Did you ever forget your gas mask?
Evelyn: No you had to carry it around your neck the whole time, even to the pictures at night – ye’d tae carry it. It was in a cardboard box. The babies they were in a respirator and it was like a big box kind o thing wi a pump in it. My mother had twins during a big air raid – boy and a girl, and they had to go into this big respirator thing in case there was any gas and you had to pump it to keep air in it.

Were you relieved when the war ended?
Sheila: yes had a party at the end of School Avenue and a bonfire. I got a lot of thru’penny bits and sixpences for singin round the bonfire!
Evelyn: That’s what would happen lots of times. There wasn’t a lot of money goin about so you didn’t go to the pictures a lot so to relieve, the women and the neighbours they would have a street party for you. You’d bring your own cup and yer own sugar (if you had sugar) and they would supply everything else and they would bake if they could and we used to have a party on the back green and it was really really funny and good was it?
We used to dress up in crepe paper and do shows and dance and sing…things like that y' ken… plenty entertainment, plenty o games. We never sat inside did we? No… ye were always thrown outside!
Sheila: Ye’d tae make up yer own games you didn’t get a the fancy things that’s made for yous nowadays – y need tae buy it… oors wis made oot o next tae nothing; aul tin cans an a thing.

How did you celebrate VE day?
Evelyn: Big street party out in the street, all the neighbours, everything they had – big forms in the street; singin and dancing. A lot of people went down to the – you know where Marks and spencers is? At the corner there it used tae be ‘The Queen’ – called it ‘The Queen’ the statue which is on Queen’s cross now. Lots and lots of people gathered there and celebrated up at the Castlegate as well and everybody was so glad!
My husband walked from here over the Broadhill down to the harbour and the Navy boats were in right? And the sailors took him on board and he always remembered… they gave him a great big plate o rice and he ate it all!