Lore PO Box 9, Callow HR1 9BX Volume 2 07845 907891 [email protected] Summer 2006 www.herefordshirelore.org.uk

Byford's boy labourers Wartime errand boy Hereford's pushbike brigade Babies by candlelight

Get in touch on 07845 907891 or [email protected] On The Home Front From Kilner jars to killing hens

In Our Age has been for them else they out and about talking to won't die!" Herefordshire people Don Glead, Madley about wartime food. Bread pudding: soak You'd have to queue bread, add sugar, fruit for everything. and powdered egg Queues'd be miles and a little drop of long at Higgins the milk. Mix it all up and butcher in put it in the baking Widemarsh Street. tray, like a Christmas No good being in a pudding, and boil it. hurry, you'd be ages. That was what my I used to hate kids had for their tea queuing, but if you with some custard wanted it you'd got many a time and the to do it. boys are all six Phyllis Yapp, footers! Hereford Phyllis Yapp, Hereford

When mother went to Through the winter market she'd have months we always butter and dressed had hot potato cakes chickens in her on Sunday evening. basket. And they were Phyllis Edwards (pictured second from right in the middle row, above) of Redhill recalls Cook the potatoes, dressed in those happy times working as a civilian cook at RAF Credenhill. She remembers one mash them well with days, trussed up with incident which might send Health & Safety inspectors into a spin these days. Lofty some flour, a knob of parsley, sage . . . by (pictured far left in the back row, above), one of the cooks, was pouring flour into a big butter and then the time you'd got the boiler and out of the bag came a mouse’s nest and baby mice. He scooped the nest lightly fry them both greenery off you got and mice out. Later when the gravy was made Deirdre (furthest right in the front row), sides. They go down enough to stuff the while ladling the gravy out of the boiler into jugs, saw what she thought was a piece of well with some meat and pickle. bird as well! string, hooked it out, and discovered a mouse at the end of this tail. Deirdre won’t say Katie Latham, Don Glead, Madley what she did with the gravy but nobody died! Hereford We bottled everything. A funny thing, a lot of the old ladies used Watercress was gathered from a brook We bottled fruit. And we used to slice to do the killing (of hens). Used to hang where no brook runs today. It's dried up beans and put a layer of beans and then them on the clothesline and cut the vein in because of drainage. But there was a brook salt and so on until the jar was full. You their beak and bleed them. If they didn't and a watercress bed there and people name it we bottled it! We used Kilner jars: flap they didn't get all the blood out of 'em. guarded it with their life too! every one went mad for Kilner jars. A neighbour used to say: "Don't feel sorry Don Glead, Madley Katie Latham, Hereford

Herefordshire’s Harvest Camps Gordon Smith recalls the Byford boy labourers

Times were hard for the Agricultural Committee ran through our camping field. And we boys at Barford Road Camp at Byford. In would bait hooks with worms Ð although Secondary School in August 1947 there was a the farmer wasn't pleased when his hens Ladywood, Birmingham three-week camp where ate the worms and choked on the hooks! during the war years, we were allowed to work We had to take more care after that. writes Gordon. There four hours a day for 9d Gordon and friend Brian Palmer have were shortages of an hour. researched their days at Byford and even everything and, living We picked potatoes by traced the relevant documents from close to the factories we hand, picked plums in Birmingham Education authority. One were often interrupted by the orchards and stacked official account reports: “Swimming and air raids. People were sheaves of corn together fishing competitions were most successful killed less than 50 yards to dry, afterwards loading and carried out without over-organisation. from where we sheltered them onto tractors and No single complaint of damage of any sort in our underground air unloading them into the was made against the boys.” raid shelter. So you can barns. imagine our joy at being After each trip to the Do you remember the Byford boys? Let offered three weeks in barn we all had a glass us know at In Our Age. Herefordshire and the of homemade cider and, chance to get clean fresh being only 14 or 15, it did Front cover photograph: air into our lungs. have quite an effect on A chauffeur-driven car drives through On June 6 1946 the boys us Ð as did all the went at Whitsun for one unwashed fruit we ate! Lea on the A40, Ross to Gloucester week as an experiment to the War We used to swim and fish in the river which road around 1913.

