> 00:42:33,410 >> Just the closeness that we 931 00:42:33,410 --> 00:42:36,355 had with family and neighbors, 932 00:42:36,355 --> 00:42:38,515 everybody helped each other. 933 00:42:38,515 --> 00:42:41,830 And it was just like one big family. 934 00:42:41,830 --> 00:42:44,455 Our neighbors were very good where I grew up. 935 00:42:44,455 --> 00:42:46,810 And they just helped each other. 936 00:42:46,810 --> 00:42:49,065 If somebody was having a hard time, 937 00:42:49,065 --> 00:42:51,605 the rest of the neighbors were there for them. 938 00:42:51,605 --> 00:42:55,895 It's just I guess the unity maybe. I don't know. 939 00:42:55,895 --> 00:43:01,130 It's just you never felt like people didn't care. 940 00:43:01,130 --> 00:43:03,500 We all grew up there with 941 00:43:03,500 --> 00:43:06,710 the kids and everything and it was a life. 942 00:43:06,710 --> 00:43:08,030 But like I said, 943 00:43:08,030 --> 00:43:09,350 we called everybody aunt and 944 00:43:09,350 --> 00:43:10,940 uncle and it was just like they 945 00:43:10,940 --> 00:43:12,650 were because people didn't move 946 00:43:12,650 --> 00:43:14,990 over there like they do over here. 947 00:43:14,990 --> 00:43:18,410 You can tell I've been in my house since '57. 948 00:43:18,410 --> 00:43:21,230 [LAUGHTER] 949 00:43:21,230 --> 00:43:23,210 >> And you mentioned that you got to go back to 950 00:43:23,210 --> 00:43:26,120 your home town recently. 951 00:43:26,120 --> 00:43:28,910 >> No, I haven't been since 9, 11. 952 00:43:28,910 --> 00:43:30,560 I'm not getting on a plane, 953 00:43:30,560 --> 00:43:34,565 but I went back three or four times. 954 00:43:34,565 --> 00:43:36,275 After like I said, I've been here 955 00:43:36,275 --> 00:43:39,620 23 years before I got to go home the first time. 956 00:43:39,620 --> 00:43:45,080 And my neighbors had a party for me and had 957 00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:47,870 some good eating and everything because 958 00:43:47,870 --> 00:43:49,250 they knew that was my first time 959 00:43:49,250 --> 00:43:50,780 back and we had a little party, 960 00:43:50,780 --> 00:43:52,340 it was very nice. 961 00:43:52,340 --> 00:43:54,200 >> And how have things changed? 962 00:43:54,200 --> 00:43:58,490 >> Over there a lot more people. 963 00:43:58,490 --> 00:44:02,210 My brother, actually, I stayed with him a lot and he 964 00:44:02,210 --> 00:44:05,600 lived in right out of South Hampton in the country. 965 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:07,250 Not my country here. 966 00:44:07,250 --> 00:44:09,020 There's houses around but it was 967 00:44:09,020 --> 00:44:11,210 out in the country and my mom 968 00:44:11,210 --> 00:44:15,395 had moved into London and she lived near Harrods. 969 00:44:15,395 --> 00:44:17,630 I don't know if you're familiar with that area, 970 00:44:17,630 --> 00:44:21,845 but she lived there and so we were walking distance 971 00:44:21,845 --> 00:44:23,495 with everything as far as 972 00:44:23,495 --> 00:44:26,225 history and everything, which I went back. 973 00:44:26,225 --> 00:44:28,715 I like the museums and stuff like that. 974 00:44:28,715 --> 00:44:30,485 So first time I went, 975 00:44:30,485 --> 00:44:31,580 I took my daughter, 976 00:44:31,580 --> 00:44:33,575 she was 10 at that time, 977 00:44:33,575 --> 00:44:36,485 and my younger son went, he was 16. 978 00:44:36,485 --> 00:44:38,960 So we got to see a lot of things 979 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:42,320 over there that I wanted them to see. 980 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:44,660 >> What do you think is most important 981 00:44:44,660 --> 00:44:48,275 about your British culture? 982 00:44:48,275 --> 00:44:51,350 >> Do you know I haven't even thought about that. 983 00:44:51,350 --> 00:44:52,730 I've just blended in with 984 00:44:52,730 --> 00:44:54,650 everything that goes on over here. 985 00:44:54,650 --> 00:44:56,315 I lost my accent. 986 00:44:56,315 --> 00:44:59,435 People who have told me if I stayed up north 987 00:44:59,435 --> 00:45:01,520 I would have kept an accent because 988 00:45:01,520 --> 00:45:03,575 they speak faster up there. 