75 years plus 9

Today is my Dad's 84th birthday.  Becca went round with her children and they sat in the garden with Dad and Jane and shared some birthday cake that Emily had made.  Sarah and I joined them on What's App.

As this was a special VE Day also I'd sent Dad the front page of the Lancashire Daily Post of that day (extra) which prompted the following memories in an email later.  So in my Dad's own words...

....thank you for my happy birthdays and Josephine's discovery of the front page of the Lancashire newspaper which has brought back a flood of memories of my birthday seventy five years ago.
 
First, I never felt anxious or afraid of the War. Sad my Dad was in Australia preparing for the expected Japanese invasion but thrilled because he wrote often with exciting adventures and incidents with the very kind 'Snow' and 'White' Australian families. The association of their surnames always made it seem special.
 
In Oldham all scary aspects of the War passed me by. To me it meant collecting shrapnel, playing in bombed houses, the night air being carried half asleep into the air raid shelter and the red glow of Manchester burning in the night. Oh yes, and the challenge of trying to climb the cable of a barrage balloon anchored  in our garden at 208 Wellington Road.
 
I never felt disadvantaged or deprived...it was just normal life.
 
I remember being excited on the morning of my birthday because my Mother had said I could have a Birthday Party...my first at 9 years old. That probably dominated all my thoughts that day.
 
Next memory was being at school at about 3.15 and all classes being summoned into the Hall by the headmaster Pop Loader. I only remember him saying we could all go home at 3.30 instead of 4.15. No mention of Churchill  or the war....that I can remember. It was a hot day.
 
I raced out of school 1 mile downhill between high walls and trees until I saw our little group of houses at the bottom ablaze with colour. As I got closer I could see my house and our neighbour's strung with bunting. Seriously, I thought it was for my party...and my mother continued the pretence for the rest of the day.  In our kitchen there was a card table with (I think) a swiss roll in the middle and four chairs for local classmates Stuart Woodhead, Donny Taylor and Pam Hoyland. Pam was the only pupil in my class that didn't qualify for Grammar School but  later  became quite well known as a beauty on Thames TV. Her mother was 'the Dresser' at the Oldham Rep and knew all the famous actors, comedians and entertainers.


At my party there was quite an embarrassing incident in that a pool of water appeared below Pam's chair which my mother was mopping furiously. I was slow to work out it came from Pam and guess she was just too shy to say she had wanted to go to the loo. We were all very awkward.
 
I really don't remember anything else except there was a lovely street party on the night of VJ Day...victory over Japan. ...about three months later.  We children had a fancy dress parade and my mother (a tailoress) had made me a wonderful Robin Hood costume and at night I was persuaded to sing solo "I Vow To Thee, My Country" to 50 or more adults. I was puzzled, really puzzled and quite mystified to see most all of the adults crying, their eyes sparkling in the moonlight.
 

Those are some of the memories you newspaper prompted dated 8th May 1945.


Huge Happy Birthday to my optimistic, ever-positive, courageous and lovely Dad.  Sending all our love and we look forward to actually seeing you, and hugging you soon....

xxxxx