2 Get in touch Ð call us on 07845 907891... On Your Bike Delivery boy Harry Carroll reflects on life at Bishops Frome

Harry moved to Bishops Frome in the war. two slit windows and big wooden shutters We came from London to my (you can still see the clips on the walls). grandmother's, Aldridge Cottage, Bishops The front room was an air-raid shelter. We Frome and worked on the farm. We lived in moved there in 1941. a little tin bungalow Ð no running water and Everyone had a good garden. I remember an outside privy. the vegetables, Mum worked on the especially runner land so I took my little beans. Mother kept brother to Bishops chickens and ducks, Frome School. He hatching the eggs in couldn't have been the warming oven. more than three and And rabbits would he'd stand by my desk arrive home Ð inside while I did my father's overcoat. schoolwork. Before I left We spent the Scudamore School, I summers on the hop worked for Sugarkings fields. We'd gather in Eign Gate as the sticks, make up the errand boy delivering fire. The Gypsies the groceries. People came in their wagons. would come with lists, I played with Henry the food was packed Lee and the Boswells, up and the delivery and Smiths. They boys cycled off. On were nice kids. Saturday I'd go to the We were chucked out bus station, with a of our cottage when tarpaulin in case of Dents at Yarkhill was one. She loved it. father joined the rain, and the other She and the other women would travel by Munitions factory at Rotherwas because he boys would deliver the parcels to me, to be bus or by lorry to pick hops (she had a wouldn't work on the farm at weekends. The collected by people as they got on the bus pillow made out of hops). The women would Munitions had built special workers' houses home. be quiet in the morning but would all be in Hunderton with flat-roofs, thick walls, My mother continued working on farms: singing on the way home.

Jock jumps ship RAF My father, ‘Jock', was born in 1897 in Glasgow, says Harry. He was a bit wild and was sent to a training ship, ‘for those that might drift bikes into delinquency', the HMS Mars on the Clyde. There was room for One of Harry's 400 boys on board and he learned many skills there – shoemaking, brothers trained at sewing, cutting hair. But he RAF Madley as a wasn't happy and literally wireless operator jumped ship and swam for and air gunner. shore. He never returned to “When his mates Scotland. had leave, they He lied about his age, cycled to our joined up and served on the house and left the Somme. He met my mother bikes in our after being injured when he garden, picking was in hospital in them up when they Cheltenham. returned and After the Munitions, he cycling back to worked part time at the SAS Madley. They were camp. He used to tell this big Air Force issue story. ‘Jock,' said the bikes: no one got sergeant to my father, ‘have the same bike that you got a spare cap and they came with.” coat at home?' ‘Yes,' said Cycle Hereford, a my father. ‘What do you new group, is want with them?' father launched in asked. ‘Just hang them on National Bike Elizabeth Godsell from Woolhope and that peg over there. Today's Week on June 17. bike outside Redhill, 1943. "The RAF lads Tuesday: don't come back Cycle Hereford, 30 had my bike: they used to steal bicycles to until Friday. If anybody asks Grove Road, get back to camp after the Hostel dances." if you're in, I'll say “he must Hereford HR1 2QP (See That Hereford Hostel, back page.) be because there's his hat (01432 340107) or and coat".' [email protected]

...or email us at [email protected] 3 The Good Life Phyllis Yapp recalls birthing by candlelight

Before the war Phyllis was a finisher and The pub was down-to-earth. There wasn't only Tilly lamps and candles. Dad had to then a dipper at Thimms Tile Works. much shorts or whiskies and we only had cycle down to get the midwife. There was It wasn't a very healthy job: two or three one kind of draught beer and cider, of me waiting. Of course he was born before girls died of lead she got there. poisoning while I Three boys and a dog : Phyllis’ sons play among the corn stooks. We didn't do badly. was there. Granny You'd got eggs and used to make me goat's milk. Farmer drink a pint of milk a over the road would day. Every fortnight kill the pig for mother, a doctor examined hang it up in the you: you had to put larder. I used to dig your hands down the garden and we and then raise them saved our potatoes up. If you couldn't and the seed from raise them there one year to another. was something My husband, when wrong. I married at he came back from 21. They didn't the war, used to employ married catch the rabbits. women so I had to Two rabbits hanging leave. up on the back door: When my husband one for stew and one was called up I for roast. went to stay with The thing I really my mother at The liked was the hop Builders Arms, picking. I loved that. Bearwood, outside It was the only way I Pembridge. I was could earn money to about 28 and I had two little boys. course. The beer was drawn from the wood buy the kids their school clothes. You'd get We didn't go without a lot. It was a good in the cellar. I'd take a tray down, fill 'em up there for seven and work until tea time. First life. Dad was a baker in Pembridge Ð The and bring them back. I used to clean too: it thing we done was light a fire, boil a kettle Steppes: he used to cycle down every was hard work on all the flagstones floors. and make a cup of tea. That cup was morning about 4 o'clock to bake. It was My youngest son was born there in the absolutely lovely! lovely bread. middle of the night. We had no electricity, On the Home Front War work wasn’t a bed of roses