989 00:45:03,575 --> 00:45:06,875 But I do miss that. 990 00:45:06,875 --> 00:45:10,970 And going home when I left England, 991 00:45:10,970 --> 00:45:13,520 they were just basically British people 992 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:16,430 living there and going home and there 993 00:45:16,430 --> 00:45:17,780 were so many from 994 00:45:17,780 --> 00:45:20,720 different countries there that was different to what 995 00:45:20,720 --> 00:45:25,250 I remembered but I thoroughly enjoyed it. 996 00:45:25,250 --> 00:45:27,530 I did like I said all my history stuff. 997 00:45:27,530 --> 00:45:29,580 I went around. 998 00:45:29,770 --> 00:45:33,060 >> Well, that's great. 999 00:45:34,690 --> 00:45:36,980 I wanted to just ask you a little 1000 00:45:36,980 --> 00:45:38,735 bit more about your brother. 1001 00:45:38,735 --> 00:45:43,730 >> He was in the Royal Navy. 1002 00:45:43,730 --> 00:45:46,520 So he was stationed in different areas, 1003 00:45:46,520 --> 00:45:49,355 but not during the war. 1004 00:45:49,355 --> 00:45:53,840 He joined the Navy when he got out of high school. 1005 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:56,900 And his favorite place 1006 00:45:56,900 --> 00:45:59,390 to go was Australia and New Zealand. 1007 00:45:59,390 --> 00:46:00,785 That's where he'd have a lot. 1008 00:46:00,785 --> 00:46:04,385 He did do oil tankers for a while because he 1009 00:46:04,385 --> 00:46:06,185 wanted to make more money 1010 00:46:06,185 --> 00:46:08,690 and then he went back in the Royal Navy. 1011 00:46:08,690 --> 00:46:12,350 And then he started his own business, 1012 00:46:12,350 --> 00:46:15,650 making the mini blinds and 1013 00:46:15,650 --> 00:46:20,450 shades to go the awnings that go outside shops. 1014 00:46:20,450 --> 00:46:22,760 He did that. That was his business. 1015 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:25,940 He had a little shop with Doug Knight on it. 1016 00:46:25,940 --> 00:46:28,790 >> That's great. And you 1017 00:46:28,790 --> 00:46:30,200 said he came to visit you a few times? 1018 00:46:30,200 --> 00:46:31,760 >> Yes, several times. 1019 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:35,870 >> And are your kids in touch with his kids at all today? 1020 00:46:35,870 --> 00:46:41,105 >> No. Unfortunately, being that far away, 1021 00:46:41,105 --> 00:46:44,630 you just don't stay I did with him. 1022 00:46:44,630 --> 00:46:48,450 But I am in touch with one of his daughters. 1023 00:46:48,450 --> 00:46:51,790 And one of his sons we're Facebook friends. 1024 00:46:51,790 --> 00:46:54,670 So I stay in touch with him Facebook wise, 1025 00:46:54,670 --> 00:46:57,800 but as far as talking, no. 1026 00:46:57,840 --> 00:47:01,750 >> So is there anything that 1027 00:47:01,750 --> 00:47:05,575 you want to talk about that I haven't asked you about? 1028 00:47:05,575 --> 00:47:09,535 >> No, I think you've covered it all pretty much. 1029 00:47:09,535 --> 00:47:12,070 Like I said, if you asked me, I can remember, 1030 00:47:12,070 --> 00:47:13,630 but a lot of stuff, 1031 00:47:13,630 --> 00:47:16,020 I think you prefer to forget. 1032 00:47:16,020 --> 00:47:22,370 But yeah, I just feel sorry for children 1033 00:47:22,370 --> 00:47:24,230 and more in this day and 1034 00:47:24,230 --> 00:47:28,325 time because it's something you never forget and 1035 00:47:28,325 --> 00:47:30,500 something will jog my memory if I see 1036 00:47:30,500 --> 00:47:32,945 something on television, it clicks. 1037 00:47:32,945 --> 00:47:34,925 I remember that. 1038 00:47:34,925 --> 00:47:39,390 But I don't think it's anything you ever forget. 1039 00:47:39,900 --> 00:47:43,290 >> Thank you for your time and for your participation. 1040 00:47:43,290 --> 00:47:45,385 >> You're welcome. I appreciate it. 1041 00:47:45,385 --> 00:47:48,340 >> I really appreciate it. So thank you very much. 1042 00:47:48,340 --> 00:47:52,190 >> And I hope it'll do good. Thank you.