Sound quality of this recording is poor
Summary (courtesy of Essex Sound and Video Archive)
[00:00:00] NH talks about getting married on Boxing Day. One bridesmaid, borrowed the dress, not very elaborate; in village hall. Had to make do. Not much to buy on coupons. No photos. Booked photographer at Saffron Walden, but he’d gone home. Colleague made the cake. Carried on working until her husband came out of the army. Wrote to her. Talks about farms and land girls. Remembers the coalman, the baker and the butcher, who came with a horse and truck from Saffron Walden. Got meat on Saturdays. Had two shops, shopped at the post office.
[00:05:00] Recalls wartime rations of butter and sugar, and ration cards. Comments that they were never really short of food. Mother made own cakes. Helped mother, a chapel cleaner, clean the storeroom. Mentions that where Pat Haylock lives {ed. Springfields] was a dairy farm. NH took milk round to houses before school, sometimes in the evening; earned pocket money. Comments that everyone got on. Talks about a very strict school teacher, church. Comments that most girls went into domestic work but that some went to Engelman’s flower place at Saffron Walden.
[00:10:00] Talks about other people in the village, including one who moved to Ireland. Had a village policeman who lived in a boarded cottage at bottom of hill. Felt safe. Went gleaning in holidays, took sandwiches. Went to fields, made daisy chains. People left doors unlocked then. Mother was strict. Father older than mother.