We ended up cleaning baths, sinks and So that too was hard labour. toilets (the toilets only flushed every ten Then the war ended. They asked me to stay minutes) and we cried. It was a terrible and be the camp hairdresser. That was experience. perfect! All I did was the officers' and I just We went to the officer. We said: 'Why had a little hut, decorated the way I wanted. couldn't everybody take a turn?’ She was Now eighty Eunice is still hairdressing. such a diplomat. She said: 'You girls are helping win the war', and we believed her. Land Army girl Kitty, Eunice's sister, out with the cows during We came out with our the last war. chests out: 'We Are Helping Win The War!' Eventually she gave us a turn at the Mess. Now we were washing dishes all day with hardly any soap and our hands red raw up to our elbows. You cannot wash greasy plates with cold water and no soap. We wore When I was 17 I thought 'I've got to help clogs and we had to win the war'. I volunteered to be in the army wash the cement Ð I wanted to be driving officers around! floors because there Instead, Eunice Latham from Canada was a lot of grease became an orderly. there.

4 Get in touch Ð call us on 07845 907891... What’s On Around Herefordshire

The focus of the oral history group will be the impact of World War Two on Ledbury. The volunteers will explore memories of daily life as well as finding out about the prisoner of war camp, munitions work and evacuees. Three Choirs Festival 2006 is Hereford's turn to host the Three Choirs Festival again.This festival 'floats' between the three cities of Hereford, Worcester and Gloucester, with each city taking its turn to play host. Essentially classical, it is the oldest music festival in Europe. Its origins lie in the city choirs England's Past for Everyone is a national meeting annually to sing together and project designed to produce well- improve their musical abilities and it is researched regional histories, involving known to have been in existence before local people in the research and recording 1720. of their own localities. It is run under the These days every festival has its 'fringe', auspices of the Victoria County History the other, often more visible side of the Trust, with funding from the National festivities, and each fringe has its own Heritage Lottery Fund. The Herefordshire character. The Edinburgh Fringe is now as Credit: Jim Meenahan snapshot of recollections from local people: project, based on Ledbury, is also famous as the Edinburgh Festival itself, from Edward Elgar (above) to the Odeon supported by Herefordshire Council, the with street performers, comedy and music. concert organist. Watch out for details. University of Gloucestershire and the Hereford Three Choirs Fringe's character is Herefordshire Victoria County History Trust. based round exploring our own creative The results will appear in two paperback abilities, joining in, being a part of the Oh What a Terrible War books and also on the Internet, where a festival community and, most importantly, special website will be able to display much having fun. We aim to promote the good It's 90 years since the Battle of the Somme, of the background research material. The things that are already happening in our an appropriate time to be putting on a play first, due to be published at the end of county and to put on as wide a variety of about that terrible war. Not About Heroes is 2007, will be on Ledbury from 1558 up to activities as we can. based on the true story of Siegfried the present, the second, appearing two The Fringe is for local people as well as Sassoon and Wilfred Owens who met while years later, will cover everything before visitors and we welcome everyone who recovering from their injuries at 1558! Based at the Heritage Centre in would like to contribute. To get involved call Craiglockhard Hospital in 1917. Ledbury, a group of some thirty volunteers Mary Tolhurst (01544 231732). (Silver The performance reflects the way their (above) are involved with a variety of surfer? visit the new website: relationship influenced some of the greatest projects, some working on old documents, www.hereford3choirsfringe.org.uk) war poetry ever written. others looking at buildings and others In Our Age will be part of the Three Choirs Not About Heroes is on at The Courtyard, about to embark on an oral history project. Fringe. 'Listening to Elgar' is an illustrated Hereford until Saturday May 24. Eric's Orcop Ð a labour of love

Eighty-eight-year-old Eric Bunday has created an extraordinary book: a walk around Orcop based on paintings and sketches (right) that he and his wife Audrey

did over their years living in Orcop Hill. The have disappeared, some have been book takes you on a circular walk, modernised almost out of recognition. beginning and ending at their cottage in the The book was beautifully produced by village. Laurence Smith, Eric providing all the Audrey, who in the past was a very illustrations and the text. It is a historical talented artist, is no longer able to paint record and would be a lovely gift for and this book is a tribute to their shared anyone who knows the area. Eric can be artistic life. It contains views of landscape contacted through In Our Age. and depictions of cottages, some of which

...or email us at [email protected] 5 Living History at Castle Frome Aussie Jim and the stressed Spitfire pilot

