remembering ww2
VILLAGE VOICES
In 2020 the research team began a project 'Village Voices' to collect memories of Kettlestonians who lived through WW2.
Pauline aged 9
Pauline Bassingthwaighte
Pauline lived in Norwich throughout WW2. Here she shares her memories of living through the Norwich blitz.
THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR
''1939 saw Norwich in Norfolk as a very heavy industrialised City producing many kinds of food, clothing, shoes and heavy machinery. All of these serviced by road, river and three Railway Stations. These factories and their offices were so centralised, the people who needed to work there tended to live in houses close to hand, resulting in a much tighter and smaller community. When these same factories were converted or taken over for War Work (our first raid coming in July 1940) any bombs and incendiaries dropped would cause massive damage.
I was ten years of age when War was declared on 3rd September 1939, living in Newmarket Street, made up of rows of terraced houses that ran sideways on to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. I was attending school at Crooks Place as it was called then and later moved to the Blyth School.
I recall the issuing of gas masks. My mischievous class finding out that if one moved them around a bit whilst still on they made very satisfactory rude noises!''
The Old Norfolk and Norwich Hospital
Terraced housing in Newmarket Street
Children wearing gas masks in London in 1941
''Windows of offices and houses were taped to stop the glass flying around and also brick built shelters with concrete roofs appeared on our streets. These although used, were not considered very safe and people could opt for either a Morrison Shelter, which was basically an iron cage you could have indoors (most people placing them under their dining tables) or you could have an Anderson Shelter made up of curved corrugated iron panels bolted together, the size dependent on the number of people living in the houses at the time. We opted for one of these, which were buried in the garden, and I remember my Mother sewing a packet of Carters lettuce seeds on top which grew to be the size of small cabbages!''
The Morrison Shelter was specially designed so that the space it took up was not wasted, since it could serve a double purpose - as both table and shelter. The sides were detachable and could be removed for table use. The floor was sprung to make a more comfortable base for a mattress. Two adults and one child (or two young children) could sleep in it. It was for erection only on the lowest floor of a house, where it gave excellent cover against the debris of a two or three-storeyed house.
The Anderson shelter was constructed of a very strong galvanised corrugated steel and was intended for erection, where suitable, in the garden of houses without a basement. It was designed to take the weight of any debris that might fall upon it from the house .
Pauline's parents, Bob and Xe.
''I became one of the “Latch Key Children” when my father joined the R.A.F and my Mother decided to do “her bit” by working in Siemens Munitions Factory, housed in the old Caleys Chocolate Factory right in the heart of the City. A ripe target!! Her work consisted of filling small carbon tubes with molten solder and inserting a small screw in the top for making batteries. In order to keep the solder workable there were rows of gas Bunsen burners working all day which ultimately resulted in the fumes giving my Mother, and many others like her, very bad coughs and chests. She never fully recovered from the effects of this throughout her life. There were no Health and Safety Regulations in those days!''
Caley's Chocolate Factory about 1940
HUNGRY SEAGULLS
''Ration books appeared and you had to register with a specific Grocer and Butcher who religiously cut out the required coupons, but Greengrocery was left to the individual. One quickly learnt to be quick on your feet and have an ear to the ground, as I became the one left to do the shopping. Rationing was rationing, but you quickly noticed anything extra that might be “on offer”, and one always asked the Butcher for “any bones”.
To help, whilst my Father was stationed in the Orkneys, he used to collect the small tin containers that housed his friends’ cigarette rations. Inside these he used to pack an egg wrapped in paper, filling a wooden box, and then send these eggs all the way from the Orkney Islands to Norwich Thorpe Station, who then delivered this box to our door. Miraculously, these used to arrive virtually intact and my Mother used to put them straight into a big earthenware crock filled with isinglass apparently to preserve them.
After some time he had an inkling that he might be posted overseas (he ended up in Italy), so for a treat, my Mother and I decided to forego our weekly bacon ration, and with the Grocer keeping a note of how much we saved, we eventually managed to have a small joint as a surprise, for as and when he arrived home.
This came about one snowbound Christmas and having got this small joint, which my Mother duly boiled, our tiny kitchen quickly filled up with steam. As she could not see what she was doing she decided to open our kitchen door and place the plate holding the joint outside, on a bench, for a moment to cool.
From nowhere it was a scene from Hitchcock’s “The Birds”!! She was surrounded and seriously attacked by a mass of hungry seagulls. There was no hope but to let the plate and hot bacon go. From the safety of our kitchen we had to watch these birds tear this small joint apart. I rarely saw my Mother cry, but I did that day.''
RATION BOOKS
Every person in Britain was given a ration book. They had to register and buy their food from their chosen shops. People had to visit several different shops to buy meat, vegetables, bread and other goods and each shop was required to stamp the appropriate section of the book.
This is a page from the ration book belonging to Pauline's father.
THE BAEDEKER RAIDS 1942
German raids on Norwich, Exeter, Bath, York and Canterbury left 1,637 civilians dead and 1,760 injured. More than 50,000 homes were destroyed.
Some noted buildings were destroyed or damaged, but most escaped - Exeter and Canterbury cathedrals survived as Norwich's did
The cities were reputedly selected because they were awarded three stars for their historical significance by the German Baedeker Tourist Guide to Britain - hence the forays were named the Baedeker raids.
