Description
Object description
British civilian schoolchild in Hull, GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of life as schoolchild living in Hull, GB, 1939 1945: family members service in First and Second World Wars; effects of First World War on father; street-lighting; CWS warehouse used as bomb shelter; memories of air raids; family bombed out twice in 1941 and loss of personal belongings; memory of death of grandmother in air raid; description of air raid shelters; effects of bombing; father on fire watching duty; evacuation to nearby farmhouse; barrage balloons and anti-aircraft guns; memory of seeing Lancaster and Wellington bombers flying over; emergency evacuation from cinema during air raid and effect of bombs exploding nearby; memory of seeing dead horse; led to safety by policeman.
REEL 2 Continues: trolley buses parked away from streets to avoid bombing; static water tanks used to fight fires; memory of seeing soldiers training in streets; collecting empty shell cases; delivering milk from homemade cart; attitude to rationing; rolling cigarettes; effect of war on children; playing in ruins including CWS building; memory of queuing for banana; rationing of sweets; description of food available including Christmas dinners and favourite foods; attitude to food shortages; memory of knitting gloves in school for seamen on minesweepers; attitude to school life; sporting activities; problem of large classes; opinion of teachers; memory of pupil with stammer; corporal punishment; opinion of school dinners.
REEL 3 Continues: listening to radio; favourite programmes including ITMA and Forces Favourites; memory of listening to Lord Haw-Haw; memory of death of brother while on active service; reminiscences of other family members and various post-war memories of visiting Hull; description of washing clothes and reusing bath water; medical treatment; shops and goods available; memory of women collecting jugs of beer from local pub; description of effects of bombing on city centre and buildings still left standing including father's office in paint factory.
REEL 4 Continues: attitude to Mass Observation conclusions about St.Paul's area of Hull; reflections on effects of war on family; attitude to Germans; description of sleeping arrangements in houses during war; opinion of 1940's House at Imperial War Museum; importance of saving and recycling fuel and clothing; memory of mother pawning rings to pay for food; attitude to shortages; long term effects of war on mother's health; morale during war and sense of comradeship.