We have spent about eighteen months collecting oral living history in Castle Frome, writes Louise Manning. There were many memories of the war years and how life changed in the parish. There were quite a few evacuees billeted around the village, mostly from Birmingham, and they all had to attend school. This meant that local children only went half-days to school. Rationing was quite a problem for most families. Those on the farms were lucky as they had their own bacon and meat from the pig, chickens for eggs and plenty of milk and lots of vegetables from the garden. Some of the characters who were remembered included 'Aussie Jim', an Australian who, when he was demobbed Castle Frome Home Guard and given a ticket home, got so drunk he never made the ship. He worked in Castle Frome for about two years trying to save up the money to get home but he picking. One of his jobs was pumping kept spending it all in the pub. In the end, water from the brook into a tank on the his employer kept back most of his tractor and then hauling it back to the wages as Jim had a wife and two children buildings. His tractor had never gone so at home. With the help of the local fast! Despite many warnings one day transport company he was taken to after heavy rain Michael, the tractor and Cardiff Docks and put on a boat to the tank slid into the brook. He escaped Australia. He got a job on board as a unhurt. painter but it isn't known if he made it Once Michael was back at work he used back to Australia. to fly low over the farm at 4 p.m. every Another character was Michael Daunt. He day and loop the loop. was a Spitfire test pilot from Gloucester. Louise is on 01531 640820 or But he suffered from stress and came to [email protected] Castle Frome to help with the hop- Motoring mysteries Local businessman and car enthusiast Ian Morris has amongst his model car collection a Bugatti Royale in mint condition, writes our motoring columnist Rosemary Lillico. Here's the real thing, pictured in Age To Age ten years ago. The Bugatti was photographed by Mary Morris was fourteen and working at Basil Butcher in in the 1950s. It was said to have survived the German the Ritz Cafe in Commercial Road, occupation of France hidden in a Parisian sewer before a Captain Henry of Leominster Hereford when news of her father’s death acquired it. Only six of these absolutely wonderful cars (sometimes shown in World War was announced in 1939. “There was a Two films) were reputedly manufactured. telegram to my mother. He was a cook with the Herefordshire Regiment Kings Shropshire Light Infantry and had been killed in a cellar at Arnhem. Before the war he had worked for the Council: he used to work on Boxing Day to pay for our Christmas. Then he joined the Territorials and they were the first to go into the war. Afterwards mum brought seven of us up on College Estate on thirty-two shillings a week.” Mary and husband Peter now live in Tupsley, Hereford, but grew up a few doors away from each other in Catherine Street, Hereford. (See Peter’s letter, Diptheria and Sudan 3, back page.)

6 Get in touch Ð call us on 07845 907891... Your News & Views

Herefordshire Lore Age: we won't be able to promise the world, PO Box 9, Callow, Well done Hereford HR1 9BX 07845 907891 but trust that even a small contribution will Volume 1 [email protected] Issue 1 www.herefordshirelore.org.uk Congratulations on the first issue of In Our Spring 2006 help to buy some more printer's ink. Best wishes to you all. Long Live In Our Age! Age which we are happy to distribute from Juergen Koenigsbeck The Courtyard, Hereford. I wish you luck with this venture for the future. Sophie Dubber, press and marketing, Inspiring project The Courtyard. Herefordshire Lore has been playing an important part in, literally, recording the for many years. Its real engagement with individuals who not only contribute their memories, but who Advocacy often go on to help with other aspects of the project is a fine example of what community for Older 1946 - 2006 history projects are all about. They and their publications are an inspiration to new People Madley smallholders community history projects such as ours. All Wartime gardening the best for the future. Pembridge pub life Dr Sylvia Pinches, Victoria County History of Herefordshire, University of Hereford’s homemade car welcomes In Our Age Home Herefordshire’sFront Gloucestershire. Get in touch on 07845 907891 or [email protected] We are always on the lookout Not quite right for volunteers. Looking forward I must point out some irregularities in the Call Ray Danenbergs on The first edition of In Our Age has been last In Our Age. Thomas Frederick Pitt is on received by members of Hereford Baptist the left, not the right, of the front page 01432 263757 Church's Wednesday Club with great joy picture and he was a wireless operator and and interest, and I trust that our reaction air gunner Ð not rear gunner. I must also Advocacy House, 103-104 East Street, reflects the general trend. We look forward point out that my photograph is on the pillar Hereford HR1 2LW to the second edition. at Rotherwas where Nora is standing. Hope [email protected] We plan to make our autumn Coffee this puts the record straight. Charity no.: 1043947 Morning with Bring & Buy in aid of In Our Joan E Hiles, email.

