Arts, Entertainment and Media

Life Onboard a V and W Destroyer

Mr. Stone was resplendent in red frock coat black trousers with gold braid , and to my amazement informed...

Entertainments and a Wartime Christmas: In London

One afternoon at Christmas, my sister Margaret and I took my grandma's little puppy dog Peggy, who was...

Entertaining in World War 2: A Concert Party in Southampton

As soon as I was qualified I wanted to go to work, and landed up atthe British Power Boat Company which was...

Mary's War

Film has always been very important in my life: the week beginning September 4th 1939, at the Royal Cinema...

War Declared. Part One.

Alf Simpson was there, and Herbert Scott, both indefatigable workers in the theatre, but the only record...

Drumming In Peace and War

However, in 1935 we aquired a radio and just lying on the settee gave me the opportunity to listen to those...

When Bugles Call - Wellington Barracks

Three months after leaving Chelsea for Windsor I was back at the Smoke - in the Holding Battalion at...

One Child's War Part 2 A New House in War-time by Elizabeth Chapman (nee Goodwin)

Food rationing had now become compulsory and Mother, in common with every other British “Mum”,...

A Wireless Child

When the war got serious and the Government too important to be satirised Handley became in succession...

Running the Camp Cinemas

I am writing this story on behalf of my Father In Law, Walter Surples and it is a small recollection of his...

Royal Armys Pays Corps /Musical Memorys of "George Mitchell Choir"

What a life my late Father had to the grand age of 90, he was born on 30th nov,l913 at Derby he...

Wartime Romance Memories of an ENSA Ballet Dancer

Instead one of the teachers Sheila Elliot Clarke got me an audition with Jack Hilton; in order to become a...

Saturday, 7th Sept. 1940

But I was far more worried about the film than the air-raid. By this time air-raids were old hat: a film...

Childhood War Memories: Crayford and Litherland

Shortly afterwards, my parents moved to Crayford in Kent and my paternal grandparents moved from Formby to...

War-time in the Theatre

I gathered them up and tip toed out again to let my friend Eve in who had to pick up her ballroom...

My Memories & Involvement in WW2

These costumes were worn in a grand finale in which we marched and danced in intricate formations to such...

Florence 1945: Ruin and Rebirth

In Rome I had the option of 'leave centres' at Aquino or Florence. Renaissance continued when,...

As Time Goes By: RNVR in Chatham

In consequence we took every opportunity to take shore leave when at liberty to go into Chatham Town to...

Stockport Express Christmas 1945

The Stockport Council of Churches had organised Community Singing of Christmas Hymns and Carols in the...

“Reflections on Life”

August 1918, at 22, Norcliffe Street, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough, the son of Mary Shackleton, and Thomas...

Vera Lynn Saved My Life

ENSA in Normandy

Before the war Phyll had been trained as dancer at a leading ballet school and performed in various London...

Childhood Memories of Swindon, Wallingford and London during War

Uncle Robert was in the Navy on a cruiser and Uncle Len was a wireless operator with 12 Squadron....

The Weekend Before Christmas 1940: Clayton, Manchester - Effects of Bombing and Growing Up Fast

Frank Smith of Higher Openshaw, Fred Philips of Clayton Vale, Joe Flanaghan of Stuart Street and of course...

A Long Night at the Cinema

We were a family of four living in Sheffield, my father was in the Auxiliary Fire Service at that time and...

WW2 in SWANSEA

The first memory of WW2 that I have is seeing my father in RAF uniform and my grandfather in his naval...