Monday 1 August 2005

More musings

I am one of eight children, I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters - I am the youngest girl and have 1 brother younger than me by 2 years - I was born in the country but came to live in Norwich when I was just 7 years old just before the 2nd world war started. We moved into a big house right next to the Fire station and City Hall  at the end of my road is Norwich Market place and to the right is St Peters Mancroft Church (where I got married when I was 19 years old)  Just a bit further on is Norwich Castle Museum - so as you can see we had plenty of places to go when we were children.   we also had a park just 2 minutes from our front door where we used to take our roller skates and skate round the bandstand for hours on end - We did not have many luxurys but we were very happy.  When the war started we were in a little village called Trowse I was with some of my brothers and sisters - we thought they were going to start bombing us straight away and could not get home to Mum and Dad  quick enough.   When the air raids started we would all go down an Anderson Shelter in our back yard - the yard was very small  - but one night when it was cold  Dad decided to take us  down our cellar in the house so we all traiped down the cellar which was dark as there were no lights down there only candles - during this particular air raid there was one heck of a thud Dad commented that that bomb was very close to home it made the house shake.  when the all clear went we returned to bed - only to be awakened by Dad yelling us to get out of the house as the bomb had  landed in our small back yard destroying our Anderson Shelter - we had to sleep in the Air raid shelters near the Market Place for about a week before we could return home. I remembered I quite enjoyed it as there were other familys down there - like party time.   anyway thats all for this time bye for now.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

How fascinating, I love reading memories like these probably because I am the same generation.  I love Norwich, used to go there quite a lot years ago, the Cathedral (Edith Cavell is buried there), the castle and lots of little shops. This was a fascinating entry, thank you so much for sharing.  I hope you will be interested in the ghost stories I posted today.

http://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/Family

Anonymous said...

How incredible that your dad decided to take you all down the cellar that night, instead of the Anderson shelter - which got destroyed! A truly amazing twist of fate! Norfolk is a wonderful county. And it sounds as though you had a happy childhood there.

David.
http://journals.aol.co.uk/shadp/TheWayAhead/

Anonymous said...

Very interesting entry, it's nice to know a bit of your history :o)
So lucky that you didn't go into the Anderson shelter that night, fate is a funny thing isn't it!
Sara   x

Anonymous said...

What wonderful memories you have! :-)

Sandra xxx

Anonymous said...

You must have been happy to stop from crying.  Your story is so real, and told so well.  Where could one possibly read such interesting memories than in the journals of J-Land.  I am so glad that you lived to tell us the story Ally.  Take care, mark

Anonymous said...

J-Land is sort of addicting, isn't it?
You may find out things about yourself that
you've never dreamed of here.
BTW ... Jeanette sent me here to say "Hi".
            *** Coy ***

http://journals.aol.com/coy1234787/Dancingintherain

Anonymous said...

Wow, interesting.

Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink

Anonymous said...

I know this comment is kind of late-but, WOW-air raids? Ducking low with your brothers & sisters? Now THAT's an exciting life! Tell us more of those days!
Excellent 'entry.' Diane Z