...or email us at [email protected] 7 Your News & Views How do I get my copy? That Hereford Hostel Many readers have called (07845 907891), written (Herefordshire More should be done to Lore, PO Box 9, Callow, Hereford celebrate the old Redhill HR1 9BX) or emailed Hostel, says Elizabeth Godsell ([email protected]) to ask from Woolhope. Rotherwas for a regular copy of In Our Age. Munitions factory has its Many have said they would be memorials, partly thanks to happy to subscribe to In Our Age. Herefordshire Lore's In The This is our second In Our Age and Munitions Ð Women at War in it’s published free thanks to a grant Herefordshire book; the same from the Home Front Lottery fund. should be done for the old Like Issue 1 it’s distributed to all hostel which was built by the Herefordshire’s libraries, museums Ministry of Supply in 1941 off and tourist information centres and the Ross Road, she says. The read by about 10,000 people. hostel employed 120 staff We are planning four issues a year including Elizabeth: “It was hard (Issue 3 should be out in August) work and we retired to our and Herefordshire Lore will decide hard, little bunks after our nine- Larking around: Vera, Lil and Elizabeth Godsell dress up for a shortly whether to pay for future hour shifts and fell fast asleep.” mock wedding at Redhill Hostel. issues through subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, a cover price and grants. Diptheria and Sudan 3 Watch this space! Does anyone remember Hereford's nurses, Hilda Price and Nurse Parker. The John Turner, Chair Diptheria and Scarlett Fever Isolation ambulance man lived in a cottage at the Hospital at Hampton Dene? asks Peter start of the drive. The hospital was an H- Morris from Tupsley. "I was a patient there type, wooden building with a corrugated Events for eight weeks in 1939 as there was an iron roof and was used later for Until Saturday May 24 Ð The epidemic at Hunderton. Myself and my convalescing TB and chest patients." Courtyard, Hereford. Not About sister Muriel, Mary and Tony Perkins, Mary Peter worked at Barronia Metals (see Heroes. 0870 1122330 Harper, Hazel Quinsey, Sylvia Coppins, Hereford's Wartime Secrets, in our last another girl called Griffiths, Brian Hankins, issue) and recalls the use of the May to June 25 Ð County Tour. Dr Maynard, Denis Craddock and, sadly, controversial Sudan 3 food colourant being Museum on the Move's It's Good to Dorothy King of Catherine Street who died used there Ð "It was used to colour the Talk exhibition. 01432 260692 at the hospital. The matron was Jones, paraffin in the inspection room," he always dressed in a grey uniform and two explains. May 14 Ð St Weonards Parish Hall. Rural craft, activities and plants day. Jo Knight 07717 178246 Spot the box?

May 20 Ð 26 A Herefordshire Quiz. Test Jo Doversman of Whitecross, your knowledge of the County at the Hereford knew the answer to our Hereford Museum and Art Gallery and poser in the last issue: Where's Libraries around the County. this signal box? “I was relief signalman on the railways and May 20 to July 2 Ð Hereford Museum often used to work at this one, the and Art Gallery, Broad St. Heath Rotherwas Junction. It was an Robinson exhibition. 01432 260692 interesting box because it was the junction for the Cardiff to May 30 & 31 Ð Hereford Museum and Shrewsbury line, the branch line Art Gallery. Fairy's Birthday drama (now closed) to Gloucester and workshop and costume making. 01432 also trips into the factory, when 260692 every morning a Pannier engine brought in thirty or forty wagons Saturday June 24 Ð Castle Green, and took them out again in the Hereford. Medieval fayre and festival. afternoon.” www.herefordshire.gov.uk/leisure/museums

Herefordshire Lore has been collecting and publishing people's Herefordshire Lore includes: John Turner (chair), Mary Horner, memories since 1989, working closely with the County Records Siriol Collins, Sandy Green, Rosemary Lillico, Eileen Klotz, office, Herefordshire Museums, Herefordshire Libraries and Age Elizabeth Semper O'Keefe, Marsha O’Mahony, Harvey Payne, Concern. Betty Webb, Lenora Williams.

Previous publications include: Age To Age, Amazing How Times Editor: Bill Laws Images: Bobby Blackwell Change, The Schoolchildren's Tale, The Shopkeeper’s Tale and In Designer: Karl Hodgetts Research: Anna Falcini, The Munitions - Women At War in Herefordshire. Administrator: Dawn Turner Sandy Green, Rosemary Lillico