The photo shows an intact Anderson shelter in Norwich surrounded by bombed buildings
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUMPAULINE EXPERIENCES A BOMB BLAST
''As I said before, Norwich came in for some heavy bombing. Mattresses and bedding came downstairs and we would try to sleep fully clothed lying on top as the sirens sometimes used to sound several times throughout the night. As a result, many of us school children were considered deprived of a full nights’ sleep. I recall the whole school in glorious sunshine lying on the grass of its playing field being instructed by our teachers to try to get some rest. However this practice only occurred the once, I believe due to the risks of being attacked from above.
Our Air Raid Warden, Mr. Tacon, was very good but remained firm that we “had to be in our shelter, just in case”, and by this time our three grown up neighbours had joined us as they didn’t like “the smell” of the Street Shelter. It was a case of ‘sardines in a tin’, but I think my Mother was pleased of the company.
One hears about the odd stories of the effects of bomb blast. On one of the bad nights my Mother was walking tightly ahead of me, of course in the dark, when a bomb blast from somewhere near simultaneously blew in both our front and back doors. My Mother, who was a large lady, was knocked straight off her feet. I was left standing but wondered where she was. I know I gave her a nasty bang on the head to add to her bruises in my efforts to find her, but little did we know that the worst was to come.''
Orford Place
Remains of Caley's chocolate factory
Outside Curl's department store
Bond's department store in ruins
HEAVY BOMBING
''Having booked a chimney sweep to call the next day, we went into our shelter that night and were told afterwards that the air raid lasted over two hours. The centre of Norwich and approaches had gone, the back of the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, its side roads and streets were reduced to rubble. We subsequently emerged from our shelter to find it was like daylight with all surrounding buildings ablaze. We hurried inside our house only to find a mountain of soot banked from the fireplace together with other debris piled diagonally across the room. I suppose it was from the shock that I tried to make light of the situation saying “Well, at least we don’t need the chimney sweep now, Mum” as she gradually opened the door leading to the upstairs only to have a load of bricks and roof tiles fall in on her. On looking up she saw the open sky and promptly fainted.
In those days, everyone rallied round and helped each other and it was amazing how quickly tarpaulins appeared. Our Air Raid Warden always seemed to have an array of small builders/carpenters organised to help everyone stay, where possible, in their own homes. We were virtually living downstairs in any case.''
Smoke coming from the Norfolk and Norwich hospital after it had been hit by an incendiary device
King George VI visits the bomb -damaged Norfolk and Norwich hospital in October 1942
NORFOLK AND NORWICH HOSPITAL
''One immediate effect of that raid was that water mains had been destroyed and I had to queue at a stopcock in the road, with the biggest pail I could find and carry. It was a case of one pail of water to last us all day for everything. I can still see my Mother emptying a hot water bottle into our kettle in order to make us a cup of tea in the morning. Again, it seemed as though the water situation quickly got sorted, possibly due to the fact that the Hospital and its requirements were so close. Another memory of that raid was of rows and rows of occupied beds all arranged outside on the ornamental lawns in front of the damaged Hospital.
I know that any news or rumours were seized upon and one that affected us was that the centre of Norwich had been such an easy target because the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital had painted a red cross on its roof line, thereby designating that it WAS a Hospital. This was too close to home for us, so we couldn’t believe our eyes to see that whilst buildings were being repaired, the outside walls of what was the old Brunswick Road Nursing Home were being freshly painted cream. Streets of rubble all around and here were walls being painted cream! I can still see their shining state being splattered with mud pies as local people vented their anger, my Mother included. My only regret was that I was not allowed to join in!''
make do and mend
''I did not realise it at the time, but because there were no distractions such as the likes of television, or the company of any brothers or sisters, the evenings were spent with my Mother passing on her considerable skills of sewing, knitting, rug making even the re soling of shoes using a composite sole fixed with an evil smelling glue and heels protected with metal “Segs”.
I learnt then to have the patience to unpick a seam in order to make a worn garment into something new.
Jumpers were made of wool. When worn, again rows were pulled out, wool washed to clean and get the kinks out then re knitted using FairIsle patterns. Nothing was wasted, paper used and re used. String, however short was saved and used again, knots and all. Zips from dresses and skirts, ribbons re used and buttons hoarded in jars. Everything looked at twice before disposal. A habit that remains with me to this day! ''
Pauline pictured in 1951
Pauline in 2020
THE END OF THE WAR
Pauline and her mother Exe were watching a film in the Haymarket cinema when the end of the war was announced. The film suddenly stopped, the lights went up and the manager came onto the stageto announce the good news. After that the film was abandoned and Paulineand Exe headed for the market place. It seemed like the whole of Norwichwas outside City Hall singing and dancing. There were fireworks too andPauline remembers Jumping Jacks exploding around her. Her mother wasalarmed when she thought one had been lit near her but it turned out to be acigarette. They stayed until evening enjoying the singing and partying and whenit was time to go her mother took her shoes off and walked home in stockingfeet saying ‘ I can’t stand these shoes any longer’!
AFTER THE WAR
Pauline’s father Bob did not return fromItaly, where he had been stationed, for several months. Pauline recallsthat she was asleep in bed when her mother woke her with the good news that herfather was home. He was surprised to see that during his long absencePauline had grown into a young woman. Bob returned to his pre-war job at theMasonic Club in Saint Giles Street and when the Head Steward retired he took over this position, with Pauline’s mother appointed as Head Stewardess. Theycontinued to live and work there until Bob’s retirement in 1971.
WORK
Pauline had hoped to become a teacher but her mother was not willing to allow her to leave home during the war to begin the training. So, she took a course in short-hand and went to work for the accounts department in City Hall and from there she moved to the Norwich Union where the salary was much better. She stayed there until she married in 1952.
The Masonic Lodge in St Giles street Norwich where Pauline lived after the war